GDT: G76: Capitals @ Avalanche | 4/18/22 | 9:00p ET

[AlexBrovechkin8]

This should be interesting.

Click to read more...

 

[ovikovy817]

WSH 15 @ 27 COL

Hat-tricks for everyone.

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

8-6 Colo- empty net at he end. No INJ please

 

[Holtbyisms]

2-0 Colorado

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

8 - 1 Colorado.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Now that they've clinched a playoff spot, I think they should shut down a couple of guys until the playoffs. I'm thinking we should sideline Oshie and Backstrom. These are the two guys that look like they need some rest the most.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Now that they've clinched a playoff spot, I think they should shut down a couple of guys until the playoffs. I'm thinking we should sideline Oshie and Backstrom. These are the two guys that look like they need some rest the most.

Agreed on Oshie. I don’t think any amount of rest will make a difference to Backstrom at this point. Off-season surgery seems more likely.

 

[crazy8888]

Agreed on Oshie. I don’t think any amount of rest will make a difference to Backstrom at this point. Off-season surgery seems more likely.

Surgery to repair what?

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Delete me.

 

[kicksavedave]

Surgery to repair what?

He has a bad hip. He had surgery on it a couple years back, but its still not right. He elected NOT to have surgery this offseason and try rest/rehab instead, but he's still not right, he can barely skate anymore.

If he doesn't get another surgery he will likely never get back to his old self again.

 

[Neil Racki]

Rest the guys, torn on Ovi. He needs some rest but were most likely 1st round exit so why not chase 50?

Snively skating w the strength and conditioning coach.

Joe Snively skates with strength and conditioning coach as he continues to work his way back from left wrist surgery

Capitals forward Joe Snively was back on the ice Tuesday as he continues down the path of recovery from left wrist surgery. The former Little Cap has been out of action for about six weeks since undergoing the procedure due...

russianmachineneverbreaks.com

 

[kicksavedave]

Broncos 14
Redskins 7

 

[crazy8888]

He has a bad hip. He had surgery on it a couple years back, but its still not right. He elected NOT to have surgery this offseason and try rest/rehab instead, but he's still not right, he can barely skate anymore.

If he doesn't get another surgery he will likely never get back to his old self again.

h

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

We’re supposed to get whooped tonight right?


5-4 good guys….

 

[crazy8888]

He has a bad hip. He had surgery on it a couple years back, but its still not right. He elected NOT to have surgery this offseason and try rest/rehab instead, but he's still not right, he can barely skate anymore.

If he doesn't get another surgery he will likely never get back to his old self again.

Skating was never his strongest attribute. He is making bad decisions with the puck even when he has time to make a better play. This is someone who used to be regarded as one of the smartest players in the game. You cant just have surgery just to say you did. Caps made a 5 year investment in him. If his hip was not in game shape then they would not be playing him. Especially since they had PO'S all but guaranteed for a while now. Considering what Tampa has been doing with LTIR, if Backstrom was still legitimately not in game shape why would they not sit him and use cap space to acquire a center?

People also seem to forget that he is at an age where most players are declining. But for some reason that's not really accounted at all in Backstrom discussions.

 

[Corby78]

If we keep them under 5 I’ll be happy

 

[Hivemind]

Fourth straight blowout game incoming. 6-2 Colorado

 

[kicksavedave]

Skating was never his strongest attribute. He is making bad decisions with the puck even when he has time to make a better play. This is someone who used to be regarded as one of the smartest players in the game. You cant just have surgery just to say you did. Caps made a 5 year investment in him. If his hip was not in game shape then they would not be playing him. Especially since they had PO'S all but guaranteed for a while now. Considering what Tampa has been doing with LTIR, if Backstrom was still legitimately not in game shape why would they not sit him and use cap space to acquire a center?

People also seem to forget that he is at an age where most players are declining. But for some reason that's not really accounted at all in Backstrom discussions.

Its not simply losing pure straight line skating speed, although that is part of it. He's losing board battles, he get knocked off the puck far more easily than he ever used to, his small area change of direction is much worse than it used to be, yes he's also making bad decisions but that may be rust more than the hip, but his overall compete level is lower than its ever appeared to be. Simply put, he looks like he's playing in pain right now and its impacting his overall performance. It may well be linked to conditioning because he took the entire offseason off from skating. But if that were the only issue one might see some bursts out of him before he gets tired within a game... I'm just not seeing that at all - pretty much every 1 on 1 battle he's in, he loses these days.

People want to talk about the comparison of CMM vs Backstrom as if that is the only concern. My point is the comparison of Backstrom to his 5 year $9.2M AAV contract. I get rewarding a lifetime franchise player. But if he doesn't improve his performance dramatically that contract will be a boat anchor that will sink their competitive chances until its rectified (LTIR or 4 more years). He's being paid like an all star but he's performing like a very bad 3rd line center. That's not a winning formula, long term.

 

[crazy8888]

Its not simply losing pure straight line skating speed, although that is part of it. He's losing board battles, he get knocked off the puck far more easily than he ever used to, his small area change of direction is much worse than it used to be, yes he's also making bad decisions but that may be rust more than the hip, but his overall compete level is lower than its ever appeared to be. Simply put, he looks like he's playing in pain right now and its impacting his overall performance. It may well be linked to conditioning because he took the entire offseason off from skating. But if that were the only issue one might see some bursts out of him before he gets tired within a game... I'm just not seeing that at all - pretty much every 1 on 1 battle he's in, he loses these days.

People want to talk about the comparison of CMM vs Backstrom as if that is the only concern. My point is the comparison of Backstrom to his 5 year $9.2M AAV contract. I get rewarding a lifetime franchise player. But if he doesn't improve his performance dramatically that contract will be a boat anchor that will sink their competitive chances until its rectified (LTIR or 4 more years). He's being paid like an all star but he's performing like a very bad 3rd line center. That's not a winning formula, long term.

You may be complete right, none of us are sitting in that training room and hearing what coaches and trainers are saying. My only thought is that if he playing in pain, he would not be playing right now. Now that playoffs are guaranteed and if Backstrom does not sit any of the games i think we have our answer as to whether or not he is playing in pain.
Personally i think the team is just waiting for him to come to form after a long layoff.

As for his contract...he got paid for past performance. This is a case where the GM didn't even hide that fact. GMBM called Backstrom and Ovechkin contracts "nostalgic". We all knew that these contracts were risky. But no one envisioned Backstrom leaving last year so here we are.

 

[kicksavedave]

You may be complete right, none of us are sitting in that training room and hearing what coaches and trainers are saying. My only thought is that if he playing in pain, he would not be playing right now. Now that playoffs are guaranteed and if Backstrom does not sit any of the games i think we have our answer as to whether or not he is playing in pain.
Personally i think the team is just waiting for him to come to form after a long layoff.

As for his contract...he got paid for past performance. This is a case where the GM didn't even hide that fact. GMBM called Backstrom and Ovechkin contracts "nostalgic". We all knew that these contracts were risky. But no one envisioned Backstrom leaving last year so here we are.

The only issue I have is, a LOT of players play through pain, its nearly a constant in the NHL. It many cases it impacts their performance, we've seen it happen with Ovi at times, but its usually temporary. JC has been hurt in the playoffs each of the last few years, others too. Its hard to predict the future here but with Backie this just has the feel of something chronic which isn't going to heal up with some more rest.

Brooks Laich once said (paraphrasing) that when a normally good NHL player suddenly starts sucking, that its almost always due to playing through an injury. It makes sense. I mean check out TVR pre and post his brief injury outage. He's struggling big time right now, but was playing lights out before he missed a few games.

 

[TJHKY]

One goal for Ovi, on the way to 50 goals.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Skating was never his strongest attribute. He is making bad decisions with the puck even when he has time to make a better play. This is someone who used to be regarded as one of the smartest players in the game. You cant just have surgery just to say you did. Caps made a 5 year investment in him. If his hip was not in game shape then they would not be playing him. Especially since they had PO'S all but guaranteed for a while now. Considering what Tampa has been doing with LTIR, if Backstrom was still legitimately not in game shape why would they not sit him and use cap space to acquire a center?

People also seem to forget that he is at an age where most players are declining. But for some reason that's not really accounted at all in Backstrom discussions.

Exactly right....I think because he plays on the same team as Superman, so he's held to a higher standard there to some extent. But.....the cap hit is the standard above all else. at $9.2, he's going to be a disappointment to many at this output rate going forward. Not sure there's a way around that.

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

 

[Monsterrain]

Mojo still alive and kicking

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Mojo still alive and kicking