GDT: Game 2 8PM ET: The Trotz’s @ The Reirden’s

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ovie's Neighbor

Registered User
Jan 23, 2007
4,797
5,711
Just listening to TR versus Trotz it is night and day. I can see why players play hard for Trotz and blow off TR.
 

caps4cup

Dynasty
Dec 31, 2010
6,104
1,264
Reirden might sucked, but I have distinct memories of the Caps looking equally listless under Trotz in the playoffs as well.
When exactly was that? The Caps under Trotz never looked this bad in the playoffs. They certainly lost some games they should have won but they never were completely outclassed like this, and by a team with a clearly inferior roster nonetheless.
 

SherVaughn30

Registered User
Jan 12, 2010
4,676
2,839
Los Angeles
I don't recall them ever playing this poorly under Trotz.
I have following the Caps since '87. Of all the playoff teams they had, this might be the worst team ever(even worse than when Cassidy was the coach). I have seen and played more organized Beer League Hockey than what we are seeing!
 

SherVaughn30

Registered User
Jan 12, 2010
4,676
2,839
Los Angeles
Wow, Brent Johnson suggesting Vanacek to shake things up. Earlier in the postgame, he wasn't blaming Holts but felt that the breakaway goal could have been stopped.

I think you have to bring in some skill (McMichael) and some speed (Fehrevary).
Holtby has never been that great on breakaways(so evident in shootouts). He was considerably out on the angle, yet still got beat(I have seen a lot of modern butterfly goalies stop that type of breakaway shot). Had Holtby made the save, then Big Save Holtby might have been back.
 

Roshi

Registered User
Feb 7, 2013
1,986
1,949
Finland
Not feeling it. How the things are going they will atleast have some time to really figure where they wanna go for the remaining of Ovie-window. Ive been against up to today, but after seeing us outclassed by younger and hungrier team (but not as skilled) two years in a row im up for a retool. Both, in the locker room and behind the bench. Havent seen this anemic Caps for a long time.
 

IafrateOvie34

Registered User
May 14, 2009
11,552
8,148
Meh. About what I expected on this faux playoffs. Go Caps and what a joke the NHL is. Here is to whenever things get normal and we have real hockey and not scrimmages.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lobodomy

ovikovy817

Registered User
May 23, 2015
6,175
3,769
Belgium
Am I dissapointed? Yes
Am I mad like other years? No
This whole thing just doesn't feel like real playoffs. real hockey anyway.
In august I think more about pools, cocktails and sun than hockey.

I just hope for no sweep.

Only + thing, it's Ovi's stats.
 

kmart

Registered User
Jan 23, 2008
4,345
667
Am I dissapointed? Yes
Am I mad like other years? No
This whole thing just doesn't feel like real playoffs. real hockey anyway.
In august I think more about pools, cocktails and sun than hockey.

I just hope for no sweep.

Only + thing, it's Ovi's stats.

i feel the same but its just frustrating... another rookie hc gets to gain exp while in retrospect u have to realize the opportunity to win was shut down the moment the hiring went official. front office maybe even feels proud of themselves for saving money by letting trotz go. reminds me of this funny simpson moment just like the caps insisting on hiring rookie coaches while getting hurt by them:

 

HecticGlow

Registered User
Mar 14, 2016
1,585
1,094
Europe
One thing that will be interesting to see is whether Holtby rebounds next year, assuming he walks as a UFA and joins another team. Niskanen, Stephenson and Burakovsky have regained their form again since leaving the Caps, and while fresh starts themselves can help you have to wonder if coaching and systems were holding them back in Washington.

Holtby hasn't been the same since Korn stepped down as Goaltending coach, and he benefited hugely from Korn effectively stepping in for Scott Murray in the weeks leading up to the 2018 playoffs. Hotlby had a pretty brutal year (how he lost the starting job to Grubauer), but turned it around after Korn got him back on track. No such thing happened in 2019 because we neither had Korn nor a proper backup goaltender, and we're in the same position this year.

GMBM has got a lot of things right in terms of building rosters over the years, but seems to struggle with coaching staff. He didn't hire any of Trotz, Lambert, Forsyth, Korn or Reirden (as an assistant) – they were hired the same time he was promoted. He's then replaced Trotz with Reirden and brought in Cashman, Murray and Arniel, and every coaching change has left the team in a weaker state (while the blue line generally got less sturdy, the bottom six became uninspired and the top six got older/slower).

Unless Holtby has deteriorated physically, neurologically or optically, you have to wonder if he'd be doing so much better under a different goaltending coach right now. And if he had defensemen in front of him who were both capable and capably coached.
 

marcel snapshot

Registered User
Sponsor
Feb 15, 2005
4,982
3,572
I’d be for inserting some of our young Hershey try-hards into the lineup in place of Kovy and Vrana. If those guys are just going to play floaty perimeter defense/backcheck-is-optional hockey, put in some hungry kids in their place. Our energy, defense, work rate, battle quotient, net presence is clearly deficient compared to the Isles, so put in some Islander-type forwards in place of the negative value we’re getting from “skill” guys like Kovy and Vrana.

And Kempny should come out too
 

DCRedhawk21

Registered User
May 7, 2011
1,045
107
Northern Virginia
Not a lot of good that can be said. I agree with the comparisons to the TB series back in 2011, but if I remember correctly games 1 and 2 were very close and they waited until games 3 and 4 to totally lose interest.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IafrateOvie34

Empty Goal Net

Tank Brigadier
Feb 13, 2010
4,254
3,288
I’d be for inserting some of our young Hershey try-hards into the lineup in place of Kovy and Vrana. If those guys are just going to play floaty perimeter defense/backcheck-is-optional hockey, put in some hungry kids in their place. Our energy, defense, work rate, battle quotient, net presence is clearly deficient compared to the Isles, so put in some Islander-type forwards in place of the negative value we’re getting from “skill” guys like Kovy and Vrana.

And Kempny should come out too

Definitely agree with the bolded. Not sure why the d hasn't jelled - Kempny in particular seems weak - but if the forwards were playing more responsibly, with the energy and work rate you note, the d would be a bit less pressured. Embarrassing is how I'd describe the Caps' play in their own zone for much of period 3. Unable to clear the puck, not being first to the puck, not being in position to receive the puck if a teammate gained possession. Just a cluster*uck.

One of my concerns from yesterday's match is some of the guys who usually bring that energy for the Caps - Hathaway, Dowd, Wilson - when they brought it, they did in an unfocused, unintelligent way. Stupid, stupid penalties. Messages need to be sent, and if players like that are in the lineup on Sunday they have to channel their energy more effectively.

Question for coaches and mgmt is, do you tinker and see how one or two changes play out to gauge particular players (e.g. VV for 70), or go more wholesale and rest a bunch of vets? idk what's better but something has to be done.
 

hb12xchamps

Registered User
Dec 23, 2011
8,790
5,390
Pennsylvania
Fever in for Kempny:

Dillon-Carlson
Orlov-Jensen
Siegs-Fever

Orlov and Jensen was the teams best pairing leading into the lockdown and it still blows my mind that they broke them up. Leave the two lefties on the third pair where they can have favorable matchups.

I also think letting Cashman continue to run the D was a mistake. His head has to be in a million places currently. You really think he’s giving it his all knowing he could be recruiting and working on his staff at Dartmouth?
 

Red Dread

Registered User
Oct 19, 2011
1,175
391
Maryland
Genuinely looks like they don't wanna be there and that they're just done after winning one Cup. Literally showed up for 5 minutes and then treated the rest of the game like an exhibition match. What's the fix for this? Toxic environment for McMichael, Fehervary, Alexeyev and others to join into.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->