GDT: Habs @ Caps - 10.9.2014 7 PM - CSN

[SimplySensational]

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Fehr
Johansson-Burakovsky-Brouwer
Chimera-Laich-Ward
O'Brien-Kuznetsov-Brown

Alzner-Niskanen
Orpik-Carlson
Hillen-Schmidt

Holtby
Peters




Pacioretty-Desharnais-Parenteau
Galchenyuk-Plekanec-Gallagher
Bourque-Eller-Sekac
Prust-Malhotra-Weise

Emelin-Subban
Markov-Gilbert
Beaulieu-Weaver

Tokarski
Price​

Click to read more...

 

[Devil Dancer]

The Caps get Montreal on a back-to-back. Should be a good way to start the season.

My two biggest questions are will Fehr be the complimentary player the first line has been lacking since Knuble, and is Bura really the answer at 2C? If both are yeses, this team is in really good shape.

 

[David Suzuki]

I think you guys will win, and I actually love Ovie & your team so I won';t even be mad. Good luck tomorrow!

 

[ThePsychicSaw]

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Fehr
Kuznetsov-Burakovsky-Brouwer
Chimera-Laich-Ward
O'Brien-Johansson-Brown

Alzner-Niskanen
Orpik-Carlson
Hillen-Green

for the meantime, then
trade brouwer+mojo for plecanec/vermette

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Fehr
Burakovsky-Plecanec/Vermette-Kuznetsov
Chimera-Laich-Ward
O'Brien-Latta-Brown

Alzner-Niskanen
Orpik-Carlson
Orlov-Green

 

[searle]

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Fehr
Kuznetsov-Burakovsky-Brouwer
Chimera-Laich-Ward
O'Brien-Johansson-Brown

Alzner-Niskanen
Orpik-Carlson
Hillen-Green

for the meantime, then
trade brouwer+mojo for plecanec/vermette

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Fehr
Burakovsky-Plecanec/Vermette-Kuznetsov
Chimera-Laich-Ward
O'Brien-Latta-Brown

Alzner-Niskanen
Orpik-Carlson
Orlov-Green

I would be happy with this trade. When Wilson is back we drop Bura to the 3rd as he did pretty well between chimera and ward, shift Kuz to left wing then put wilson on the wing on the 2nd.

 

[trick9]

for the meantime, then
trade brouwer+mojo for plecanec/vermette

For Plekanec that's even somewhat close deal because he has 2 years left on his contract.

Coyotes would need to add significantly to Vermette though. Not trading upcoming RFA and a guy who has 2 years left for upcoming UFA that is guaranteed to get similar contract as Grabovski just got. Vermette + conditional pick maybe, 1st if he doesn't resign, 2nd if he does.

 

[John Price]

Will be there tonight! Go team

 

[g00n]

Almost time to drop the ******* puck finally!!!!

I feel a nice win. Feel it. Yeah.

 

[HunterSThompson]

4-2 Caps. Goals from OV, Bura, Laich, Niskanen

 

[Midnight Judges]

Putting Mojo with Bura will ruin Bura. That line is going to be terrible.

 

[Vladiator16*]

Finally, meaningful hockey... and the crabs are in town... just awesome...

4-2 Caps!

 

[Capitlols]

Is that the confirmed lineup? If so, pretty funny seeing Kuz on the 4th line considering he didn't want to come here and play bottom 6 minutes.

 

[Vladiator16*]

Is that the confirmed lineup? If so, pretty funny seeing Kuz on the 4th line considering he didn't want to come here and play bottom 6 minutes.

Trotz's 4th line minutes are a lot longer... ;-)

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

The interesting thing for me is that I'm a lot more curious about how the existing guys are going to do -especially Laich, Ovechkin, Backstrom than the new guys (rookies and FAs).

 

[The Instigator]

I'd like to see Kuzya score a goal tonight just for his own sake. Don't like seeing him on the fourth line, doesn't really put him in a position to succeed but hopefully he works hard and lines are re-evaluated at some point.

 

[RandyHolt]

I have to stick to my guns, at least for a day.

Bura with the hat, and Ovi a PPG.

 

[Devil Dancer]

Putting Mojo with Bura will ruin Bura. That line is going to be terrible.

They looked good together in preseason.

 

[HunterSThompson]

They looked good together in preseason.

I am not quite sure why people expect the same level of play now as the last two years. Different coach, different scheme, different linemates, possibly different result .

 

[Jackstrom19]

2-1 Caps. Burakovsky and Chimera

 

[Capitlols]

Zac Boyer ‏@ZacBoyer
The Capitals open their first season tonight under Barry Trotz - their first coach in 17 years with NHL experience.

That is more astonishing the more I read it.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I'd like to see Kuzya score a goal tonight just for his own sake. Don't like seeing him on the fourth line, doesn't really put him in a position to succeed but hopefully he works hard and lines are re-evaluated at some point.

Someone (maybe Alex Prewitt of the WaPo) quoted Trotz as saying Kuzya felt more comfortable starting on the 4th line. I saw it on Twitter, and can't find it now.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Zac Boyer ‏@ZacBoyer
The Capitals open their first season tonight under Barry Trotz - their first coach in 17 years with NHL experience.

That is more astonishing the more I read it.

It's absurd and the more I read it the madder I get. 10 years of Ovechkin down the drain putting around with rookie/1st time head coaches.

 

[HunterSThompson]

Zac Boyer ‏@ZacBoyer
The Capitals open their first season tonight under Barry Trotz - their first coach in 17 years with NHL experience.

That is more astonishing the more I read it.

Caps coaching roster over the past 17 years is like the Redskins starting QB roster over the past 20 years, long and undistinguished.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

It's absurd and the more I read it the madder I get. 10 years of Ovechkin down the drain putting around with rookie/1st time head coaches.

10 years of Ovechkin. Jesus what a waste.

Also F the league for throwing away a season and a half of his career.

 

[artilector]

Trotz's last interview -- in his words Kuz himself said that the 4th line was the right place for him to start -- I figure it's because he still feels like it's early into acclimatization.

Otherwise, Trotz seemed quite chill on Kuz, happy with the work (studying other centers, video, talking to coaches) and the process (for example getting better on face-offs).

He also noted that Kuz is still playing a bit hesitant because he's trying to be in the right position all the time, and basically said that this is a natural process of maturation /adaptation.

So I'm not really worried about Kuz & Trotz any more. As long as Kuz keeps trying, it looks like Trotz will be quite happy to move him up as he gets more comfortable.