GDT: Hawks @ Caps - 9/20/13 @ 7 PM - It's Toews world and we're all just living in it.

[PuckBuddy]

OK so every goal of Wilson increases his odds of sticking an additional 50% then

Zeno's paradox.

 

[Fred Murtz]

Full shootout

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Thoughts on the game, not including the goalies (who told us nothing).

I think Neuvirth told us plenty tonight, none of it good.

 

[Calicaps]

I think Neuvirth told us plenty tonight, none of it good.

Indeed. I don't know if he can continue here. His confidence may be too shaken. A change of scenery could be in order.

 

[SimplySensational]

The first 2 he was obviously screened....

 

[brs03]

I mean, I don't expect much out of Neuvirth in terms of development anymore and I think he's totally replaceable, but it's not like you can draw any real conclusions from 30 minutes of play. The preseason is tremendously overrated as far as player evaluation goes.

 

[Calicaps]

The first 2 he was obviously screened....

New to the conditional tense, huh?

 

[Brian23]

Still of the opinion that Nuevy needs a few games to get into gear which is why he's not a good back up Goalie.

 

[SimplySensational]

Still of the opinion that Nuevy needs a few games to get into gear which is why he's not a good back up Goalie.

He had .933 sv% in games in March and April with sporadic starts.

 

[Liberati0n*]

I saw part of the game. The top line looked a lot better. The second goal on Neuvirth was pretty bad, but the first one was just an excellent shot after guys were weak on Morin in the neutral zone. I think Wilson staying up has been the intended outcome, in isolation at least, since last year. Other factors may ultimately incline them against it, but they would not have thrown him into the middle of a playoff series if they didn't see him as an NHL player going forward.

 

[EHCler]

If Wilson can stick on the 3rd Line keep him. Give him at least 12 minutes of playing time a night with some roles on special teams.

Or start him in AHL in prominent role to let him andjust his offense game for a few months. Both in my eyes good options.

I think our forward crop is if we stay fit pretty good, with the center position in my eyes a bit to soft still. That can not be said about our wingers.

D outside the big 3 still a bit questionable. Maybe one of the kids steps up.

 

[noptov]

Or start him in AHL in prominent role to let him andjust his offense game for a few months. Both in my eyes good options.

That would be the ideal option... but unfortunately, the agreement between the NHL and the Canadian junior leagues bars Wilson being assigned to the Bears.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

That would be the ideal option... but unfortunately, the agreement between the NHL and the Canadian junior leagues bars Wilson being assigned to the Bears.

he cant go to AHL, hes to young. Its NHL or Jrs for wilson

 

[sk84fun_dc]

Waive/assign Volpatti and use the bonus cushion and it fits by a hair.

I guess another good thing about this potential outcome is that it's a very non-permanent thing to try. Even if you lose Volpatti via waivers that's no huge loss to the organization (useful player but still, might be the epitome of replacement level), so if you do decide to return Wilson to juniors or you do decide you need to move money out of the Fs and beef up the D it's not like you crossed the point of no return by trying this to start with.

Definitely the least disruptive option among the ones we have all discussed.

Back to Beagle, maybe I missed it, but don't people view Beagle as being valuable on the PK in the context of this current roster.

 

[brs03]

I view his faceoff skill as valuable but not vital. I imagine Oates can find a way to use better players on the PK effectively, though. Part of it is philosophical (I think puck control on the PK is that much more important because you don't get as many chances) and part anecdotal (the PK was terrible last year so nobody should be safe, though Beagle was middle of the pack in terms of getting scored on). I don't think Beagle was the problem last year, but I don't think he's the solution either so if the choice is dressing Beagle or dressing Perreault I take Perreault without blinking, given how much more useful he is overall.

Granted, if you point is not "do we think he should dress" but rather "do we think they think he should dress" that's a big point. If Oates wants 2 righty C's (and the faceoff skills etc.) badly enough then he'll shoehorn him in.

 

[sk84fun_dc]

I view his faceoff skill as valuable but not vital. I imagine Oates can find a way to use better players on the PK effectively, though. Part of it is philosophical (I think puck control on the PK is that much more important because you don't get as many chances) and part anecdotal (the PK was terrible last year so nobody should be safe, though Beagle was middle of the pack in terms of getting scored on). I don't think Beagle was the problem last year, but I don't think he's the solution either so if the choice is dressing Beagle or dressing Perreault I take Perreault without blinking, given how much more useful he is overall.

Granted, if you point is not "do we think he should dress" but rather "do we think they think he should dress" that's a big point. If Oates wants 2 righty C's (and the faceoff skills etc.) badly enough then he'll shoehorn him in.

I'm not trying to oversell Beagle's skills, he is what he is. Agree about the PK last year, I was looking at it more in terms of the available players, not in terms of last season. I'm not suggesting sitting Perreault, fwiw, I still believe it's possible he's sitting right now not because he's not odd man out. Hard to know with all the experimenting going on, all the preseason games, Grabovski's late arrival, etc.

 

[Hivemind]

I still want Wilson in Pylmouth, aside of perhaps a 9 game trial to open the season (which, still, would require Volpatti being waived most likely). He's simply not going to get enough powerplay time in Washington, and he needs those opportunities to keep developing his offensive game. He's definitely behind Brouwer and Fehr for the center ice spot, and possibly behind Ward, Laich, and Grabovski as well (depending on how Oates' deploys those players).

 

[Calicaps]

I still want Wilson in Pylmouth, aside of perhaps a 9 game trial to open the season (which, still, would require Volpatti being waived most likely). He's simply not going to get enough powerplay time in Washington, and he needs those opportunities to keep developing his offensive game. He's definitely behind Brouwer and Fehr for the center ice spot, and possibly behind Ward, Laich, and Grabovski as well (depending on how Oates' deploys those players).

How is he behind anyone for a center spot? (esp Brouwer? Huh?)

Also, am I the only person here who still believes Grabo is the de facto 2C?

Wilson is 3RW at best, but yeah, he should go play 1RW minutes in junior this year.

 

[Hivemind]

How is he behind anyone for a center spot? (esp Brouwer? Huh?)

Did you miss the part about the powerplay? Brouwer has always occupied the center/slot location in Oates' 1-3-1, with Ward or Fehr manning it on PP2. Grabovski and Laich also have the skillset to take that position and with neither of them playing much last year, it's still unclear where they fit on the PP.

 

[Calicaps]

Did you miss the part about the powerplay? Brouwer has always occupied the center/slot location in Oates' 1-3-1, with Ward or Fehr manning it on PP2. Grabovski and Laich also have the skillset to take that position and with neither of them playing much last year, it's still unclear where they fit on the PP.

Yes, I did.

In that case, yeah. Wilson's unit 2 at best. Brouwer's earned that spot on PP1 for sure.

Laich needs to show he can play without injury, but if he can, yeah, he's probably in that spot on PP2.

 

[Hivemind]

Yes, I did.

In that case, yeah. Wilson's unit 2 at best. Brouwer's earned that spot on PP1 for sure.

Laich needs to show he can play without injury, but if he can, yeah, he's probably in that spot on PP2.

IMO:
PP1 - Brouwer
PP2 - Grabovski/Fehr

We have so many forwards for so few PP spots. Figuring that the half-boards are Backstrom/Johansson and Erat/Perreault, and that Ovechkin will man his spot on both units, you gotta figure out some spot to put Grabovski. If Perreault is on the bench, it creates a little more flexibility, but you still have Fehr and Ward in front of Wilson, most likely.

 

[Liberati0n*]

I really don't think they're going to put any lefties in that spot.

 

[Calicaps]

Is there anyone who could man Ovie's spot on PP2 and be effective? (Obviously not as effective, but enough so he's not playing the whole PP.) With the compressed schedule due to the Olympics plus the Games themselves, it's so much hockey in the next 7 months before we even get to the playoffs. They need to manage his ice.

 

[brs03]

I'm not trying to oversell Beagle's skills, he is what he is. Agree about the PK last year, I was looking at it more in terms of the available players, not in terms of last season. I'm not suggesting sitting Perreault, fwiw, I still believe it's possible he's sitting right now not because he's not odd man out. Hard to know with all the experimenting going on, all the preseason games, Grabovski's late arrival, etc.

I figure (as I mention above) all of Backstrom, Brouwer, Fehr, Erat, Johansson, Chimera, Ward, and Laich are available to PK when healthy. Chimera, Laich, Ward, Erat should all be quite good at it in fact (and if none are on PP1 then the minutes might fit nicely).

If you're making a conscious effort to give lines 3 and 4 similar ES minutes (which IMO you should be doing if Chimera-Fehr-Ward and Erat/Laich-Perreault-Wilson are those lines) then you'll probably never have guys who can't spare the minutes for the PK. Backstrom and Brouwer may be pushing it depending on line 2's ES time and PP1's time in general, but then they were the most victimize pairing on the PK last year IINM so put them low in the order if you use them at all.

For reference, icetime distribution last season (/game):
Backstrom: 14:48 ES/ 1:31 PK/ 3:34 PP
Brouwer: 13:38 ES/ 1:31 PK/ 3:22 PP
Ward: 11:56 ES/ 1:15 PK/ 1:55 PP
Erat: 11:34 ES/ 1:14 PK/ 1:06 PP
Johansson: 13:58 ES/ 0:57 PK/ 1:39 PP
Fehr: 11:49 ES/ 0:43 PK/ 0:49 PP
Chimera: 12:19 ES/ 0:07 PK/ 0:14 PP
Perreault: 10:26 ES/ 0:02 PK/ 1:11 PP
Laich: 13:28 ES/ 2:13 SH/ 0:50 PP

Beagle: 9:50 ES/ 2:07 PK/ 0:08 PP

Ribeiro: 14:14 ES/ 0:10 PK/ 3:25 PP
Hendricks: 9:55 ES/ 1:44 SH/ 0:03 PP


Were I running things, Backstrom and Brouwer get PK time reduced and Chimera, Fehr, Ward, MoJo get it boosted. I'm assuming Grabovski gets used in a Ribeiro-like role (big PP, little PK time).

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Butter Boy will definitely be my first, but after that I'm leaning towards Ward but with Beagle possibly being a dark horse.

Well I stand corrected, it appears that Michal Neuvirth has thrown a life ring to Joel Ward.

New whipping boy order:
1. MAJOrine aka Butter Boy
2. Neuvy