*If* the Caps win, they will be the toughest team to win since....

[RedHot]

By tough, I mean physically imposing. I'd say they are tougher then the Kings team that won their cups. Probably going back to Boston in 2011.

Also, could this reverse the trend of exclusive speed/skill teams?

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[ujju2]

By tough, I mean physically imposing. I'd say they are tougher then the Kings team that won their cups. Probably going back to Boston in 2011.

Also, could this reverse the trend of exclusive speed/skill teams?

Agreed about the first part, disagree about the second. Caps also have lots of speed and skill. It's a lethal combo of speed, skill, and physicality. Embodied by Ovi especially, who has all three of those things, and going all the way down the lineup.

 

[SotasicA]

Embodied by Ovi especially, who has all three of those things

Ovie has speed?

 

[Channelcat]

Its been a while since we've seen a team like these Caps win. Maybe Boston. Series is by no means over though, as Vegas can still win this, but I worry about the new trend if they do. Vegas gets a ton of credit for being fast, but they are also a shut down team with the "pick plays" and various trap formations. It would probably erase all the progress we've made bringing skill back into the game, with the Pens and a few other teams.

 

[justafan22]

Probably. Pens past 2 years played a speed game (especially in 2016), Hawks were skill and defense. Caps also play the trap

 

[ujju2]

Ovie has speed?

You think he doesn't? That's a hot take. Sure, his game isn't built around his speed like say McDavid's, but he definitely has great speed, especially for his size, but even overall.

 

[RedHot]

Ovie has speed?

I'd say he's fast. He moves around pretty good.

 

[illpucks]

Ovie has speed?

He has best acceleration on the team

The fastest players on the team are Burakovsky and Vrana

Ovie is next with Orlov and Kuznetsov.

 

[RedHot]

Its been a while since we've seen a team like these Caps win. Maybe Boston. Series is by no means over though, as Vegas can still win this, but I worry about the new trend if they do. Vegas gets a ton of credit for being fast, but they are also a shut down team with the "pick plays" and various trap formations. It would probably erase all the progress we've made bringing skill back into the game, with the Pens and a few other teams.

I'm not saying it would be a good thing either, but I do really enjoy physical series.

 

[Dueling Banjos]

Lets be real here, since Boston Vancouver series, we had a bunch of boring ones since then.

 

[maacoshark]

He has best acceleration on the team

The fastest players on the team are Burakovsky and Vrana

Ovie is next with Orlov and Kuznetsov.

I'm pretty sure the fastest guy in the team is Stephenson. Wilson is pretty fast too.

 

[Luongos Knob]

You think he doesn't? That's a hot take. Sure, his game isn't built around his speed like say McDavid's, but he definitely has great speed, especially for his size, but even overall.

Why is this term so popular in 2018?

 

[ujju2]

Why is this term so popular in 2018?

I couldn't really answer that, I just use it because I've seen it used a lot around here.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Ovie has speed?

“According to research conducted by PowerScout Hockey back in 2015, Ovechkin is far and away the quickest accelerating player in all of hockey. Ovechkin has great top-end speed but his ability to take off in his first few strides is unparalleled in hockey”

 

[JKG33]

Washington is nowhere near as tough or physically imposing as the cup winning Kings, who weren't as tough as the Bruins the year before. Those Kings teams, especially 2012, played very hard, heavy, and physical. They had some big bodies and even the smaller guys like Richards and Brown played like they were >6'0.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

The Caps have a good mix of everything this year. I called them a dangerous darkhorse heading into their first round series with CBJ, and that’s exactly what they were.

 

[ujju2]

“According to research conducted by PowerScout Hockey back in 2015, Ovechkin is far and away the quickest accelerating player in all of hockey. Ovechkin has great top-end speed but his ability to take off in his first few strides is unparalleled in hockey”

I'd say there are a few that are better than him accelerating that have entered the league since 2015 (read: McDavid etc) but yeah. There you go, more proof. Ovi is a beast.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

the Kings

 

[bring back the jets]

I'd say there are a few that are better than him accelerating that have entered the league since 2015 (read: McDavid etc) but yeah. There you go, more proof. Ovi is a beast.

McDavid's initial acceleration is unreal, which is odd because he doesn't have the muscle that is typically associated with burst speed. I have a hard time believing Ovi's is quicker. Maybe 10 years ago though.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Washington is nowhere near as tough or physically imposing as the cup winning Kings, who weren't as tough as the Bruins the year before.

That's interesting because the Caps played against the Bruins the year after they won the cup. At the beginning of that series, they were all trying to hit Ovechkin. It was clearly part of their game plan. They were unsuccessful. They couldn't get him down. They were getting counter hit, and then hit again for good measure. By game four their players wanted nothing to do with him.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Anyway, I don't know how you rank toughness. The Caps don't have a lot of fighters or anything, but they do have a lot of big bodies (Ovechkin, Orpik, Wilson, DSP). They have out-physicalled every team so far but part of that is due to the scheme too. Tampa Bay beat up the Bruins with some heavy hits. Their fans thought that would continue against the Caps. Didn't work out that way. In game 6 of the Lighting/Caps series - that was one of the most physically dominating beat downs I have ever seen. Before that series I had never seen Victor Hedman get utterly destroyed and tossed on his arse, but that's what Ovie did.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

“According to research conducted by PowerScout Hockey back in 2015, Ovechkin is far and away the quickest accelerating player in all of hockey. Ovechkin has great top-end speed but his ability to take off in his first few strides is unparalleled in hockey”

That data is incredibly flawed. It's pretty easy tell he hasn't been that quick for 5+ years now.

 

[RedHot]

Washington is nowhere near as tough or physically imposing as the cup winning Kings, who weren't as tough as the Bruins the year before. Those Kings teams, especially 2012, played very hard, heavy, and physical. They had some big bodies and even the smaller guys like Richards and Brown played like they were >6'0.

I think its debatable. Would be a rough series for sure though.

 

[socko]

I'm not a Capitals fan but I really enjoy their style of play. Wish my Leafs weren't such a bunch of cream puffs.

 

[EdJovanovski]

That data is incredibly flawed. It's pretty easy tell he hasn't been that quick for 5+ years now.

I don’t know about that, he looks faster this season than he has the previous few. I remember at camp last year people were raving about how much better shape he was in