If you could have ONE player back or (The One That Got Away)

[traparatus]

Because who needs an 22-man roster anyway?

Whatever the hell, ridicule all you want. I listed 4 players currently worth $9m. You can have a $6m 22 min/night defenseman and still have plenty of money left for a rookie D-man to play on the 3rd pair and two penalty killers.

If this thread was called 'Why your opinion is wrong and it doesn't matter anyway', I would have never clicked on the f********g thing in the first place.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I’m giggling...

 

[Ridley Simon]

Jensen? Gudas? Stephenson? Hagelin? That's about $9m to spend on 4 players.

3m ish or so will be needed to resign Backstrom and of course the Holtby situation. Caps are already in jeopardy of being top heavy. Schmidt as another 6m d-man simply doesn’t fit this teams salary structure for at best next year, and at worst farther down the line.

Nate is a nice player. But his salary slot is being taken up by one of the players I mentioned in my original response to you. All the guys you mention would cripple the teams depth and PK (well, not Bing...but the other 3), and arguably prevent a Backstrom resigning.

team simply cannot afford another 6m a year player. They’d be turning into the Maple Leafs

but to your point, I can understand how you can miss him. I just don’t. They won the Cup in large part because of the moves they had to make to cover for Schmidt’s loss. Don’t know if that would have happened otherwise. And odds are it wouldn’t have.

 

[Stan Galiev]

Wish Alex Semin was around for the cup run.

 

[Melkor]

I'd easily trade Orlov for Schmidt if it comes to that just because of two simple facts: 1) I don't like Orlov as a player and never did; 2) I didn't like Schmidt while he was here either but it was hard to assess him properly when every mistake he made turned in a healthy scratch basically every other game. He proved that he can carry an atrocious defense all the way to the top when given top minutes and a big role and there's no f***ing man in this world who can convince me that Orlov can carry anything to the top. He's not even close to being a leader nor he will ever be and a pretty average defenseman overall.

 

[895]

In a hypothetical scenario where we kept Schmidt, he obviously wouldn't be making 6m a year.

He got that money because he showed he could be the best defenseman on a team good enough to get to the Stanley Cup Final.

Schmidt, regardless of performance, would be no. 3 or 4 in the pecking order here. So he would sign a much cheaper deal because he hadn't proved anything beyond being a competent top 4 defenseman. Not only would we have Schmidt, it would be a value contract.

But, I wonder if that Stanley Cup would be a bit tainted though.

 

[sycamore]

It's easily Filip Forsberg. Like, it's not even close. Schmidt isn't in the same stadium of impact or ability.

+1. Its pretty stunning to think the Caps got Wilson and Forsberg in the same draft.

 

[maacoshark]

+1. Its pretty stunning to think the Caps got Wilson and Forsberg in the same draft.

Oh ya we traded to get that Forsberg pick. Wasn't that the deal that sent Varlomov to Colorado?

 

[twabby]

I'd easily trade Orlov for Schmidt if it comes to that just because of two simple facts: 1) I don't like Orlov as a player and never did; 2) I didn't like Schmidt while he was here either but it was hard to assess him properly when every mistake he made turned in a healthy scratch basically every other game. He proved that he can carry an atrocious defense all the way to the top when given top minutes and a big role and there's no ****ing man in this world who can convince me that Orlov can carry anything to the top. He's not even close to being a leader nor he will ever be and a pretty average defenseman overall.

Orlov was on the shutdown pairing that won a Stanley Cup (which faced Crosby/Malkin and Kucherov/Stamkos among others and still put up the best shot numbers of all of the defensive pairings), and he followed that up with another really good playoff run last year despite Niskanen struggling, and is having another great season this year. If that isn't "carrying anything to the top" I don't know what to say to you.

I think there are arguments for Schmidt being better than Orlov (though I don't think I agree) but your assessment of Orlov is pretty bad.

 

[txpd]

Wish Alex Semin was around for the cup run.

Realistically speaking. For the Cup run. Semin or Oshie??

 

[txpd]

I'd easily trade Orlov for Schmidt.

Not a chance. NO!! I love Schmiddy and criticize Orlov but Orlov is far more of what this team needs and has needed than Schmidt. Schmidt would be to the Caps what Kempny is.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Oh ya we traded to get that Forsberg pick. Wasn't that the deal that sent Varlomov to Colorado?

Yes

 

[Ridley Simon]

Realistically speaking. For the Cup run. Semin or Oshie??

I don’t even see this as a legitimate question, and I liked Semin in his time here.

 

[Melkor]

Realistically speaking. For the Cup run. Semin or Oshie??

Let's make it clear. Semin is more talented player... I'd say way more talented player. In his prime he could score in any way possible. Who I'd take for a cup run? Oshie no question.

 

[Melkor]

Orlov was on the shutdown pairing that won a Stanley Cup (which faced Crosby/Malkin and Kucherov/Stamkos among others and still put up the best shot numbers of all of the defensive pairings), and he followed that up with another really good playoff run last year despite Niskanen struggling, and is having another great season this year. If that isn't "carrying anything to the top" I don't know what to say to you.

I think there are arguments for Schmidt being better than Orlov (though I don't think I agree) but your assessment of Orlov is pretty bad.

Everything you said is not a definition of a leader. It's a definition of a good defenseman and I actually disagree that he is the one or carried anyone or anything anywhere. In the cup run Niskanen was the better player on that pairing, Orlov looked pretty bad in the finals. Last year both of them looked terrible all year, Orlov looked better in Canes series and carried the pairing to a 1st rd exit. Yeah, not buying it.

 

[txpd]

Let's make it clear. Semin is more talented player... I'd say way more talented player. In his prime he could score in any way possible. Who I'd take for a cup run? Oshie no question.

More talented and better player are often different things. Semin in God Mode was a sight to see. No question.

 

[Melkor]

More talented and better player are often different things. Semin in God Mode was a sight to see. No question.

Will correct myself. Semin was a more offensively skilled player, not just talented. I'd argue he was the most skilled forward that franchise has seen since Jagr. But everyone knows his personality and why he didnt become anything more than talented enigma.

 

[twabby]

Everything you said is not a definition of a leader. It's a definition of a good defenseman and I actually disagree that he is the one or carried anyone or anything anywhere. In the cup run Niskanen was the better player on that pairing, Orlov looked pretty bad in the finals. Last year both of them looked terrible all year, Orlov looked better in Canes series and carried the pairing to a 1st rd exit. Yeah, not buying it.

"Well sure he was a good defenseman by definition, but I'm just going to ignore it because I don't like Orlov and never did."

-OvechkinTooth

 

[Melkor]

"Well sure he was a good defenseman by definition, but I'm just going to ignore it because I don't like Orlov and never did."

-OvechkinTooth

You described him as one and I disagreed with that if you read the whole post. Sure you didn't and decided to act like a smartass.

 

[traparatus]

Orlov was on the shutdown pairing that won a Stanley Cup (which faced Crosby/Malkin and Kucherov/Stamkos among others and still put up the best shot numbers of all of the defensive pairings), and he followed that up with another really good playoff run last year despite Niskanen struggling, and is having another great season this year. If that isn't "carrying anything to the top" I don't know what to say to you.

I think there are arguments for Schmidt being better than Orlov (though I don't think I agree) but your assessment of Orlov is pretty bad.

Man, what a pair Orlov and Schmidt would make. You could roll them out against top lines every game and come out on top.

BMac has tried to find a suitable fill in for the 2nd pair but I don't think either Jensen or Gudas are it.

 

[maacoshark]

Man, what a pair Orlov and Schmidt would make. You could roll them out against top lines every game and come out on top.

BMac has tried to find a suitable fill in for the 2nd pair but I don't think either Jensen or Gudas are it.

Orlov and Schmidt both play the left side.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Stevens. Caps probably win a cup or 2 in the 90s if he stayed. It's all good now though and I got to see Iafrate play as a Cap.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

I don't think Forsberg would have been the same player if he stayed with the Caps. He wouldn't have been given the same opportunities he got in Nashville.
The guy I miss isn't a player. It's Trotz.
Reirden is supposed to be a defensive guru but I haven't seen it. We are a weak defensive team.

In recent Caps history, I agree. The biggest loss is Trotz and the coaches he took with him. Forsberg got GMGM canned so I'm good with it even though the Cup win took away the ugly sting of a terrible trade. When it comes to overall Cap's history, my pick is losing Stevens.

 

[Ridley Simon]

In recent Caps history, I agree. The biggest loss is Trotz and the coaches he took with him. Forsberg got GMGM canned so I'm good with it even though the Cup win took away the ugly sting of a terrible trade. When it comes to overall Cap's history, my pick is losing Stevens.

I think this spring is where the rubber meets the road w Reirden v Trotz. I hope they get to face each other.

 

[txpd]

Reirden isn't a defense guru. He is a defenseman guru. Those are different things. Look at Carlson and Kempny and Orlov and its clear. The Caps play of their defense corp is foundational to this new system that has them dominating.

The Caps are 9th in goals against per game. That isn't weak. Scoring is up league wide. The Caps rank is far better both in GAA and PK% than Trotz last season. Both the GAA and PK% are improved over last season. The defense is better. You may not like it but its better