GDT: Isles @ Caps - 2/4/14 7:30 NBCSN

[BiPolar Caps]

I bet last night's 'fan experience' was just tremendous.

From the photos can't help but notice that this organization continues to stress the right side and fails to address needs of the left side.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

I bet last night's 'fan experience' was just tremendous.

And not in the photograph is George McPhee adorning the spectacles that he's been using for sometime now.

 

[RandyHolt]

Speaking of Ovi hitting, he is nothing like he was 4 years ago. I cannot recall any hits in recent games, of course I can barely find the interest to tune in.

The fat cats all seem to just be going through the motions. Maybe its high time for George to go motivate them by threatening to bring in a coach that will make them pay for playing so passive.

I blame Wolski for setting a bad example.

 

[Raikkonen]

Scuderi would have been perfect too. If only those players were available at reasonable cost in the past few years.

****ing 2nd round pick it was...

 

[Raikkonen]

We can't get all of Carlson, Green and Girardi enough ice time. Do you guys have another candidate like left handed Girardi?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

not so fat ted

Looking more and more like a guy whos body is deteriorating than someone who is thinner and more healthy.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

The list you gave me was the two guys I mentioned, plus a future hall-of-famer and a guy who's 6'7 and 250 lbs. I don't think the last two are good comparables. The guys from my list were Mitchell, who I said in later post I shouldn't have included, Phillips and Jackman, who Sens and Blues fans aren't happy with as top 4 defensemen, and Seidenberg, who just had a serious knee injury and could very well go the way of Ohlund. And now you've got a HoFer, a future HoFer, and Mr. Devil, which is nice, but I was specifically talking about the post lockout era because it cut back so much on the effectiveness of that style of defense. I'll give you Blake, but like Pronger that's a guy coming from a much higher level of play.

If 75% of defensemen taken in the top 5 failed to live up to expectations, I wouldn't take them. For us to sign Girardi considering the likely competition for his services, we're probably going to have to pay him a Suter-level seven year contract. I think that magnifies any doubts about him. Anyone else want to chime in? I dunno, am I going all John Nash and finding patterns that aren't there, or is there something to it?

Why are large frames and HOFer's eliminated from consideration? Across all sports, don't larger frames typically have their physical decline earlier than smaller guys?

Was Seidneberg's knee injury due to his style of play, or was it just bad luck? Because if it wasn't due to his style of play, it has absolutely nothing to due with this debate. Ohlund's had nothing to due with playing physical or blocking shots, so again, it has nothing to do with the crux of the debate.

Where on earth is this 75% number coming from? I take it you would have passed on Doughty, Pietrangelo, Bogosian, Hedman, Murray, and Jones?

Suter-level money in a $71M cap would be ~ 8.9M/ cap hit, and Girardi is asking nothing close to that.

I just don't see how someone takes the leap that a player who hasn't missed more than 2 games in a season for the last six seasons will suddenly break down physically. There's no evidence other than paranoia. He plays a game based on positioning and clogging up shooting and passing lanes. It's not as though his game is based around brute strength, speed, or quickness. And we have to keep in mind that we're talking about a contract that would take him to age 36, not 41.

 

[Zoidberg Jesus]

Why are large frames and HOFer's eliminated from consideration? Across all sports, don't larger frames typically have their physical decline earlier than smaller guys?

I thought big guys held up better to physical punishment, at least in hockey where they're not always going up against guys their size. It takes less effort for them to reach the same level of physicality, and it takes more to get the same effect on them. And HOFers are coming from a higher level of play, so they can see a drop off and still be effective.

Was Seidneberg's knee injury due to his style of play, or was it just bad luck? Because if it wasn't due to his style of play, it has absolutely nothing to due with this debate. Ohlund's had nothing to due with playing physical or blocking shots, so again, it has nothing to do with the crux of the debate.

There don't seem to be any videos of the injury that I can find, but from the descriptions it happened during a scrum behind the net, so

Where on earth is this 75% number coming from? I take it you would have passed on Doughty, Pietrangelo, Bogosian, Hedman, Murray, and Jones?

75% was my conservative estimate of the percentage of Girardi-type defensemen who make it through their early 30s without a major injury or a drop in play. My point was that if top 5 defensemen had a success rate that bad, I wouldn't draft them. Comparing my argument to people who are against taking defensemen that high is disingenuous because the rate of failure is actually far lower than that.

Suter-level money in a $71M cap would be ~ 8.9M/ cap hit, and Girardi is asking nothing close to that.

By Suter level I meant 7-some-million. I don't think that's unreasonable considering the teams that are going to be interested, the higher cap, and how bad the FA market is looking. Would you be willing to offer him 49M over 7 years?

I just don't see how someone takes the leap that a player who hasn't missed more than 2 games in a season for the last six seasons will suddenly break down physically. There's no evidence other than paranoia. He plays a game based on positioning and clogging up shooting and passing lanes. It's not as though his game is based around brute strength, speed, or quickness. And we have to keep in mind that we're talking about a contract that would take him to age 36, not 41.

All I'm saying is it's a difficult playing style made even tougher post lockout, and it's proven to be pretty tougher for guys to keep it up through their early 30s. Girardi plays a game that dishes out a lot of abuse, but also takes a great deal. He's a guy who seeks out contact, whether or not he's the one who's initiating it. He has to be able to take that abuse to keep playing his game, and I don't think it makes me paranoid to worry about that taking its toll.

 

[SimplySensational]

Speaking of Ovi hitting, he is nothing like he was 4 years ago. I cannot recall any hits in recent games, of course I can barely find the interest to tune in.

The fat cats all seem to just be going through the motions. Maybe its high time for George to go motivate them by threatening to bring in a coach that will make them pay for playing so passive.

I blame Wolski for setting a bad example.

Saving himself for the Olympics...

Though he does lead the team in hits and at one point, Brouwer had 20 more than him.

 

[Hershey Hockey]

Islanders fan who was at the game yesterday, just wanted to stop in to say I can't say enough good things about your arena and fans. Fantastic people and a great building that made for an all-around awesome experience. I was wearing a blue Tavares jersey and my buddy was wearing a white away jersey and we had some great conversations with people on the concourses and in our seats asking where we were from and what brought us there. Being Hershey guys who go to Bears games regularly we had some nice chats about former Bears on the Caps. Didn't have so much as a single person try to start any trouble or make a snide remark our way.

Sucks that the Caps are division rivals now because your team went way up in my book. I'll definitely be back in the future and will continue to root for former Bears to do well whenever they're not playing against the Isles. My experience yesterday really showed what a class act your fanbase is.

 

[txpd]

Looking more and more like a guy whos body is deteriorating than someone who is thinner and more healthy.

unfortunately that is a look that you get past a certain age when you lose weight. its hard to avoid. you kind of have a choice. look fat or look like that. its still better to look like that. in his case, he can look like that while driving a Ferrari 458. so.....

 

[RandyHolt]

Saving himself for the Olympics...

Though he does lead the team in hits and at one point, Brouwer had 20 more than him.

He is taking a vastly different approach preparing for the Olympics than he did 4 years ago. That stretch may have been the most dominant caps team I have ever seen.

And one of the most dominant teams period. Russia lost, our team peaked and we have never been the same after that.

Ovi goes through periods when he doesn't have noteworthy hits, and maybe he is ailing currently - resting up for Sochi. But I cant remember the last good hit from him when I used to see 3+ every game.

 

[g00n]

unfortunately that is a look that you get past a certain age when you lose weight. its hard to avoid. you kind of have a choice. look fat or look like that. its still better to look like that. in his case, he can look like that while driving a Ferrari 458. so.....

What does his car have to do with anything? I'm sure he's making changes in his life for reasons greater than money, yes? Throwing the "he's rich, you're not" back at someone kind of cheapens that.

Like you I thought the comment was asinine, but haters gonna hate, right?

 

[txpd]

What does his car have to do with anything? I'm sure he's making changes in his life for reasons greater than money, yes? Throwing the "he's rich, you're not" back at someone kind of cheapens that.

Like you I thought the comment was asinine, but haters gonna hate, right?

boy, I don't know. i got nothing for you, bud. i have lost a lot of weight myself at 53 years of age and know that it has its down side. that's all. the Ferrari comment was for fun(from a car guy). i meant nothing like what you read into it.

 

[allan5oh]

Good afternoon Caps fans,

Didn't see a GDT for the Jets game, so I'll ask here. Is Ovechkin playing? My understanding is he's going to be the flagbearer at the opening ceremony tomorrow.

Looks like Pavelec will get the start, and the lines will be the same as last game. Thorburn with Scheifele and Wheeler (shudder), and Tangradi - Wright - Peluso as our 4th line.

Ninja edit : Neuvirth gets the start. Healthy scratches for the Jets are Tangradi, Redmond. Kane (hand), Slater (hernia), Clitsome (back), Halischuk (arm) all injured. Postma is on a conditioning stint at the farm.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Good afternoon Caps fans,

Didn't see a GDT for the Jets game, so I'll ask here. Is Ovechkin playing? My understanding is he's going to be the flagbearer at the opening ceremony tomorrow.

Looks like Pavelec will get the start, and the lines will be the same as last game. Thorburn with Scheifele and Wheeler (shudder), and Tangradi - Wright - Peluso as our 4th line.

I don't think he's the flagbearer. I thought Russia picked another athlete who is at his 5th or 6th olympic games. Ovechkin should be playing and practiced today

 

[Stewie G]

Good afternoon Caps fans,

Didn't see a GDT for the Jets game, so I'll ask here. Is Ovechkin playing? My understanding is he's going to be the flagbearer at the opening ceremony tomorrow.

Looks like Pavelec will get the start, and the lines will be the same as last game. Thorburn with Scheifele and Wheeler (shudder), and Tangradi - Wright - Peluso as our 4th line.

Ninja edit : Neuvirth gets the start. Healthy scratches for the Jets are Tangradi, Redmond. Kane (hand), Slater (hernia), Clitsome (back), Halischuk (arm) all injured. Postma is on a conditioning stint at the farm.

Perhaps you are referring to Ovie being the first torch bearer in Greece.