Confirmed with Link: Johansson traded to NJD for 2nd and 3rd rd picks in 2018

[BiPolar Caps]

Why do I think that if his name was Mark Johnson that Mojo wouldn't have received nearly the same amount of grief?

Patric Hornqvist also hales from Sweden. His injuries precluded him from a few playoff games yet he came back from them and contributed. Has nothing to do with the country, rather it has everything to do with the player.

 

[Stewie G]

We don't know why so tell us. Are you saying Swedes are not tough? One of the toughest players I remember was Bengt. Mike Green caught a lot more grief than MJ ever did, including his lack of durability. Your point does not stand.

Oddly, you are the only one to mention a drop pass - at least that I have read, it what seems like a year. If not more.

Let's stick to hockey, as we speculate why BMac sold him for pennies on the dollar.

I asked the question, tx.

Sorry. The play of one guy 30 years ago does not somehow invalidate the current way a vocal segment of the fan base evaluates Mojo's play and the double standard between him and someone like Wilson. The trade board thread talks about drop passes and clearly shows that opinions of him have not changed even though his play has.

I can't wait to see how Vrana does this year!

 

[Stewie G]

Patric Hornqvist also hales from Sweden. His injuries precluded him from a few playoff games yet he came back from them and contributed. Has nothing to do with the country, rather it has everything to do with the player.

So Hornqvist's 9 points in 19 games is worth celebrating, yet Mojo's 8 in 13 is not considered contributing?

 

[Ridley Simon]

AcceptIng the truth is half the battle. There is no solace in losing to the champs when they clearly no showed in another game 7. They are choking dogs, but if it helps you sleep better...call them losers instead. Truth.

Meh. I think Caps fans like to wallow in labels. They lost. Period. It took me weeks to get over it. I think the Pens have/had players that rise up (Hornqvist, Bonino, Crosby, Kessel, Guentzel) more than the Caps do/did.

Which is why I am not sad to see all these changes. I am hoping some of the lesser knowns have that quality (a la Guentzel for Pitts), and can help push the team beyond its comfort zone.

Winnik missed a break away early in game 7. He makes it, its a totally different ballgame...but he didnt. He missed.

 

[g00n]

I asked the question, tx.

Sorry. The play of one guy 30 years ago does not somehow invalidate the current way a vocal segment of the fan base evaluates Mojo's play and the double standard between him and someone like Wilson. The trade board thread talks about drop passes and clearly shows that opinions of him have not changed even though his play has.

I can't wait to see how Vrana does this year!

For there to be a double standard there needs to be some kind of comparable similarity that isn't being considered equally. Do you really think Mojo and Wilson are the same types of players and have been used in the same roles?

 

[Stewie G]

For there to be a double standard there needs to be some kind of comparable similarity that isn't being considered equally. Do you really think Mojo and Wilson are the same types of players and have been used in the same roles?

Of course not.

The double standard is in how their play is evaluated. The physical aspects of one player's game are marginalized, and this marginalization is used as a way to criticize an otherwise productive player. The physical contributions of the other are highlighted, often as a means to excuse poor production.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

There's no double standard. Plenty of critics for both guys. Largely unwarranted in both cases IMO, but in both cases, it's mostly fans wanting these players to be something they're not.

 

[Stewie G]

There's no double standard. Plenty of critics for both guys. Largely unwarranted in both cases IMO, but in both cases, it's mostly fans wanting these players to be something they're not.

Insomuch as they want all players to be the same type of player. That's a good way of looking at it.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

So Hornqvist's 9 points in 19 games is worth celebrating, yet Mojo's 8 in 13 is not considered contributing?

You use statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts — for support rather than illumination.

Watching Hornqvist and MOJO play, there's no comparison. Hornqvist has been a thorn in the side of the Capitals, even when he doesn't contribute on the scoring sheet.

 

[Stewie G]

You use statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts — for support rather than illumination.

Watching Hornqvist and MOJO play, there's no comparison. Hornqvist has been a thorn in the side of the Capitals, even when he doesn't contribute on the scoring sheet.

I guess we've the cliche portion of the discussion. Time for me to bow out.

 

[RandyHolt]

You use statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts — for support rather than illumination.

Watching Hornqvist and MOJO play, there's no comparison. Hornqvist has been a thorn in the side of the Capitals, even when he doesn't contribute on the scoring sheet.

Yep, and thanks for the support. MJ doesn't give defensemen fits - he doesn't even scare them with his decent speed. He was never a proverbial thorn in anyone's side - like Hornqvist was to us in this past series.

I feel like we barely knew Mark Johnson.

 

[MrGone]

he doesn't even scare them with his decent speed. He was never a proverbial thorn in anyone's side - like Hornqvist was to us in this past series.

How many players have the Caps had the past ten seasons that played that role? Who are the players that people don't like to play against?

 

[Stewie G]

I think Leafs fans probably would tell you that Mojo was a thorn in their side during Game 6, although I don't know if I'm allowed to post "stats" like that without being cliched to death. Maybe there's a term that will resonate more like thorny-ness, but for putting the puck in the net in a clinching game. Go-homey-ness? Marcus led all Caps in gohomeyness this year.

I like it.

 

[Ridley Simon]

How many players have the Caps had the past ten seasons that played that role? Who are the players that people don't like to play against?

Well, thats kind obvious, isnt it?

 

[RandyHolt]

How many players have the Caps had the past ten seasons that played that role? Who are the players that people don't like to play against?

Too many to count. Ovi Nick and Oshie, for starters. I am not talking the traditional pest role.

Random Pens I bet our D don't like to play against include Kunitz and Hagelin.

 

[MrGone]

Too many to count. Ovi Nick and Oshie, for starters. I am not talking the traditional pest role.

Random Pens I bet our D don't like to play against include Kunitz and Hagelin.

I will give you OV and Oshie as well as Wilson. Other than that I think you are confusing skilled players with players teams don't like to play against. Nick does not strike fear into anyone.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I will give you OV and Oshie as well as Wilson. Other than that I think you are confusing skilled players with players teams don't like to play against. Nick does not strike fear into anyone.

Chimera, Ward, Knuble, Beagle, Richards, Orpik, Erskine...that's off the top of my head (that's considering Ovechkin, Oshie and of course Wilson were already mentioned)

 

[HTFN]

I will give you OV and Oshie as well as Wilson. Other than that I think you are confusing skilled players with players teams don't like to play against. Nick does not strike fear into anyone.

And now you're confusing "fear" with "displeasure". Backstrom might not keep people up at night worried for their safety, but you know that when they're chasing a puck into the corner and see '19' in front of them that they're not likely to win that battle. They probably don't want to be made to look a fool on any highlight reels in the near future either, and play accordingly.

Johansson's backchecking game is strong and his speed is certainly nothing to shake a stick at. Even if you think he's the afterthought of every NHL defenseman in the league, I'm betting there are a number of forwards with picked pockets who probably don't like matching against his line very much.

 

[g00n]

There is a difference between the cerebral reaction "I might lose this puck battle because this guy is good" vs. the visceral, primal, reflexive reaction of fear that impairs your ability to perform when a physical threat is bearing down on you. The former may sting your pride a bit until you tell yourself "it's ok, he's pretty good", but the latter carries both the fear of failure and the panic of immediate, serious pain.

Physical intimidation is a real thing. Even if there's no stat for it.

Regarding Mojo, yeah he's got some straight line speed but I doubt he's one of those players coaches gameplan for. That's what we're talking about here, I think: gamechangers. The guys who other players will talk about or just get bug-eyed when facing up one on one because they don't want to be posterized. Mojo didn't posterize anyone. He didn't have that consistent finish of the dangler that would cause players to never want to lose position or let him get a shot off. They probably never thought, even with his speed, "I can't let this guy get by me or it's in the net". He missed it or flubbed around the net too much for that.

 

[RandyHolt]

@Goon - well said. BMac prioritized retaining Oshie, and probably wanted a shakeup in his top 6 to clear the pipe for cheaper forwards below.

MJ is a fine support player but is reactive in his approach. The classic defer-er - too predictable in his game. He has a great one timer, yet is hesitant to crank it up. Bura in our T6 will be firing it much more.

 

[HeyMattyB]

RIP Mark Johnson, U Will B Mist

 

[Hivemind]

If a player uses his physical intimidation to win a battle in the corner and get the puck to his line mate for a shot, it gets recorded as a on-ice shot for. If a player uses his physical intimidation to win a puck battle and generate a sustained cycle, it will help lower his shot against/60 rate even if his line doesn't generate a shot (and the player may be noted as a "low event" player). In other words, when physical intimidation is meaningful, it does in fact show up on the stat sheets.

 

[g00n]

If a player uses his physical intimidation to win a battle in the corner and get the puck to his line mate for a shot, it gets recorded as a on-ice shot for. If a player uses his physical intimidation to win a puck battle and generate a sustained cycle, it will help lower his shot against/60 rate even if his line doesn't generate a shot (and the player may be noted as a "low event" player). In other words, when physical intimidation is meaningful, it does in fact show up on the stat sheets.

I think that's an oversimplification.

 

[SpinningEdge]

Did I read in this thread Hornqvist strikes fear in an opponent but Backstrom doesn't at all?

Did I really read that?

 

[HecticGlow]

Chimera, Ward, Knuble, Beagle, Richards, Orpik, Erskine...that's off the top of my head (that's considering Ovechkin, Oshie and of course Wilson were already mentioned)

Because Richards and Chimera were so terrifying they were gamechangers last year. Just like opposing players were so scared of Beagle he clearly helped the team win games, rather than playing <10mins a game. The only person whose play Orpik seemed to affect this year was Holtby...

The current NHL is more about dogged determination matched with genuine skill and speed. I think losing Johansson and Schmidt in one off season, without adding any speed at all, will hurt us. I think we'll also miss Mojo's skill too - current projections leave almost all our skilled forwards in the top-6, and Vrana and Burakovsky aren't half the players Mojo is as things stand.

Let's hope Kuzy massively steps up his game this year - especially in terms of mental conditioning. If we end up paying $7.8m a year to a 59 point guy going forwards, the team would have little hope. And for the next year at least, if one of Burakovsky or Vrana are no-shows during the regular season you've got to wonder if the team even makes the playoffs without adding a significant piece. Losing the equivalent of 50 goals from your top-6 isn't insignificant at all.