Series Discussion: (M1) Washington Capitals vs (WC1) Columbus Blue Jackets

[twabby]

Vrana goes from the bench to second line. Maybe he shouldn't have been on the bench if they are so willing to put him on the second line when Burakovsky's out.

Edit: it just screams of trying to fit players into roles instead of just playing your best players and making your system fit their strengths.

 

[ovikovy817]

I prefer Jerabek over Djoos at the moment

 

[amjay13]

Love him but if you are moving a core piece Backstrom is the guy. Still relatively young, good contract and has plenty of value. If you move him and Holtby (have Grubauer in goal until Samsanov is ready), it makes for an awfully quick on the fly rebuild.

 

[Sam Spade]

I prefer Jerabek over Djoos at the moment

Jerabek's numbers have been dookie. I would replace Orpik myself, as he brings nothing.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Vrana goes from the bench to second line. Maybe he shouldn't have been on the bench if they are so willing to put him on the second line when Burakovsky's out.

Edit: it just screams of trying to fit players into roles instead of just playing your best players and making your system fit their strengths.

It's exactly what it is twabby. When Burakovsky is on the ice and Vrana is in the stands, I really don't get the feeling that we're playing our 12 best forwards.

Happy to see Djoos back there. Jerabek hasn't been good at all defensively in this playoff series. I don't expect Djoos to be much better, but I expect him to create more offensively and to get the puck out faster.

 

[The Instigator]

I wore my Kuzy jersey game one and he got two goals, my Ovi jersey next game and two goals.

I think I’m going to wear the Holtby today.

 

[Raikkonen]

The Even Strength problem has several sources:

- Ovechkin and Oshie as main wingers, both are slow and can't get separation from 1st D pair nowadays
- much less potent wingers in top-9 other than 8 and 77
- coaching stuff and their schemes or lack thereof

I think there could be a roster where Kuzy and/or Backstrom would have competent fast winger(s) to make things happen in ES
AND
Ovechkin somewhere on the lineup but not as main ES weapon

Financially Ovi's contract is getting smaller, he's still a big weapon and decoy, I doubt there is no opportunity to trim fat elsewhere. He just isn't capable of doing it all in ES. Playing him with Kuzy is limiting us.

Trim everything, make 3 lines with 8, 92 and 19 separated. Get 19 and 92 best wingers you can get. And a coach.
This won't be worse than full rebuild.

 

[twabby]

I wore my Kuzy jersey game one and he got two goals, my Ovi jersey next game and two goals.

I think I’m going to wear the Holtby today.

Wear all 3 at once.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

The Even Strength problem has several sources:

- Ovechkin and Oshie as main wingers, both are slow and can't get separation from 1st D pair nowadays
- much less potent wingers in top-9 other than 8 and 77
- coaching stuff and their schemes or lack thereof

I think there could be a roster where Kuzy and/or Backstrom would have competent fast winger(s) to make things happen in ES
AND
Ovechkin somewhere on the lineup but not as main ES weapon

Financially Ovi's contract is getting smaller, he's still a big weapon and decoy, I doubt there is no opportunity to trim fat elsewhere. He just isn't capable of doing it all in ES. Playing him with Kuzy is limiting us.

Trim everything, make 3 lines with 8, 92 and 19 separated. Get 19 and 92 best wingers you can get. And a coach.
This won't be worse than full rebuild.

Leads the league in ES goals. Math checks out.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Vrana goes from the bench to second line. Maybe he shouldn't have been on the bench if they are so willing to put him on the second line when Burakovsky's out.

Edit: it just screams of trying to fit players into roles instead of just playing your best players and making your system fit their strengths.

It also screams they’re trying to hide a defensively deficient forward with their best defensive C and away from the 3rd line defensively responsible role he was in. Vrana should have been with 19 all along.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Wait is Oshie out tonight?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It's exactly what it is twabby. When Burakovsky is on the ice and Vrana is in the stands, I really don't get the feeling that we're playing our 12 best forwards.

Happy to see Djoos back there. Jerabek hasn't been good at all defensively in this playoff series. I don't expect Djoos to be much better, but I expect him to create more offensively and to get the puck out faster.

12 best for their roles or 12 most talented? I think that’s Barry’s thought process right or wrong.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

I wore my Kuzy jersey game one and he got two goals, my Ovi jersey next game and two goals.

I think I’m going to wear the Holtby today.

I haven't decided for sure yet, but I might wear my Ovi rookie jersey in case we need another "The Goal".

 

[Empty Goal Net]

Going forward:
Ovie is flawed (who isn't?) but there's no reason a successful team including in the PS cannot include him. One way to achieve this is by decreasing reliance on him without going full Dale. Something more balanced. And unless an incredible offer comes along, how many think that Ted would allow a trade? [Somewhat OT, but the "Trade Ovie" chant reminds me of a line George Carlin had in his mid-60s "Biff Burns" sportscast that went something like, "Today, the San Francisco Giants traded outfielder Willie Mays to the New York Mets for the entire Mets team." The real thing did not happen until the early 70s, and it didn't involve the entire Mets team.]

otoh, Nicky sounds like trade bait. He's good but all too often becomes invisible in the post season. The Caps have Kuzy, who's proven effective with Ovie. The team would still need strength down the middle, but can find a cheaper and younger 2C.

And Vegas/GMGM is the clear beneficiary of new expansion rules - teams protecting 1G-3D-7F instead of 1-5-9 back in the 2000 draft; and only one team selecting instead of two. Just think how much worse the pool would have been if the 2000 provisions had applied last year.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

These lines are safety to the max. Trotz is clinging to the safe lines as if they'll somehow generate a different. These lines they do nothing...

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

12 best for their roles or 12 most talented? I think that’s Barry’s thought process right or wrong.

I am more of the opinion that you mould your system around your players' strengths, not the other way around.

 

[ovikovy817]

Jerabek's numbers have been dookie. I would replace Orpik myself, as he brings nothing.

He can do this



That's not what people want? Some O from the Ds?

 

[peterthegreat12]

Djoos will be injured by the end of the first period.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I am more of the opinion that you mould your system around your players' strengths, not the other way around.

And how do you account for glaring weaknesses? I wonder if a few of his defensive gaffes turn directly into goals if tunes don’t change quickly?

 

[twabby]

Wait is Oshie out tonight?

He's likely playing but just not practicing. I doubt they'd put Boyd on the second line in a morning skate as anything other than a placeholder.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

And how do you account for glaring weaknesses? I wonder if a few of his defensive gaffes turn directly into goals if tunes don’t change quickly?

But we're talking about Burakovsky and Vrana. Those glaring weaknesses are even more obvious in #65's game than #13's. Why is Burakovsky constantly getting a jersey over Vrana?

 

[twabby]

And how do you account for glaring weaknesses? I wonder if a few of his defensive gaffes turn directly into goals if tunes don’t change quickly?

His body of work has been good enough where a mistake or two shouldn't be the deciding factor on whether he plays or not. Also knowing that he might be scratched if he makes a mistake is going to make him grip his stick harder, which is among other reasons why scratching him in the first place was asinine.

 

[The Instigator]

Wear all 3 at once.

“Look at this poor bastard wearing three Caps jerseys at a time; must’ve died from heat-stroke.”

“I don’t think so chief, looks like he just gave up.”

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Going forward:
Ovie is flawed (who isn't?) but there's no reason a successful team including in the PS cannot include him. One way to achieve this is by decreasing reliance on him without going full Dale. Something more balanced. And unless an incredible offer comes along, how many think that Ted would allow a trade? [Somewhat OT, but the "Trade Ovie" chant reminds me of a line George Carlin had in his mid-60s "Biff Burns" sportscast that went something like, "Today, the San Francisco Giants traded outfielder Willie Mays to the New York Mets for the entire Mets team." The real thing did not happen until the early 70s, and it didn't involve the entire Mets team.]

otoh, Nicky sounds like trade bait. He's good but all too often becomes invisible in the post season. The Caps have Kuzy, who's proven effective with Ovie. The team would still need strength down the middle, but can find a cheaper and younger 2C.

And Vegas/GMGM is the clear beneficiary of new expansion rules - teams protecting 1G-3D-7F instead of 1-5-9 back in the 2000 draft; and only one team selecting instead of two. Just think how much worse the pool would have been if the 2000 provisions had applied last year.

The last two years he’s been good. He just doesn’t seem to have a next level. He makes the most sense in a major shakeup with the emergence of Kuzy.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

His body of work has been good enough where a mistake or two shouldn't be the deciding factor on whether he plays or not. Also knowing that he might be scratched if he makes a mistake is going to make him grip his stick harder, which is among other reasons why scratching him in the first place was asinine.

Not in the postseason. Not when a mistake or two can send the entire franchise home. His production doesn’t outweigh his benefits YET.....at best it might balance....at best.

Tonight should show us something about the heart in Vrana. Benched and called out for his defense. If he’s a guy this franchise must have in the lineup....I expect a point or two and him busting his ass all night in all zones. Let’s see what we get.