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

[Sam Spade]

I know that it's the playoffs and that is motivation enough but the Capitals should be seriously pissed at the number of teams that purposely threw games to get to them.

Not saying I don't get it , but still.......

 

[maacoshark]

No. Beagle is far more than a faceoff specialist. You really don't want Boyd in that role at all. You really don't want him there on the road. So....no

I'd rather have Stephenson as the 4th line centre. Beagle is not really much more than a faceoff specialist. He is decent defensively and good on the pk. Most of his minutes are spent in our end of the ice. He works hard but might be the least skilled player on this team.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

It's the first time since 2015 that we're facing a team without a superstar #1 centre. Over the past two years, Nicky and Kuzy had to face Crosby, Malkin, Matthews and Giroux. This time, we're facing a very young PLD.

 

[maacoshark]

I know that it's the playoffs and that is motivation enough but the Capitals should be seriously pissed at the number of teams that purposely threw games to get to them.

Not saying I don't get it , but still.......

I think the Devils were playing it safe. If they wanted the Caps in round 1 they needed a point against us. Columbus scratched 9 players though. Their best players. Now if that isn't throwing a game. What is? I've seen teams rest players before but 9. Come on man.

 

[Sam Spade]

It's the first time since 2015 that we're facing a team without a superstar #1 centre. Over the past two years, Nicky and Kuzy had to face Crosby, Malkin, Matthews and Giroux. This time, we're facing a very young PLD.

Yeah but that defense of Werenski/Jones/Cole/Murray/Johnson has me worried.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Yeah but that defense of Werenski/Jones/Cole/Murray/Johnson has me worried.

Meh these guys are usually no match for Kuzy's speed. I predict #92 will win us this series.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

It's the first time since 2015 that we're facing a team without a superstar #1 centre. Over the past two years, Nicky and Kuzy had to face Crosby, Malkin, Matthews and Giroux. This time, we're facing a very young PLD.

This is why the Caps should win. Washington has better centers on every line. First time in memory that they can say that.

 

[Langway]

The G1 starter decision will be fascinating. I think there's some logic to going with Holtby, even if he hasn't entirely earned it, in order to somewhat manage his mental game by letting him essentially respond to the circumstances and also by keeping the better insurance option on the bench in case things go sideways. So I think it may be Holtby with a short leash as suggested. Ideally, I think they may believe that if they're on in front of him it may not matter who starts and long-term it probably is better for Holtby to have the opportunity to make a statement. Would he be as capable doing that with roles reversed and him being the insurance plan? I'm not so sure and that's the risk involved in making the decision just purely based on who has earned it between the two.

 

[Sam Spade]

Meh these guys are usually no match for Kuzy's speed. I predict #92 will win us this series.

Jones/Werenski will get Kuzy/Ovie, so I thinks Backs line and/or the PP has to win it.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I'd feel better about going with Holtby if he hadn't been so average during his "rebound." He's still been good for at least one terrible goal for game. Last night's goal by Maroon looked like some beer league goalie positioning.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Even if Grubauer is good? I'll never understand the loyalty to Holtby around here, he's been god awful.

I don't have any loyalty to Holtby, I would prefer Grubauer starting in this series. But Trotz will switch to Holtby at even the slightest sign of weakness from Grubauer now that the stakes are higher.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Jones/Werenski will get Kuzy/Ovie, so I thinks Backs line and/or the PP has to win it.

We have home ice though, so we can send Kuzy/Ovi against their 3rd pair for the first two games. We need to go to Columbus with a 2-0 series lead. You know that the Jackets will feel the pressure being down 2-0 in their own barn and not having won a playoff series in their history. All it takes for us is to get the series lead, just like Pittsburgh did to them last year.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Holtby has been playing that Theodore role this year. A short leash doesn't give the team confidence. They are playing to protect their goalie against getting yanked by that leash.

This = failure and they know it. It's good that Grubby has stepped up this year, because they don't have to feel like Holts is their only chance and so they have to tighten up when he's shaky or allows an early softie. Trotz has to make sure he doesn't coach that way as well. That seemed to be BMac's message last year, and Carlson alluded to it last night in his post-game interview - saying that in prior years the team had played conservatively, not aggressively, in the playoffs and it cost them.

The lack of playoff success has lead them to playing scared in the playoffs which has lead to more lack of playoff success which has lead to more playing scared and blah and forever amen. It's got to stop. You get rid of the monkey by not anticipating, and then fearing, failure. But that means they gotta believe in the way they're playing. And that's on Trotz to devise a style that maximizes their collective abilities, even if it means he's coaching out of his comfort zone.

Speaking of the Carlson interview, I've don't mean this as a knock, but I've thought for awhile that he comes off a lot smarter in interviews than his play sometimes lets on.

 

[SpringfieldSkins]

When does the series start? Wednesday?

Also, please Grubauer over Holtby and throw some speed out there on the 3rd/4th lines. That’s all I ask.

 

[Ridley Simon]

You know your hockey sir, you know damn well this team is not built to win anything this season. I also don't think Trotz will ice the best team, he will ice the team he is most comfortable with, and he will only make slight changes when it is too late.

So yep, I think the chances the Caps lose to the Jackets are high, I would have given them a better chance against the young/inexperienced Devils.

Now if Trotz sees the light and figures out how to make adjustments on the fly, in game, between periods, between games, maybe they do better but that hasn't been his modus operandi in 20 years, why would it change now?

This is such bunk. Caps have as good a chance as ever to go far. In some ways, I like this team better than the previous 3.

You’ve been Debbie Downer since around game 10. You wanted them to tank. So excuse us if we don’t buy into your doom and gloom shtick.

 

[hockeykicker]

When does the series start? Wednesday?

Also, please Grubauer over Holtby and throw some speed out there on the 3rd/4th lines. That’s all I ask.

i would assume so as neither caps nor jackets have any arena issues

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

The team doesn't seem to have any confidence in Holtby right now. Niskanen or Oshie (can't remember who) made a comment a few weeks back about knowing the "old" Holtby is in there some where and he's just working through some stuff. Ovechkin had this to say after Grubauer's play in Pittsburgh when they won the division: "The hot goalie is a hot goalie. They can win the game for us. I hope they’re going to play like that in the playoffs and we’re going to have a chance."

If Trotz plays Holtby in G1 and Holtby becomes Holt-three then he's going to have created an unnecessary fire in that locker room. Grubauer has earned the start.

 

[Hivemind]

 

[Langway]

I did read that. It didn't effect my post. The Caps have gone the Jose Theodore route before. Holtby has been playing that Theodore role this year. A short leash doesn't give the team confidence. They are playing to protect their goalie against getting yanked by that leash.

Well, you don't actually tell anyone he's on a short leash. It just happens.

 

[g00n]

This team CAN go far. The question is whether or not BT will make adjustments. Yes, the players must deliver. Some players will surge and some players won't. The coach has to adapt.

Tortorella will certainly throw a few curveballs during the series--he always does. He will also work the refs and the media. His playoff record isn't incredible but worth noting it's almost identical to Trotz's.

Caps in 6 (but 7 is very possible)

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Fun fact heading into the playoffs:

• Alex Ovechkin had 33 goals last year. He has 32 even-strength goals this year.
• Tom Wilson ESGs this year: 14. Justin Williams ESGs this year: 14.

 

[Lindemann]

Caps in 5 if Trotz doesn’t coach like himself (playing grubby, speedy players)

Jackets in 7 if Trotz does coach like himself (playing holtby and grinders)

 

[Langway]

Yeah but that defense of Werenski/Jones/Cole/Murray/Johnson has me worried.

Savard is better than Murray & Johnson. It's a good group but Murray & Johnson are the weak points and they need to play that top pair physical and make their minutes tough.

People have kind of talked down about their centers but Dubois is going to be a real solid one. His one-on-one battle level is already pretty high. Plus, CBJ ought to match up somewhat decently in terms of overall depth up front. They had four 20-goal scorers to Washington's three. They have just as many 10-goal scorers (when including Vanek, also included in the 20-goal group and a key on their PP) and have two more in Calvert/Wennberg that would have reached the mark if healthy. If it weren't for the concussion Oshie probably hits 20 but so would Anderson if not for the Orlov hip check. The Caps are going to need a more functional, productive third-line than they finished the season with and for a guy like Stephenson to step up.

The big keys will be shutting down Panarin, making their top pair play hard minutes and getting to Bobrovsky but CBJ does have some depth to work with here and players like Jenner, Foligno, Anderson and perhaps Dubinsky that can be irritants. You'd think Washington's high-end players should be the difference but Columbus does have some pieces to at least make it tough. It should be an entertaining series from a work ethic standpoint and the Caps will need to tighten up their exits and be clean in transition. Their regular season wins over them had that quality to them IINM. Being able to counter them and not get swarmed on the forecheck is a pretty big key in any series and this one's no different.

 

[John Price]

Caps to meet Columbus in first round of the playoffs

For the season, the Capitals went 3-1-0 against the Blue Jackets. Washington did lose 5-1 in Columbus, but that game came at the height of Braden Holtby’s struggles. Typically, the Caps have proven to be a thorn in the side of the Blue Jackets. In fact, Washington has gone 12-2-3 against Columbus during Barry Trotz’s tenure with the Caps.

 

[Ridley Simon]

The G1 starter decision will be fascinating. I think there's some logic to going with Holtby, even if he hasn't entirely earned it, in order to somewhat manage his mental game by letting him essentially respond to the circumstances and also by keeping the better insurance option on the bench in case things go sideways. So I think it may be Holtby with a short leash as suggested. Ideally, I think they may believe that if they're on in front of him it may not matter who starts and long-term it probably is better for Holtby to have the opportunity to make a statement. Would he be as capable doing that with roles reversed and him being the insurance plan? I'm not so sure and that's the risk involved in making the decision just purely based on who has earned it between the two.

These are all excellent points. Great post.