Post-Game Talk: NJ v DC @7pm

[AussieCapsFan]

Agreed. I might be stupid but honestly I don't buy any rationale behind sitting Sprong at this point. Tf they want him to do? You can't sit here and justify a guy like Panik playing over him with a straight face, that's just downright offensive.

I think Sprong is a sniper / points guy.
Sheary is a defensively responsible guy with secondary offence.
Panik is supposed to be a sniper / points guy but his confidence sucks and he ends up being Hagelin Lite.

I think it's pretty clear who we can do without....

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

The points were always coming given his level of play. It’s not like I wasn’t predicting this exact thing would happen!

just stop....you can admit his play has gone up another level or 2 the last 2 weeks, to where he’s now earning his coin.

Most here see it, you just refuse to admit it. Wouldn’t jive with your strict, “math first” line of reasoning that’s he’s not been underperforming in offensive production.

can he sustain the effort required is the $7.8 mil question......I know I hope so!

 

[Fallschirmyager]

I think that Lavi is a great coach. Imagine actually hiring coaches with NHL experience?

This will never not piss me off.

 

[HecticGlow]

I honestly don't mind if Sprong or Sheary end up as the #13 at some point, because what matters to the team right now is depth and it seems like we have 13 NHLers at forward, 8 NHLers at D and 2 NHLers in goal. Even in the Cup run year, we had some fringe players up front and on the back end for most of the season, and still had Madison Bowey and Jakub Jerabek as our #7 and #8 throughout the playoffs. Remember that time last year when Panik, Hagelin, Hathaway and Leipsic were the regular bottom 6 wingers, before we brought in a vacant Kovulchuk to spice things up? Being able to insert a motivated Sprong or Sheary into the lineup and get production and good results is huge for us.

 

[twabby]

just stop....you can admit his play has gone up another level or 2 the last 2 weeks, to where he’s now earning his coin.

Most here see it, you just refuse to admit it. Wouldn’t jive with your strict, “math first” line of reasoning that’s he’s not been underperforming in offensive production.

can he sustain the effort required is the $7.8 mil question......I know I hope so!

Why would I admit this when I have been predicting for weeks that the point scoring would come given his level of play all season?

There are some players who have legit changed as the season has gone on: Ovechkin’s underlying play in particular has seen a noticeable uptick and his increased scoring was not inevitable if he continued his early-season level of play. Meanwhile, Vrana’s play has seen a noticeable downtick and his lack of recent scoring isn’t just due to bad luck.

But the same can’t be said of Kuznetsov: he’s been great all season long.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Man if you can’t see the change in Kuzy in the last 2 weeks, not sure you’re watching....


Points in 7 of 8, 2 GWG, 9 pts, getting more ice time as a result (of a more complete effort) in key situations...

Im pretty sure alot of posters dont watch the games lol

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

they definitely seem better defensively under lavi

I think Mr. Chara has alot w that and Jensen recent good play

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Panik team low 10 shifts and ice time. How does he keep a spot over Sprong when Eller is back?

 

[txpd]

Why would I admit this when I have been predicting for weeks that the point scoring would come given his level of play all season?

There are some players who have legit changed as the season has gone on: Ovechkin’s underlying play in particular has seen a noticeable uptick and his increased scoring was not inevitable if he continued his early-season level of play. Meanwhile, Vrana’s play has seen a noticeable downtick and his lack of recent scoring isn’t just due to bad luck.

But the same can’t be said of Kuznetsov: he’s been great all season long.

Just last night in the post game presser Laviolette came right out and said that Kuzy hadnt been playing to the level required. The improved play is recent. To get to this level improved play was required. It wasnt there all along. But maybe you know better

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

Just last night in the post game presser Laviolette came right out and said that Kuzy hadnt been playing to the level required. The improved play is recent. To get to this level improved play was required. It wasnt there all along. But maybe you know better

Coach, the player himself, the analysts, the eye test....Obviously they don’t know better.

 

[kicksavedave]

Lets all just completely ignore that Kuzy got Covid and took some time after that to get his legs going, (juts like Sammy) that they ALL had a new system to learn with a half assed training camp, and that as PL says in his post game, that Orly and Ovi are also now finding their game at the same time.

Just for a moment, lets take a few minutes to be thankful that we once again have a real NHL coach who apparently knows how to get the very max out of his players.... but that doesn't mean he has a magic wand to make the max play all happen instantly. Per PL's post game, Kuzy went to PL and asked for more responsibility, to play more at the end of games, and PL told him what he needed from Kuzy and Kuzy delivered. Instead of trying to roast each other for their takes, lets just be thankful we have a coach putting this team on the right track and we have too much depth to play them all what they deserve.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Lets all just completely ignore that Kuzy got Covid and took some time after that to get his legs going, (juts like Sammy) that they ALL had a new system to learn with a half assed training camp, and that as PL says in his post game, that Orly and Ovi are also now finding their game at the same time.

Just for a moment, lets take a few minutes to be thankful that we once again have a real NHL coach who apparently knows how to get the very max out of his players.... but that doesn't mean he has a magic wand to make the max play all happen instantly. Per PL's post game, Kuzy went to PL and asked for more responsibility, to play more at the end of games, and PL told him what he needed from Kuzy and Kuzy delivered. Instead of trying to roast each other for their takes, lets just be thankful we have a coach putting this team on the right track and we have too much depth to play them all what they deserve.

This is a very sensible post, Dave.

 

[g00n]

The points were always coming given his level of play. It’s not like I wasn’t predicting this exact thing would happen!

So did I. Why? Because players like Kuzy don't go a whole season without regressing to the mean when healthy.

If you can point to a bottom 6 player who has been a scrub his whole career and predict a surge in scoring based on the stats then that's much more impressive than "this 1C/2C who has not been scoring will eventually start doing so".

 

[Bieronymus Trotz]

People, including coaches, tend to think players are playing better when they're producing. There's no big mystery there.

 

[Calicaps]

People, including coaches, tend to think players are playing better when they're producing. There's no big mystery there.

So hockey professionals don't know what playing well looks like? And would you be happy if the whole team played like Kuzy was 2 weeks ago? Do you think they'd be winning?

And beside that, I see a lot of "thank goodness for Lavi" posts from the same folks (not necessarily you) who then want to assert that his assessment of Kuzy's performance is wrong. So which is it? Lavi knows his players and knows what he's talking about or he doesn't?