Poll: Who/What do you blame for missing the playoffs?

[14ari13]

Lalonde
Tortorella
Officiating

We lost 2 to Coyotes and we "lost" 2 to Canadiens. We scored the gtg with empty net in both games in last one 3 seconds to go. And we lost to Caps on home ice in a 4 points game.

 

[SCD]

Giving out blame..... so pointless

Critical analysis is the only way you move an organization forward. Sorry to say in a society that is trying to become blameless.

 

[TheMule93]

I blame whatever happened to the team in March

call it coaching, leadership, poor goaltending... it all added up to an epic collapse and we deserve to be where we are

Need more young players on the team next season.

 

[SCD]

I think this team far exceeded expectations.

This team really lacks players who have good puck skills. Kane is the best of all the forwards, which allows him to still be productive despite the lack of speed. Edvinsson is probably already the best on defense. Rarely was this team able to establish control in the offensive zone for extended duration. It also made the team more vulnerable to an effective forecheck.

Without more skilled players around Larkin and Raymond, teams can focus too easily on our top players. I am not sure how many straight games Larkin and Raymond would last during the playoffs with abuse they took the last two games.

Now Yzerman needs to deal with some sh!t contracts so he can bring us some kids. I doubt next year this team will break 90 points.

At least the Griffins should be interesting to watch. Would love to see ASP some over for the playoffs.

 

[Henkka]

Blame Kelly Sutherland.



This Flyers goal should never been disallowed.

Flyers having the lead at end of the game.... Empty-netter on Capitals goal... = Red Wings at the playoffs.

I hope somebody will create "History will be made" -video about this crap.

 

[RabidBadger]

I blame it on choosing to keep Franzen over Hossa.

 

[Astyanax]

Whom isn't ever actually right. It's a made-up word designed to trick kids in school

How in the blue hell did Debrincat have 67 points and 27 goals?

I can only assume you are joking about the use of whom; that said, I scrolled back and cannot find where anyone used who in it's proper nominative cause or otherwise.

Sorry, I see it now. It's the title line itself and not any replies. Whom do YOU blame would be correct.

 

[Chelis Chili]

Other: the cursed garbage patch!!!

 

[roccol]

Low IQ players/system/coach. I have never seen a team make the wrong pass so often, especially in our own zone. Whether it's the system, players or both, we make dumb play after dumb play and are very slow to execute passes and shots. How many times is a guy open in the slot and is too slow to take the shot and then dumps it to the boards or passes it to the flanks. How many times have we been pinned in our own zone due to stupid passes and a complete inability to clear the zone. Couple this with a serious lack of speed and puck handling skills and you get what you get. Also, this is one of the worst dump and chase teams I have ever seen. The crime here isn't that we missed the playoffs, it's that we didn't develop any prospects at the NHL level. Edvinsson was called up out of necessity at the end of the season. There is no question he is and was ready. Even a third of a season from Ed would have put us in the playoffs. I'm not even going to get into the whole Berggren situation.

Yzerman needs to figure out a way to trade for Leon Draisital after the Oilers flame out in the playoffs. We need high end skill.

 

[Astyanax]

Blame Kelly Sutherland.



This Flyers goal should never been disallowed.

Flyers having the lead at end of the game.... Empty-netter on Capitals goal... = Red Wings at the playoffs.

I hope somebody will create "History will be made" -video about this crap.

It's not the right call, but based on the letter of the rules, it is the correct call. The Whistle should not have been blown as the play was not dead, but it was. Therefore, even thouough the contact was indecental, it came after the Whistle, when the play was already dead.

 

[Henkka]

It's not the right call, but based on the letter of the rules, it is the correct call. The Whistle should not have been blown as the play was not dead, but it was. Therefore, even thouough the contact was indecental, it came after the Whistle, when the play was already dead.

Just pure luck for Capitals, when the referees go full blind.

They can't see the penalties, like high-sticks breaking faces and they can't see the puck. Can they even see?

 

[Astyanax]

Whom isn't ever actually right. It's a made-up word designed to trick kids in school

How in the blue hell did Debrincat have 67 points and 27

I can only assume you are joking about the use of whom; that said, I scrolled back and cannot find where anyone used who in it's proper nominative cause or otherwise.

 

[Astyanax]

Just pure luck for Capitals, when the referees go full blind.

Oh agreed!!! Just like that intent to blow the Whistle kept screwing us in 90s

 

[SoupNazi]

Lalonde for a lot of reasons, among them that I can’t trust anyone nicknamed Newsy.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Chris Ilitch for deciding to put on an advertising patch in the middle of the season while the team was on a winning streak.

The fact the losing streak that followed is a big reason they missed out is somewhat poetic. They tarnished the sweater, and thus they paid for it.

The team has nobody to blame but themselves, as they had a playoff spot locked up and only needed to not screw the pooch.

 

[Winger98]

Ultimately any blame or congratulations goes to the people on the ice playing the game. They were in a position to walk into the playoffs and stumbled and fell instead. It's on them. But it was still a good season, a lot of the kids made positive strides, and I think we have a lot to look forward to for next year.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Giving out blame..... so pointless

How about no one. Team tried their best, but sometimes it doesn't work out. The team isn't perfect, but no team is. This team certainly didn't massively under perform for the season. Yes, the bad March killed them, I get it, things could of been better there.

I guess this helps people cope. Fire away.

Thank you.

I kind of hate how if the Caps had lost to Philly in a shootout all would be "fine" but now we have to give out a bunch of blame and discuss who should be fired.

The goal of the season was to play meaningful games for most of the season. We ended up being eliminated literally AFTER regulation time in Game 82.

We overachieved (based on all pre-season predictions, all analytical models, most reasonable assessments of roster talent, and even based on eye test). What's to blame for that?

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

In true leadership the guy at the top is always to blame, only inexperienced weak individuals blame those below them...so SYs roster composition, and failing to address any weakness(goaltending) at the TDL is where any "blame" should land..

 

[Henkka]

We overachieved (based on all pre-season predictions, all analytical models, most reasonable assessments of roster talent, and even based on eye test). What's to blame for that?

Imo, we didn't overachieve. We were just there, I ranked us on 9th position.

I speculated if one of the top dogs would fall, we are in. Like the Devils did. They were ranked to be TOP of the conference.

But this Capitals team came out of nowhere. This NJD vs. WSH was the only difference, how I predicted the eastern Top8. Coinflip between NYI and DET.

Most of all summer anaytics were based on the past. Past doesn't predict the future if there's major changes. Analytics guys should do better.

 

[Pavels Dog]

If he was, why not sign better veterans or make a trade deadline deal for a goalie?

Why doesn't the GM just sign all the good players? Is he stupid?

 

[Indrid Cold]

Lack of talent and no one knows how to lead other than Larkin. All those vets we signed and not a single one stepped up when Larkin was out.

Agreed. They had the talent to make the playoffs as a WC, but you're right about the leadership.

 

[GarlicbreadTB]

Not gonna blame anyone. Which is such a tiring fans concept how there always have to be a scapegoat/whipping boy as something to explain why things didn't go as planned.

Ultimately the team is what the team is and it definitely exceeded expectations. What I'd like to see next season:

- I want the team to start games better. It's great with all these comeback wins, but in the long run you can't expect to come back all the time. So better starts would be great.

- I do wanna see some of the young talent in the roster on opening night.

- I want Yzerman to be careful how he handles free agency, in terms of bringing in veterans and what sort of contracts he gives them.

- I want us fans to support the boys and not be all toxic and moaning the second it doesn't go our way. Can't just be great fans in victory c'mon.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Imo, we didn't overachieve. We were just there, I ranked us on 9th position.

With all respect Henkka, from one homer to another, your rankings are not a great metric for what the hockey world at large thought about the team.

Many people thought we would be closer to 8th in the division than playoffs.

 

[SeanAveryTheGreatOne]

ROW should be the tiebreaker, not RW

 

[Dotter]

If we are throwing blame then the #1 reason for missing by 1 point is 100% caused by subpar and inconsistent goaltending. No question a healthy Husso would have found his game and got us an extra 1 point.

Missing the playoffs by 1 point is less of a negative than seeing Rayzor and Seider come up HUGE. While also seeing the emergence of Edvinsson. What the kids have done the past few weeks is way bigger than making the playoffs by a point.

My hope now is the hockey gods gives a HUGE F.U. to Bettman and the league and Wings move up 10 spots in the draft lottery. That would be icing on the cake after this emotional hockey season.