SimplySensational
Heard of Hough
So ****ing annoying that they finally are playing a good possession game and getting no PPs. 3 PPs in this 3 game stretch.
I disagree. Just because he can win a cup in Anaheim doesn't mean he could do it here. Way to many other variables and at the end, the well had been poisoned no matter how good BB is.
Urbom-Oleksy is easily the best possible third pairing.
What a bonehead move to waive Urbom.
Shift length clearly is a problem for this team, and it has been since before Oates. It seems like a cultural thing that extends from Ovechkin on down. He's the team captain and also the worst perpetrator of stretching out shifts. That said, someone needs to get control of it, and Oates has failed to do so.
The real problem with that third pairing is Erskine, he's not close to the player he used to be for whatever reason.
Look at any of the d's numbers with and without Erskine. Statistically Erskine is one of the worst players in the league this year.
They could throw something as pathetic as Schmidt and Strachen out there and the results would probably be stronger
Erskine is the same player he's always been. He had an unusually effective stretch last season and since then has reverted into the same old John Erskine who's too slow to keep up with the play and doesn't use his physical strength and toughness nearly enough.
It was barely a stretch -it was just 30 games. And he wasn't unusally effective. By happenstance, his goaltenders were unusually effective when he happened to be on the ice.
Bruce was done here whether we like it or not. Ovechkin was barely on speaking terms with him when he left and that's neither tenable nor repairable.
McPhee AND Boudreau should have been relieved of their duties together.
Disasgree that it's a cultural thing. I think it's a personnel thing. To many personnel groupings get pinned inside their own zone, lengthening their shift length.
I'm actually a fan of Carrick's skill set.
I just think he's a perfect example of a 3-year AHL guy. He needs to seriously bulk up and polish his game without the puck.
Bruce was done here whether we like it or not. Ovechkin was barely on speaking terms with him when he left and that's neither tenable nor repairable.
McPhee AND Boudreau should have been relieved of their duties together.
I propose we have two threads for each topic - one for the lefthanders and one for the righthanders.
Maybe we are seeing a change in direction from a development standpoint. Maybe its random, but the only injury was Erskine for a few weeks.
I am stunned to have seen so much of Carrick Schmidt Urbom and Orlov this year. I didn't expect to see any of that at all.
Should only be surprising to those that hate him due to his salary and soundbites.
When healthy, he's been a very good supporting player for a while now.
One other thing that stood out for me yesterday was the huge amount of space that Pens D enjoyed on the point. I don't know if it's because Caps are instructed to collapse or because the forwards lose position, but IMO it's a recipe for playoff disaster. It's free shots followed by deflections and rebounds near the goal, which exposes the Caps D' weaknesses. I really don't get it, what's the use of wingers collapsing so much? It seems they would be a lot more useful putting pressure on the point men.
Really don't like collapsing tactics, especially with the personnel on this team..
The real problem with that third pairing is Erskine, he's not close to the player he used to be for whatever reason.
Look at any of the d's numbers with and without Erskine. Statistically Erskine is one of the worst players in the league this year.
They could throw something as pathetic as Schmidt and Strachen out there and the results would probably be stronger
Depends on what you mean by collapsing; staying collapsed or collapsing and then skating out to put pressure on the point. I don't mind collapsing to take away passes into the crease or keep a Malkin-type from beating a defender one on one. Problem is we are either leaving our feet or skating hard to the shot lane, leaving ourselves vulnerable to exactly what Maata did. I would prefer that they approach the point man with a little more caution.
Shift length clearly is a problem for this team, and it has been since before Oates. It seems like a cultural thing that extends from Ovechkin on down. He's the team captain and also the worst perpetrator of stretching out shifts. That said, someone needs to get control of it, and Oates has failed to do so.
It's called playing with the cards you're dealt (in this case by GMGM).
One other thing that stood out for me yesterday was the huge amount of space that Pens D enjoyed on the point. I don't know if it's because Caps are instructed to collapse or because the forwards lose position, but IMO it's a recipe for playoff disaster. It's free shots followed by deflections and rebounds near the goal, which exposes the Caps D' weaknesses. I really don't get it, what's the use of wingers collapsing so much? It seems they would be a lot more useful putting pressure on the point men.
Really don't like collapsing tactics, especially with the personnel on this team..
It's not collapsing, at least not in the sense of what Jacques Martin or John Tortarella do defensively.
The Caps use an "overload" defensive zone scheme, similar to what New Jersey uses and what Philadelphia used under Laviolette (and perhaps still uses under Berube?), among others. It's not about collapsing around the net, so much as it's about attempting to create a numerical advantage on the side of the ice where the puck is and break up any cycle attempts. As a consequence, a lot of responsibility is left on F3 to cover the high slot and prevent back door plays, which ends up meaning that he has to play very loose compared the weakside point man. Additionally, F2 has the dual responsibility of covering the strongside boards to help break up the cycle, and the strongside point man.
If you maintain proper coverage, the defense shouldn't be able to get a clean pass the strongside point, and will have to collapse their formation to get the weakside point involved. The problem is the Caps aren't very good on the boards, and the other team can often best F2 to get the puck to the point. If they succeed at getting to the point, they can exploit the system's biggest flaw, reversing the ice.
Its not IF, its WHEN, if not this year eventually he definitely will, incredible coach... Caps were like training wheels for him, "first wife" sort of speak... i miss that fat **** and watching Perutu... he is just getting better and more consistent... this organization turning into a graveyard.Boudreau still sucks though from what I'm told.
If he wins a Cup, the piles of crow will be large.