Post-Game Talk: Pre-season game 2 vs Devils

[McVechkin]

I'm also an out-of-market Caps fans who previously used NHL.tv. IIRC, a few years ago, if a game was nationally televised on NHL Network, it wasn't available on NHL.tv. Then, suddenly those games were available on NHL.tv (during the two Covid seasons, I think?) Now that ESPN+ is essentially the new NHL.tv, it looks like the NHL Network games (like tonight's preseason game) are no longer available again?

I cut cable years ago (and I'm never going back). But, as far as I can tell, even with ESPN+ there's no perfect option that gets me all Caps games (nationally televised and out-of-market) this year:

-I currently have Fubo, which has NHL Network (for an extra fee), but doesn't have TNT (which is airing the Caps opener against NYR)
-YouTube TV has TNT and NHL Network (for an additional fee), but is about to lose all of their NBC channels, which means I won't get my regional sports networks in Philly (which means I can't watch any non-nationally-televised Caps/Flyers games).
-Hulu has my local regional sports network and TNT, but doesn't have NHL Network.
-I forget what the deal is with Sling, but they're missing stuff too. Probably the RSNs.

If YouTube TV comes to an agreement with NBC and keeps my RSNs, I'll probably switch from Fubo to YTTV (even though I have a Roku TV which doesn't allow the YTTV app--I'd have to go through the regular YT app). If YTTV and NBC can't play nice (which seems to be the case), I'll go with Hulu. The HuluLive TV + Ad-Free Hulu + Disney + ESPN+ deal is pretty good. I'd just have to figure out another solution for the rare Caps game on NHL Network.

thanks. I think you’re right on that.

 

[John Price]

 

[TJHKY]

 

[tenken00]

Well.... good thing we got 4 more preseason games lol

 

[McVechkin]

Good to see Carlson firing from the point on the PP… it was very successful during the cup run.. score a number of times which also opened a lot of thing up…. Never understood why they got away from that the last couple years

 

[Calicaps]

Once again, hot take re: Jimi remains in full effect.

 

[HTFN]

Yeah, meant juniors. There is no pressure to force feed him. Caps need to see what they have in Kuzy first.
Also most probably Lapierre's ELC will be very valuable.

I haven't dug at the cap structure before making this claim but I would assume there's nothing that would prevent the Capitals from bridging Lapierre even if they started him this year. It's honestly more like they can afford to burn this year regardless, play him in for Backstrom, and then hopefully send him down in time for World Juniors if he's not still lighting it up by then.

Worst case he just gets an earlier bridge and a little experience, best case the Caps are running 4 really good centers down the stretch. Actually I guess the worst worst case is that they burn the year, he becomes an all-star, and his first "bridge" contract is still way over what they should be but honestly, if that's the case it means they have at least one other all-star level player to ease us out of the Ovechkin era so... kind of not the worst.

That's all assuming he has reason to stick but honestly one of the two kids probably should with Backstrom out for the reps alone.

EDIT: I think the way I see it is that ELC's are always valuable, but they're a lot more valuable when your salary structure already has top tier players in it. I think it may be more valuable now to use a year of Lapierre and see what happens since we may be able to LTIR someone two or three years out in a way that makes the whole thing matter less with the old and paid core being phased out during those years anyway.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

A bit hard on Kempny here considering he’s barely played in two years. I thought his skating looked good which was all I really cared about for tonight. Hopefully he gets the rest of his game back with more ice time.

 

[Eye of Ra]

how did fjällby play?

 

[Misery74]

A bit hard on Kempny here considering he’s barely played in two years. I thought his skating looked good which was all I really cared about for tonight. Hopefully he gets the rest of his game back with more ice time.

Terrible turnover on the Hughes goal.

 

[HecticGlow]

A bit hard on Kempny here considering he’s barely played in two years. I thought his skating looked good which was all I really cared about for tonight. Hopefully he gets the rest of his game back with more ice time.

To watch him you wouldn’t have thought he’d been through such significant injuries, given how smooth his skating was. He was also up in the play quite a bit, which was good to see, and Jensen didn’t look great at points either (such as on the PK where Kempny and Jensen seemed to assume the other had Hughes).

I can also see a scenario in which Kempny, assuming his play improves as the fortnight goes on, is eased back into games in rotation with Fehevary or TVR rather than set up to fail as an every night guy from game 1. Lavi said previously they’re ‘counting on’ Kempny this year, so I think they’re going to give him every opportunity to succeed.

 

[John Price]

The team is 0-2 but the young kids look good.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I don’t think they have a choice but to give Kempny a chance work it out, or they pay to ship him out….

 

[Misery74]

I don’t think they have a choice but to give Kempny a chance work it out, or they pay to ship him out….

I think this is accurate. Though, he should be the 7th dman.

 

[Marshall]

Hockey-sense-wise, Jimi looks great out there. That part of his game is pro-ready, no doubt.

McMichael and Protas both did a nice job of playing a tw0-way game most of the night.

Great backcheck by Vecchioni last night to stop a Dovals chance.

Gotta say it's pretty fun watching young players start to contribute, at least in the preseason. As fans of a team that prefers over-cooking prospects, it doesn't happen super-often.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Terrible turnover on the Hughes goal.

Yes, these things happen when it's some of the only live hockey you've played in two years. I'm not drawing any conclusions from that turnover or last night's game in general.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Hockey-sense-wise, Jimi looks great out there. That part of his game is pro-ready, no doubt.

McMichael and Protas both did a nice job of playing a tw0-way game most of the night.

Great backcheck by Vecchioni last night to stop a Dovals chance.

Gotta say it's pretty fun watching young players start to contribute, at least in the preseason. As fans of a team that prefers over-cooking prospects, it doesn't happen super-often.

It took longer than I'd like to admit to realize that Jimi was HL's nickname.

 

[Langway]

I don’t think they have a choice but to give Kempny a chance work it out, or they pay to ship him out….

I'm guessing they waive him and maybe then move him if he isn't claimed. Maybe they move him for another team's change of scenery that could be buried in the meantime (say a depth center or just someone younger). Stashing Kempny in Hershey seems likely if he isn't moved, mostly because it offers cap flexibility if they're not going to LTIR Backstrom. It'd be great if Kempny regained form but are they going to keep Fehervary in Hershey to do that? What's the point? There are going to be kinks while he finds his game and I'm not sure what top form Kempny provides that Fehervary doesn't. I'm not sure that Laviolette would prefer to keep him around as an extra over Irwin either, cap impact aside. Orlov-Carlson, Fehervary-Schultz, TVR-Jensen has to be the most likely outcome. It's awkward but so be it. It's going to be. Their game is going to be. This is who they are. Skilled...but awkward.

With Backstrom sidelined it's great news that the C prospects and Kuznetsov are jumping. I'm not quite there yet on Lapierre sticking around. He's still got things to prove when it comes to all-around game but it's easy to see an NHL path for him a year from now at least with the right strides. I was a skeptic but his skating looks to have ramped up another notch and that's massive.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I'm guessing they waive him and maybe then move him if he isn't claimed. Maybe they move him for another team's change of scenery that could be buried in the meantime (say a depth center or just someone younger). Stashing Kempny in Hershey seems likely if he isn't moved, mostly because it offers cap flexibility if they're not going to LTIR Backstrom. It'd be great if Kempny regained form but are they going to keep Fehervary in Hershey to do that? What's the point? There are going to be kinks while he finds his game and I'm not sure what top form Kempny provides that Fehervary doesn't. I'm not sure that Laviolette would prefer to keep him around as an extra over Irwin either, cap impact aside. Orlov-Carlson, Fehervary-Schultz, TVR-Jensen has to be the most likely outcome. It's awkward but so be it. It's going to be. Their game is going to be. This is who they are. Skilled...but awkward.

With Backstrom sidelined it's great news that the C prospects and Kuznetsov are jumping. I'm not quite there yet on Lapierre sticking around. He's still got things to prove when it comes to all-around game but it's easy to see an NHL path for him a year from now at least with the right strides. I was a skeptic but his skating looks to have ramped up another notch and that's massive.

With you on the last paragraph. It's one thing to play well against half-rosters in preseason but it's another thing to do it against seasoned pros night in and night out during the regular season. He's also only 19 and doesn't turn 20 until February, and he really hasn't played a ton of hockey in the last few years, so I think it's a bit much and potentially harmful to throw him to the wolves right away.

It's really encouraging to see his progress and confidence though. Kid looks real smooth out there and seems like his hockey IQ is off the charts.

 

[zappa4ever]

Hope that was a get the jitters out game for Kempny, although had a cpl bad errors, was nice to see his skating stride looking good; I'm expecting he'll rebound to much better games coming up

Way too early for any drastic conclusions being only gm2, only real takeaway this game was too many odd-man breaks; good to see the young bucks get some gametime

As long as there's progress as the preseason games go on I'm not too concerned about some rust

 

[Calicaps]

With you on the last paragraph. It's one thing to play well against half-rosters in preseason but it's another thing to do it against seasoned pros night in and night out during the regular season. He's also only 19 and doesn't turn 20 until February, and he really hasn't played a ton of hockey in the last few years, so I think it's a bit much and potentially harmful to throw him to the wolves right away.

It's really encouraging to see his progress and confidence though. Kid looks real smooth out there and seems like his hockey IQ is off the charts.

This was my big takeaway from Mahoney's comments after Jimi was drafted. And while I don't watch a ton of junior hockey, it's the main thing I've been watching for when I have had a chance to see him play. And it's been evident to me even in that limited exposure, which is why I've been high on him despite some other issues. The skating in particular needed and still needs work, though he looks much better there. But overall at 19, physical tools typically still need honing, but his mental game is just so sharp for his age.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

This was my big takeaway from Mahoney's comments after Jimi was drafted. And while I don't want a ton of junior hockey, it's the main thing I've been watching for when I have had a chance to see him play. And it's been evident to me even in that limited exposure, which is why I've been high on him despite some other issues. The skating in particular needed and still needs work, though he looks much better there. But overall at 19, physical tools typically still need honing, but his mental game is just so sharp for his age.

He made a few passes last night that were nuts, including a couple where his teammates were caught off guard and didn't expect the puck.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It took longer than I'd like to admit to realize that Jimi was HL's nickname.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

This was my big takeaway from Mahoney's comments after Jimi was drafted. And while I don't watch a ton of junior hockey, it's the main thing I've been watching for when I have had a chance to see him play. And it's been evident to me even in that limited exposure, which is why I've been high on him despite some other issues. The skating in particular needed and still needs work, though he looks much better there. But overall at 19, physical tools typically still need honing, but his mental game is just so sharp for his age.

his skating looks darn close to NHL-ready to me…..I thought he looked fantastic but still needs strength and muscle added.

 

[Calicaps]

his skating looks darn close to NHL-ready to me…..I thought he looked fantastic but still needs strength and muscle added.

fair. he looked much better than the last clips of him I saw. good on him for working to improve it.