Post-Game Talk: Preseason Game #85: Caps @ Blooj | 4/17/18 | 7:30pm EST

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Hivemind

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Djoos at forward makes no sense. An offensive defensemen isn't the same skillset as forward. People need to let that idea die out.

Djoos' strengths are his hockey IQ, skating, four way mobility, and ranged shot. Those would largely be wasted at forward. Djoos isn't going to do well on the forecheck or digging pucks out of the corners or crashing the net. He does well at walking the blueline, leading the breakout, rushing the puck up ice, reading the play from the back-end, and getting shots on net through traffic. He's much better suited to play as a defenseman than a forward.

Not every defenseman needs to be a Norris contender. Even if Djoos never fully develops enough to entirely overcome his size deficiencies and handle opposing top 6 forwards on a regular basis, he can still be a very useful player. Having a 15-18 minute 3rd pairing defender who can help keep the puck out of his own zone and chip in on the powerplay isn't a bad thing.
 

Dr John Carlson

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I think a better goal for Djoos is to become a faster skater. You can get away with being undersized if you're quick and elusive, which Djoos really isn't. Maybe spend a summer with Wilson and figure out how he went from being average-below average in the speed department to being one of the fastest on the team.
 
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txpd

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Those passes had his head and hips spinning. They roughed him up. Probably just caught him leaning. That is literally all it takes. Like the famous Alzner Orpik breakaway last year. Orpik took one reverse crossover too many towards the boards and poof Alzner was waving the white flag.

I like to give credit when its due, that was an awesome 2 on 1. If that was Ovi and Nick vs any D, we'd be talking up what an awesome goal it was.

Sorry, RH. I am not that impressed. The moment Carlson turned to face the player on his right, he was screwed. He had to do that to cut off a clean breakaway, but once he did that he was defenseless against the return pass.
 

txpd

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I'd like to see Djoos play a forward next year. He's just too small at the end of the day to really "defend" anyone.

He's not a forward. Just like with Mike Green, his skill set is based on that he is a defenseman. Make him a forward and he wont be a viable player. Mike Green had all world offensive skills from the defense. Move him to forward and much of his skill advantage disappears.
 
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CapitalsCupReality

It’s Go Time!!
Feb 27, 2002
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I think a better goal for Djoos is to become a faster skater. You can get away with being undersized if you're quick and elusive, which Djoos really isn't. Maybe spend a summer with Wilson and figure out how he went from being average-below average in the speed department to being one of the fastest on the team.

Yep, I said it before, 15lbs of muscle and improve his skating this summer. He’d have a long NHL career if he does that IMO. He’d be bad as a forward IMO.
 

maacoshark

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He's not a forward. Just like with Mike Green, his skill set is based on that he is a defenseman. Make him a forward and he wont be a viable player. Mike Green had all world offensive skills from the defense. Move him to forward and much of his skill advantage disappears.
I agree. A lot of people say that about offensive defence men. Haven't really heard of any dmen switching to forward at the NHL level
 

Hivemind

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What about Brent Burns?
Brent Burns is a truly special player. There are certainly players who can transition between forward and defense, and Brent Burns is one of them. He's got the size, straight-ahead skating, and hands to translate his offensive talent into being a force down low. He can play the cycle game and netfront game at an effective level. He's also obviously got the slapshot and the four way mobility to run the offense from the point at an elite level.

This isn't to say there aren't player who can play both forward and defense. There are plenty. Even a guy like Brooks Laich likely could have been a serviceable NHL defenseman if he had been groomed to play there. Nate Schmidt and Connor Hobbs played some forward at lower levels. But for a guy like Djoos, the skillset is just significantly different. Undersized NHL forwards either need to have burner speed or be incredibly crafty and shifty. I don't see that level of slippery play from Djoos to survive down low.
 
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HunterSThompson

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Dustin Byfuglien and Brent Burns come to mind. Fedorov played both though obviously forward first.

Nate Schmidt did play forward in college.

None of which means Djoos would be able to. He would have the same soft limitations that someone like Burky has at forward.
 

txpd

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I agree. A lot of people say that about offensive defence men. Haven't really heard of any dmen switching to forward at the NHL level

Burns is one. Ken Klee was one. Hell, Brooks Laich is a good example. He had the offensive skills to bring some offense from defense. When the Caps used him there he moved the puck well. He could shoot it, but at forward, he was pretty ordinary. What set him apart was his strength and board work which Djoos doesn't have.

The offensive defenseman skates different. Not necessarily better but with a different skill set. Watch the best of the Caps defensive forwards skating backward covering for a D and you know immediately he is not a defenseman. Its also their vision. Green had ridiculous vision.

The acception to all of that was Fedorov who was an all star at any position he played
 

maacoshark

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What about Brent Burns?
Burns was a forward that switched defense. Not the same thing we are talking babout. He was put on defense so they could take advantage of his big shot from the point. He isnt really a great dman but he is more dangerous offensively from the point than he was from the wing.
 

maacoshark

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Burns is one. Ken Klee was one. Hell, Brooks Laich is a good example. He had the offensive skills to bring some offense from defense. When the Caps used him there he moved the puck well. He could shoot it, but at forward, he was pretty ordinary. What set him apart was his strength and board work which Djoos doesn't have.

The offensive defenseman skates different. Not necessarily better but with a different skill set. Watch the best of the Caps defensive forwards skating backward covering for a D and you know immediately he is not a defenseman. Its also their vision. Green had ridiculous vision.

The acception to all of that was Fedorov who was an all star at any position he played
We are talking about defensemen that moved to forward. None of those guys did that. Burns was a forward that switched to defense. Fedorov also played some defence but was really a forward.
 

maacoshark

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Djoos looks even smaller. That is one dainty hockey player right there! But really its because Caps have D prospects but not really any forwards. He'll have far less competition. How does a player feel about something like this anyway? Is it interesting or will he take it as a diss?
I think Djoos is listed at 168 lbs. Depends on what site you look at. He looks more like 150lbs to me.
 

txpd

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We are talking about defensemen that moved to forward. None of those guys did that. Burns was a forward that switched to defense. Fedorov also played some defence but was really a forward.

We were talking about the difference in skill sets. I think its true that both Burns and Buff were drafted as defensemen. They were moved early and then moved back because players with skills that can play defense are harder to find than middle of the lineup forwards. Buff for instance is an all star defenseman but was not a high end forward
 

RandyHolt

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Sorry, RH. I am not that impressed. The moment Carlson turned to face the player on his right, he was screwed. He had to do that to cut off a clean breakaway, but once he did that he was defenseless against the return pass.

Horse hockey. What happened was no coincidence.

If that was DSP and Stephenson or any other 2 forwards you choose, you and all would be saying our forwards played the 2 on 1 perfectly and abused the D.

You know the usual drill. Goals allowed, we find blame. Once or twice a year you may hear, the other guys get paid, too. That foot is me.
 

ALLCAPSALLTHETIME

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I think a better goal for Djoos is to become a faster skater. You can get away with being undersized if you're quick and elusive, which Djoos really isn't. Maybe spend a summer with Wilson and figure out how he went from being average-below average in the speed department to being one of the fastest on the team.

Whoever that power skating coach is who helped Wilson needs to be hired by the Caps pronto.
 

RandyHolt

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Yeah, and go ahead and work out with Willy too. Willy seems damn ripped.

And of course, guzzle his protein powder shakes. But Djoos has height. He truly is cut from a rare mold for dmen. He is build like Wayne Gretzky. 6 foot 170.

Soaking wet. But what makes it rarer, is that he is a dman. Maybe he has wiry strength. He must, to be standing up to that freaking tank Anderson.
 
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txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
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Horse hockey. What happened was no coincidence.

If that was DSP and Stephenson or any other 2 forwards you choose, you and all would be saying our forwards played the 2 on 1 perfectly and abused the D.

You know the usual drill. Goals allowed, we find blame. Once or twice a year you may hear, the other guys get paid, too. That foot is me.

OK RH. you know how to properly play a 2 on 1. You don't turn your body to face one of the players with your back to the other one. If you cant accept that, we don't need to talk about this anymore.
 

maacoshark

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OK RH. you know how to properly play a 2 on 1. You don't turn your body to face one of the players with your back to the other one. If you cant accept that, we don't need to talk about this anymore.
When that play first started to developed Carlson shifted over to cover for Orlov who lost the puck. I dont think Carlson realized it was going to be a 2 on 1. Carlson went to make a play on Atkinson and Panarin jumped in the rush quickly to make it a 2 on 1. At that point Carlson was in no mans land. I'm not going to blame Carlson for Orlov mistake. Even If Carlson played that 2 on 1 better they might have scored anyway.
 
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txpd

Registered User
Jan 25, 2003
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New Bern, NC
When that play first started to developed Carlson shifted over to cover for Orlov who lost the puck. I dont think Carlson realized it was going to be a 2 on 1. Carlson went to make a play on Atkinson and Panarin jumped in the rush quickly to make it a 2 on 1. At that point Carlson was in no mans land. I'm not going to blame Carlson for Orlov mistake. Even If Carlson played that 2 on 1 better they might have scored anyway.

That's not my point. As posted before I was unclear as to why Carlson was out of position. My point is that because he was and because he had to turn and chase the player on his right to cut him off from a breakaway, he was completely compromised to defend the pass. Therefore the passing that followed was not exactly brilliant. It was easy
 
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