GDT: Rangers at Caps Game 5 7:30 at Verizon Center

[tycoonheart]

mcphee confirmed that he fired hunter? i missed that. you have a link?

mcphee has always said that he didnt like the turtle hockey but didnt force hunter to do anything.

by all appearances hunter never intended to do the job beyond the playoffs. he signed for just the rest of the season. he lived in a hotel. he didnt even get a car. johnson drove him anywhere that he went.

I don't have a link. George was on 980 before the season started. Andy and Czabe asked him about whether Dale was fired or if he left on his own. He said, "I told Dale after the season that I wanted more offense." That was the quote.

Dale was fired.

Right or wrong, that pretty much tells you George doesn't really let his coaches do whatever the hell they want to do.

 

[txpd]

Awful refs are going to be awful. We played a very passive physical game in game 4 and yet we were still flagged an absurd amount of times. Nothing will change that. They will call penalties no matter what if they are hell bent on doing so.

Stay aggressive.

rb says the refs going to call penalties on the caps regardless. why not deliver some pain in the process.

rh, the refs are calling weak penalties for physical play. they are calling ov and erskine and even chimera for this stuff. so you think volpatti is less likely to get dinged with call?

 

[txpd]

I don't have a link. George was on 980 before the season started. Andy and Czabe asked him about whether Dale was fired or if he left on his own. He said, "I told Dale after the season that I wanted more offense." That was the quote.

Dale was fired.

Right or wrong, that pretty much tells you George doesn't really let his coaches do whatever the hell they want to do.

well...except hunter was doing what the hell he wanted to do. right? if mcphee was dictating lineup and style of play, why did he put hunter who told him upfront that turtle hockey was coming behind the bench in the first place?

 

[RandyHolt]

This is a legit concern for sure and it very well could happen. But the opposite could too...he seems to be fiesty and an agitator in his own right. He drew 2 penalties in his second game with Hershey. Risk reward.

But I think this team needs an aggressive physical player who will play on the borderline. If he gets a penalty or two then the team has to kill those for him.

Awful refs are going to be awful. We played a very passive physical game in game 4 and yet we were still flagged an absurd amount of times. Nothing will change that. They will call penalties no matter what if they are hell bent on doing so.

Stay aggressive.

You hit on the point which so many seem to overlook.

Is he going to show the discipline to get us a PP, the way Oleksy (a much older presumed more mature player) has. That may be the wildcard here.

The thing I see, he is likely the aggressor, and that is why we like him.

He is going to agitate. He may well get punched tonight. But as we know, the refs often miss the retaliation, so he may be able to actually draw a PP for us.

Early Vegas odds has him committing a penalty before drawing one

Called for -120 / Draw +120

 

[ChibiPooky]

This is a legit concern for sure and it very well could happen. But the opposite could too...he seems to be fiesty and an agitator in his own right. He drew 2 penalties in his second game with Hershey. Risk reward.

But I think this team needs an aggressive physical player who will play on the borderline. If he gets a penalty or two then the team has to kill those for him.

Awful refs are going to be awful. We played a very passive physical game in game 4 and yet we were still flagged an absurd amount of times. Nothing will change that. They will call penalties no matter what if they are hell bent on doing so.

Stay aggressive.

This, this, and this. Be the aggressor and this game is over. The Rangers can't hold up against the Caps' forecheck when they turn it on and have shown it throughout the series. But it's not always on.

 

[RandyHolt]

rb says the refs going to call penalties on the caps regardless. why not deliver some pain in the process.

rh, the refs are calling weak penalties for physical play. they are calling ov and erskine and even chimera for this stuff. so you think volpatti is less likely to get dinged with call?

Vegas says I am correct.

Who would you think is more likely to take a penalty tonight, Wilson in 8 TOI, or Alzner in 20?

Conversely, I say Wilson is more likely to get us a PP.

 

[BobRouse]

You hit on the point which so many seem to overlook.

Is he going to show the discipline to get us a PP, the way Oleksy (a much older presumed more mature player) has. That may be the wildcard here.

The thing I see, he is likely the aggressor, and that is why we like him.

He is going to agitate. He may well get punched tonight. Not to mention, the refs often miss the retaliation, so he may be able to actually draw a PP for us.

Early Vegas odds has him committing a penalty before drawing one

Called for -120 / Draw +120

Perhaps he'll lay out a clean hit like he did on Chris Bourque and cause him to take a silly tripping penalty? It's not like everyone in the AHL is young like in the OHL. Chris Bourque is an experienced player and still took that penalty.

You are correct that the refs seem to always spot the retaliation (unless you are playing in NY and your name is Jason Chimera).

The net PP difference due to aggressive penalties is not really what intrigues me here.

I feel we need a much stronger physical push for tonights game and feel Wilson has a better chance of getting that for us. Maybe he'll get Hendricks and Beagle riled up enough to start hitting more than they have?

Like I always say..it seems like One Hit Leads to Another.

 

[RandyHolt]

One hit, or another, he's gonna getcha... getcha

With Ovi at home, I see Wilson being a follower. Maybe later in the first when the hitting predictably wanes Wilson can wake up the crowd and bench. He is clearly going to be targeting someone.

I hope we start targeting their dmen much much more.

 

[ChibiPooky]

Even the mods can't resist the power of Lloyd. They used our GDT.

 

[BobRouse]

One hit, or another, he's gonna getcha... getcha

With Ovi at home, I see Wilson being a follower. Maybe later in the first when the hitting predictably wanes Wilson can wake up the crowd and bench. He is clearly going to be targeting someone.

I hope we start targeting their dmen much much more.

Especially since Staal is out (according to NHL.com).

Now ...we know Torts normally has no faith in his depth and he also benched Eminger after Ward's drive around him where MP scored. So what little faith he had in Eminger has eroded more.

Ovie needs to do his thing and not let the refs neuter him like they did in MSG.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

So I need to prove a negative in your opinion...? I haven't seen any quotes from or articles about Oates where he indicates in anyway he doesn't want Wilson in the lineup. Have I missed it?

It wasn't my opinion if you're paying attention. Too late for that I guess. If you can't follow along, I won't waste my time.

 

[Butch 19]

everyone hating on Ovie again so i he wakes up

?? There's 100 posts here and you're the only one that even mentions him.

The Caps are my fav team in the east (mainly due to Ovie), but I can't follow them that closely, and I'm still pissed at his glide appearance last game.

wtf was that?? From one of the yts posted, if he had skated hard from the bench, he could have made it there to break up the pass or just his presence would have stopped the return pass from being attempted - he could have done something to defend his own goal.

Does he do this kind of stuff often? Or are you guys just used to seeing this kind of thing from him?

 

[BobRouse]

?? There's 100 posts here and you're the only one that even mentions him.

The Caps are my fav team in the east (mainly due to Ovie), but I can't follow them that closely, and I'm still pissed at his glide appearance last game.

wtf was that?? From one of the yts posted, if he had skated hard from the bench, he could have made it there to break up the pass or just his presence would have stopped the return pass from being attempted - he could have done something to defend his own goal.

Does he do this kind of stuff often? Or are you guys just used to seeing this kind of thing from him?

http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/24144/ovechkin-lovefest-has-taken-a-jilted-turn

Stuff like that and the bazillion Gifs floating around out there. Even Alan May mentioned it on sportsnite yesterday and said the Hate is in full force.

All it took was 2 subpar games and the haters emerge from hiding once again.

 

[RandyHolt]

Butch seemed the only one close to hating in the thread

“He had a great year. A big, strong kid. He’s obviously – he’s got a big body for a kid his age, so you know what? He can fit in. It’s a rarity, but it happens, and we think it’ll go great,” said Oates,

WE!

George is sitting right next to Oates. While Oates may want the kid more than George, my gut says otherwise.

“Every time there’s a chance to hit a guy, you should finish him because in a long series the bumps and the bruises, if you ask any hockey player, they add up,” Wilson said. “So guys finish their checks in the playoffs and they play hard. I’ve played in playoff games before and I love it and I’m a really competitive kid and just want to win so I’m going to do everything I can.”

Key for Wilson will be walking the fine line between physical play and unnecessary penalties

DUH

 

[BobRouse]

WE!

George is sitting right next to Oates. While Oates may want the kid more than George, my gut says otherwise.

Are you certain he isn't referring to his assistants whom he probably conferred with as well?

For the sake of argument...if George did pull the strings on this one then I take you are giving him credit for it then? Because its the right move!

Now...lets hope the right move pays off.

The dealer has a 9 showing and we have a soft 16. Have to hit!

 

[txpd]

ok...man. was george on the grassy knoll? you realize that oates refers to himself and his coaches as we as they are plural. but i guess that wouldnt back you up. right?

ok...so....the kid scored a goal tonight or knocks boyle on is a$$. he doesnt take a bad penalty or turn the puck over for a goal. caps win. who gets the cred? oatsie or mcphee?

 

[troyerlaw]

Why does GDT title say Caps @ Rangers?

 

[RandyHolt]

I feel all GMs "pressure" for lack of a better word, coaches to play the guys they draft and want tested, and developed. Or even featured, so they can be traded.

It may even be assumed much of the time. You are going to be our coach, and this is going to be your lineup. You get one extra F and one extra D.

I think all coaches deal with it. It comes with the job.

They will suck it up and roll with the guy in the lineup the GM is willing to take 8 years to develop. The extreme example.

Or do people really think that both coach and GM always see exactly eye to eye on every single personnel move. Exactly the same, every time. Fact is someone wants X slightly more, if even its only a .1% difference. No 2 minds think alike. Twins aside.

They hash it out and have a debate. In the end, one decided. But never forget, one is the boss and one is the insubordinate.

 

[ChibiPooky]

Why does GDT title say Caps @ Rangers?

Fixed.

 

[RandyHolt]

Oh yeah, I had a vision our floundering PP ends up with Wilson's ass stuck in Lundy's face.

I have always gotten a kick out of Tiny Tim types trying to screen the Tim Thomas. Think Aucoin vs Toolman last year.

Stick Sarge out there

 

[troyerlaw]

I don't buy the McPhee Fired Hunter theory AT ALL. Every available quote/behavior/contract detail suggests DH was ambivalent at best about leaving Knights and living in DC full time.

Even the cited comment about McPhee telling DH he wanted more O the next season equally supports the idea that Hunter himself, already ambivalent about signing on long-term, decided he and GMGM would have different philosophies and it wasn't worth sticking aound. Maybe DH is waiting to be invited back as both coach and GM. Who knows?

Similarly, i don't see anything about Wilson getting a sweater that smells like GMGM interference. Were Volpatti, Crabb or Wolski big difference makers during their spells on the bottom lines? I disagree that AV was 'phenomenal.' He was fine, that's all. And now the Caps are looking for something better than fine, looking for a spark. The kid is 6'4" and likes to hit. It's not rocket science to see that we don't have a boatload of those players available in our system. (Apart from Plus Fiddy, of course.)

 

[txpd]

one thing seems clear. mcphee and hunter seem to have the same high quality relationship that they had previous. wilson being the subject of the most recent example of that with hunter initiating the contact.

there's nothing here.

 

[tycoonheart]

Oh yeah, I had a vision our floundering PP ends up with Wilson's ass stuck in Lundy's face.

I have always gotten a kick out of Tiny Tim types trying to screen the Tim Thomas. Think Aucoin vs Toolman last year.

Stick Sarge out there

I really hope we see a different PP tonight. Because the Rags have figured out how to PK. Shadow Ovi, don't give Green a lane.

This is a big game for Oates. If there aren't some changes on the PP he is no different than Bruce "try harder" Boudreau.

Adjustments are key for this game.

 

[kmart]

ovi sucked the last two games...if he keeps that up his "roaring back" was useless and he becomes again the out of shape ovechkin

 

[SimplySensational]

ovi sucked the last two games...if he keeps that up his "roaring back" was useless and he becomes again the out of shape ovechkin

He maybe injured. Was going really fast down the left wing 7 minutes in during Game 3 on the PP and Stralman hip checked him along the boards...