Post-Game Talk: Sabres @ Caps - 7PM (visiting fans, read our local rules)

[PuckBuddy]

What exactly Laich did very well?

He's the slowest forward in yesterday roster, right?

He's the less physical too probably.

His shots causing only laugh.

I've never seen anyone shag pucks as expertly as he does during the game warmups.

 

[Midnight Judges]

What exactly Laich did very well?

I thought he was pretty good on the PK. He even had a breakaway. And even if he doesn't have the speed or hands he used to, it was still a good read when he identified the possession change about to happen and started up ice.

 

[Raikkonen]

I thought he was pretty good on the PK. He even had a breakaway. And even if he doesn't have the speed or hands he used to, it was still a good read when he identified the possession change about to happen and started up ice.

That qualifies to "being positionally sound while on PK" or smth like that. And not elite. His FO @ PK isn't worth to talk about.

That's a small role play.

All other areas are lacking. I can't tell it's "playing very well".

NBTW pictures him as playing well while in reality he played a bit less than 12 minutes, around 30% of them on PK. And did nothing much. We can agree that he wasn't bad at those 30%.

That's scratch territory. He skated around 8 minutes without much effect. Even Galiev could provide more energy for that TOI.

Not talking about dollars.


PS: We lost 2 top FO guys, Sill was losing faceoffs (3-9 in the dot) and Laich still didn't take any (took 1 and lost). That's another area he was very good at few years ago. It's history already.

 

[Calicaps]

That qualifies to "being positionally sound while on PK" or smth like that. And not elite. His FO @ PK isn't worth to talk about.

That's a small role play.

All other areas are lacking. I can't tell it's "playing very well".

NBTW pictures him as playing well while in reality he played a bit less than 12 minutes, around 30% of them on PK. And did nothing much. We can agree that he wasn't bad at those 30%.

That's scratch territory. He skated around 8 minutes without much effect. Even Galiev could provide more energy for that TOI.

Not talking about dollars.


PS: We lost 2 top FO guys, Sill was losing faceoffs (3-9 in the dot) and Laich still didn't take any (took 1 and lost). That's another area he was very good at few years ago. It's history already.

I agree that he doesn't do anything exceptionally well and that as fans we can't always see why he's getting ice. But for some reason--and I don't believe for a second that it's just his contract--Laich is getting a sweater every night.

Trotz wants something that Laich is bringing. I would guess its the example of work ethic, regardless of outcome, for the young guys, but I don't know. I really would like to see more from 21, but honestly, I trust this front office and they are very plainly choosing to play him. It's got to be the intangibles thing. The great-in-the-room stuff. Otherwise, there's nothing.

 

[txpd]

Do we know what Beagle had surgery on exactly? Having him out 8 weeks is no biggie..

not to nitpik you, but it is a biggie with the potential for being worse. this is one of the best face off takers in the nhl and he's right handed. he's suffered a serious injury to his lower arm that is bad enough that surgery is obvious. He is not just some easily replaceable piece. His injury directly effects his ability to do what he does so well among other things.

If he is ready on March 1 and appears to be himself, I for one will have a sigh of relief.

 

[marcel snapshot]

I agree that he doesn't do anything exceptionally well and that as fans we can't always see why he's getting ice. But for some reason--and I don't believe for a second that it's just his contract--Laich is getting a sweater every night.

Trotz wants something that Laich is bringing. I would guess its the example of work ethic, regardless of outcome, for the young guys, but I don't know. I really would like to see more from 21, but honestly, I trust this front office and they are very plainly choosing to play him. It's got to be the intangibles thing. The great-in-the-room stuff. Otherwise, there's nothing.

This - Trotz is not a guy to hand out "pity minutes" ice time. He thinks Laich is bringing something to the table. For example, if you look at Bura's 4th goal last night, it was Laich who gained the zone and then a few moments later was 1st guy on the Sabre defender who coughed up the puck to Marcus.

Has Laich's skill set declined? Yes. Is he worth a $4.5 million cap hit now? No. Is Trotz playing him out of sheer sentimentality? Not likely. Is the Laich hate on a team that is leading the NHL on New Year's Eve out of proportion to the player's alleged negative impact on the team? Think so.

 

[Ridley Simon]

not to nitpik you, but it is a biggie with the potential for being worse. this is one of the best face off takers in the nhl and he's right handed. he's suffered a serious injury to his lower arm that is bad enough that surgery obvious. He is just some easily replaceable piece. His injury directly effects his ability to do what he does so well among other things.

If he is ready on March 1 and appears to be himself, I for one will have a sigh of relief.

This.

Beagle was the Caps one "true" bottom 6 C. I know Latta plays the role, but he's not seasoned at it, and while I like him, he's not someone that inspires a ton of confidence.

The needs for another "true" bottom 6 C just because very very glaring. They need to prepare like Beagle will not be back.

 

[Todos a la Calle]

not to nitpik you, but it is a biggie with the potential for being worse. this is one of the best face off takers in the nhl and he's right handed. he's suffered a serious injury to his lower arm that is bad enough that surgery obvious. He is just some easily replaceable piece. His injury directly effects his ability to do what he does so well among other things.

If he is ready on March 1 and appears to be himself, I for one will have a sigh of relief.

Complete speculation on my part, but if it's a wrist injury, he should be able to keep skating right? Which could mean him getting back to speed faster when he's healed?

But if it ends up impairing his face-off ability ....

 

[Ridley Simon]

This - Trotz is not a guy to hand out "pity minutes" ice time. He thinks Laich is bringing something to the table. For example, if you look at Bura's 4th goal last night, it was Laich who gained the zone and then a few moments later was 1st guy on the Sabre defender who coughed up the puck to Marcus.

Has Laich's skill set declined? Yes. Is he worth a $4.5 million cap hit now? No. Is Trotz playing him out of sheer sentimentality? Not likely. Is the Laich hate on a team that is leading the NHL on New Year's Eve out of proportion to the player's alleged negative impact on the team? Think so.

I agree with everything you said, up until the last comment. His cap hit is certainly negatively impacting the team, and it's about to be seen in full force.

Listen, can the Caps win their fair share of games with the injuries they now have? Probably. Would they be able to win a 7 game series against one of the top teams in the NHL? Doubtful. Very much in doubt. If you disagree, then ok. But odds are you'd be wrong....and I can't think anyone would honestly feel good about our chances under those circumstances.

This is about winning the Cup for the first time ever. Nothing else matters. Nothing.

 

[Midnight Judges]

This is about winning the Cup for the first time ever. Nothing else matters. Nothing.

I disagree with this. IMO getting past the second round or even to the finals would be a good step forward for this team.

 

[Chokingdogs]

Willy had someone lined up...and didn't do it.

i saw that too, and just

the league wins, again.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Not only that, but 5 seconds later, a Buffalo guy tried to put the same hit on Wilson that Wilson had just declined to make.

Wilson was right to pass up that hit though - he would have destroyed the guy.

 

[Roughing]

not to nitpik you, but it is a biggie with the potential for being worse. this is one of the best face off takers in the nhl and he's right handed. he's suffered a serious injury to his lower arm that is bad enough that surgery obvious. He is just some easily replaceable piece. His injury directly effects his ability to do what he does so well among other things.

If he is ready on March 1 and appears to be himself, I for one will have a sigh of relief.

The very next sentence in my post expressed concerns over this being a long term injury:

"I just hope it's not another Orlov situation or anything like that."​

Thanks for showing the restraint to not "nitpik" me by dropping the "[this has] the potential for being worse" knowledge. Awesome insight. The drop off from Bealge to someone like Stephenson or Richards for two months is not a major issue IF Beagle comes back healthy after that. And I'm one of those who's been happy with Chim-Beag-TWil as the 3rd line all season while many others have been asking for an "upgrade" at 3C. The question remains, has there been further word on what the injury/surgery is, such that we might know what his chances of returning this season are?

 

[txpd]

Complete speculation on my part, but if it's a wrist injury, he should be able to keep skating right? Which could mean him getting back to speed faster when he's healed?

But if it ends up impairing his face-off ability ....

that's the point. the caps staff knew this injury was going to require surgery by just looking at it. so I am guessing it broken. not fractured. faceoffs require strength. how fast with his hand strength come back.

 

[txpd]

The very next sentence in my post expressed concerns over this being a long term injury:

"I just hope it's not another Orlov situation or anything like that."​

Thanks for showing the restraint to not "nitpik" me by dropping the "[this has] the potential for being worse" knowledge. Awesome insight. The drop off from Bealge to someone like Stephenson or Richards for two months is not a major issue IF Beagle comes back healthy after that. And I'm one of those who's been happy with Chim-Beag-TWil as the 3rd line all season while many others have been asking for an "upgrade" at 3C. The question remains, has there been further word on what the injury/surgery is, such that we might know what his chances of returning this season are?

orlov didn't play for a year or more. beagle could be ready to play well before that and still be an issue. but....

as for what his injury is? they will never tell us. its an upper body injury that required surgery. the rest has to be informed speculation. I suspect orpik has a groin injury. we will never be told. beagle looked like a wrist. might have been a lower arm or a hand as well. we will never know officially

 

[Turd Ferguson]

not to nitpik you, but it is a biggie with the potential for being worse. this is one of the best face off takers in the nhl and he's right handed. he's suffered a serious injury to his lower arm that is bad enough that surgery is obvious. He is not just some easily replaceable piece. His injury directly effects his ability to do what he does so well among other things.

If he is ready on March 1 and appears to be himself, I for one will have a sigh of relief.

He went off holding his left arm, beagle shoots right so his right hand is the lower hand. On a positive note, he continued into the play after clipping the buffalo defender and went down the tunnel in an up right posture at a regular pace.

I think he has one of those injuries that requires surgery to fix but it won't significantly impact his play once he has healed from the surgery.

 

[Raikkonen]

The front office can't take Beagle's injury as if he can be back healthy around March 1. They have to consider him not available yet at the time and plan accordingly.

If he heals faster - very good. But they just can't bank on it.

He went off holding his left arm, beagle shoots right so his right hand is the lower hand. On a positive note, he continued into the play after clipping the buffalo defender and went down the tunnel in an up right posture at a regular pace.

I think he has one of those injuries that requires surgery to fix but it won't significantly impact his play once he has healed from the surgery.

Not necessarily. You can break a wrist and not know it instantly. The immediate reaction tells not much.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

The front office can't take Beagle's injury as if he can be back healthy around March 1. They have to consider him not available yet at the time and plan accordingly.

If he heals faster - very good. But they just can't bank on it.

This. Failing to plan, is planning to fail.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Not necessarily. You can break a wrist and not know it instantly. The immediate reaction tells not much.

This is a whole argument in it self. Medical professionals doing injury assessment usually look for reaction to injury or question about it if they have not witnessed the injury personally. I think its a positive because he did not appear to be in dire pain or suffering. After all, when returning to sport the athlete should be able to perform their duties pain/symptom free.

I'm a big beagle fan... so I'm hoping for the best possible case.

 

[Calicaps]

This. Failing to plan, is planning to fail.

Good grief people, McPhee is gone. GMBM has proven himself more than capable to this point. Give him a chance.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Good grief people, McPhee is gone. GMBM has proven himself more than capable to this point. Give him a chance.

I don't think anyone is expecting GMBM to blow it. Least I'm not.

That said, how long it take most of the world (this board and Caps management) to realize George was The Problem?

Like, forever.

So some may be jaded. For good reason.

 

[Chokingdogs]

Not only that, but 5 seconds later, a Buffalo guy tried to put the same hit on Wilson that Wilson had just declined to make.

Wilson was right to pass up that hit though - he would have destroyed the guy.

so what? hitting a player legally, despite some referees opinions, is still legal. if a guy gets "destroyed", he gets destroyed.

not saying i want players hurt, but hockey is a physical sport, and players get hurt all the time in various ways.