Post-Game Talk: them vs us

[Alexander the Gr8]

Marcus Johansson is the softest player on the team and one of the laziest for sure.

 

[Chukcha]

don't you think this so called 2nd line is soft as butter?

 

[John Price]

Was there too bad we lost

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

don't you think this so called 2nd line is soft as butter?

Which is why Williams must be a permanent fixture in the top 6. Here is what I would try:

8-19-14
65-92-77
25-83-43
21-46-90

 

[Calicaps]

Which is why Williams must be a permanent fixture in the top 6. Here is what I would try:

8-19-14
65-92-77
25-83-43
21-46-90

Mojo is way too soft for bottom 6 duty. Put him in the press box and give Galiev a chance or call up Brown. But I like that top 6.

 

[tycoonheart]

Holy crap the Stars board is dead.

 

[WanderingCapsFan]

Which is why Williams must be a permanent fixture in the top 6. Here is what I would try:

8-19-14
65-92-77
25-83-43
21-46-90

Yeah, I'd much rather have 65 in the top 6 than 90. I still think 65 has much potential (he's only 20). We know who 90 is.

When Brown is healthy I'd like to see that lineup with 21-46-67 as the fourth line.

90 has to have some decent trade value. Dangle him for a quality 3/4 defenseman.

Like everyone else, I'd love to dump Laich, but pretty sure that's a non-starter.

 

[Backstrom #19]

I think everyone has said everything about Mojo already and even as one of his supporters, he's looked terrible lately. Also, after a nice start to the year, Oshie has looked pretty pedestrian recently.

Definitely think Backstrom and Williams work well together and Kuznetsov and Oshie together. Put Ovechkin with one set and Burakovsky with the other.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Mojo is way too soft for bottom 6 duty. Put him in the press box and give Galiev a chance or call up Brown. But I like that top 6.

Galiev needs to play anyway. When was the last time MJ was scratched? 4 years ago? It would be a good thing to do to send him a message.

Yeah, I'd much rather have 65 in the top 6 than 90. I still think 65 has much potential (he's only 20). We know who 90 is.

When Brown is healthy I'd like to see that lineup with 21-46-67 as the fourth line.

90 has to have some decent trade value. Dangle him for a quality 3/4 defenseman.

Like everyone else, I'd love to dump Laich, but pretty sure that's a non-starter.

No one is going to take Laich off our hands, so we might as well try to get a return on MJ. With the way he's been playing, I'm pretty sure GMBM won't sign him this summer. If we pack MJ and a pick, we should be able to get a solid bottom 6 player or a depth Dman.

I think everyone has said everything about Mojo already and even as one of his supporters, he's looked terrible lately. Also, after a nice start to the year, Oshie has looked pretty pedestrian recently.

Definitely think Backstrom and Williams work well together and Kuznetsov and Oshie together. Put Ovechkin with one set and Burakovsky with the other.

Oshie has cooled down and so did Carlson. The only three players that have produced since the start of the season are Ovi, Kuz and NB.

Holy crap the Stars board is dead.

It's surprising, they seem to have a lot of fans on social media and on the main board but there is only one guy named Satan posting on the Stars board.

 

[Cold Medicine]

They dominated that game, out chanced and outshot Dallas, hit a few posts, and couldn't finish. The difference was 1 dumb play by Chimera. Not sure how you can say that Trotz's game plan restricted their offensive output. I don't have the data, but they played at least 2/3 of the game in the offensive zone against a team at the top of the league.

They did dominate the first half of the second, but after that it was pretty evenly matched.

Holy crap the Stars board is dead.

HFStars has looked that way since February, it's a real shame.

 

[Crocoduck]

Holy crap the Stars board is dead.

Long story short. 98% left and started their own site.

 

[Bladerunner]

Soon after back from the game. Glad I was there to see him pass Feds. He might not score #500 at home or I might not be able to make it.

While I was pleased w/their play on a b2b vs a strong team, however the game was infuriating b/c:

1. 2PP for the Stars on weak calls;
2. 0, ZERO PPs for the Caps, who carried a good part of the play;
3. With 2+ mins left the Caps were buzzing in the Stars end at ES. I was yelling for Trotz to pull Grubauer as was a fan below me. By the time Trotz made his move the momentum was lost. Caps still had a few more chances, but IMO Trotz was too hesitant.

CONGRATS OVI !

 

[um]

trading Mojo must be considered, there's no way we're gonna resign him.

 

[tycoonheart]

trading Mojo must be considered, there's no way we're gonna resign him.

The guy is hurting the top 6. Now that he isn't playing with Ovi, Nicky or JWill, its so evident how much he just... sucks.

Feel bad for Kuz, 'coz he is the only one capable of doing anything on that line. He has two friggin' anchors for linemates.

 

[Calicaps]

The guy is hurting the top 6. Now that he isn't playing with Ovi, Nicky or JWill, its so evident how much he just... sucks.

Feel bad for Kuz, 'coz he is the only one capable of doing anything on that line. He has two friggin' anchors for linemates.

Burt has played much better the past couple of games. I think he and Mojo are on opposite trajectories.

 

[troyerlaw]

Why were Laich and Wilson out there w/ 2 min left? Those two don't scream 'game-tying goal' to me

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Why were Laich and Wilson out there w/ 2 min left? Those two don't scream 'game-tying goal' to me

Probably to pin the Stars in their own end so that the top line gets the face-off in the offensive zone.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Laich & Chorney are WAY worse.

One of these is not like the other ....

 

[Capitals40]

2 goal Barry...you can mix the lines all you want but he is 2 goal Barry....this is it...hopefully it will work.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Chorney has been fine in his role as a fill in.

Laich is playing well of late on the 4 line, his salary aside.

Mojo is black hole in the top six, which makes him a much bigger on-ice issue than either of the other 2. Now if your metric is cap space...

Not a fair analysis. Not at all.

MaJo is forced to top 6 minutes because the bottom 6 needs a player like Williams down there to at least allow for some offensive firepower outside the aforementioned top 6. All that has to occur because we have a 4.5m vacuum on the 4th line.

Who cares if Laich is playing well as 4th liner?!?!?! So is Latta, and he costs what...1/8 the price?

This team will blow a chance at a Cup this year because it won't have enough depth to win it all. And that lack of depth is due to 4.5m wrapped up in a 4th line player. Period, end. 4.5m should be a top 4 dman or a true top 6 forward...maybe even a top line forward. Or the best 3C money could buy.

Instead, we get a guy that is "playing well of late on the 4th line". Laich is the dagger in the Caps side. Period, end. (People rail on MaJo, yet he's pretty much a full Beagle cheaper than Laich).

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Why were Laich and Wilson out there w/ 2 min left? Those two don't scream 'game-tying goal' to me

My read was the grind line was out there to give the top guys a rest before the final push. They just happened to possess the puck for longer than expected in the Dallas zone.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Not a fair analysis. Not at all.

MaJo is forced to top 6 minutes because the bottom 6 needs a player like Williams down there to at least allow for some offensive firepower outside the aforementioned top 6. All that has to occur because we have a 4.5m vacuum on the 4th line.

Who cares if Laich is playing well as 4th liner?!?!?! So is Latta, and he costs what...1/8 the price?

This team will blow a chance at a Cup this year because it won't have enough depth to win it all. And that lack of depth is due to 4.5m wrapped up in a 4th line player. Period, end. 4.5m should be a top 4 dman or a true top 6 forward...maybe even a top line forward. Or the best 3C money could buy.

Instead, we get a guy that is "playing well of late on the 4th line". Laich is the dagger in the Caps side. Period, end. (People rail on MaJo, yet he's pretty much a full Beagle cheaper than Laich).

The analysis was a completely fair analysis. Completely.

Would you disagree with the evaluations of how those players are playing? If so, why?

Mojo's playing terribly. The rest of the players are playing reasonably well. Salary has nothing to do with that.

 

[Calicaps]

Not a fair analysis. Not at all.

MaJo is forced to top 6 minutes because the bottom 6 needs a player like Williams down there to at least allow for some offensive firepower outside the aforementioned top 6. All that has to occur because we have a 4.5m vacuum on the 4th line.

Who cares if Laich is playing well as 4th liner?!?!?! So is Latta, and he costs what...1/8 the price?

This team will blow a chance at a a up this year because it won't have enough depth to win it all. And that lack of depth is due to 4.5m wrapped up in a 4th line player. Period, end. 4.5m should be a top 4 dman or a true top 6 forward...maybe even a top line forward. Or the best 3C money could buy.

Instead, we get a guy that is "playing well of late on the 4th line". Laich is the dagger in the Caps side. Period, end. (People rail on MaJo, yet he's pretty much a full Beagle cheaper than Laich).

This is all true and doesn't disprove my point. I was talking about the play on the ice right now given the lineup we have. Laich is playing well, and since you asked, I care. He is making a difference to possession and pinning opponents in their d zones. I care about that.

Mojo on the other hand has no place on this team and is a liability wherever you put him. In-game he is the weak link, dragging down whatever line he's on.

I'll be happy if and when Laich is traded so that we can improve the lineup, but Johansson will still be the guy who kills possession and misses wide-open nets.

 

[Ridley Simon]

The analysis was a completely fair analysis. Completely.

Would you disagree with the evaluations of how those players are playing? If so, why?

Mojo's playing terribly. The rest of the players are playing reasonably well. Salary has nothing to do with that.

Salary has everything to do with it. I know you love Laich, and have defended him to a fault, so I certainly expected this from you -- but it's just wrong. In the salary cap era, what someone makes relative to their production is a HUGE deal. It's the basic foundation of how teams are built.

MaJo has had some bad games, wrapped with some pretty good ones. About what you would expect from a 2.875m middle 6 player. I'd love for him to take that next step, and be worth whatever higher number he thinks he should get for his next contract. He probably won't, and I hope we don't pay him to try and get there.

But if you *honestly* think that MaJo and his play, role, and salary cap cost on this team is more detrimental to our Cup chances than Laich, and his play, role, and salary cap cost on this team, then i don't know what to tell you.

No GM, in any cap era pro sport (save baseball), will tell you it's ok to have that much salary wasted on a bit role player. Least, not any GM that actually wants to win the brass ring.

When talking about any players actual ice production, you Absolutely Need to Take Salary Into Consideration. There is a reason players get a higher salary for being more worth to the team, as it should be. MaJo's bang for the buck is significant higher than Laich's, and I don't see how anyone could actually argue that.

But I am sure you will try?

And I don't even like MaJo. I wanted him traded this summer.

 

[Ridley Simon]

This is all true and doesn't disprove my point. I was talking about the play on the ice right now given the lineup we have. Laich is playing well, and since you asked, I care. He is making a difference to possession and pinning opponents in their d zones. I care about that.

Mojo on the other hand has no place on this team and is a liability wherever you put him. In-game he is the weak link, dragging down whatever line he's on.

I'll be happy if and when Laich is traded so that we can improve the lineup, but Johansson will still be the guy who kills possession and misses wide-open nets.

MaJo wouldn't even be needed in his current role if we had an actual 4.5m forward to play instead of Laich. What would people say of Laich, were he and MaJo to actually switch places in the lineup?

I don't know what anyone here does for a living, but imagine having to do your bosses boss job, right now. That's MaJo on a top 6 line. He's miscast.

Or better yet, imagine your bosses boss doing your job, at their current pay (while you still make your pay grade, 2 levels down), and people are patting your bosses boss on the back for doing your job "pretty well". That's Laich on the 4th line. I'm sure that'd be an awesome feeling.