Confirmed with Link: Tom Wilson re-signs 2years 2 mil AAV

[billcook]

2012-13/2014-15, another winger playing on the same line with 8-19 (Including playoffs)

Player | TOI | CF% | xGF% | GF%

Marcus Johansson|1067.97|53.57|49.05|43.01
Tom Wilson|305.51|54.82|59.29|54.55
Joel Ward|194.42|56.13|54.30|44.44
André Burakovsky|181.79|55.42|57.65|68.18
Martin Erat|121.01|52.61|55.01|25.00
Jay Beagle|96.83|44.13|41.06|45.45
Troy Brouwer|94.01|54.55|59.67|42.86
Eric Fehr|85.25|58.70|65.46|57.14
Mikhail Grabovski|75.46|45.75|49.50|80.00
Brooks Laich|70.08|45.30|36.85|28.57

Glossary:

TOI - Time on ice

CF% - Shot attempts (SA) differential, simply put SA for by SA against

xGF% - Same as CF% only with quality of shot taken into consideration

GF% - Goal differential, simply put goals for by goals against

 

[Hivemind]

I don't think he has to worry about Connolly. I feel Connolly already played himself off the team. He will get a better on another team next season.

Assuming Washington qualifies him, Connolly will be a RFA. If he ends up getting an offer sheet, Washington can choose match it or receive compensatory picks.

 

[RandyHolt]

@drmagg - thanks much.

Tom actually has better numbers than I expected. But that's a lot of good players that weren't able to steal a job next to 2 all world guys, that some may argue can support most any player.

 

[Corby78]

2012-13/2014-15, another winger playing on the same line with 8-19 (Including playoffs)

Player | TOI | CF% | xGF% | GF%

Marcus Johansson|1067.97|53.57|49.05|43.01
Tom Wilson|305.51|54.82|59.29|54.55
Joel Ward|194.42|56.13|54.30|44.44
André Burakovsky|181.79|55.42|57.65|68.18
Martin Erat|121.01|52.61|55.01|25.00
Jay Beagle|96.83|44.13|41.06|45.45http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2099845
Troy Brouwer|94.01|54.55|59.67|42.86
Eric Fehr|85.25|58.70|65.46|57.14
Mikhail Grabovski|75.46|45.75|49.50|80.00
Brooks Laich|70.08|45.30|36.85|28.57

Glossary:

TOI - Time on ice

CF% - Shot attempts (SA) differential, simply put SA for by SA against

xGF% - Same as CF% only with quality of shot taken into consideration

GF% - Goal differential, simply put goals for by goals against

I think it would only be fair to BL if you added a "locker room" rating to those numbers....

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Erat's GF%... mother of god.

 

[Jags]

Before Knuble, it didn't matter who Ovi's RW was. He didn't need chemistry with a RW nor coordinated line rushes to dominate the league.

What's being proven right now with Trotz and Oshie, however, is that with the right RW, the success of the first line doesn't have to be all about Ovechkin. We can mix things up and still be effective, and the first line can score whether Ovechkin is directly involved or not.

Having an impact RW on that line makes it more dynamic, less predictable, and far more difficult to shut down. And that RW can move around and be successful without Backstrom and Ovi carrying him.

Your point is that no RW ever really proved to be much of a liability to the performance of the line. My point is that RW can be an *asset* to that line and the entire team.

So no, I don't want to go back to the days when we were trying to force the wrong guys into that role, and that's what you'd be doing even putting Wilson into that conversation. He's proven to be a worthwhile 4th-line guy. He can be that until he proves capable of more, unless he tries demanding way more money. If that happens, you get rid of him.

 

[RandyHolt]

What's being proven right now, is that Nick and Oshie are a great fit. Nothing to do with Wilson, really.

I am not lobbying for 1RW time for Willy, just not writing him off, more just top 6 time at the end of blowouts, like today. Preparing for the playoffs for when he may get expected to score like in game 6 last year; grading him as much as possible before expansion, and continuing his development.

Willy had a nice game today.

 

[txpd]

Listening to Hockey Central going on and on about how Dubinsky and others beat Crosby to pieces and nobody does anything about it on the Pens roster. That Crosby is resigned to having to fight thru it himself. They talk about how few of the kind of players there are in todays game that can do anything about that treatment of a star player.

Wilson. Its a thing that gives the Caps an advantage.

 

[RandyHolt]

I predict Willy scores tonight.

I think McPhee is going to snatch him up if we leave him unprotected. Hmmm where can I make a bet like that?

All signs point to Vegas..

The league can try to make it ice capades but its still hockey on a gridiron.

 

[BobRouse]

I predict Willy scores tonight.

I think McPhee is going to snatch him up if we leave him unprotected. Hmmm where can I make a bet like that?

All signs point to Vegas..

The league can try to make it ice capades but its still hockey on a gridiron.

There is 0 chance we leave him unprotected. He's a unique player that the organization loves. No chance at all.

 

[um]

There is 0 chance we leave him unprotected. He's a unique player that the organization loves. No chance at all.

Ovechkin
Backstrom
Kuznetsov
Johansson
Burakovsky
2 of Connolly/Eller/Beagle/Wilson

those last 2 will be hard to choose, I can see argument for any of those last 4.

 

[BobRouse]

Ovechkin
Backstrom
Kuznetsov
Johansson
Burakovsky
2 of Connolly/Eller/Beagle/Wilson

those last 2 will be hard to choose, I can see argument for any of those last 4.

Ovechkin
Backstrom
Kuznetsov
Johansson
Burakovsky
Wilson
1 of Eller/Beagle

This is exactly how I see it playing out. Connolly is a arbitration eligible RFA who carries cost uncertainty and he isn't as vital as the other guys.

The tough one would be Eller or Beagle.

But either way Vegas will take Grubauer. They won't want an older C on the last year of a contract (which both Eller and Beagle will be)

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Eller looks like a keeper.

If I had to pick between Beagle and Wilson, I'd honestly rather go with Beagle.

 

[BobRouse]

Eller looks like a keeper.

If I had to pick between Beagle and Wilson, I'd honestly rather go with Beagle.

It really is funny...a month ago people were all about replacing Connolly in the lineup and trading the farm to get Vanek.

Now he is suddenly indespensible? Things change quick!!

Connolly has been excellent. His body of work and his high shooting pctg along with him being an arbitration eligible RFA would make him an obvious choice to be exposed.

I think people really underestimate what the org thinks of Wilson.

Neither Beagle or Eller will be picked up by McPhee if younger players with more upside in Schmidt and Grubauer are available.

If we leave Wilson exposed McPhee will take him over Grubauer and the org will not wish to lose Wilson.

 

[trick9]

Hard to believe McPhee would pick either Beagle or Connolly.

Beagle because he is older, and IMO in terms of talent Caps are one of the deeper teams. I wouldn't want to play that card safe and pick older guy like Beagle just to solidify the 4th line. They can do that through FA. As for Connolly, unless he scores something like 25 goals, i'm not sure he'll get picked as he's RFA in the summer and i believe Vegas are only allowed to pick 10 of those. Grubauer is too, but if McPhee believes he could be their starting goalie, he'd still pick him.

I think he's hoping for Orlov/Alzner, but if he can't get either, he's going to pick a younger guy that's proven they can play at the NHL level and hope they catch fire in a slightly bigger role. Either Wilson or Schmidt for example.

Then again there are always the options of making deals like not picking a guy for a pick, or picking a certain guy for cap reasons and getting a pick in return.

 

[amjay13]

Listening to Hockey Central going on and on about how Dubinsky and others beat Crosby to pieces and nobody does anything about it on the Pens roster. That Crosby is resigned to having to fight thru it himself. They talk about how few of the kind of players there are in todays game that can do anything about that treatment of a star player.

Wilson. Its a thing that gives the Caps an advantage.

Thought the exact same thing when I heard that conversation.

 

[RandyHolt]

Eller looks like a keeper.

If I had to pick between Beagle and Wilson, I'd honestly rather go with Beagle.

He misses a lot of games, and is no spring chicken playing very physical roles. GP last 5 years.

41
48
62
62
57

A 4th line center should be one of the easier position to fill. Sill. There, done.

 

[txpd]

A 4th line center should be one of the easier position to fill. Sill. There, done.

Beagle is the one of the top 5 face off guys in the league and right handed. He has 11 goals and ranks 7th on the team in goals. Are you sure he would be easy to replace?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Beagle is the one of the top 5 face off guys in the league and right handed. He has 11 goals and ranks 7th on the team in goals. Are you sure he would be easy to replace?

He said replace, as in fill the hole, not replace on even ground. 4C has to be pretty low on the team books IMO.

 

[txpd]

4C has to be pretty low on the team books IMO.

I don't think that Beagle is low on the team books/priorities. He is far more to this team than some 4C. Yea, you can gran a Michael Latta or Mike Richards and they can play the minutes but the minutes will be smaller.

I would much rather move Burt and Vrana up the lineup than to replace Jay Beagle with a run of the mill 4C

 

[Jags]

Yeah, viewing him strictly as a 4C is odd given that he's a solid 3C option, one of the best faceoff guys in the league, and your top PKer. And he'd be all of those things for any team in the NHL.

Yes, I get that he was talking more of a "taking his spot in the lineup" type of replacement, but the downgrade from Beagle to Sill is staggering.

 

[RandyHolt]

I haven't noticed Beagle much lately. When we aren't a grinding team, his importance to the team is minimized somewhat.

If not significantly. What is Barry's plan going forward, and will Beagle excel in a system stressing high skill passing? And at what age would you not protect Beagle because of his age... 35?

There is an argument to be made to protect any player. There are no floaters on our team ready to be dangled that George would actually take.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

The downgrade to Sill is big, that's why the replacement would be someone else.

 

[CapsJunkie]

If the caps protect orlov. Gmgm won't care how old Beagle is. He's only fourth line because caps take a lot of penalties and he's dominant on face-offs and p/k... gmgm is going for now and future. So not to lose his job

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I haven't noticed Beagle much lately. When we aren't a grinding team, his importance to the team is minimized somewhat.

If not significantly. What is Barry's plan going forward, and will Beagle excel in a system stressing high skill passing? And at what age would you not protect Beagle because of his age... 35?

There is an argument to be made to protect any player. There are no floaters on our team ready to be dangled that George would actually take.

He has simply cooled down a bit. He's still getting the job done, remember the snipe against Montreal? That wasn't too long ago. Beagle has good hands, good wheels and a decent hockey IQ offensively, he is able to play the passing system.