Speculation: Total goals scored by Capitals next season. Are we in trouble?

[Sam Spade]

The two biggest issues with the Caps quite frankly will be Backstroms health and do Kuz and Burka take a step forward in their developement?

If Backstrom is out for say the month of October, and I think he will be, the Caps will struggle to score. However if Kuz and Burka step up they will not be as bad off.

Also any struggle (or injury to a top six guy) and Vrana will get the call, as will Bowey if Schmidt or Orlov struggle.

Caps finally have decent options and some depth everywhere except center, and for all the **** Marjo gets at least he can step into the top six center role if needed.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

The two biggest issues with the Caps quite frankly will be Backstroms health and do Kuz and Burka take a step forward in their developement?

If Backstrom is out for say the month of October, and I think he will be, the Caps will struggle to score. However if Kuz and Burka step up they will not be as bad off.

Also any struggle (or injury to a top six guy) and Vrana will get the call, as will Bowey if Schmidt or Orlov struggle.

Caps finally have decent options and some depth everywhere except center, and for all the **** Marjo gets at least he can step into the top six center role if needed.

It must be really hard to score with a Burka.


Sorry, I had to make that joke.

 

[Sam Spade]

It must be really hard to score with a Burka.


Sorry, I had to make that joke.

Ha ha.

If you saw some of the stuff "Burakovsky" autocorrects to you would type Burka as well.

 

[Raikkonen]

No I agree. Kuzy is great. However Backstrom brings out the best in OV. These guys have been our 1-2 punch the last 8 years. I guess I'm a little nervous about splitting them up. Kuzy will have a chance if Nick misses time. Even if he does good I still see Barry putting Nick back with OV.

I can see Kuz as the best Caps player in 5 years. Maybe even quicker.

He needs 1) healthy years 2) more experience.

By that time AO and NB will be past their prime, at least physically. And Kuz will be just in his prime. These next 2-3 years is the process of him becoming the number one center... just because of his speed and dangling.

He's the logical guy who will help Ovi to keep going by getting the puck into OZ. Nick is not dangerous enough and slow.

Speed is more and more the essential thing, and AONB will have less of it soon. Time flies fast.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Ha ha.

If you saw some of the stuff "Burakovsky" autocorrects to you would type Burka as well.

I just type Bura
Burakovsky is such a complicated name, it took me weeks to finally remember his name (I'm not very good at that).

I can see Kuz as the best Caps player in 5 years. Maybe even quicker.

He needs 1) healthy years 2) more experience.

By that time AO and NB will be past their prime, at least physically. And Kuz will be just in his prime. These next 2-3 years is the process of him becoming the number one center... just because of his speed and dangling.

He's the logical guy who will help Ovi to keep going by getting the puck into OZ. Nick is not dangerous enough and slow.

Speed is more and more the essential thing, and AONB will have less of it soon. Time flies fast.

I can see Kuznetsov surpassing Backstrom easily. He has that potential. I think the top line 5 years down the road will be Ovi-Kuzya-Bura. They will bring speed and skill to create some space for Ovi to unleash his devastating shot.

 

[HeyMattyB]

Also any struggle (or injury to a top six guy) and Vrana will get the call, as will Bowey if Schmidt or Orlov struggle.

Hasn't the coaching staff specifically said that Carrick will likely be the first defenseman to get called up if/when it becomes necessary? And they've already got Chorney on the roster as the #7 guy.

 

[Raikkonen]

Hasn't the coaching staff specifically said that Carrick will likely be the first defenseman to get called up if/when it becomes necessary? And they've already got Chorney on the roster as the #7 guy.

Asset management 101! The more Bowey stays in AHL the better. If they need physical offensive guy in April... Then maybe its not Carrick.

 

[Langway]

Hasn't the coaching staff specifically said that Carrick will likely be the first defenseman to get called up if/when it becomes necessary? And they've already got Chorney on the roster as the #7 guy.

Typically the Hershey coaching staff selects whoever deserves it the most so it could really be anyone this year as things stand. I believe Mann recently said it would be Carrick but things could change.

Chorney is the current initial answer if Orlov or Schmidt struggle. They're not going to bring someone up with even less of a track record of NHL success just because one of them struggles. If someone gets hurt that's another matter and if it's just to be a scratch then it's more likely to be Moore or Ness.

 

[ryan519*]

So if people are so apprehensive about how Bura will do in the top 6 then you would welcome a trade for JVR, no? Especially if its for something as easy as Mojo+Carrick+1st

I can't deny, a top 6 of

Ovi - Backy - Oshie
JVR - Kuz - Williams

would be really nice. Add in Bozak takes cares of the 3C problem as well

 

[RandyHolt]

Many still dangling Carrick in almost every proposal

 

[Raikkonen]

Such a half-measure to get JVR instead of Mojo.

Why not Mikko Koivu for 3C?

 

[BobRouse]

The OPs stance has so much Don Sweeney WIN in it!



“

This morning on the radio Don Sweeney said it's as simple as Hamilton+Lucic+Smith = 41 goals, Beleskey+Hayes = 41 goals.

— Bruins Stats (@bruins_stats) July 14, 2015
â€


Are we sure Sweeney isn’t the next coming of Tore Purdy, because that’s some hard-hitting #fancystats.


http://thehockeywriters.com/don-sweeneys-kooky-advanced-stats/

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Such a half-measure to get JVR instead of Mojo.

Why not Mikko Koivu for 3C?

6.75 mill cap hit for 3 more years that is why. Kesler makes the same and look at how much better Kesler is.

 

[Hivemind]

6.75 mill cap hit for 3 more years that is why. Kesler makes the same and look at how much better Kesler is.

Minus Kesler's two peak years on stacked Vancouver teams, Koivu has been comparable or better. Koivu has an absolutely monstrous corsiRel of +7.0 over the past three seasons (tied with Jakub Voracek for 4th in the league among forwards in that span).

 

[BobRouse]

6.75 mill cap hit for 3 more years that is why. Kesler makes the same and look at how much better Kesler is.

Koivu is also 32 yo and definitely won't come cheap if he's even being shopped at all which I doubt.

Teams with contending aspirations don't trade their best Center and team Captain unless there is drastic overpayment.

Minnesota is not rebuilding here.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Minus Kesler's two peak years on stacked Vancouver teams, Koivu has been comparable or better. Koivu has an absolutely monstrous corsiRel of +7.0 over the past three seasons (tied with Jakub Voracek for 4th in the league among forwards in that span).

Koivu is also 32 yo and definitely won't come cheap if he's even being shopped at all which I doubt.

Teams with contending aspirations don't trade their best Center and team Captain unless there is drastic overpayment.

Minnesota is not rebuilding here.

So negate 2 of Keslers good years, then suggest Koivu is comparable or better. Not the best way to start a conversation haha. I like both players, but price tags would be steep and are untouchable more then likely. Besides, why pay so much for a 3C. Or another way of wording it, why look for a 2C to demote Kuzy.

 

[Hivemind]

So negate 2 of Keslers good years, then suggest Koivu is comparable or better. Not the best way to start a conversation haha. I like both players, but price tags would be steep and are untouchable more then likely. Besides, why pay so much for a 3C. Or another way of wording it, why look for a 2C to demote Kuzy.

If you don't want to "negate" Kesler's best two years, then you should also take into account Koivu's 67 and 71 point seasons. I "negated" those two years because that would be similar to holding up a 40-goal Semin on the President's Trophy team and expecting that quality of play out of him now. It's long past and no longer reasonable to expect that type of play out of Kesler.

I was simply disputing your claim that Kesler is way better than Koivu, not defending him as a target (as he's not available anyway). Koivu is definitely at least on par, if not superior to, Ryan Kesler.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I like what I see here

 

[g00n]

I like what I see here

Scores from all over the place. That quick wrister is deadly. Goalies don't even react.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Scores from all over the place. That quick wrister is deadly. Goalies don't even react.

He might not shoot as hard as Brouwer, but his release is a lot quicker, more accurate and he doesn't fan on one timers. It's a lot better than what Blues fans say.

What I like the most about Oshie is his ability to create plays by cycling the puck, making give and go passing plays and cutting to the middle with his quick hands. Obviously Brouwer does none of the above.

Blues fans are in for a big surprise with Brouwer

 

[Calicaps]

Many still dangling Carrick in almost every proposal

why is this funny? what did I miss?

 

[Calicaps]

I like what I see here

Net drive. Net presence. Forecheck and finish. I'm excited. Our first line could well be lethal. Backstrom hasn't had real options in a long time, but when he has... oh boy.

 

[RandyHolt]

why is this funny? what did I miss?

Nothing. I am just amused so many seem high on Carrick, yet I consistently see him thrown into trade proposals.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

If you don't want to "negate" Kesler's best two years, then you should also take into account Koivu's 67 and 71 point seasons. I "negated" those two years because that would be similar to holding up a 40-goal Semin on the President's Trophy team and expecting that quality of play out of him now. It's long past and no longer reasonable to expect that type of play out of Kesler.

I was simply disputing your claim that Kesler is way better than Koivu, not defending him as a target (as he's not available anyway). Koivu is definitely at least on par, if not superior to, Ryan Kesler.

I didn't negate anything at any point. I just simply stated when his name was brought up that a comparable in that price range was Kesler, who I believe to be more valuable. 7 20 goal seasons compared to Koivu's 3. Kesler is also very effective defensively.

 

[Raikkonen]

He might not shoot as hard as Brouwer, but his release is a lot quicker, more accurate and he doesn't fan on one timers. It's a lot better than what Blues fans say.

How can he fan on a shot in season highlights?