Post-Game Talk: Viva Las Vegas 6PM ET

[Bananas]

Nobody plays balls-to-the-walls for 60 minutes every game over the course of an 82 game schedule. Nobody. Not in this era...or any era. Expecting a coach to get that out of his team is like expecting every player to learn to shoot like Ovechkin. It’s not gonna happen.

At the same time, playing 20 minutes a night ain’t gonna cut it. Not by a long shot. I think we can all agree on that.

The Caps are in a slump and the improvement has to come largely from within. I expect and want a significant deadline add, but am not naive enough to think it will cure everything that ails this team.

I think they’ll get this sorted out in the next ten games or so, and a nice boost at the deadline will be just what the doctor ordered. They’ve got as good a chance to go on a run as any Caps team in the last 40 years.

Barring a total collapse, this team will get to prove themselves in the playoffs. That’s when I will be whining and crying with everyone else. Like a big, sniveling, goofy baby.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Except this really isn't that different from what we've seen all season in terms of the defensive lapses, turnovers, lack of discipline, etc. The difference is OV is no longer on fire and Samsonov has come back down to earth.

Yeah, it's not good. Or maybe it is. Maybe now they see what happens if 34-year-old Ovi isn't scoring like 22-year-old Ovi and what happens if Samsonov isn't playing like a Calder candidate. Maybe they actually have to fix shit instead of just assuming it'll work out since it normally does when you have Ovechkin on your team.

Look, I have no idea how this ends up. The season is a grind and most teams have ebbs and flows. Even ones that don't aren't guaranteed anything come the playoffs (say hello to the Lightning from last year). Hell, the eventual Stanley Cup Champion from last year was in last place in the entire league in January. The Caps that won it all probably had the worst roster since the 2013-14 team. Who knows what's going to happen?

They could suck and flame out in the first round. They likely won't win the Cup since it's pretty damn hard to win the Cup. Or they could fix their shit and make a run. But I want to see it play out and I want to see how they respond. If they suck and can't fix it I am more than happy to take part in the offseason discussions around coaching changes and roster shakeups to try and get back on track, but it's tiring coming on here and reading the same people post the same shit over and over and over.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Another easily winnable game that they lost.

All the negative nellies will have their snark to keep them warm tonight, anyway. Lol.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

They keep sucking it isn’t going to change.....get used to it.


Losing GDTs have always been more active.

 

[bur and 666 others]

Honestly my concern is with our D (known problem) and bottom 6 (new one). Bottom 6 is not existence on offense.

Loosing Connolly, Burakovsky and even Chandler Stephenson could hunt us potentially, especially Connolly. Hated the guy when he was with us (thought he was overrated and one dimensional), but bottom 6 now is a black hole on offense (and suddenly found myself missing him here). In 2018 our bottom 6 was constructed from guys who had top 6 potential, but streaky and super inconsistent. Now our bottom 6 has super stable and consistent guys, but whim them you have what you see. Don't expect out of them flushes of genius.

With D, loosing Nisky turned out to be a bad move. We could've avoided the D problem, but just simply keeping him here.

 

[txpd]

They are not doing so well with the adversity so far. Its better than getting blow out but winning is better

 

[txpd]

Except this really isn't that different from what we've seen all season in terms of the defensive lapses, turnovers, lack of discipline, etc. The difference is OV is no longer on fire and Samsonov has come back down to earth.

Not really sure what Sammy has to do with this. The goaltending isn't an issue in this mess

 

[tenken00]

Thank God that this is all happening before the trade deadline and not after it.

They need a shakeup. Probably not a major shakeup, but something to show the rest of the guys that they cant just sit on their laurels of what they did for half a season.

Edit: I see you guys already knew that from the other thread. But yeah. We need a shakeup in a big way. Get guys feeling uncomfortable for a little bit. They are wayyyyy too settled into their habits right now.

 

[max21]

What’re they chances they actually miss the playoffs? They’ve been .500 out of the last 20. The metro is so dang tight this year

 

[kicksavedave]

Alright listen up people! Make your own stinking Game Day Threads, apparently I suck at this.

Now, for those ticketed and confirmed passengers, the #FireToddRierden train is about to leave the station.

 

[Sam Spade]

Stop with the personal attacks!!

Stick to discussing the game and the players/coaches or you will be removed.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

/popcorn .....

 

[traparatus]

Honestly my concern is with our D (known problem) and bottom 6 (new one). Bottom 6 is not existence on offense.

Loosing Connolly, Burakovsky and even Chandler Stephenson could hunt us potentially, especially Connolly. Hated the guy when he was with us (thought he was overrated and one dimensional), but bottom 6 now is a black hole on offense (and suddenly found myself missing him here). In 2018 our bottom 6 was constructed from guys who had top 6 potential, but streaky and super inconsistent. Now our bottom 6 has super stable and consistent guys, but whim them you have what you see. Don't expect out of them flushes of genius.

With D, loosing Nisky turned out to be a bad move. We could've avoided the D problem, but just simply keeping him here.

Issues with bottom-6 are not difficult to address. A couple of 3rd round picks will get it done. There are plenty of candidates on the rental market to upgrade on either Leipsic or Panik.

D is tricky. They had to get rid of Niskanen for cap reasons. It didn't help that he sucked something fierce last season but predominantly it was because of the cap. Defensemen rental market is barren. There are fans on 10 different NHL teams screaming for their GM to trade for Martinez. Let's stop for moment and consider the fact that Martinez kind of sucks and is having a hard time effectively moving the puck in the slowest, dreariest system in the entirety of the NHL. If Jensen was employed by the Kings, he'd be considered one of hottest deadline trade targets.

 

[SherVaughn30]

This roster as is, is a minor problem! SO STOP BLAMING THE PLAYERS! THE COACHING IS THE PROBLEM! IT IS UP TO THE COACHING STAFF TO SCOUT THE OPPONENT AND PUT A GAME PLAN TOGETHER THAT THE PLAYERS CAN EXECUTE! I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT AT ALL. IT'S UP TO THE COACHING STAFF TO PUT A SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT HAS SOME SORT OF DISCIPLINE, TEAM STRUCTURE AND A FORM OF TEAM DEFENSE! THIS COACHING STAFF HAS NOT DONE ANY OF THAT ALL SEASON! IT'S THE SAME MISTAKES AND SAME LACK THEREOF TEAM STRUCTURE AND TEAM DEFENSE! THE CONSTANT STARTS OF FALLING BEHIND TOO MANY GAMES ON THE SCOREBOARD HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE LACK OF PLAYING STRONG FOR 3 PERIODS IN GAME HAS BEEN MOSTLY NON-EXISTENT ALL SEASON! A LACK OF WILL AND HARD WORK HAS NOT BEEN INSTILLED IN THIS ROSTER, BY THE COACHES, ALL SEASON!

REIRDEN MIGHT BE A GOOD TACTICIAN, BUT HE'S NOT A GOOD HEAD COACH! CASHMAN AND ARNIEL HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF BEING LOSERS AND ARE CLUELESS WHAT TO DO WITH THE DEFENSE AND FORWARDS! FORSYTHE HAS RUN OUT OF IDEAS AS OVECHKIN/CARLSON HAVE BEEN NEUTRALIZED AND TOO MANY TIMES SO HAS OSHIE. YOU SHUTDOWN THE CAPS TALENT ON THEIR PP AND FORSYTHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OTHER THAN THROW DARTS AT THE TARGET AND HOPE HE HITS THE BULLSEYE! EVEN GOALIE COACH SCOTT MURRAY IS AT FAULT TOO. HOLTBY HAS BEEN REGULAR SEASON BROKEN FOR 3 YEARS NOW AND SAMSONOV HAS COOLED OFF BECAUSE ALL NHL TEAMS GET SCOUTING REPORTS ON GOALIES AND ARE FAIRLY GOOD AT ADJUSTING DESPITE HIM BEING VERY TALENTED.

GIVE THIS TEAM SOME ACTUAL COACHES WHO HAVE AN EXPERIENCED TRACK RECORD AND WATCH THIS ROSTER PLAY A LOT BETTER! OTHER WISE IT WILL JUST BE RINSE AND REPEAT THE SAME OLD CRAP!

 

[tenken00]

This roster as is, is a minor problem! SO STOP BLAMING THE PLAYERS! THE COACHING IS THE PROBLEM! IT IS UP TO THE COACHING STAFF TO SCOUT THE OPPONENT AND PUT A GAME PLAN TOGETHER THAT THE PLAYERS CAN EXECUTE! I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT AT ALL. IT'S UP TO THE COACHING STAFF TO PUT A SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT HAS SOME SORT OF DISCIPLINE, TEAM STRUCTURE AND A FORM OF TEAM DEFENSE! THIS COACHING STAFF HAS NOT DONE ANY OF THAT ALL SEASON! IT'S THE SAME MISTAKES AND SAME LACK THEREOF TEAM STRUCTURE AND TEAM DEFENSE! THE CONSTANT STARTS OF FALLING BEHIND TOO MANY GAMES ON THE SCOREBOARD HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE LACK OF PLAYING STRONG FOR 3 PERIODS IN GAME HAS BEEN MOSTLY NON-EXISTENT ALL SEASON! A LACK OF WILL AND HARD WORK HAS NOT BEEN INSTILLED IN THIS ROSTER, BY THE COACHES, ALL SEASON!

REIRDEN MIGHT BE A GOOD TACTICIAN, BUT HE'S NOT A GOOD HEAD COACH! CASHMAN AND ARNIEL HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF BEING LOSERS AND ARE CLUELESS WHAT TO DO WITH THE DEFENSE AND FORWARDS! FORSYTHE HAS RUN OUT OF IDEAS AS OVECHKIN/CARLSON HAVE BEEN NEUTRALIZED AND TOO MANY TIMES SO HAS OSHIE. YOU SHUTDOWN THE CAPS TALENT ON THEIR PP AND FORSYTHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OTHER THAN THROW DARTS AT THE TARGET AND HOPE HE HITS THE BULLSEYE! EVEN GOALIE COACH SCOTT MURRAY IS AT FAULT TOO. HOLTBY HAS BEEN REGULAR SEASON BROKEN FOR 3 YEARS NOW AND SAMSONOV HAS COOLED OFF BECAUSE ALL NHL TEAMS GET SCOUTING REPORTS ON GOALIES AND ARE FAIRLY GOOD AT ADJUSTING DESPITE HIM BEING VERY TALENTED.

GIVE THIS TEAM SOME ACTUAL COACHES WHO HAVE AN EXPERIENCED TRACK RECORD AND WATCH THIS ROSTER PLAY A LOT BETTER! OTHER WISE IT WILL JUST BE RINSE AND REPEAT THE SAME OLD CRAP!

I think we can do without the all caps please.

You might have the best argument in the world, it's just that my brain shuts down automatically before even reading it if I see blocks of all caps.

 

[SherVaughn30]

I think we can do without the all caps please.

You might have the best argument in the world, it's just that my brain shuts down automatically before even reading it if I see blocks of all caps.

Sorry, I'm just really mad and frustrated with the coaching.

 

[Bananas]

I think we can do without the all caps please.

You might have the best argument in the world, it's just that my brain shuts down automatically before even reading it if I see blocks of all caps.

Well, he/she/it doesn’t have the best argument in the world.

THE CAPS HAD THE BEST RECORD IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE LIKE TEN DAYS AGO!!!!

lol

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

Oh c'mon. It was way worse before the cup. Now only few concern voices. We used to trash this team before they won the cup. Now this board even in loses is still hopeful.

It was worse before the Cup win and why I stopped following GDTs. Then they won the Cup and I figured why screw up a good thing.

The NHL season is long and teams get in funks. The Caps just happen to hit their funk after the all star break. But while frustrating it’s not the end of the world. Some just need to relax and wait for March. If the team is still shitting the bed in March then let’s get nuts.

There is a Little Cesars commercial on right now about delivery pizza being better than sliced bread. Has the guy from The Office in it. Anyway, the end of that commercial reminds of this place after a loss.

 

[traparatus]

Sorry, I'm just really mad and frustrated with the coaching.

If you don't capitalize it, how would we ever be able to tell the very important thoughts from the daily drivel of the lowly plebs?

 

[AussieCapsFan]

The only time we should see ALL CAPS in a thread is when the post is by @ALLCAPSALLTHETIME

 

[Ridley Simon]

At what point is concern warranted? Down 3-1 in the 1st round?

There is always concern warranted with any team, throughout all seasons. I mean— what are we actually expecting? Some of the best champions struggle many times in the season.

 

[SpinningEdge]

Nobody plays balls-to-the-walls for 60 minutes every game over the course of an 82 game schedule. Nobody. Not in this era...or any era. Expecting a coach to get that out of his team is like expecting every player to learn to shoot like Ovechkin. It’s not gonna happen.

At the same time, playing 20 minutes a night ain’t gonna cut it. Not by a long shot. I think we can all agree on that.

The Caps are in a slump and the improvement has to come largely from within. I expect and want a significant deadline add, but am not naive enough to think it will cure everything that ails this team.

I think they’ll get this sorted out in the next ten games or so, and a nice boost at the deadline will be just what the doctor ordered. They’ve got as good a chance to go on a run as any Caps team in the last 40 years.

Barring a total collapse, this team will get to prove themselves in the playoffs. That’s when I will be whining and crying with everyone else. Like a big, sniveling, goofy baby.

they’ve won one period over last 15 periods of hockey... so it’s not about 60 minutes complete games.

this team has been the better team in 20 minutes ONCE in the past 15 periods.... great teams don’t have that happen.

 

[Ridley Simon]

they’ve won one period over last 15 periods of hockey... so it’s not about 60 minutes complete games.

this team has been the better team in 20 minutes ONCE in the past 15 periods.... great teams don’t have that happen.

See Wash Caps 17-18
See StL Blues 18-19

those are just recent examples.

Tampa, Boston, and Pittsburgh have all sucked hard **news flash** JUST THIS SEASON.

your expectations are the issue. Not the team.

 

[SpinningEdge]

See Wash Caps 17-18
See StL Blues 18-19

those are just recent examples.

Tampa, Boston, and Pittsburgh have all sucked hard **news flash** JUST THIS SEASON.

your expectations are the issue. Not the team.

Caps are 11-11 past 22 games. That’s not bad expectation. That’s bad hockey for over the last 1/3 of the season.

losses happen.... but they have been outscored by 10 past 6 games early on. Gave up first goal all six games. Teams have 54 breakaways to caps 8 past 12 games. That’s a huge structure issue. Teams are getting behind our defense and if you give up a average of almost 5 breakaways a game and not even get one yourself - it’s tough.

Still 23 games left - but we said they were playing bad hockey for past month. At one point it’s normal to get worried. So far under Reirdon they haven’t proven to get over any hump yet. Fingers crossed things somehow change - but it’s so much. Defense has been awful. Passing has been awful. Bottom 6 has zero guys who are threats besides Eller. Goaltending hasn’t been good.

Maybe it’s just bad luck all of this is happening at same time - but something is definitely wrong right now - and so far (at least past couple weeks) we’ve seen no positives to see things changing in a better direction.

 

[hb12xchamps]

The Caps and Blues were both within the top 3 teams for most of the season and at one point were 1st and 2nd in league. Both have had a bad stretch of hockey over the past month or more. Both teams play a heavy, physical game and both have played a lot of hockey over the past few years.

I get the panic about how this team has played for a long stretch now. They also had a very solid stretch of time where they were absolutely unstoppable. Adding another body or two at the TDL will bring more competitiveness within the locker room as guys have been very complacent with where they are in the lineup. There’s literally zero pressure on the D that they’ll come out of the lineup and Travis Boyd isn’t going to put a ton of pressure on the forward group (no offense if you’re reading this Travis).