Washington Capitals enjoying benefits of a fruitful 2009 NHL Draft class

[HF Article]

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The Washington Capitals entered the 2009 NHL Draft following a very emotional playoff exit where they lost in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to their rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in a decisive game seven.



Before entering the postseason, the Capitals decided against making any trade deadline moves to bolster their roster for a playoff run, which saved them losing any of their important prospects. This left the organization with a very deep prospect pool that they could continue to add to. Their main needs entering the draft were to find that elusive second line center they had long been seeking and to continue to add defensive depth.… read more



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[BrooklynCapsFan]

Sometimes I wonder how much further along in his development Orlov would be if he weren't forced to learn a new position for no reason whatsoever.

 

[um]

Sometimes I wonder how much further along in his development Orlov would be if he weren't forced to learn a new position for no reason whatsoever.

switching sides isnt learning a new position, it is however inconvenient.

 

[Ian Altenbaugh]

Sometimes I wonder how much further along in his development Orlov would be if he weren't forced to learn a new position for no reason whatsoever.

I'm the editor for the Eastern Conference, not the Caps writer, but I noticed your comment and I wanted to agree. The success of a player who has the type of talent that Orlov has and is around that age is often times dependent on his confidence. It sounds odd in the parlance of a professional athlete, but everyone wants to feel valued at their place of work, and if they don't, it can be very difficult to get motivated to improve. Sometimes, it's no fault of either party and simply not the right fit.

Orlov went through three coaches in two seasons, all with different demands and approaches to the game. That, combined with maybe struggling to adapt to the new systems, probably caused some anxiety on his part regarding his development.

It appears as though he has found a place with the Caps finally. Though not without some friction.

 

[txpd]

I don't think the concussion helped very much.