Post-Game Talk: Wild @ Caps 7PM EST | Caps Lose 2-1

[Ajax1995]

I'm sorry but I put a lot of that last goal on Chimera. If you are skating forward looking to receive a pass and use that speed to attack then skating away from the passer makes perfect sense.

If you are turned around looking at the passer you are supposed to come back to the puck and put yourself between the defender and the puck because someone jumping the pass is a risk. Sure the pass wasn't perfect and not on the side he would have preferred but Chimera made no effort to come back to the puck and instead just kept gliding away from Green even though he was still facing him. You've got to try to help your defenseman out on that when he is under pressure like that IMO.

 

[Vladiator16*]

Wilson should have spent the entire year in Hershey in a scoring role.

This i agree with.

 

[Ajax1995]

I was at the game last night and while Gleason definitely made a few nice defensive plays but boy is he slow...

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

You think he may be sent down all next year depending if we sign a few people or do you think he's here to stay?

It's not exactly like he's feeling a crucial need here aside from goon, based on that I think he's here to stay.

 

[mad4comp]

I was at the game last night and while Gleason definitely made a few nice defensive plays but boy is he slow...

He's just another Erskine... so just not sure why we traded away Hillen for that. Hopefully Nate can come back..

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

He's just another Erskine... so just not sure why we traded away Hillen for that. Hopefully Nate can come back..

Because he's bigger, stronger, and meaner than Hillen. Hillen is a better skater, but he got dominated in the corners and in front of the net. Gleason fits what Trotz wants and is a better fit for Green as a stay at home defenseman.

 

[FloridaCap]

I'm sorry but I put a lot of that last goal on Chimera. If you are skating forward looking to receive a pass and use that speed to attack then skating away from the passer makes perfect sense.

If you are turned around looking at the passer you are supposed to come back to the puck and put yourself between the defender and the puck because someone jumping the pass is a risk. Sure the pass wasn't perfect and not on the side he would have preferred but Chimera made no effort to come back to the puck and instead just kept gliding away from Green even though he was still facing him. You've got to try to help your defenseman out on that when he is under pressure like that IMO.

Fehr was the only forward even moving while Green was looking for the outlet pass. Both Ward and Chimera were standing flat footed, facing Green, shy of the red line, with Wild players between them.

Can't make the breakout pass if there's nobody to receive it.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Can't make the breakout pass if there's nobody to receive it.

Mike Green. One man breakout.

 

[Ajax1995]

Mike Green. One man breakout.

Yeah that was the play there, skate the puck out...

 

[FloridaCap]

Mike Green. One man breakout.

Tough to do that when the Wild actually have players with speed on the forecheck (in that case, I believe it was Parise) instead of slow 6'2 grinders.

 

[Mothra]

Tough to do that when the Wild actually have players with speed on the forecheck (in that case, I believe it was Parise) instead of slow 6'2 grinders.

Its tough to do regardless in todays game....with teams clogging up the NZ and playing for turnovers/quick transition the breakout has become much more about quick passes to guys in stride......not Paul Coffey rushing through NZ. Its nice to have a guy that can take advantage of an opening when its there but to me the offensive D game is more a guy joining the rush than leading it these days....exceptions being Karlsson perhaps

 

[Caps2Fan]

I was at the game last night and while Gleason definitely made a few nice defensive plays but boy is he slow...

He's just another Erskine... so just not sure why we traded away Hillen for that. Hopefully Nate can come back..

I was also at the game and literally had the same thought. I like the guy, but man he is not a quick-moving dude.

Me thinks he will not be resigned next season, especially if Orlov is finally healthy.

He reminds me a lot of Erskine, which is odd, because Erskine is my all-time least favorite Capital, and I actually don't mind this guy. So far, I don't think he's made any huge mistakes, and I love that he busted his butt to get in the play after Orpik made an ill-timed change.

 

[g00n]

Its tough to do regardless in todays game....with teams clogging up the NZ and playing for turnovers/quick transition the breakout has become much more about quick passes to guys in stride......not Paul Coffey rushing through NZ. Its nice to have a guy that can take advantage of an opening when its there but to me the offensive D game is more a guy joining the rush than leading it these days....exceptions being Karlsson perhaps

I think this is exactly right. Now more than ever getting the puck out from d-zone to o-zone is about one or two passes and multiple passing options. Beating all the traps and quasi-traps has come down to having the d-man essentially dump the puck from one end to the other with a man positioned on the boards just over center for a deflection into the zone to avoid the icing call, chipping it up the boards in hopes the forwards win a board battle, and/or creating an odd-man situation at the offensive blueline that allows controlled entry.

Most coaches these days pull their hair out if their structures break down and things turn into firewagon hockey. Unless the team's system is designed for perpetual motion in the neutral zone to enhance the chances of a rushing defenseman finding some space in the chaos, then skating the puck up the ice into tactically positioned and often stationary players in a passing/dumping breakout system is going to work against a player like Mike Green because he'll be skating the defense right into his teammates and passing lanes and will have no forward support if he can't beat the forecheck with his feet.

The 52 who used to swoop from end to end several times a game has not played in a system conducive to that skill since before BB switched to a defensive gameplan. I don't think his skill has disappeared, it's just he's a fish out of water in this and recent 5 on 5 systems.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Erskine, at no point in his career, was as good as this (older) Gleason.

It's a beyond lazy comparison.

 

[coyote]

I'm sorry but I put a lot of that last goal on Chimera. If you are skating forward looking to receive a pass and use that speed to attack then skating away from the passer makes perfect sense.

If you are turned around looking at the passer you are supposed to come back to the puck and put yourself between the defender and the puck because someone jumping the pass is a risk. Sure the pass wasn't perfect and not on the side he would have preferred but Chimera made no effort to come back to the puck and instead just kept gliding away from Green even though he was still facing him. You've got to try to help your defenseman out on that when he is under pressure like that IMO.

No matter how you cut it this was totally on Green

 

[Ajax1995]

No matter how you cut it this was totally on Green

I disagree. When a defenseman has the puck in his zone and is trying to pass the puck out under the pressure the forwards have a job to do. Saying that is all on the defenseman shows a complete lack of understanding of how the game is played and the different responsibilities of everyone on the ice IMO. Some of it is definitely on Green but some of it is on the forwards, mainly Chimera and to a lesser extent Ward.

 

[BobRouse]

Erskine, at no point in his career, was as good as this (older) Gleason.

It's a beyond lazy comparison.

Yeah totally. Gleason is still much better with the puck and a more mobile skater than Erskine ever was. He's definitley not a top 4 guy but you can do alot worse than him as your 6D (i.e Hillen)


Green played a very good game up until that shift where he made the error.

But it felt we were really REALLY playing the prevent without Ovie.

Also I don't think I've seen a team run more illegal interference/pick plays than the Wild.

There was a BRUTAL one in the first period where Koivu simply took out Green right near the net leading to a quality scoring chance.

MJ with some chances to finish the game. Dubnyk alot of times never even saw the puck and was looking in another direction when it hit him. He got that one MJ shot with the butt of his stick. Lucky.

 

[powerstuck]

Hey guys,

I attended this game (yeah I know almost a week later). Made the trip all the way from QC for it. Gotta say, fans were very nice to us supporting Nordiques jerseys. Spend the first period next to a guy who had a lot of fun taunting Wild's bench...we moved up a few rows back because could hardly see from the C row behind benches.

I must admit that me being a Canadian, used to cold and snowy days, I was a bit disappointed with the whole city closing down for a few inches of snow, but then again, when you see a Florida plate overtake you on highway at roughly 80 mph, you know there is no chance he has even 4season tires on. Luckily Nat. Air and Space was open.

Overall it was a nice trip, but wouldn't risk going back in winter.