Wow Kuznetsov has arrived

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

He is a great player but that signature celebration is so f***ing idiotic and ridiculous, knock that shit off.

Ps. I'm not Don Cherry.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I don't troll the Caps board, so that's good to hear. You wouldn't be the first fanbase to turn on a franchise player, though, so nothing shocks me. The Pens are going to trade Crosby, Malkin or Letang depending on what month it is.

To tell you the truth, not only does no one want to see Backstrom traded, we were also kind of worried that he might want to walk away at the end of his contract if the Caps didn't get success. Looks like that problem could be solved this week.

 

[Wendy Clear]

He was a top 20 Center 2 years ago. I don't know why this seems new to people.

Also, he's not a top 10 Center now and not even the best center on his team:
McDavid, Crosby, Malkin, Matthews, Seguin, Bergeron, Tavares, Backstrom, Stamkos, and Kopitar are all better at the moment and that was 10.

He's getting there, but I'm having issues putting him the the conversation for Top 10.

There's at least 2-3 others which are funny (including Backstrom), but:

Stamkos = LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

 

[NYCGroundhog]

There's at least 2-3 others which are funny (including Backstrom), but:

Stamkos = LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Aside from health and getting his leg snapped by that post, what exactly are your issues with Stamkos?

To tell you the truth, not only does no one want to see Backstrom traded, we were also kind of worried that he might want to walk away at the end of his contract if the Caps didn't get success. Looks like that problem could be solved this week.

Good, because's he's one of the more redeeming players on the team. I'm already disgusted enough about how most of the team acted like victims because Wilson got suspended, so hearing he was on the outs with the fanbase wasn't helpful. I've lost so much respect for Timothy Jimothy based on his comments following it that I don't know how many more Caps players I can bear to dislike at this point.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Good, because's he's one of the more redeeming players on the team. I'm already disgusted enough about how most of the team acted like victims because Wilson got suspended, so hearing he was on the outs with the fanbase wasn't helpful. I've lost so much respect for Timothy Jimothy based on his comments following it that I don't know how many more Caps players I can bear to dislike at this point.

Dislike all of them if you want, no one cares my friend

 

[NYCGroundhog]

There's at least 2-3 others which are funny (including Backstrom), but:

Stamkos = LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

I'd also be interested to hear who the other 2-3 others are.

 

[third man in]

Aside from health and getting his leg snapped by that post, what exactly are your issues with Stamkos?

Tampa fans were saying this playoffs was the best he's ever played. He was invisible 5 on 5. That's all I need to hear.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

He was a top 20 Center 2 years ago. I don't know why this seems new to people.

Also, he's not a top 10 Center now and not even the best center on his team:
McDavid, Crosby, Malkin, Matthews, Seguin, Bergeron, Tavares, Backstrom, Stamkos, and Kopitar are all better at the moment and that was 10.

He's getting there, but I'm having issues putting him the the conversation for Top 10.

You forgot Scheifile

 

[NYCGroundhog]

Dislike all of them if you want, no one cares my friend

That's cool, I'm sure you disliked the b2b Cups I got to see. It really tore me up inside that all of my Rangers and Caps friends were upset.

Tampa fans were saying this playoffs was the best he's ever played. He was invisible 5 on 5. That's all I need to hear.

I take the opinions of the mass of Tampa fans like I take those of the mass of Caps fans.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

That's cool, I'm sure you disliked the b2b Cups I got to see. It really tore me up inside that all of my Rangers and Caps friends were upset.

Obviously I wasn't super pleased and I'm sure you were torn inside to see rival fans upset over your team's success. Feels good to be on the winning side for once

 

[NYCGroundhog]

Obviously I wasn't super pleased and I'm sure you were torn inside to see rival fans upset over your team's success. Feels good to be on the winning side for once

I'm pretty OK with the Caps winning, aside from one player.

 

[shtorm2005]

Where did this McPhee guy come from? Totally out of no where...

Pretty sure any other GM would have built a good team out of that many choices McPhee had. Anyhow, that's not the point. Those subjective Top lists are meaningless. What matters, is the line's chemistry. Top5 center who has a chemistry with his wings will be better than top1 who plays with less appropriate wings. There are also many others factors involved in a game that will affect center player's look. Therefore, when players have similar strength and talents, it's useless to compare them, because any given moment one can outplay another one.

 

[Midnight Judges]

I'm curious as to what qualities you look for in a top 10 center and which of those you think Kuznetsov has or is lacking.

Lacking:

Defense
Physicality
Face offs
Play along the boards
Consistency

 

[NYCGroundhog]

Lacking:

Defense
Physicality
Face offs
Play along the boards
Consistency

He gets physicality from his linemates, which goes to my points before about why he struggled for years before Ovi was gifted to him and Backstrom had to drop to the 2nd line. Everything else you said is on point.

He's a good center, but he's not top 10.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Very awkward choice but it sounds as though he has a reason for doing it. It is cringeworthy.

 

[NYCGroundhog]

Honestly, I think Bura is the guy everyone is slouching on from this team.

 

[Ryan Michaels]

Cant we ever just talk about someone's great play without calling them "top 5" or "top 10"? These **** measuring contests dont make anyone look good.

 

[NYCGroundhog]

Honestly, I think Bura is the guy everyone is slouching on from this team.

I think if you gave him a top 6 role, he'd shine, but instead, we all get to see a plug like Willy get to take his shifts.

 

[hockeykicker]

Its kinda funny that people are saying ovechkin carrying him when he was just under a ppg season while carrying his own line before this year

 

[Lshap]

Cant we ever just talk about someone's great play without calling them "top 5" or "top 10"? These **** measuring contests dont make anyone look good.

This is a top-15 opinion.

 

[NYCGroundhog]

Its kinda funny that people are saying ovechkin carrying him when he was just under a ppg season while carrying his own line before this year

I'm not saying Ovi carries him at all. He's a very good player. I just don't view him as a top 10 center for the reasons (and players) I've already mentioned.

The fact that the 2 of them produce like they do with another wing who could be a very good player, but gets lost in his stupidity is pretty amazing. And again, I think Tom Wilson could be an outstanding player if he stopped being a dirtbag that seems more interested in hurting opponents than scoring against them. I see where the skill resides that warranted a 1st round pick.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Always have appreciated Kuznetsov. He makes really difficult things look easy at a high speed. His zone entries are beautiful. It's amazing to me watching these games and see him do difficult things with a high success rate to jump-start the Washington offense while getting half as much attention for it as Wilson get for tossing a puck in front of the net in a scramble situation.

Edit: That wasn't meant as a shot against Wilson, more on how absurd guys like Pierre can be at times. There was pretty much not an aspect of that goal that deserved less attention than Wilson tossing it in front of the net.

 

[NYCGroundhog]

Outside of this series, people can't seriously look at Tom Wilson and say he hasn't made numerous hits that cost his team, either by immediate penalty or because he takes himself out of the play by over-committing to a hit and loses to a counter-rush. He is abhorrent on defense when he lines someone into his sights and it does cost the Caps frequently.

Can they?

Always have appreciated Kuznetsov. He makes really difficult things look easy at a high speed. His zone entries are beautiful. It's amazing to me watching these games and see him do difficult things with a high success rate to jump-start the Washington offense while getting half as much attention for it as Wilson get for tossing a puck in front of the net in a scramble situation.

Edit: That wasn't meant as a shot against Wilson, more on how absurd guys like Pierre can be at times. There was pretty much not an aspect of that goal that deserved less attention than Wilson tossing it in front of the net.

I don't think enough shots can be taken at Wilson, because he goes out of his way to be a garbage human being.

 

[sqw3r]

Outside of this series, people can't seriously look at Tom Wilson and say he hasn't made numerous hits that cost his team, either by immediate penalty or because he takes himself out of the play by over-committing to a hit and loses to a counter-rush. He is abhorrent on defense when he lines someone into his sights and it does cost the Caps frequently.

Can they?

What does Wilson have to do with a thread about Kuznetsov's arrival? Like half of your posts itt is about other players (Ovi, Wilson) and another half is trying to downpay Kuznetsov's success so far, so i just want to ask, why the hate, man?

back on topic, Kuzya always had talent to do things he does now, it was just a question of if (or in my case when) he gets it all together in NHL, so no surprise for me here. Was great in juniors, was great in KHL (before slight derailment of his career due to injuries), now is great in NHL, a special player. His zone entries are arguably the best in the league, he has a great vision and puck glues to his stick like for Datsyuk.

 

[NYCGroundhog]

What does Wilson have to do with a thread about Kuznetsov's arrival? Like half of your posts itt is about other players (Ovi, Wilson) and another half is trying to downpay Kuznetsov's success so far, so i just want to ask, why the hate, man?

back on topic, Kuzya always had talent to do things he does now, it was just a question of if (or in my case when) he gets it all together in NHL, so no surprise for me here. Was great in juniors, was great in KHL (before slight derailment of his career due to injuries), now is great in NHL, a special player. His zone entries are arguably the best in the league, he has a great vision and puck glues to his stick like for Datsyuk.

Aside from them playing on the same line? I mean, c'mon.

What does Wilson have to do with a thread about Kuznetsov's arrival? Like half of your posts itt is about other players (Ovi, Wilson) and another half is trying to downpay Kuznetsov's success so far, so i just want to ask, why the hate, man?

back on topic, Kuzya always had talent to do things he does now, it was just a question of if (or in my case when) he gets it all together in NHL, so no surprise for me here. Was great in juniors, was great in KHL (before slight derailment of his career due to injuries), now is great in NHL, a special player. His zone entries are arguably the best in the league, he has a great vision and puck glues to his stick like for Datsyuk.

I suggest not watching games through a Russian prism.