Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2020 Offseason Pt. 1

[Kalopsia]

See the games played by those guys. Fehervary next season and Fehervary after 200 or 250 games are different things entire.

None of those guys had 200 or 250 games of experience before getting top 4 minutes.

Provarov played his first full NHL season at age 20 and got 22 minutes a night
Myers played all of 21 games last year, so this is his first full NHL season
Sanheim played his first full NHL season last year at age 22 and got 19 and a half minutes a night
McAvoy played his first full NHL season at age 20 and got 22 minutes a night
Carlo played his first full NHL season at age 20 and got 21 minutes a night
Cernak played his first full NHL season at age 21 and got 19 minutes a night
Hughes is played 5 games last year before stepping into his current role playing 22 minutes a night
Makar is a true rookie and played 21 minutes a night
Girard got about 18 minutes a night in Colorado in his first full season at age 19
Heiskanen played his first full NHL season at age 19 and got 23 minutes a night

Sergachev is the only guy from my list who played on the 3rd pairing for even one full season, and he was 19 at the time. Top prospects on defense don't pay their dues on the 3rd pairing anymore because teams have realized they're wasting their ELCs by doing that, and when you're spending tight to the cap you need to get production and minutes from guys while they're cheap so they can afford to spend elsewhere.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I kind of think the consensus here is that Orlov was not good playing the right.

Not sure that’s the consensus at all?

Dillon can also play either side.

Brodin - Carlson
Orlov - Dillon

or

Orlov - Carlson
Brodin - Dillon (shut down pair)

 

[txpd]

None of those guys had 200 or 250 games of experience before getting top 4 minutes.

Provarov played his first full NHL season at age 20 and got 22 minutes a night
Myers played all of 21 games last year, so this is his first full NHL season
Sanheim played his first full NHL season last year at age 22 and got 19 and a half minutes a night
McAvoy played his first full NHL season at age 20 and got 22 minutes a night
Carlo played his first full NHL season at age 20 and got 21 minutes a night
Cernak played his first full NHL season at age 21 and got 19 minutes a night
Hughes is played 5 games last year before stepping into his current role playing 22 minutes a night
Makar is a true rookie and played 21 minutes a night
Girard got about 18 minutes a night in Colorado in his first full season at age 19
Heiskanen played his first full NHL season at age 19 and got 23 minutes a night

Sergachev is the only guy from my list who played on the 3rd pairing for even one full season, and he was 19 at the time. Top prospects on defense don't pay their dues on the 3rd pairing anymore because teams have realized they're wasting their ELCs by doing that, and when you're spending tight to the cap you need to get production and minutes from guys while they're cheap so they can afford to spend elsewhere.

They have that now. Are you trying to tell me that these players are typical? Or are you trying to say Fehervary belongs in their class?

 

[txpd]

Not sure that’s the consensus at all?

Dillon can also play either side.

Brodin - Carlson
Orlov - Dillon

or

Orlov - Carlson
Brodin - Dillon (shut down pair)

All for it, if they can do that. I think one in the Dillon/Brodin catagory will be the best we can hope for

 

[Langway]

Sergachev is the only guy from my list who played on the 3rd pairing for even one full season, and he was 19 at the time. Top prospects on defense don't pay their dues on the 3rd pairing anymore because teams have realized they're wasting their ELCs by doing that, and when you're spending tight to the cap you need to get production and minutes from guys while they're cheap so they can afford to spend elsewhere.

But is Fehervary a top prospect on that level? Probably not IMO. Not just in terms of his skill set but also the situation he's stepping into and whether it would allow for a more seamless transition. He's not going to be getting heavy special teams time so that limits his usage right off the bat. It would take an ideal off-season of coaching/acquisitions/Fehervary's training for that sort of impact to be possible even in a lesser role along the lines of 15-18 minutes. 14 minutes a night seems more realistic if he makes it, barring him taking off and earning heavier usage by significantly outplaying other options. I don't think he quite has the offense/sense/strength combination to put him in that class.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

But is Fehervary a top prospect on that level? Probably not IMO. Not just in terms of his skill set but also the situation he's stepping into and whether it would allow for a more seamless transition. He's not going to be getting heavy special teams time so that limits his usage right off the bat. It would take an ideal off-season of coaching/acquisitions/Fehervary's training for that sort of impact to be possible even in a lesser role along the lines of 15-18 minutes. 14 minutes a night seems more realistic if he makes it, barring him taking off and earning heavier usage by significantly outplaying other options. I don't think he quite has the offense/sense/strength combination to put him in that class.

This will be easy to do.

 

[Langway]

This will be easy to do.

For a future HHoFer, for sure.

31 Thoughts: Players make unified anti-racism statement from bubble - Sportsnet.ca

15. Washington has permission to talk to Peter Laviolette, and he is very much a contender.
16. Former Capitals coach Todd Reirden could be on the radar in both Florida and Pittsburgh as an assistant. The Penguins’ connection is obvious (he used to work there), while the Panthers may replace Mike Kitchen, who did not join them in the bubble. (This, of course, is pending any head coaching jobs he pursues.)
17. I’m not sure about his status in Arizona/Florida scenarios, but Washington assistant GM Ross Mahoney had three interviews with New Jersey before the Devils stayed with Tom Fitzgerald.

​

 

[895]

Mahoney deserves a shot at GM but I think going to Ari/Florida is just being set up for failure. Those franchises are just doomed to be perpetually trash.

 

[tenken00]

But is Fehervary a top prospect on that level? Probably not IMO. Not just in terms of his skill set but also the situation he's stepping into and whether it would allow for a more seamless transition. He's not going to be getting heavy special teams time so that limits his usage right off the bat. It would take an ideal off-season of coaching/acquisitions/Fehervary's training for that sort of impact to be possible even in a lesser role along the lines of 15-18 minutes. 14 minutes a night seems more realistic if he makes it, barring him taking off and earning heavier usage by significantly outplaying other options. I don't think he quite has the offense/sense/strength combination to put him in that class.

Not sure about Fever, but I do agree with Kalopsia that the trend in the NHL the past few years has been going with younger defenders that can skate and can handle the puck. The view that defensemen need to "mature" until their late 20s is no longer accurate. Especially with the way that NHL games seem to be called now.

 

[RandyHolt]

That explains Sarge and Green peaking well before the old school prime of 33 or whatever it was. Defenders have it easy as pie now they rarely even get hit. All they need to do is skate get rid of the puck and stay in between the forward and the goal. They don't have to lay down to block shots. They don't even have to clear the crease anymore. Few goons remain to run them through the glass or make their lives a living hell. There are just enough old grizzly vets to do the dirty work they pretend they cannot do.

Its no surprise that sans Nisky and Oprik we cannot survive a round.

 

[Kalopsia]

But is Fehervary a top prospect on that level? Probably not IMO. Not just in terms of his skill set but also the situation he's stepping into and whether it would allow for a more seamless transition. He's not going to be getting heavy special teams time so that limits his usage right off the bat. It would take an ideal off-season of coaching/acquisitions/Fehervary's training for that sort of impact to be possible even in a lesser role along the lines of 15-18 minutes. 14 minutes a night seems more realistic if he makes it, barring him taking off and earning heavier usage by significantly outplaying other options. I don't think he quite has the offense/sense/strength combination to put him in that class.

I don’t think he’s on the level of the guys who jumped right into a top pairing role, but I think he can be on the level of a Sanheim, Myers, or Cernak and handle 19 minutes a night in sort of a #4 role. Maybe I’m being overly optimistic (memories of the Carlzner top pairing starting when they were 21 and 22 probably contribute here), but Fever seems like he’s perfectly designed for this era of hockey. I think I’d rather gamble on him being able to step into the top 4 with the savings going to adding a better RD, rather than adding a budget 1LD and 2RD and totally blocking Fever’s developmental path.

 

[tenken00]

That explains Sarge and Green peaking well before the old school prime of 33 or whatever it was. Defenders have it easy as pie now they rarely even get hit. All they need to do is skate get rid of the puck and stay in between the forward and the goal. They don't have to lay down to block shots. They don't even have to clear the crease anymore. Few goons remain to run them through the glass or make their lives a living hell. There are just enough old grizzly vets to do the dirty work they pretend they cannot do.

Its no surprise that sans Nisky and Oprik we cannot survive a round.

The game is definitely changing. But it seems like all the major sports are.

Everything is geared towards getting more eyeballs to the screen and butts in the seats and that means more uptempo action. Football with their changes geared towards uptempo passing attacks. Basketball with no more hand checks and now all about the 3 point barrage. Baseball now about their home run launch angles that are scoring all these runs.

I guess with so much competition for people's entertainment time and money out these days, changes were destined to happen. Funny how Trotz and Lou are trying single-handedly to keep that from happening in the NHL this year.

 

[Kalopsia]

They have that now. Are you trying to tell me that these players are typical? Or are you trying to say Fehervary belongs in their class?

Maybe I'm wrong about Fever and I'm just seeing him through rose-tinted glasses as being on par with the lower end of that class of defensemen, I can't claim to be a great player evaluator. But that's irrelevant to my core point, because my original objection was to your blanket claim that "Rookies and inexperienced defensemen are rarely top 4 good on the defensive side of the game" (I probably should have clarified that). Whether or not Fever is ready, I think that's pretty clearly an out-of-date axiom. I just believe Fever should be judged on his capabilities and not dismissed out of hand based on how many NHL games he's played.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

GMBM has used many high picks on defenders none of which have become regulars or project higher then bottom pairing with no scoring upside.

GMGM got Green and Carlson at the back of the 1st round and Orlov in the 2nd so I don’t want to hear we had bad draft positions

 

[hb13xchamps]

GMBM has used many high picks on defenders none of which have become regulars or project higher then bottom pairing with no scoring upside.

GMGM got Green and Carlson at the back of the 1st round and Orlov in the 2nd so I don’t want to hear we had bad draft positions

His first and second round picks are LuJo, Siegenthaler, Alexeyev and Fehervary. LuJos career has been derailed by injuries. Siegenthaler is in the NHL which is exactly what you’d want from a 2nd round draft choice. Alexeyev and Fehervary are both rookies this year and the door is still open for them to be full time NHL players. Don't really know what else you’d want?

 

[895]

That would be insane. No way OEL goes for Orlov. We’d have to give up much more...

There’s been significant layoffs on the business side, and, last week, assistant coach John MacLean and video coach Steve Peters were let go. Several bonuses are due in September, including
Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s. During their post-season appearance, players were upset about late payment of per diems. The goal will be to cut payroll and rebuild. The Coyotes have a tight cap situation for 2020-21, but then it eases. There’s also the matter of the NHL’s stiff punishment for prospect workout violations.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/31-thoughts-players-make-unified-anti-racism-statement-bubble/

 

[Silky mitts]

I think something this team really needs that no one is discussing is an elite faceoff man. We were the worst faceoff team in the league. The game is alot more difficult when you are starting without the puck so often.

If the results were flipped from every faceoff last year and they won 51.7% instead of 48.3% that would mean 2 more faceoffs won a game out of 60.

Mahoney deserves a shot at GM but I think going to Ari/Florida is just being set up for failure. Those franchises are just doomed to be perpetually trash.

It’s not that they’re trash it’s that they’re not trash enough and pick like 9-12

 

[Bieronymus Trotz]

GMBM has used many high picks on defenders none of which have become regulars or project higher then bottom pairing with no scoring upside.

GMGM got Green and Carlson at the back of the 1st round and Orlov in the 2nd so I don’t want to hear we had bad draft positions

Based on MacLellan's comments on the subject, the more accurate description would be that Ross Mahoney has used those picks.

 

[searle]

16. Former Capitals coach Todd Reirden could be on the radar in both Florida and Pittsburgh as an assistant. The Penguins’ connection is obvious (he used to work there), while the Panthers may replace Mike Kitchen, who did not join them in the bubble. (This, of course, is pending any head coaching jobs he pursues.)

Losing Reirden as an assistant might have been more damaging that hiring Reirden as the HC.

Frustrating that some other team is going to land him in a job he's better suited for and it sounds like he's going to go back to really contributing towards the successful development of defence men.

Hope whoever we hire as HC bring in some guys who know what they're doing, sounds like they need to clear house, some real dead wood in our assistants spots.

 

[Raikkonen]

As nice as Brodin's thoughts are its a pipe dream still.

Dillon is in our hands, he's not the modern type we will need along the road most probably but he should be useful while Fever and AA are young and he could be traded later.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

OEL has 7 years left at $8.25mm. That does not fit on this team or in their competitive window.

Would love to pry Dumba out of Minnesota, though. Slotting him behind Carlson and in front of Jensen would be great.

 

[caps4cup]

So you are saying the play of these players was Reirden and not Trotz? I don't buy it at all.
I think Reirden was a complete bust.
We were a strong defensive team under Trotz. One of those seasons we were the best defensive team in the league. That was all the system Trotz brought in.

Yeah I’m not sure how you can credit Reirden and say Trotz had nothing to do with Carlson, Niskanen, Kempny, when their defensive game fell off a cliff after Trotz left.

 

[caps4cup]

Reirden is considered a defenseman guru. His work with Niskanen, Carlson and Kempny at minimum and I would add Orlov and his reduced pizza number is pretty clear. So, the call him a complete bust was bogus.

Since the conversation was specific to Reirden being able to coach up defensemen his status as a HC was beside the point.

You realize that maaco was never arguing that Reirden was bad with defensemen? I’m not sure why you changed the subject to that, but he said that he felt the good defensive play under Trotz was more the system than the individual defensemen, which seems to be a pretty good opinion considering that the Caps were brutal defensively with Reirden at the helm. The three players that you gave TR credit for improving their game (Carlson, Niskanen, Kempny) all immediately regressed defensively once Reirden took over as well (as did pretty much the rest of the team). Reirden very well may have coached them up in Trotz’s system, but it’s pretty clear that Trotz’s system was the main reason for the Caps being so good defensively under his watch, not Reirden’s individual coaching ability.

 

[maacoshark]

Not sure that’s the consensus at all?

Dillon can also play either side.

Brodin - Carlson
Orlov - Dillon

or

Orlov - Carlson
Brodin - Dillon (shut down pair)

Orlov definitely struggles on the right side.
The guy we have that plays both sides well is Fehrevary.

 

[maacoshark]

You realize that maaco was never arguing that Reirden was bad with defensemen? I’m not sure why you changed the subject to that, but he said that he felt the good defensive play under Trotz was more the system than the individual defensemen, which seems to be a pretty good opinion considering that the Caps were brutal defensively with Reirden at the helm. The three players that you gave TR credit for improving their game (Carlson, Niskanen, Kempny) all immediately regressed defensively once Reirden took over as well (as did pretty much the rest of the team). Reirden very well may have coached them up in Trotz’s system, but it’s pretty clear that Trotz’s system was the main reason for the Caps being so good defensively under his watch, not Reirden’s individual coaching ability.

That is exactly what I was saying.