Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2021 Off-Season Pt. 1

[Langway]

His answer is basically what I said without slamming the door and saying something negative. Yes, if he has a big off season and comes in as McGretzky, he is playing. But they dont have plans for him to be on the team and arent pushing for that.

But it also wasn't so bearish that they put him below Alexeyev in terms of call-up readiness as posted. He's in the mix. Up to him to steal someone's job.

 

[txpd]

There is a problem at C and we have to be honest about it. Kuzy is on the trade bloc and Backstrom is a big fat question mark due to his hip.

CMM has to see the possibility of trade or injury creating an opening on the roster at some point, so why wouldn't a professional prepare for that?

Prospects trying to crack the lineup are always looking for their chance. Only a fool would wait to be handed a roster spot based on draft potential and THEN start preparing. I don't want guys like that. I hope GMBM doesn't, either.

I am confident that MacLellan has told the kid where things stand and what their expectations and opportunities are. I suppose he could have told the media that he wasnt pushing the kid and then told the kid that there was a lineup spot likely open that he wasnt going to fill. Who knows

 

[g00n]

I am confident that MacLellan has told the kid where things stand and what their expectations and opportunities are. I suppose he could have told the media that he wasnt pushing the kid and then told the kid that there was a lineup spot likely open that he wasnt going to fill. Who knows

It's the smart thing to do. Give the political answer. Keep options open. Don't put media pressure on the kid yet.

 

[txpd]

There is a problem at C and we have to be honest about it. Kuzy is on the trade bloc and Backstrom is a big fat question mark due to his hip.

CMM has to see the possibility of trade or injury creating an opening on the roster at some point, so why wouldn't a professional prepare for that?

Prospects trying to crack the lineup are always looking for their chance. Only a fool would wait to be handed a roster spot based on draft potential and THEN start preparing. I don't want guys like that. I hope GMBM doesn't, either.

I am confident that MacLellan has told the kid where things stand and what their expectations and opportunities are. I suppose he could have told the media that he wasnt pushing the kid and then told the kid that there was a lineup spot likely open that he wasnt going to fill. Who knows

 

[txpd]

It's the smart thing to do. Give the political answer. Keep options open. Don't put media pressure on the kid yet.

Except the answer regarding Fehervary and Alexeyev was different

 

[g00n]

Except the answer regarding Fehervary and Alexeyev was different

He said Feverbaby is "ready" and AA will get some games.

CMM has 33 games as a Bear in one season. Fever has 2 seasons under his belt, is a year older, and is a D man instead of a forward. Same situation for AA. Positionally it might be less sensitive and they have more experience already.

I don't see why Gmbm would be talking about moving up two 21 year olds with 2 AHL seasons but not considering moving up a 20 year old with one season and a "good offseason".

 

[Silky mitts]

Happy 4th!

 

[HTFN]

I dunno, pro athletes can make great strides in offseasons if they really focus on an individual training program. A blue chip prospect should be able to accelerate his "schedule" for advancement if he really wants to.

Some guys need the reps at lower levels and nothing else will get them there. Special players do much more on their own.

So if a guy really can't make the leap when there's a clear opportunity, how good is he really?

Some guys' brains are their best assets and might skate like, say, Mark Stone but their brain lets them play at an NHL level.

You can't see that if you're focused on his tools.

 

[Jags]

I take MacLellan at his word that they dont expecxt McMichael to be on the team. As an injury fill in it certainly could, but where do you think he fits into a healthy lineup?

Not every center prospect starts in the NHL as a center. No reason he can't play some wing.

From an interview with The Athletic...

The Caps project you as a center. If there are no spots available in the middle next season, would you be comfortable playing on the wing?

Yeah, for sure. I’ve done it on previous teams. I played wing in world juniors last year, the whole tournament actually. So I’m used to playing wing. That’s one of my qualities: I’m able to move up and down the lineup, whatever line, whatever position. So that’s something that I have in my game. So if a center position is not open, I’ll gladly take a wing position, for sure.

There will be opportunities, we just need to take advantage of them. I understand we've been pretty stacked the last few years, but there were chances to give young players more opportunities and we always opted to bring in a vet instead. Trotz had a history of that, but now that it's continued with 2 more coaches, it might be MacLellan that's gun-shy about it.

For a cash-strapped team, developing young, cost-controlled players is crucial. VV played well when we were forced to use him, as did Schmidt and Stephenson. And Jaskin is blowing up these days, too. We should be using the 82-game season to break these guys in and see if they have what it takes instead of wasting all of their most cost effective years waiting for them to blossom versus lesser talent.

I'm not saying we should adopt a sink-or-swim approach. Helping them learn to swim in the actual water wouldn't hurt though...

 

[txpd]

Not every center prospect starts in the NHL as a center. No reason he can't play some wing.

From an interview with The Athletic...



There will be opportunities, we just need to take advantage of them. I understand we've been pretty stacked the last few years, but there were chances to give young players more opportunities and we always opted to bring in a vet instead. Trotz had a history of that, but now that it's continued with 2 more coaches, it might be MacLellan that's gun-shy about it.

For a cash-strapped team, developing young, cost-controlled players is crucial. VV played well when we were forced to use him, as did Schmidt and Stephenson. And Jaskin is blowing up these days, too. We should be using the 82-game season to break these guys in and see if they have what it takes instead of wasting all of their most cost effective years waiting for them to blossom versus lesser talent.

I'm not saying we should adopt a sink-or-swim approach. Helping them learn to swim in the actual water wouldn't hurt though...

Ok...the question is the same one. In a healthy lineup where is he slotted?

 

[Hivemind]

Ok...the question is the same one. In a healthy lineup where is he slotted?

3LW after Seattle takes Sprong

 

[txpd]

3LW after Seattle takes Sprong

If no Sprong, I could see that. I dont see Seattle taking Sprong, though. If Sprong left, then I think they would keep Raffl. That wouldnt be popular.

My feeling is that the Caps will return to their pre pandemic roster/cap management of keeping their spare players at Hershey and paying for the minimum number of healthy scratch days

 

[um]

Ok...the question is the same one. In a healthy lineup where is he slotted?

Wouldn't say Sheary or Sprong have any 3rd line spot locked down.

 

[txpd]

Wouldn't say Sheary or Sprong have any 3rd line spot locked down.

My take is that they do based on their cap hit. I suppose Sheary could stink it up in camp but he did sign a 2 year contract. Laviolette likes his game. Sprong is another story. Laviolette doesnt like his game but he makes less than McMichael would be.

McMichael will have to play someone off the team. It will be interested to watch and see if he can force the issue

 

[um]

My take is that they do based on their cap hit. I suppose Sheary could stink it up in camp but he did sign a 2 year contract. Laviolette likes his game. Sprong is another story. Laviolette doesnt like his game but he makes less than McMichael would be.

McMichael will have to play someone off the team. It will be interested to watch and see if he can force the issue

Sheary could play on the 4th or end up the 13th forward. Sprong is less likely for the 4th but he could become another press box player as he was before.

I agree that McMichael or anyone else will have to earn it.

 

[txpd]

Sheary could play on the 4th or end up the 13th forward. Sprong is less likely for the 4th but he could become another press box player as he was before.

I agree that McMichael or anyone else will have to earn it.

I doubt that Laviolette messes with the Dowd line. Those wingers play more than Eller's wingers do. I dont think the Caps are going to keep spare players on a healthy roster. We will see

 

[ManixLiquid]

Habs fan here coming in peace. What's the latest on Ovechkin? I'm surprised he haven't signed a new contract already.

 

[Jags]

Speculation is that the contract is done and sitting in a drawer, waiting for expansion to be done.

 

[txpd]

If it weren't done there would be heads exploding and hair on fire. There is none of that. The media insiders know there is no story there

 

[ManixLiquid]

Speculation is that the contract is done and sitting in a drawer, waiting for expansion to be done.

But Seattle can draft Ovechkin if he is an unprotected UFA, right? Not like he would ever signed there, just wondering...

 

[searle]

But Seattle can draft Ovechkin if he is an unprotected UFA, right? Not like he would ever signed there, just wondering...

Technically yes, but it'd be a waste when there's no chance he'd ever put on their jersey, it'd just slightly tarnish his history of being a cap his whole career

 

[Hivemind]

But Seattle can draft Ovechkin if he is an unprotected UFA, right? Not like he would ever signed there, just wondering...

They can. But unless he signs there, he just goes back to being a UFA and then Washington signs him. So Seattle isn’t going to draft Ovie.
Caps did the same with Oshie and the Vegas expansion (as did a bunch of other teams).

 

[Holtbyisms]

They can. But unless he signs there, he just goes back to being a UFA and then Washington signs him. So Seattle isn’t going to draft Ovie.
Caps did the same with Oshie and the Vegas expansion (as did a bunch of other teams).

Be about as successful as the time Florida drafted him.

 

[Hivemind]

Be about as successful as the time Florida drafted him.

I still give Florida massive props for trying that. What a baller move.

 

[SherVaughn30]

I still give Florida massive props for trying that. What a baller move.

Technically, Florida picked him but he wasn't on the draft list, the NHL denied the Panthers and we all know the NHL fixed it so we get him(a lot of the generational players drafted 1st overall have been fixed).