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

[tenken00]

Yes I was a bit surprised Lavi didn't bring in his own guy and stayed with whats in house.

Yeah, it was kind of a weird year because of the coronavirus. Reirden-Laviolette was the only head coaching change in the entire league, so no one else at all is experiencing what the Caps are going through right now.

Maybe Lavi would have opted for bringing in his own guys or maybe he would have stuck to trying to keep as much continuity as he can if it was a regular year. I have no idea.

Just thought that with 2 youngsters right now, it sure would have been nice.

 

[tenken00]

and I’m saying.....what if maybe the goalies are what they are?

Well sure, then we're screwed anyways . Still would have been worth it. And we easily had the option to.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Well sure, than we're screwed anyways . Still would have been worth it. And we easily had the option to.

I hope someone (reporter) asks Lavi or GMBM...but what if it came out that he vetted all coaching positions and felt like Murray was the best option? I assume he was able to vet his own staff choices but who knows....

 

[Ridley Simon]

IMO, Vanacek’s biggest issue is that he doesn’t have anyone else share the net with. He’s being overplayed now, and it’s hurting him and the team. He’s always had a close to 50/50 split on net time, and he’s got nothing close to that now.

a lot of goalies (especially young ones) benefit from a shared crease. The other G has a great game, it pulls you up to deliver the same, and if you don’t, then you can get a one game break and come right back at it. He doesn’t have that, and in my opinion that is the largest issue.

team badly need someone else to share the net with him. Samsonov cannot come up soon enough, even if he’s not playing as well as we’d all like.

 

[crazy8888]

IMO, Vanacek’s biggest issue is that he doesn’t have anyone else share the net with. He’s being overplayed now, and it’s hurting him and the team. He’s always had a close to 50/50 split on net time, and he’s got nothing close to that now.

a lot of goalies (especially young ones) benefit from a shared crease. The other G has a great game, it pulls you up to deliver the same, and if you don’t, then you can get a one game break and come right back at it. He doesn’t have that, and in my opinion that is the largest issue.

team badly need someone else to share the net with him. Samsonov cannot come up soon enough, even if he’s not playing as well as we’d all like.

I completely agree. Kinda crazy to expect your backup to instantly take over the #1 job. This also speaks volumes to how bad the goaltending depth is. No way Anderson doesent get more start is Lavi has any confidence in him at all.

 

[HecticGlow]

Your right we should have paid for a legit starting goaltender, while also adding to the bottom six, upgrading the defense, keeping our small list of prospects moving up the chain, and allowing ourselves to resign our older vets. It was really poor planning by GMBM.

Are you really suggesting that a cap contender budgeting only $2.5 million (Samsonov and Lundqvist) for your goaltending tandem so they can upgrade their bottom six and bottom pairing is good management?? With no room to manoeuvre if your ageing vet and immature prospect don’t combine for elite-level goaltending? But no, you’re right, having Carl Hagelin, Dillon or Schultz on the team is way more important than having a proven goaltender.

If all three of their current top three goaltenders were on the roster together, they’d still have a lower cap hit than Richard Panik.

It seems to me that their concern was that Samsonov might struggle with a heavy load, rather than struggle to stop pucks at all. Given he was coming off an injury, zero games played in 10 months and had mixed results in his one NHL season, assuming he was going to be solid was quite an assumption. And rather uncharacteristic of Caps management, given their usual outlook on young players (just look at how cautious they’ve been letting young guys like Vrana, Fehevary and Siegenthaler get good ice time over established vets).

 

[HecticGlow]

I completely agree. Kinda crazy to expect your backup to instantly take over the #1 job. This also speaks volumes to how bad the goaltending depth is. No way Anderson doesent get more start is Lavi has any confidence in him at all.

But then that’s exactly what they were looking for Samsonov to do – 26 games as a backup and he’s the number 1. What would’ve happened if Vanecek had stumbled out of the gate? Do any of us really believe Craig Anderson would be starting games, given their reluctance to use him in the current circumstances?

 

[um]

IMO, Vanacek’s biggest issue is that he doesn’t have anyone else share the net with. He’s being overplayed now, and it’s hurting him and the team. He’s always had a close to 50/50 split on net time, and he’s got nothing close to that now.

a lot of goalies (especially young ones) benefit from a shared crease. The other G has a great game, it pulls you up to deliver the same, and if you don’t, then you can get a one game break and come right back at it. He doesn’t have that, and in my opinion that is the largest issue.

team badly need someone else to share the net with him. Samsonov cannot come up soon enough, even if he’s not playing as well as we’d all like.

Im confused why the Caps bothered to go get Anderson. It seems they have no intention of using him.

 

[hb13xchamps]

Im confused why the Caps bothered to go get Anderson. It seems they have no intention of using him.

Depth is the easy answer. Don’t want to risk having to play Zach Fucale (if it ever came to that) who has barely been an AHL player. Plus, I wonder if Anderson has an interest in coaching when he’s done and he sees this as being a coaching/mentor opportunity as well.

 

[Hivemind]

The goaltending hasn't been a strength this season, nobody is contending that. But it also hasn't been any worse than the rest of the team's play. The Caps are 26th in the league in team sv% (not good), but it's only 1.3% behind Philadelphia for being league median. The Caps are 31st in the league in xGF%, 30th in the league in CF%, 30th in the league in GA/G, 28th in the league in FF%, 26th in the league in SA/G, 25th in the league in SF/G, and 24th in the league in penalty differential.

The goaltending hasn't been good, but the rest of the team's play has been just as bad or worse. They've been propped up by a good powerplay and a bunch of OT points at the beginning of the season. You can blame some of this on the COVID-Caps roster, but that has also impacted the goaltending by forcing Vanecek to start 10 straight games. Sammy played well last season and barely got his feet wet this season before getting sidelined by a worldwide pandemic. So there's a potential solution (fingers crossed) to the goaltending woes that already on this roster (and at the very worst lets Vitek get some rest and a proper workload management). The rest of the team's woes don't have such an obvious fix, aside of hoping that Laviolette rights the ship.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Are you really suggesting that a cap contender budgeting only $2.5 million (Samsonov and Lundqvist) for your goaltending tandem so they can upgrade their bottom six and bottom pairing is good management?? With no room to manoeuvre if your ageing vet and immature prospect don’t combine for elite-level goaltending? But no, you’re right, having Carl Hagelin, Dillon or Schultz on the team is way more important than having a proven goaltender.

If all three of their current top three goaltenders were on the roster together, they’d still have a lower cap hit than Richard Panik.

It seems to me that their concern was that Samsonov might struggle with a heavy load, rather than struggle to stop pucks at all. Given he was coming off an injury, zero games played in 10 months and had mixed results in his one NHL season, assuming he was going to be solid was quite an assumption. And rather uncharacteristic of Caps management, given their usual outlook on young players (just look at how cautious they’ve been letting young guys like Vrana, Fehevary and Siegenthaler get good ice time over established vets).

Goaltending is hit or miss these days. You can pay your goalies a fortune like Bobrovsky and they play like AHL goalies. You can have rookies come out of nowhere like Murray and they win you 2 Stanley Cups, before they go back to being AHL level goalies again.

The amount of money we pay for our goaltenders isn't so important considering how most NHL goalies are unreliable, at least you usually get what you pay for with depth forwards and D. We were in a similar situation over 10 years ago when Varlamov emerged and it was him or Theodore in net.

You can insulate mediocre/inexperienced goaltending by solid team play. VV has done everything he could considering he's never played in the NHL before. Samsonov is expected to perform based on what we've seen this year. The rest is up to our defense to tighten up and make it easier back there for our netminders.

 

[um]

Depth is the easy answer. Don’t want to risk having to play Zach Fucale (if it ever came to that) who has barely been an AHL player. Plus, I wonder if Anderson has an interest in coaching when he’s done and he sees this as being a coaching/mentor opportunity as well.

He's our backup goalie so he can get coaching experiance?

I want a back up goalie who can play once in awhile.

 

[trick9]

Breaking news: young goalies go cold at times.

Also are we really surprised Sammy is struggling out of gates? He hasn't played in a year.

Geez. We should worry more about the bigger issues like team defense and forward lines 2-4.

 

[g00n]

I can't be the only one who thinks this team is a sleeping giant.

 

[tenken00]

I can't be the only one who thinks this team is a sleeping giant.

In the "Around the NHL" thread last week, there was a lot of talk about what connected all 3 recent Stanley Cup winners (in comparison to Pittsburgh's speedy teams the Cups prior). Some people said size. Others said it the right mix of size and speed.

In my mind, what connected the last 3 Stanley Cup winners that stood out the most was: Struggle. All 3 teams struggled mightily during one point in the season and came out battle-tested.

The 2018 Caps story, we all know it. How around the dog days of winter, we were bad. Real bad. Rumors of Trotz getting fired midseason even during a lame duck year. The Holtby benching. We weren't even sure if this team that won the last 2 President's trophies would even make the playoffs.

The 2019 Blues is also a well known story. In last place at Christmas. Not last place in the division. Last place in the league.

The 2020 Lightning, even though it's recent history, people forget that they started out really really really bad last year. They were coming into last season fresh off that horrible upset to the Blue Jackets the playoffs before. Vasilevsky was bad. They couldn't score. They were near the bottom of the Atlantic for a good chunk of the year.

All 3 Champions then started getting better little by little and by the time the playoffs started, they were firing on all cylinders.

I don't know if we could apply those examples to the 2021 Caps seeing that there are only 56 games this season. But I don't mind a little struggle. And its better to struggle early than late. As long as they come together at the end, that's what matters.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Im confused why the Caps bothered to go get Anderson. It seems they have no intention of using him.

Don’t know. Would’ve thought he’d have gotten a start by now

 

[hb13xchamps]

He's our backup goalie so he can get coaching experiance?

I want a back up goalie who can play once in awhile.

He’s our current backup only because he fits under the salary cap. Would you rather have had Fucale, a guy who is an AHL/ECHL tweener, be the starter if Vitek gets hurt during Samsonov’s COVID stint? Anderson was going to the the third string from the beginning anyway.

Also, do you guys remember the slim pickings that were available at that time? The choices were basically Anderson, Jimmy Howard and Corey Crawford in terms of older goaltenders with starters experience IIRC. Two of those guys are currently sitting at home enjoying retirement.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

In the "Around the NHL" thread last week, there was a lot of talk about what connected all 3 recent Stanley Cup winners (in comparison to Pittsburgh's speedy teams the Cups prior). Some people said size. Others said it the right mix of size and speed.

In my mind, what connected the last 3 Stanley Cup winners that stood out the most was: Struggle. All 3 teams struggled mightily during one point in the season and came out battle-tested.

The 2018 Caps story, we all know it. How around the dog days of winter, we were bad. Real bad. Rumors of Trotz getting fired midseason even during a lame duck year. The Holtby benching. We weren't even sure if this team that won the last 2 President's trophies would even make the playoffs.

The 2019 Blues is also a well known story. In last place at Christmas. Not last place in the division. Last place in the league.

The 2020 Lightning, even though it's recent history, people forget that they started out really really really bad last year. They were coming into last season fresh off that horrible upset to the Blue Jackets the playoffs before. Vasilevsky was bad. They couldn't score. They were near the bottom of the Atlantic for a good chunk of the year.

All 3 Champions then started getting better little by little and by the time the playoffs started, they were firing on all cylinders.

I don't know if we could apply those examples to the 2021 Caps seeing that there are only 56 games this season. But I don't mind a little struggle. And its better to struggle early than late. As long as they come together at the end, that's what matters.

it’s almost always been about who gets hot at the right time...

 

[traparatus]

In the "Around the NHL" thread last week, there was a lot of talk about what connected all 3 recent Stanley Cup winners (in comparison to Pittsburgh's speedy teams the Cups prior). Some people said size. Others said it the right mix of size and speed.

In my mind, what connected the last 3 Stanley Cup winners that stood out the most was: Struggle. All 3 teams struggled mightily during one point in the season and came out battle-tested.

The 2018 Caps story, we all know it. How around the dog days of winter, we were bad. Real bad. Rumors of Trotz getting fired midseason even during a lame duck year. The Holtby benching. We weren't even sure if this team that won the last 2 President's trophies would even make the playoffs.

The 2019 Blues is also a well known story. In last place at Christmas. Not last place in the division. Last place in the league.

The 2020 Lightning, even though it's recent history, people forget that they started out really really really bad last year. They were coming into last season fresh off that horrible upset to the Blue Jackets the playoffs before. Vasilevsky was bad. They couldn't score. They were near the bottom of the Atlantic for a good chunk of the year.

All 3 Champions then started getting better little by little and by the time the playoffs started, they were firing on all cylinders.

I don't know if we could apply those examples to the 2021 Caps seeing that there are only 56 games this season. But I don't mind a little struggle. And its better to struggle early than late. As long as they come together at the end, that's what matters.

It's certainly possible to struggle at points during the season and come out on top. However, the list of teams that struggled early, struggled in the middle, struggled late and won absolutely nothing is much-much longer.

For me, this is the worst defensive system I have seen Caps play since the days of Adam Oates. If Laviolette's name was Reirden, he'd be getting absolutely crucified. I'm watching plays on both sides of the ice that I cannot begin to understand. Like, Chara following an opposition forward in the D-zone out to the top of the circles and having Kuznetsov rotate and try to cover the front of the net. In what world does that make any sense?

The second Rust goal last game just blew my mind. Carlson looks like he has never played hockey in his life. Literally watches the puck go by him at 20 milles an hour, right on the tape of Rust who doesn't have a single Cap within 15 feet of him. In the mean time, the goalie is contemplating what's for dinner.

Right now, this is the easiest team to score on in the league, bar none. The only reason we are not the last team in the division is Vanecek playing well above expectations for a whole month.

 

[tenken00]

It's certainly possible to struggle at points during the season and come out on top. However, the list of teams that struggled early, struggled in the middle, struggled late and won absolutely nothing is much-much longer.

For me, this is the worst defensive system I have seen Caps play since the days of Adam Oates. If Laviolette's name was Reirden, he'd be getting absolutely crucified. I'm watching plays on both sides of the ice that I cannot begin to understand. Like, Chara following an opposition forward in the D-zone out to the top of the circles and having Kuznetsov rotate and try to cover the front of the net. In what world does that make any sense?

The second Rust goal last game just blew my mind. Carlson looks like he has never played hockey in his life. Literally watches the puck go by him at 20 milles an hour, right on the tape of Rust who doesn't have a single Cap within 15 feet of him. In the mean time, the goalie is contemplating what's for dinner.

Right now, this is the easiest team to score on in the league, bar none. The only reason we are not the last team in the division is Vanecek playing well above expectations for a whole month.

Of course. There can only be one winner.

But I feel that while a team facing real adversity doesn't automatically make you a champion, it is a prerequisite to being a champion in this day and age. Not like the 2016 + 2017 Caps or the 2018 + 2019 Lightning.

 

[g00n]

It's certainly possible to struggle at points during the season and come out on top. However, the list of teams that struggled early, struggled in the middle, struggled late and won absolutely nothing is much-much longer.

For me, this is the worst defensive system I have seen Caps play since the days of Adam Oates. If Laviolette's name was Reirden, he'd be getting absolutely crucified. I'm watching plays on both sides of the ice that I cannot begin to understand. Like, Chara following an opposition forward in the D-zone out to the top of the circles and having Kuznetsov rotate and try to cover the front of the net. In what world does that make any sense?

The second Rust goal last game just blew my mind. Carlson looks like he has never played hockey in his life. Literally watches the puck go by him at 20 milles an hour, right on the tape of Rust who doesn't have a single Cap within 15 feet of him. In the mean time, the goalie is contemplating what's for dinner.

Right now, this is the easiest team to score on in the league, bar none. The only reason we are not the last team in the division is Vanecek playing well above expectations for a whole month.

True, but teams with rosters like ours don't usually stink all year.

Agree on the odd defensive system. How hard is it to pull a d-man high when you see a mismatch down low? Not hard. Very easy to find players uncovered.

Was thinking the same thing about the Oates man to man system part 2. I don't want to see Chara above the dot or away from the slot until the breakout. Same goes for any "stay at home" guy.

 

[traparatus]

Of course. There can only be one winner.

But I feel that while a team facing real adversity doesn't automatically make you a champion, it is a prerequisite to being a champion in this day and age. Not like the 2016 + 2017 Caps or the 2018 + 2019 Lightning.

I do agree with that. Having easy regular season success dooms teams in modern NHL.

Still, I think that both coaching and management of this team has gone off the rails. I'm fully prepared to be convinced of being wrong but I don't understand it. How much useless depth do you really need? Why sign Anderson if he is clearly not capable of sparing an obviously overworked rookie for a single game?

We spend a whole season trying to make Panik into a right winger. He is finally moved to left wing, his proper spot, and becomes the most effective bottom-6 player on the team. New season starts and he is right back in the wrong spot, playing like shit.

We spend the whole season waiting for Jensen to come around. He is our best defenseman late last season and in the playoffs. He starts this season great and... immediately gets his ass healthy scratched. He eventually gets re-inserted back into the line up and is an absolute nervous wreck, tripping over his own feet.

We lose two starting centers long term. We have two back up centers traveling with the team. Playing second line center is... Oshie, a 34 year old who has never played center in his life. If, at the age of 25, Brian Pinho cannot play 4th line center when the team is missing two regulars, what the hell is a possible reason for having this player around?

Like I said, I haven't been this confused by what the Caps are trying to do since they stepped into the dog turd of head coaching that was Adam Oates.

 

[racingmoose]

Don’t know. Would’ve thought he’d have gotten a start by now

They put themselves in a bind with the salary cap. Phoenix Copley is a capable goalie and could be getting games but they can't fit him under the salary cap. Apparently, Anderson is just there as a cheap emergency option.

 

[HecticGlow]

We lose two starting centers long term. We have two back up centers traveling with the team. Playing second line center is... Oshie, a 34 year old who has never played center in his life. If, at the age of 25, Brian Pinho cannot play 4th line center when the team is missing two regulars, what the hell is a possible reason for having this player around?

Pinho was our 4C when Kuzy first went out, and then got injured around the same time as Eller. He wasn’t available. We had an AHLer and Oshie as centers because the closet was empty - everyone else fit to play wasn’t NHL quality, including unfortunately McMichael. Logically the most qualified person to play 2C when Eller went out was Dowd, which isn’t ideal either in skill set or because it would mean breaking up his line. Oshie to C allowed them to keep only top-nine guys in their top-six. I think, again, the lack of options is more on GMBM than the coaching staff - if we’d kept or replaced Boyd or Stephenson we’d be in a different position.

Likewise, Panik has played at LW multiple times this season, with a variety of linemates. Hasn’t made him productive.

 

[g00n]

All I have to say is we questioned Trotz a shit-ton when he was making bonkers line combos and seemingly throwing everything at the wall to see what would stick. Then we got to the playoffs in 2018 and "next man up" took over after some injuries and suspensions, and we know what happened.

Not saying coaching or mgmt are perfect but there may be some method to the madness, and some things going on behind the scenes in a unique year.

But it certainly does suck to lose 4 or more games in a row and all 3 so far to the Pens. No fun.