Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2021 "Season" Pt. 3

[twabby]

Your GIF, just like you posts, are dizzying. That is all.

Think of my avatar as being from the point of view of an opposing player shortly after Tom Wilson turns their brain into dog food with an illegal hit.

 

[DWGie26]

I like Sprong, but he is only spot duty top line. And Oshie needs to get more minutes (as Lavi has said). So i like
8-92-77
13-19-43
73-20-10
62-26-21
Think Panik might have to sit, but i like his game a lot. He brings speed and physical. Wish he could finish. Could even see a world where 13 sits. But 10 and 73 continue to put up points.

 

[DWGie26]

Think of it as being from the point of view of an opposing player shortly after Tom Wilson turns their brain into dog food.

Well then they should get out of his way and protect themselves. Which btw, NHL has successfully neutered him. He didn’t finish a single check in the last game.

 

[um]

My issue is that teams cheat over to Ovechkin and Backstrom/Kuznetsov are too pass-first to keep teams from doing that. PP last year was pretty easy for teams to defend because of that. We need another shooting threat out there imo.

Agreed but Vrana hasn’t really done that... yet.

 

[twabby]

Well then they should get out of his way and protect themselves. Which btw, NHL has successfully neutered him. He didn’t finish a single check in the last game.

That’s great news! Instead of chasing hits Tom Wilson can return to focusing on the task at hand: driving goal differential. He’s actually quite good at that when he isn’t involved in a sideshow like he was during the game against the Bruins where he earned his most recent suspension.

 

[txpd]

Patrick Sharp says the Caps are the best team in the league. Hmm

 

[ovikovy817]

Patrick Sharp says the Caps are the best team in the league. Hmm

Milbury, Pierre , Eddie need to teach him something about how you treat the Caps on national tv

 

[DWGie26]

I love when they asked Tom if he has thought about how he can change his game. And i paraphrase... “haven’t thought about it too much. Want to create time and space for my linemates...”. We need him to be physical. That is part of why stanley cup winner Sharpe likes us as the best team in NHL. Skilled. Fast. And physical. Now with good defense and goaltending. That is hard to compete against.

 

[Calicaps]

Patrick Sharp says the Caps are the best team in the league. Hmm

What does he know anyway? Where's the heat map?

 

[g00n]

That’s great news! Instead of chasing hits Tom Wilson can return to focusing on the task at hand: driving goal differential. He’s actually quite good at that when he isn’t involved in a sideshow like he was during the game against the Bruins where he earned his most recent suspension.

I know you disagree and think a team full of finesse players is ideal, but TW's physicality not only makes his game better but it also improves the chances for his teammates.

So no, don't change your game, Tom. Tell the media and the NHL and people like Twabby you are so they calm down. Then go out there and rattle some bones.

 

[txpd]

What does he know anyway? Where's the heat map?

 

[Eirikrautha]

Well then they should get out of his way and protect themselves. Which btw, NHL has successfully neutered him. He didn’t finish a single check in the last game.

He just did on his first shift against the Rags...

 

[Eirikrautha]

There's something flawed about the way the Caps play against the Rags in their own zone. I can't quite put my finger on it yet, but the Rags get way more zone time than other teams seem to. There's something they do that is different...

Oooops... meant to post this in the gameday thread...

 

[twabby]

I know you disagree and think a team full of finesse players is ideal, but TW's physicality not only makes his game better but it also improves the chances for his teammates.

So no, don't change your game, Tom. Tell the media and the NHL and people like Twabby you are so they calm down. Then go out there and rattle some bones.

He should play physical when it is the right thing to do. He shouldn’t chase hits like he was doing against the Bruins and Trent Frederic during the game that he earned his suspension. If hits aren’t available, don’t chase them. That’s all I’m saying.

 

[txpd]

The Capitals are built to hunt hits. The hit Wilson got suspended for was available. If he did anything suspendable it was in the application of the hit, not in finding it and taking it. Wilson would have gotten 15 games for the hit on Jensen today.

On the list of team characteristics the first one is they are big and they hit hard and often. Its how they win

 

[traparatus]

The Capitals are built to hunt hits. The hit Wilson got suspended for was available. If he did anything suspendable it was in the application of the hit, not in finding it and taking it. Wilson would have gotten 15 games for the hit on Jensen today.

On the list of team characteristics the first one is they are big and they hit hard and often. Its how they win

Hunting for hits is how Capitals lose and get Wilson suspended in the process.

Caps' fans need to get it through their heads. The way that we played when we won the Cup is no longer available. If that Cup run is replayed, Tom Wilson is suspended in the first round for the Wennberg play and IF he makes it back for the 2nd round, he is suspended for the rest of the playoffs for the ZAR hit. You can moan about it and reminisce about the good old days but this is the way it is.

Also, the list of Caps' players whose play is negatively effected by chasing hits is a lot longer than the list of those who benefit from it. Oshie is always one bad hit away from missing significant time. Wilson is one bad hit away from a season ending suspension. Hathaway/Hangelin/Dowd stopped chasing body contact and managed to become a much better line in the process. Backstrom and Ovechkin have to focus on remaining in good defensive position because they bleed enough scoring chances against even when they are not chasing body contact. Ditto for Dillon and Carlson.

 

[traparatus]

There's something flawed about the way the Caps play against the Rags in their own zone. I can't quite put my finger on it yet, but the Rags get way more zone time than other teams seem to. There's something they do that is different...

Oooops... meant to post this in the gameday thread...

Well, for one they have to close the passing lane from right side blue line to left side faceoff dot. It's like a double lane highway that's permanently open. Rangers could have scored four goals of that play today.

 

[txpd]

Hunting for hits is how Capitals lose and get Wilson suspended in the process.

Caps' fans need to get it through their heads. The way that we played when we won the Cup is no longer available. If that Cup run is replayed, Tom Wilson is suspended in the first round for the Wennberg play and IF he makes it back for the 2nd round, he is suspended for the rest of the playoffs for the ZAR hit. You can moan about it and reminisce about the good old days but this is the way it is.

Also, the list of Caps' players whose play is negatively effected by chasing hits is a lot longer than the list of those who benefit from it. Oshie is always one bad hit away from missing significant time. Wilson is one bad hit away from a season ending suspension. Hathaway/Hangelin/Dowd stopped chasing body contact and managed to become a much better line in the process. Backstrom and Ovechkin have to focus on remaining in good defensive position because they bleed enough scoring chances against even when they are not chasing body contact. Ditto for Dillon and Carlson.

The broadcast crew in studio today said it multiple times. The Caps beat you down and grind you to dust with their size and hits. It is how they play. Its how Laviolette says they play. Its how MacLellan says the roster is built. Its not a Caps fans thing.

Edit: Have you watched TJ Oshie play?

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Caps need to be physical to succeed.

 

[Melkor]

Wilson just needs to find a way to avoid head contact. No matter the size difference or the way the hit receiver positions himself for the impact. Avoid any head contact at all cost. If he can't or not sure he can - just abandon the hit altogether. It just doesn't worth it neither for him nor the team. Otherwise I don't mind him chasing anybody if he feels like it. Just needs to accept the fact he carries more responsibility for the point of contact than his target does.

 

[hb13xchamps]

Hunting for hits is how Capitals lose and get Wilson suspended in the process.

Caps' fans need to get it through their heads. The way that we played when we won the Cup is no longer available. If that Cup run is replayed, Tom Wilson is suspended in the first round for the Wennberg play and IF he makes it back for the 2nd round, he is suspended for the rest of the playoffs for the ZAR hit. You can moan about it and reminisce about the good old days but this is the way it is.

Also, the list of Caps' players whose play is negatively effected by chasing hits is a lot longer than the list of those who benefit from it. Oshie is always one bad hit away from missing significant time. Wilson is one bad hit away from a season ending suspension. Hathaway/Hangelin/Dowd stopped chasing body contact and managed to become a much better line in the process. Backstrom and Ovechkin have to focus on remaining in good defensive position because they bleed enough scoring chances against even when they are not chasing body contact. Ditto for Dillon and Carlson.

What are you talking about? Tampa won the cup last year because they added sandpaper to their soft as butter lineup that got humiliated by Columbus the year before. St. Louis was scrappy and not afraid to hit. The Caps were scrappy and not afraid to hit. The majority of the Stanley Cup winning teams the last 10+ years played a more “heavy” style of play.

 

[traparatus]

The broadcast crew in studio today said it multiple times. The Caps beat you down and grind you to dust with their size and hits. It is how they play. Its how Laviolette says they play. Its how MacLellan says the roster is built. Its not a Caps fans thing.

Edit: Have you watched TJ Oshie play?

We JUST spent 7 games without Tom Wilson. The team played the best hockey of the season by simply playing the game and taking whatever hits were readily available. Of course, Caps are going to make more contact than most teams. They are big, old and slower than all other contenders. Not chasing hits doesn't mean you can't hit. I don't get how people watch this team play good hockey, win games, not chase hits, not concuss anybody and immediately turn around and say 'I hope we go back to playing the way we did in that game where Wilson got suspended and the Caps got absolutely obliterated'.

Caps are the slowest contending team in the league. Every big hit that they chase puts them out of position defensively. Wilson can just play the game and separate players from the puck instead of trying to separate their heads from the body.

Play the game like Chara. The guy is old and slow, he knows his limitations and just makes the best play available. He is more experienced and wiser than damn near anybody in the league. He has efficiency of movement and quality of decision making to rival the best defensemen in the league. To me, he is the epitome of Caps right now.

 

[kmart]

Hunting for hits is how Capitals lose and get Wilson suspended in the process.

Caps' fans need to get it through their heads. The way that we played when we won the Cup is no longer available. If that Cup run is replayed, Tom Wilson is suspended in the first round for the Wennberg play and IF he makes it back for the 2nd round, he is suspended for the rest of the playoffs for the ZAR hit. You can moan about it and reminisce about the good old days but this is the way it is.

Also, the list of Caps' players whose play is negatively effected by chasing hits is a lot longer than the list of those who benefit from it. Oshie is always one bad hit away from missing significant time. Wilson is one bad hit away from a season ending suspension. Hathaway/Hangelin/Dowd stopped chasing body contact and managed to become a much better line in the process. Backstrom and Ovechkin have to focus on remaining in good defensive position because they bleed enough scoring chances against even when they are not chasing body contact. Ditto for Dillon and Carlson.

this is such a black and white way on looking at it... hunting for hits =/= "the way that we played when we won the cup"

besides, if the alternative to not hunting for hits is reirden hockey, i want them to hunt and get suspended, rather play on the edge and gamble than die slowly. i understand u need to be smart about physical play nowadays and they have to improve on it for sure. hitting/physical play is more like a team strategy - i dont care if individuals dont benefit from it as long as it brings dubs

 

[traparatus]

What are you talking about? Tampa won the cup last year because they added sandpaper to their soft as butter lineup that got humiliated by Columbus the year before. St. Louis was scrappy and not afraid to hit. The Caps were scrappy and not afraid to hit. The majority of the Stanley Cup winning teams the last 10+ years played a more “heavy” style of play.

I don't know how I can say any different. If Wilson makes that Wennberg hit from our Cup run this year, he is done. Adapt or die.

Plenty of teams have grit, sandpaper, whatever you want to call without crossing the line into concussions and suspension territory.

 

[txpd]

We JUST spent 7 games without Tom Wilson. The team played the best hockey of the season by simply playing the game and taking whatever hits were readily available.

Well, then trade Wilson. Every other team in the league wants him. Seriously, Wilson wasnt playing but Ovechkin was and Oshie and Hathaway and Dowd and Dillon and Chara and Orlov. The team is built to bash. Thats the point.

I am not alone thinking that. The first thing Laviolette said about the team when hired was they are big and they are physical