Speculation: Caps Roster General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2022-23 Season Part 3: Drop the puck!

[SecretaryofDefense5]

That stinks.

 

[Midnight Judges]

I will be thrilled if Fehervary was only being dragged down by Carlson and that a new partner is all that it takes to get him being a legit top 4 defensive player.



This follows a trend for Fehervary this season: excellent defensive results:

View attachment 601603

The offensive impact isn’t there this season but the defense has improved significantly. I think the jury is still out because 10 games is still a small sample, but so far so good. Hard to ask more of him defensively. Hopefully he can add some more offensive elements to his game as he gets more comfortable.

Does this indicate that Orlov was pretty bad? Seems to me he played well enough.

 

[zappa4ever]

That stinks.

Well at least now we know what the injury is, and the timeline is usually right after that 6 month mark. Bummer.

If we get an update/timeline on Timothy Jimothy at least that'll help GMBM decide some things

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

maybe we can regain a comp draft pick when he signs for his new team next season

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

That stinks.

Brutal……but possible silver lining, maybe they resign him on the cheap next deal now, at least maybe for a year or 2. He won’t exactly be a coveted UFA….

 

[twabby]

Does this indicate that Orlov was pretty bad? Seems to me he played well enough.

Yes it indicates he didn't have a great game in terms of driving play.

I'm not as familiar with the game score model as other models, but I think it hurts that Orlov was on the ice for a goal against and wasn't on the ice for any goals for. On top of not having a great xG differential for the game.

 

[um]

I’m going to give my last thoughts on this. Send him to Hershey and let him develop if he isn’t good enough to play on the roster. Fin.

That all being said, with Brown out for the season, Oshie out indefinitely, they need help. What is BMac going to do for his next trick?

Probably nothing. This happened last season and the youngsters did a decent job filling the gap.

Wilson is back next month, I think its too early to panic.

That stinks.

In a UFA year as well, poor guy.

 

[Marshall]

Well, anybody worried about the kids not playing should be happier now. Yikes.

 

[twabby]

I do wonder how their power play will change with all of their right wings dead.

Here are their current healthy forwards who shoot right-handed: Alex Ovechkin, Garnet Hathaway, Nic Dowd. Everyone else is a lefty.

If they are going to keep their current setup they either have to put a lefty in the bumper spot as they did last game, or it'll have to be Hathaway/Dowd. Dowd actually intrigues me as an option. He's got a pretty good shot and a bit of a nose for the net, and he can also help win faceoffs.

It just seems tough to have a lefty in that spot because they aren't a shooting threat at all in the current setup. It's too hard for the half-wall or the down-low guy to get the puck to a lefty in that position.

Sound off in the comments how you would address the PP!

 

[max21]

Why do they wait so long to announce injuries? Same with Wilson last year

 

[pman25]

I do wonder how their power play will change with all of their right wings dead.

Here are their current healthy forwards who shoot right-handed: Alex Ovechkin, Garnet Hathaway, Nic Dowd. Everyone else is a lefty.

If they are going to keep their current setup they either have to put a lefty in the bumper spot as they did last game, or it'll have to be Hathaway/Dowd. Dowd actually intrigues me as an option. He's got a pretty good shot and a bit of a nose for the net, and he can also help win faceoffs.

It just seems tough to have a lefty in that spot because they aren't a shooting threat at all in the current setup. It's too hard for the half-wall or the down-low guy to get the puck to a lefty in that position.

Sound off in the comments how you would address the PP!

Dowd already takes all the SH toi so PP might be tough to add to his plate but sure why not!

I also said they could shift Ovi to bumper and have someone more mobile in the traditional Ovi spot. Some teams play guys on their strong hand on the half wall / point. They could set up a lefty one timer like they do now on the half wall (Strome/Manatha) instead of the righty one timer where Ovi plays. Of course i say that and he bombed one last night so whatever. But I maintain that Ovi will probably score from anywhere on the man advantage

They could do Kuznetsov/Orlov or Kuznetsov/Gus up top, Strome half wall, Ovi bumper, and Johansson as the low man.

 

[ScruggsCO]

Why do they wait so long to announce injuries? Same with Wilson last year

There were a lot of unknowns with the injury. Doctors had to wait for the swelling to go down before assessing if surgery was needed. It was a long process and announcement had to wait until procedures happened so that the recovery time was known.

 

[Roshi]

Sick luck with Brown… thats a missed 2nd rounder for us and a missed career season chance for Brown. He isnt getting more than 1-2 years next summer with that injury glooming on the background..

Also opens up more cap for further moves..

So how about that kid Connor McMichael, any opinions if Caps should play him more?

 

[Langway]

So how about that kid Connor McMichael, any opinions if Caps should play him more?

I'm unfamiliar with this player.

 

[RedRocking]

I do wonder how their power play will change with all of their right wings dead.

Here are their current healthy forwards who shoot right-handed: Alex Ovechkin, Garnet Hathaway, Nic Dowd. Everyone else is a lefty.

If they are going to keep their current setup they either have to put a lefty in the bumper spot as they did last game, or it'll have to be Hathaway/Dowd. Dowd actually intrigues me as an option. He's got a pretty good shot and a bit of a nose for the net, and he can also help win faceoffs.

It just seems tough to have a lefty in that spot because they aren't a shooting threat at all in the current setup. It's too hard for the half-wall or the down-low guy to get the puck to a lefty in that position.

Sound off in the comments how you would address the PP!

Yea, beyond having an additional solid puck mover on the PP, putting a lefty in the bumper is useless in their setup. No one (except maybe Ovi) can get a pass into their wheelhouse (TM Craig Laughlin) to shoot. And they’re so crowded it’s not worth just passing to/from. PK’ers always swarm anyone else we put into Ovi’s office, and the puck quickly goes the other way.

If putting Dowd or Hathaway there is too much work, then why don’t we abandon the bumper, and send the guy to the other side of the crease to be available for seam passes, back door looks, or to play Ovi rebounds.

Most good goalies kick Ovi’s shot into that left corner anyways, so you’d have a guy closer to retrieve it, instead of making Ovi come down.

Plus, I’ve seen teams that have the two guys down on the crease play pitch and catch behind the goalie before firing it up top for a one-timer. The goalie has to look back for a sec to protect the posts, and that can buy enough hesitation for the shooter. Of course, we would need someone in the right circle that’s an actual shooting threat (ahem, Mantha).

All that being said, any reconfiguration is too much work for Blaine. So, uhh, here’s to watching Sheary standing nervously in the bumper!

 

[ovikovy817]

Wow, new guy in town, 4 games played and he will probably never ever wear the Caps jersey.

 

[Devil Dancer]

Wow, new guy in town, 4 games played and he will probably never ever wear the Caps jersey.

That's better than Lundquist's record here.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Yea, beyond having an additional solid puck mover on the PP, putting a lefty in the bumper is useless in their setup. No one (except maybe Ovi) can get a pass into their wheelhouse (TM Craig Laughlin) to shoot. And they’re so crowded it’s not worth just passing to/from. PK’ers always swarm anyone else we put into Ovi’s office, and the puck quickly goes the other way.

If putting Dowd or Hathaway there is too much work, then why don’t we abandon the bumper, and send the guy to the other side of the crease to be available for seam passes, back door looks, or to play Ovi rebounds.

Most good goalies kick Ovi’s shot into that left corner anyways, so you’d have a guy closer to retrieve it, instead of making Ovi come down.

Plus, I’ve seen teams that have the two guys down on the crease play pitch and catch behind the goalie before firing it up top for a one-timer. The goalie has to look back for a sec to protect the posts, and that can buy enough hesitation for the shooter. Of course, we would need someone in the right circle that’s an actual shooting threat (ahem, Mantha).

All that being said, any reconfiguration is too much work for Blaine. So, uhh, here’s to watching Sheary standing nervously in the bumper!

@txpd would like this conversation….

 

[AZ Caps Fan]

Yea, beyond having an additional solid puck mover on the PP, putting a lefty in the bumper is useless in their setup. No one (except maybe Ovi) can get a pass into their wheelhouse (TM Craig Laughlin) to shoot. And they’re so crowded it’s not worth just passing to/from. PK’ers always swarm anyone else we put into Ovi’s office, and the puck quickly goes the other way.

If putting Dowd or Hathaway there is too much work, then why don’t we abandon the bumper, and send the guy to the other side of the crease to be available for seam passes, back door looks, or to play Ovi rebounds.

Most good goalies kick Ovi’s shot into that left corner anyways, so you’d have a guy closer to retrieve it, instead of making Ovi come down.

Plus, I’ve seen teams that have the two guys down on the crease play pitch and catch behind the goalie before firing it up top for a one-timer. The goalie has to look back for a sec to protect the posts, and that can buy enough hesitation for the shooter. Of course, we would need someone in the right circle that’s an actual shooting threat (ahem, Mantha).

All that being said, any reconfiguration is too much work for Blaine. So, uhh, here’s to watching Sheary standing nervously in the bumper!

A goal scored last night in this exact scenario = useless?

 

[g00n]

The Caps PP is scoring at 22.2% right now which is respectable. The top teams in the league are firing above that but it's likely not sustainable. We could still have a top 10 PP when the sample size evens things out.

The problem is SHOTS.

This team does not shoot enough. Last season we took 31.4 shots per game which was only good enough for 14th in the league (FLA was #1 with 37.3). After 10 games the shot count is more likely to normalize as opposed to special teams stats, and right now we're only generating 27.4 shots per game. That doesn't seem like a big drop from 31.4 but it adds up and is so bad compared to the rest of the league only PHI, CHI, and AZ put fewer pucks on net.

Our 5v5 shooting % is 9.9% which is 5th best in the league.

So shoot more, dammit.

 

[RedRocking]

A goal scored last night in this exact scenario = useless?

No, they moved their setup, as per part of my suggestion. Moving Strome below the crease on Ovi’s side allowed that play to work. If Strome stays on the right side, there’s no way to get Mojo the puck like that on his shooting side.

So don’t be bringing that sauce at me

I was floored Blaine drew up something different. I imagine while they were “working on things in the room”, Strome raised his hand like “hey what if we flip the look, and I go to the other side, so we can still use the bumper? I did that in Chicago.” And Blaine just stared ahead blankly, lol.

 

[twabby]

RIP in peace



Gotta figure Milano and maybe Johansen draw in.

 

[RedRocking]

The Caps PP is scoring at 22.2% right now which is respectable. The top teams in the league are firing above that but it's likely not sustainable. We could still have a top 10 PP when the sample size evens things out.

The problem is SHOTS.

This team does not shoot enough. Last season we took 31.4 shots per game which was only good enough for 14th in the league (FLA was #1 with 37.3). After 10 games the shot count is more likely to normalize as opposed to special teams stats, and right now we're only generating 27.4 shots per game. That doesn't seem like a big drop from 31.4 but it adds up and is so bad compared to the rest of the league only PHI, CHI, and AZ put fewer pucks on net.

Our 5v5 shooting % is 9.9% which is 5th best in the league.

So shoot more, dammit.

Even without those interesting stats, you see them over-passing when they have good opportunities, and end up not even getting a shot off. It’s like most guys are afraid to shoot and play hot potato with the puck when attacking. It’s been kinda infuriating.

They (mostly) have great structure when defending, but seem to have no idea what to do when they are on the rush, attacking. They mostly flip it back and forth and fumble it before even getting a shot off. Or when they’re cycling and doing a bit of the weave really well, no one seems to have an idea how to actually try and score - and usually settle for a shot from the point.

This is the stuff that gets me frustrated with Lavi’s coaching.

 

[um]

RIP in peace



Gotta figure Milano and maybe Johansen draw in.

Excited to see Johansen get another chance. Even though he's well past his prime at 24

 

[kicksavedave]

They're going to play Lucas Johansen at F before they play CMM.... change my mind!