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

[Ovi895]

He’s been terrible, no doubt, especially bad down the stretch. This doesn’t make any sense.

He was even worse when Nashville fired him and GMBM and everyone here wanted him like crazy. Before that he was so bad with Philadelphia they fired him like 4 games into the season, I've never seen that happen ever. He has a cup, 2 cup finals, ton of career wins and by all accounts knows how to not butt heads with management and usually gets his teams going at first before waring out his welcome. This is the least surprising news I've heard all day.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

I doubt anyone in power in the NHL is looking at this stretch of play and the circumstances surrounding the Caps this season with all their challenges, and is thinking it’s all or mostly on Lavi. Just Caps fans who dislike the guy.

There have definitely been some challenges without a doubt. That being said, to think he has done well here would also be a stretch.

 

[YippieKaey]

PL might not be perfect but he was pretty close to getting a (honestly) pretty bad and injury-riddled roster into the playoffs. I don't think any other coach would have done better to be honest. That said, i still think he needs to go and get a different style of coaching in.

 

[g00n]

calling up a guy named Beck when you're trying to lose seems fitting

 

[um]

PL might not be perfect but he was pretty close to getting a (honestly) pretty bad and injury-riddled roster into the playoffs. I don't think any other coach would have done better to be honest. That said, i still think he needs to go and get a different style of coaching in.

I can’t imagine many coaches sliding Backstrom into the 1C spot coming off his injury, especially with the Caps playing so well at the time.

I think the Caps are finishing at the low end of their potential.

 

[Calicaps]

I doubt anyone in power in the NHL is looking at this stretch of play and the circumstances surrounding the Caps this season with all their challenges, and is thinking it’s all or mostly on Lavi. Just Caps fans who dislike the guy.

Being one of the winningest coaches of all time might impress some people, but hfcaps posters know better!

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Being one of the winningest coaches of all time might impress some people, but hfcaps posters know better!

He will land a new contract quickly but it won’t be here.

 

[Calicaps]

He will land a new contract quickly but it won’t be here.

which is fine. but the idea that he shouldn't have currency in the league is bananas

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

which is fine. but the idea that he shouldn't have currency in the league is bananas

Of course he has gravitas and will get hired. It didn’t work out here but that won’t stop him from getting hired right away given his track record.

 

[Holtbyisms]

calling up a guy named Beck when you're trying to lose seems fitting

Underrated comment.

 

[Misery74]

I doubt anyone in power in the NHL is looking at this stretch of play and the circumstances surrounding the Caps this season with all their challenges, and is thinking it’s all or mostly on Lavi. Just Caps fans who dislike the guy.

Our GM is someone in power in the NHL. Why hasn’t he been extended?

 

[Brian23]

PL might not be perfect but he was pretty close to getting a (honestly) pretty bad and injury-riddled roster into the playoffs. I don't think any other coach would have done better to be honest. That said, i still think he needs to go and get a different style of coaching in.

This is as much to do with the east having a bunch of poor teams as anything. You take out one manic run, they're basically in contention for first overall pick.

 

[Brian23]

which is fine. but the idea that he shouldn't have currency in the league is bananas

Guess we could dig up Babcock or throw it to Ron Wilson.

It's fine to have currency but a hot commodity? That's what blows my mind. It's not like we've gotten much different results then during Reirden's tenure from Lavi and he had to go back to being an assistant. Not saying Lavi won't get a HC job, but I do think it's wild he'd be seen as a first wave type. Game eventually starts to pass everyone by, I'd argue it's started to pass Lavi by going back to his end in Nashville.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Sure it does. It’s one whole season not competing against NHLers and playing at NHL speed. Instead of being prepared for NHLers entering next season he’ll have to get re-acclimated to the NHL all over again, which could take dozens of games.

Probably half a season

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Our GM is someone in power in the NHL. Why hasn’t he been extended?

you ask rhetorical questions quite a bit…

Guess we could dig up Babcock or throw it to Ron Wilson.

It's fine to have currency but a hot commodity? That's what blows my mind. It's not like we've gotten much different results then during Reirden's tenure from Lavi and he had to go back to being an assistant. Not saying Lavi won't get a HC job, but I do think it's wild he'd be seen as a first wave type. Game eventually starts to pass everyone by, I'd argue it's started to pass Lavi by going back to his end in Nashville.

Babcock borderline mentally/emotionally abused his players….Ron Wilson, also a noted overly hard ass.

Guess we’ll see on Lavi….he may want to retire.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I doubt anyone in power in the NHL is looking at this stretch of play and the circumstances surrounding the Caps this season with all their challenges, and is thinking it’s all or mostly on Lavi. Just Caps fans who dislike the guy.

Yeah this. Lavi can be many things, but a shitty coach isn’t one of them.

Talk about “recency bias” (and I hate that term).

Our GM is someone in power in the NHL. Why hasn’t he been extended?

Even you know know this is too far into the “I’m being coy….”, department.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Yeah this. Lavi can be many things, but a shitty coach isn’t one of them.

Talk about “recency bias” (and I hate that term).


Even you know know this is too far into the “I’m being coy….”, department.

Yeah, I don’t really get calling the winningest American coach of all time who has been to Stanley Cups with three different teams a bad coach but that’s just me.

Two things can be true: Lavi is a good coach and Lavi isn’t the right coach for this team next season. Some times things just don’t work out but that doesn’t mean it’s because someone isn’t good at what they do. Timing and fit are important.

 

[Marshall]

Yeah, I don’t really get calling the winningest American coach of all time who has been to Stanley Cups with three different teams a bad coach but that’s just me.

Two things can be true: Lavi is a good coach and Lavi isn’t the right coach for this team next season. Some times things just don’t work out but that doesn’t mean it’s because someone isn’t good at what they do. Timing and fit are important.

El Bingo Grande.

Ed - I'm undecided on the coaching situation next season, but the bolded is the fact of the matter.

 

[Misery74]

Yeah, I don’t really get calling the winningest American coach of all time who has been to Stanley Cups with three different teams a bad coach but that’s just me.

Two things can be true: Lavi is a good coach and Lavi isn’t the right coach for this team next season. Some times things just don’t work out but that doesn’t mean it’s because someone isn’t good at what they do. Timing and fit are important.

This is fair. But Laviolette was a bad coach for this team last season, and season too.

And, since the calendar turned to 2023, we have been the worst team in the league.

Laviolette is a good coach, but he was a terrible choice for this group.

 

[Ridley Simon]

This is fair. But Laviolette was a bad coach for this team last season, and season too.

And, since the calendar turned to 2023, we have been the worst team in the league.

Laviolette is a good coach, but he was a terrible choice for this group.

Terrible choice? You are really walking the line of revisionist history my man. At the time, we wanted who? Gallant? Babcock? Or another rookie?

He was a great choice when we hired him. It just didn’t work out. Some players got better, some players got worse, and the injuries crushed the last 2 seasons.

Are those excuses? Well, YES. Any time you don’t finish #1, it’s excuse exercise. That’s the way it works in pro sports. But excuses are almost always born from “reasons”. So let’s just use that word.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

El Bingo Grande.

Ed - I'm undecided on the coaching situation next season, but the bolded is the fact of the matter.

I generally lean towards moving on from Lavi. I think he’s been dealt a shit hand with an aging roster and a bunch of injuries plus terrible goaltending until this year but I’m also disappointed with his lineup choices and how he’s handled a bunch of younger players. I also think he won’t coach on another one year deal and I don’t see how they could sell a multi-year extension so it doesn’t seem like there’s a match.

Still, people forget or don’t understand how well the team was structured in the playoffs last year. Their game plan was close to flawless and they completely shut down Huberdeau and Barkov. I don’t blame him for the players snatching defeat from the jaws of victory — last year’s shortcomings were wholly on the players. Hathaway missed an empty net by a few inches, Samsonov gave away some freebies, and the veteran players made terrible decisions during the G5 meltdown.

They have to start leaning on guys they’ve drafted and developed like and I don’t think Lavi is the coach to do that. The team also looks completely disinterested at the moment which isn’t a good sign for the coach.

Generally I think they need a fresh voice behind the bench and they need fresh faces in the locker room.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

This is fair. But Laviolette was a bad coach for this team last season, and season too.

And, since the calendar turned to 2023, we have been the worst team in the league.

Laviolette is a good coach, but he was a terrible choice for this group.

They have been terrible in 2023, I agree, which is why I think he needs to move on as do some of the players. They collectively failed to take care of business.

I don’t that’s fair to say about last season though. They hit 100 points and they were better than the Panthers in the playoffs. See my post above. He coached circles around Brunette in that series but the players fumbled the bag.

 

[Misery74]

Terrible choice? You are really walking the line of revisionist history my man. At the time, we wanted who? Gallant? Babcock? Or another rookie?

He was a great choice when we hired him. It just didn’t work out. Some players got better, some players got worse, and the injuries crushed the last 2 seasons.

Are those excuses? Well, YES. Any time you don’t finish #1, it’s excuse exercise. That’s the way it works in pro sports. But excuses are almost always born from “reasons”. So let’s just use that word.

I honestly didn’t have a problem with the hire, so yes, this is hindsight. It turned out terribly.

 

[Misery74]

They have been terrible in 2023, I agree, which is why I think he needs to move on as do some of the players. They collectively failed to take care of business.

I don’t that’s fair to say about last season though. They hit 100 points and they were better than the Panthers in the playoffs. See my post above. He coached circles around Brunette in that series but the players fumbled the bag.

Last season there were 8 good teams, and 8 bad teams. His reliance on vets last year proved to be terrible, considering how good we were in the beginning of the season when all the kids played.

I disagree regarding coaching in the Florida series.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Last season there were 8 good teams, and 8 bad teams. His reliance on vets last year proved to be terrible, considering how good we were in the beginning of the season when all the kids played.

I disagree regarding coaching in the Florida series.

Then we’ll agree to disagree. There are a bunch of reasons why schematically the Capitals were better than the Panthers last year that I won’t go into because it’ll fall on deaf ears since Lavi bad but I’ll summarize it by saying the Capitals made Barkov and Huberdeau non-factors and made life very uncomfortable for the Panthers in their own zone. They also shut down the Panthers power play. Tampa took pages from the Caps playbook against Florida but they had better players than Washington and dispatched Florida easily. Wilson’s injury was crushing to the team last year.

I still think it’s delusional that people think that some or all of Backstrom, Wilson, and Oshie weren’t going to play when they were healthy and it’s pretty ridiculous anyone blames Laviolette for that. You think the team is going to sit $15-21M in cap space in the press box? You can have issue with how he handled their reintegration into the team and his lineup choices after they were back (which I do) but there was no choice to be made in terms of if they played or not which is why I want to see some of the veterans traded so they don’t have the option to not play the kids.