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

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IafrateOvie34 said:
When I think of the Washington Capitals it was always hard work and grinding until 2008-present. A lot of us were perfectly happy with those hard working guys if they played a full game and worked hard. I understand what you mean though and a full grinding lineup don't win the ultimate prize without contributions from big names producing in the playoffs like in 2018. It was always frustrating to get fringe replacements under GMGM too. My fear is a shake up trade that is made to save the GM's job. Those are typically the worst kind of deals.


It will probably take a lot of ++. It would be nice to know if the Cap's are in on rumors though.
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I appreciated that those old teams played hard, but we always felt like an also ran franchise until Ovie and the other skilled guys came to town.

Every year we ran out a team of loveable try hards, and every year they got blown away in the playoffs.

The Young Guns got crushed in the playoffs too, but at least it felt like they were in the same league as their opponents in most series.
 
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Devil Dancer said:
I appreciated that those old teams played hard, but we always felt like an also ran franchise until Ovie and the other skilled guys came to town.

Every year we ran out a team of loveable try hards, and every year they got blown away in the playoffs.

The Young Guns got crushed in the playoffs too, but at least it felt like they were in the same league as their opponents in most series.
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Too soon.
 
NAK is pretty much a warm body, but I guess they need some warm bodies right now. He tries hard, but doesn't really do much to shift play in the right direction on a consistent basis. Bad hands, not particularly exceptional in any category.
 
Hivemind said:
NAK is pretty much a warm body, but I guess they need some warm bodies right now. He tries hard, but doesn't really do much to shift play in the right direction on a consistent basis. Bad hands, not particularly exceptional in any category.
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I think the only thing he does well is hit and that is about it. But they need a body, so here we are.
 
IafrateOvie34 said:
When I think of the Washington Capitals it was always hard work and grinding until 2008-present. A lot of us were perfectly happy with those hard working guys if they played a full game and worked hard. I understand what you mean though and a full grinding lineup don't win the ultimate prize without contributions from big names producing in the playoffs like in 2018. It was always frustrating to get fringe replacements under GMGM too. My fear is a shake up trade that is made to save the GM's job. Those are typically the worst kind of deals.


It will probably take a lot of ++. It would be nice to know if the Cap's are in on rumors though.
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Not too sure about that. Im assuming Kane has a full NMC and whereever he wants to go will probably underpay since the Hawks just want to get rid of him. Why Kane would want to go to the Capitals is beyond me though.

SecretaryofDefense5 said:
I think the only thing he does well is hit and that is about it. But they need a body, so here we are.
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We might aswell just turn into a team full of hard working POS + Ovi at this point.
 
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YippieKaey said:
Not too sure about that. Im assuming Kane has a full NMC and whereever he wants to go will probably underpay since the Hawks just want to get rid of him. Why Kane would want to go to the Capitals is beyond me though.



We might aswell just turn into a team full of hard working POS + Ovi at this point.
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Yep tonight convinced me we are a lottery team injuries or not. I'm ok though. I like facing reality and it doesn't stop my passion for the Caps or Ovie's run. I'm optimistic so here's to hoping we can get Bedard!
 
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If getting Ovie 895 is the goal (and it likely is the organization's goal at this point) - they're going to need enough skill in the line-up to have a powerplay that works consistently and for Ovie to still be the focal point of that PP. We saw last year what happened when even one Olympian was missing for the Forsythe/Oates 1-3-1 formation. Obviously they can change PP coaches to be a little less reliant on the raw talent advantage, but they're going to still have to design the system around a player who's a one-timer threat without being much of a skating threat (Oldvechkin). I imagine it's still going to take at least a couple good puck distributors to make that happen. They don't necessarily have to be superstars (Mike Ribeiro ran this PP scheme well enough that he stole Backstrom's job on the half wall), and maybe Strome-level talents can be the answer, but they can't go full Konowalchuk-mode.
 
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Ovechkin has seven goals. Mantha and Sheary are next with four goals each. Our top two centers have two goals combined in 25 games — Strome with two and Kuznetsov with zero goals in 12 games.

Ovi can only do so much. The other guys have to figure out how to tug on their share of the rope when it comes to creating offense and stop looking at a 37 year old to save them every game.
 
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Here’s what I would do at the moment. Milano played really well with Zegras last year so put him with some skill on L1 and see if he can unlock some even strength offense for 8 and 92. That line would be suspect defensively so Lavi will need to manage that. McMike has speed and creates space and has the IQ to play with a guy like Strome. The third line should be defensively responsible and maybe able to chip in offensively while that fourth line should be pretty dominant.

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Milano
McMichael-Strome-Mantha
Sheary-Eller-Johansson
Protas-Dowd-Hathaway
 
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If the goal is 895 (and I think it is), then two players who won’t get moved are Kuzy and JC74 because they give OV best chance. I love Oshie but maybe he would want to go to Seattle and help build the franchise as a leader there to finish his career. Orlov is also important as is Backstrom. I’d be ok moving Mantha, Sheary, Hathaway for assets at trade deadline assuming we look to be out of contention. Maybe Strome, but i like him as a 2C. or sign a legit 2C and move him to Wing or 3C but that means no McMichael at center.
 
twabby said:


McMichael back to the bench so they can play another grinder.
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I like the 4th line.

CMM isn't an option there. He's fighting for the Milano spot and IMO (or Snively) should have gotten a shot there but whatever.
 
I think Johansson, Snively, Protas, and even Sheary and Eller are options on the 4th line. That would allow McMichael a spot in the top 9.

Instead they claimed a grinder on the waiver wire who can’t help but take a bunch of stupid penalties and his acquisition is forcing CMM out of the lineup. It’s shortsighted nonsense IMO.
 
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Think of it this way: more grinders means less goals means less likely Lavi is lavished with a luxurious extension.

At the end of the day their top two centers are Kuznetsov & Strome. They ain't about that life. Neither is Carlson. So whatever. The rest doesn't really matter that much. This is just sort of playing with their food. Futzing. And it seems to be about the extent of their solutions.
 
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The 4th line has looked relatively good almost regardless of who plays 4LW. Sheary-Dowd-Hatheway was really solid to start the season. They don't need an over-abundance of grinders to fill that spot. Claiming NAK as a warm body is fine, but I don't see the need to rush to play him.
 
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Hivemind said:
The 4th line has looked relatively good almost regardless of who plays 4LW. Sheary-Dowd-Hatheway was really solid to start the season. They don't need an over-abundance of grinders to fill that spot. Claiming NAK as a warm body is fine, but I don't see the need to rush to play him.
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Well they’re about to get blitzed by the Oilers, so maybe having a traditional grinder (that just won a series against McDrai) on the 4th line is a good idea?
 
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I do think we can shake the lines up a bit but regardless, CMM is likely to sit.

OV-Kuzy-Protas
Milano-Strome-Mojo
Mantha-Eller-NAK
Sheary-Dowd-Hathaway

I think we need to make 4th line as solid as possible And play them more like 2nd or 3rd line minutes. Keep Milano line the same and see if the gel. Give Protas a shot up on top line. He played well there last year.

that is our best 12 forwards to ice And gives us the best chance to win on Monday.
 
AlexBrovechkin8 said:
Here’s what I would do at the moment. Milano played really well with Zegras last year so put him with some skill on L1 and see if he can unlock some even strength offense for 8 and 92. That line would be suspect defensively so Lavi will need to manage that. McMike has speed and creates space and has the IQ to play with a guy like Strome. The third line should be defensively responsible and maybe able to chip in offensively while that fourth line should be pretty dominant.

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Milano
McMichael-Strome-Mantha
Sheary-Eller-Johansson
Protas-Dowd-Hathaway
Click to expand...
Nicholas Aube-Kubel has a good chance of being plugged in on the 4th line with Dowd/Hathaway. Milano has offensive spark that neither Protas or CMM have, so I think he needs to stay in the lineup. So it then comes down to Protas/CMM of which player you scratch. Protas has produced, CMM has not. So I think CMM could be scratched again.
 
twabby said:


McMichael back to the bench so they can play another grinder.
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Haha this team / coach has no clue whatsoever.

Put Milano at 1RW, McMichael 2C, move Strome to 2RW or 2LW depending on his shot (I believe Mantha can and frequently has in the past played LW).

Lavi has no vision whatsoever. Just do the same thing over and over again, watch it fail, and repeat.
 
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