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

[Hivemind]

We did have a nice 15 consecutive PK streak going before JC went down

Since Connor Brown is gone long term and one of his uses was going to be PK1/PK2 that leaves us with 5 PK FWD's doing 95+% of the work
Sheary/Dowd/Eller/Hathaway/Kuznetsov

Clearly McMic is the PK solution?

Marcus Johansson has plenty of PK experience, let him kill some penalties. Heck, he's not even much worse at faceoffs than Eller (although Eller has historically thrived more as a second wave PKer, so he's not taking the primary draw in most cases). Joe Snively was killing penalties in the pre-season, ice him up and kill some penalties. Why not let Mantha or Protas use their reach to shut down angles on the PK?

And hell, yeah, why shouldn't they try Connor McMichael on the PK? You don't need to be a massive body to be a PKer, 5'8" Conor Sheary is leading our PK time among forwards. Kuznetsov has often been maligned for his defensive play, yet he's proven to be a useful PKer. There's no reason not to at least see how McMichael would fare on the PK, and I think plenty of us hope he'll eventually take PK tasks as part of his game as a 2C-type player.

The stubborness of the coaching staff and some of the fans defending the coaching staff when it comes to stuff like this is ridiculous. "Well, this is the way it is now, so therefor it's the way it always has to be!!" The Caps have gone from treading water, to slowly starting to drown. Stop letting the tail wag the dog. They aren't winning, despite stacking up on the ideal PKers and 4th liners. Time to let the talent loose and see which of them can help round out their game.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

That’s my problem with how CMM is being managed why the hell isn’t he in Hershey if he can’t handle being or 3rd 4th or 5th extra player when we have injuries. If he can’t get in the lineup other than in the 3C role when one of Eller, Strome, or Kuzy is out just send him to Hershey.

That is the bigger question. Does he have a stalker in Hershey he’s trying to avoid? if he’s not ready, what’s keeping him in DC? Maybe he’s close? dunno.


I swear I want this kid to develop well now as badly as I did when Wilson was getting the same development colonoscopy from this board, back when he was young.

 

[g00n]

Well we can't possibly change anything up on the (checks notes) 14th ranked penalty kill in the NHL. It's clearly what's carrying this team right now.

How To Abuse Stats Without Really Trying

by Hivemind



80% PK is decent. They're about the same as last season which was good for 12th. The difference between 12th and 3rd last year was only 4% and will probably be similar once the sample size is bigger.

You've probably said "sample size" more than any other poster in this board's history so you obviously know this.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Because the NHL schedule makers are bound and determined to make us choose between watching the Caps and the NFL. The number of Caps games going up against football games so far this season seems unusually high.

I was wondering about this myself and found a good explanation from a Caps fan poster on another board. This game is exclusive and being showcased in Canada, hence the time being pushed 1 hour later.

 

[DWGie26]

That is the bigger question. Does he have a stalker in Hershey he’s trying to avoid? if he’s not ready, what’s keeping him in DC? Maybe he’s close? dunno.


I swear I want this kid to develop well now as badly as I did when Wilson was getting the same development colonoscopy from this board, back when he was young.

I remember Wilson getting stuck in Washington. This is a bit different because (1) Wilson had a role as 4RW (physical and would fight), (2) we couldn’t send Wilson to Hershey.

CMM can and should go down. I too am pulling for him. We need him to be a regular 3C. But that ain’t happening right now. He is way off. Go develop young man. We have bodies now.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I remember Wilson getting stuck in Washington. This is a bit different because (1) Wilson had a role as 4RW (physical and would fight), (2) we couldn’t send Wilson to Hershey.

CMM can and should go down. I too am pulling for him. We need him to be a regular 3C. But that ain’t happening right now. He is way off. Go develop young man. We have bodies now.

It’s the same in that his development path was painfully over-scrutinized, not the mechanics of the situation.

 

[DWGie26]

It’s the same in that his development path was painfully over-scrutinized, not the mechanics of the situation.

True. It was painful. Lots of debate (although I wasn’t on HF at that time). Lots of consternation.

I hope CMM has the motor, desire, and guts to push through it. Wilson did!

 

[Holtbyisms]

I don't even care about CMM playing anymore just send the man to Hershey. He ain't growing as a player by taking rotational line rushes and watching hockey games from the press box.

 

[Brian23]

This seems...odd? Shouldn't he have another game or two in Hershey? I wonder if Orlov is hurt worse then they thought. Also, what do they do with Lujo now? Lose him on waivers?

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

This seems...odd? Shouldn't he have another game or two in Hershey? I wonder if Orlov is hurt worse then they thought. Also, what do they do with Lujo now? Lose him on waivers?

I think he’s played five games and I believe a conditioning stint is a max of five games. I could be completely wrong here.

 

[Rayquaza64]

I think he’s played five games and I believe a conditioning stint is a max of five games. I could be completely wrong here.

He was on the hershey bears active roster for the maximum of 5 games you can be on for a long term conditioning stint, so he had to be called up

 

[DWGie26]

He was on the hershey bears active roster for the maximum of 5 games you can be on for a long term conditioning stint, so he had to be called up

He played 4. Was rostered for 5. That is weird that he can still be on LTIR but i think that is just a formality. I think as soon as JC74 or Orlov are back, then he immediately gets sent to Hershey (Via waivers). I know many disagree with me, but there is very little chance he gets claimed. he is not NHL ready so why would anyone pick him up. They can’t send him down or Caps automatically can claim him.

On LuJo - he has 30 days or 10 games played and he goes down for free No waivers). So we have lots of time to make that decision. I’d like to see him get another game Or three Instead of Irwin. But when both Orlov and JC74 are healthy he’ll return to Hershey.

 

[Calicaps]

Really? You can be on a conditioning stint and LTIR at the same time? Bizarre.

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

 

[hb13xchamps]

LuJo can’t even get a game? I’m sure he’ll be the corresponding roster move back to Hershey

 

[Misery74]

LuJo can’t even get a game? I’m sure he’ll be the corresponding roster move back to Hershey

LuJo played last game, and had good legs. Excited to see AA get so me action.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

… you guys posted the lines to tonight’s game, maybe next time make the GDT??

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

 

[Kuz]

Need the top players to step up. Were 13th in the east and 19th in the league (23rd by point percentage). We are of course struggling with injuries, but need som improvements from several guys if they want to make the playoffs.

 

[trick9]

Alex Ovechkin - Evgeny Kuznetsov - Conor Sheary
Sonny Milano - Dylan Strome - Marcus Johansson
Anthony Mantha - Lars Eller - Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Aliaksei Protas - Nic Dowd - Garnet Hathaway

Martin Fehervary - Nick Jensen
Erik Gustafsson - Trevor van Riemsdyk
Alex Alexeyev - Matt Irwin

vs.

Carl Hagelin - Nicklas Backstrom - Tom Wilson
Beck Malenstyn - Connor McMichael - TJ Oshie
Joe Snively - Hendrix Lapierre - Connor Brown
Michael Sgarbossa - Henrik Borgstrom - Garrett Pilon

Dmitri Orlov - John Carlson
Lucas Johansen - Vincent Iorio
Gabriel Carlsson - Bobby Nardella

 

[4thTierSport]

Alex Ovechkin - Evgeny Kuznetsov - Conor Sheary
Sonny Milano - Dylan Strome - Marcus Johansson
Anthony Mantha - Lars Eller - Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Aliaksei Protas - Nic Dowd - Garnet Hathaway

Martin Fehervary - Nick Jensen
Erik Gustafsson - Trevor van Riemsdyk
Alex Alexeyev - Matt Irwin

vs.

Carl Hagelin - Nicklas Backstrom - Tom Wilson
Beck Malenstyn - Connor McMichael - TJ Oshie
Joe Snively - Hendrix Lapierre - Connor Brown
Michael Sgarbossa - Henrik Borgstrom - Garrett Pilon

Dmitri Orlov - John Carlson
Lucas Johansen - Vincent Iorio
Gabriel Carlsson - Bobby Nardella

That’s sad. Get back Wilson, Oshie, Orlov, Carlson and mix in some of the younger talent and they have a reasonable team. Not that Lavy would do that or be able to properly coach it.

 

[Langway]

The only card IMO to play short of canning the coach is dealing away Mantha+ for more of an actual star player that can be counted on to make a difference. Other than those two things I don't know what else they can do of consequence but wait. Trading Eller doesn't do much, arguably it makes them worse in at least some facets. And in some regards making a decision on Mantha and perhaps others while managing to perhaps become a bit more effectively top-heavy isn't the worst idea. It all depends on the costs.

That's a 'it's just a little airborne, it's still good' sort of mentality but until it's completely off the rails you've got to expect them to keep trying. I think there's a certain logic to it. It may not take a great deal to tick things back more in their favor when healthier. But who knows how easily something like that can align. Maybe not until closer to the deadline when it's maybe too late. Even when healthy they've got a real knack for finding ways to lose so digging themselves out of a significant hole would not be great.

 

[tycoonheart]

A lot of moves management has recently made have been borderline busts types moves:

Kovalchuk
Chara
Mantha
Dillon
Larsson

Sheary is probably their best pickup.

I'm not sure I trust this front office anymore. I'm not sure I trust Lavi to make good use of anyone we bring in anyway.