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

[twabby]

I agree, but what I'm getting at is that we've had some guys maybe play their way into more permanent roles and there aren't really enough spots for wings.

Actual line combos aside, in a world where Protas, Milano, Sheary, and MoJo have all played well enough to start, where do you put them all?

Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Wilson
Milano - Strome - Mantha
Johansson - Eller - Oshie
Sheary - Dowd - Hathaway

Do you sit Milano at a point-per-game given the way he's clicked in the lineup? Do you give up Protas' size and board work? MoJo and Sheary have both been good, and we need their speed. And all of these guys have been getting to the net, which has been in short supply across the board for us.

Yes, there'll likely always be injuries and any of these guys sitting occasionally isn't going to hurt anything. I know this. I'm just curious about how folks here are feeling about these guys and who they'd sit if we were healthy; how we're ranking their performance lately.

And it's a discussion that has nothing to do with McMichael, so that'll be nice.

I'm giving Milano a nice long look. Assuming he is anywhere near his current form when the time comes to make a decision on him he stays in the lineup.

Johansson gets to keep his spot solely because of the power play at this point. If the power play stumbles and he stops contributing then he'd be the first player out of the lineup.

But as-is right now I'm taking Hathaway out of the lineup. The 4th line has actually been rather disappointing so far this year and Hathaway hasn't earned his spot in the lineup over guys like Milano and Protas.

I think you could have a discussion about Oshie as well, but I do think that could be a distraction if he's held out of the lineup.

I'd go something like:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson/Mantha
Milano-Strome-Wilson/Mantha
Johansson/Sheary-Eller-Oshie
Johansson/Sheary-Dowd-Protas

Protas currently rates as their best defensive forward in terms of RAPM xGA/60 (and best net xG impact in general) so he can fit perfectly on a 4th line that gets a good amount of ES minutes to take on tough competition. Johansson is kind of just a guy so throw him on whatever line gets the least minutes I guess, and let him get PP1 minutes.

 

[DWGie26]

I have to go here, because it keeps coming up. But Protas has played in every game. He fits on the fourth line and he can play on the top line And is miles ahead of CMM. But as everyone comes back, the reality is, the vets are going to play. Hath as probably been one of our worst forwards stats wise but he is a valuable part of the locker room, PK, physicality, rare right handed, and yes, he is a vet so he knows how to win.

The second line is clicking so i left it in tact, but would really like to see Mantha on second line and Mojo on third line as a ”vet savvy“ line. Can’t sit Sheary so he goes to 4th line which is still a good fit for him. Sadly means our waiver exempt players (Protas and McMichael) go to Hershey. NAK is in Hershey or gets claimed. Don’t want to send Snively or Malenstyn through waivers.

And reality is, we’ll never be fully healthy. Most teams aren’t So a fully loaded lineup is a pipe dream, but we can dream.

 

[Brian23]

Protas has played in every game. He fits on the fourth line and he can play on the top line And is miles ahead of CMM. But as everyone comes back, the reality is, the vets are going to play.

Which just seems dumb, no? Why wouldn't you play the younger player if he's just as good as an older and more expensive one?

In the dream world I think this should be the lineup with current players.

Ovi - Kuzya - Sheary
Milano - Strome - Wilson
Mantha - Eller - Oshie
Mojo - Dowd - Protas

Feher - Jensen
Orlov - TVR
AA - Carlson

I'd probably finalge a Eller - Dowd - Wilson line somehow when you're in need of some defense, but realistically I don't think Mojo has given you enough at 5v5 to justify a top 9 spot but you can keep him on the power play until Backstrom is back. Send CMM down to Hershey to play 20 minutes a night with special teams and get into actually playing hockey. And as for defense, I think Carlson can still get him minutes, but I'm not sure I'd call him my 1RD anymore.

What do I expect to happen?

Ovi - Kuzya - Wilson
Sheary - Strome - Mojo
Mantha - Eller - Oshie
ANK - Dowd - Hathaway

Feher - Carlson
Orlov - Jensen
Gus - TVR

You can flip the lines around up front a bit, but Lavi has seemed obsessed with Mantha being a possession/defensive type of line with Eller then trying to carry a line like a skilled forward. He's always had a checking 4th line during his tenure here, and he seems to really value whatever it is that Mojo does. And CMM is gonna be on the bench to learn how to do things the "right way".

Oh, and we just send Fehervary back to the gutter again because he has to play with Carlson for some reason.

 

[YippieKaey]

I agree, but what I'm getting at is that we've had some guys maybe play their way into more permanent roles and there aren't really enough spots for wings.

Actual line combos aside, in a world where Protas, Milano, Sheary, and MoJo have all played well enough to start, where do you put them all?

Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Wilson
Milano - Strome - Mantha
Johansson - Eller - Oshie
Sheary - Dowd - Hathaway

Do you sit Milano at a point-per-game given the way he's clicked in the lineup? Do you give up Protas' size and board work? MoJo and Sheary have both been good, and we need their speed. And all of these guys have been getting to the net, which has been in short supply across the board for us.

Yes, there'll likely always be injuries and any of these guys sitting occasionally isn't going to hurt anything. I know this. I'm just curious about how folks here are feeling about these guys and who they'd sit if we were healthy; how we're ranking their performance lately.

And it's a discussion that has nothing to do with McMichael, so that'll be nice.

I say you trade both Oshie and Mantha....

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I say you trade both Oshie and Mantha....

For What?

 

[g00n]

For What?

It doesn't matter as long as it's young and fast.

Apparently we want a team full of baby antelope.

 

[YippieKaey]

For What?

Anything that:

a) Is in the lineup regularly

b) Produces according to it's cap hit

c) Hasn't been tried and proven to fail


But in all seriousness, im sure we can get at least a 1st each for both those guys if healthy. That's worth it.

It doesn't matter as long as it's young and fast.

Apparently we want a team full of baby antelope.

Baby antelope are supercute!

And, preferrable compared to extinct dinosaurs

 

[YippieKaey]

It doesn't matter as long as it's young and fast.

Apparently we want a team full of baby antelope.

And just look at last game, Milano and his SPEED did make a difference. This team is fairly solid structurally, with a lot of grit, size, experience and good goaltending. But, we have no speed. And the NHL today is a fast league. So yeah, more speed and less broken down/lazy dinos.

 

[Brian23]

It doesn't matter as long as it's young and fast.

Apparently we want a team full of baby antelope.

At least the baby antelopes can make it to the game.

 

[traparatus]

Mantha is UFA after next season so a decision will have to be made one way or another. He'll be 29 and probably looking for his last long term deal.

IMO, Mantha hasn't done enough to justify a long term commitment. That more or less makes the decision easy. In any case, if the team misses the playoffs this year, it's a no-brainer. Get what you can, while you can.

I don't know about Oshie. A 35 year old who is unable to stay healthy and is signed for two more years after this one, at a pretty high cap hit, no less. That's a tough sell. If he were a UFA soon, I could totally see a playoff bound team taking a chance. Alas, that's not the case.

 

[g00n]

So what I'm hearing is stomping Edmonton and TB using about half our roster over 2 of the last 3 games is bad and we need to burn it all down.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

So what I'm hearing is stomping Edmonton and TB using about half our roster over 2 of the last 3 games is bad and we need to burn it all down.

I think there are some alarm bells going off and it’s fair to wonder if this team is cooked. Before last night they had scored six total goals at even strength in six games. They’re really struggling to generate offense consistently and there are six quality teams in the Metro not including Philly and Columbus, so it’s going to be a struggle for them to compete if they can’t score.

On the flip side, this team earned 100 points last year even with horrible goaltending so we know there’s the potential there to be in it at the end… I just don’t know if they can tread water well enough until they can get to full strength (or close to it).

 

[g00n]

I think there are some alarm bells going off and it’s fair to wonder if this team is cooked. Before last night they had scored six total goals at even strength in six games. They’re really struggling to generate offense consistently and there are six quality teams in the Metro not including Philly and Columbus, so it’s going to be a struggle for them to compete if they can’t score.

On the flip side, this team earned 100 points last year even with horrible goaltending so we know there’s the potential there to be in it at the end… I just don’t know if they can tread water well enough until they can get to full strength (or close to it).

They're at 2.44 ES g/60 which is about 1 goal behind the league leaders.


Do we think getting back some of the guys we have out, and maybe getting a few other guys like Kuzy and Mantha going, could make up a single goal per game?

 

[YippieKaey]

So what I'm hearing is stomping Edmonton and TB using about half our roster over 2 of the last 3 games is bad and we need to burn it all down.

No we need to use the roster that stomped Edmonton and TB. If anything, those victories show us that guys like Mantha, Oshie etc aren't necessary. Imagine if their cap hits were used on some more dynamic, playdriving and fast forwards. This team could be going places.

I think there are some alarm bells going off and it’s fair to wonder if this team is cooked. Before last night they had scored six total goals at even strength in six games. They’re really struggling to generate offense consistently and there are six quality teams in the Metro not including Philly and Columbus, so it’s going to be a struggle for them to compete if they can’t score.

On the flip side, this team earned 100 points last year even with horrible goaltending so we know there’s the potential there to be in it at the end… I just don’t know if they can tread water well enough until they can get to full strength (or close to it).

Most of those thanks to the great start of the season where most of the older guys were out injured and replaced by younger, quicker and hungrier players.

 

[YippieKaey]

Garnet Hathaway is currently leading the league in hits with 57. In 5th place is Fever with 54. 14th is Alex Ovechkin with 48 and in 20th place is Nic Dowd with 46.

The Caps are third in the league with a total of 446 hits.

Keep in mind though that we have played more games than most. Hits and blocked shots/60 puts us in 10th place in both categories.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Mantha is UFA after next season so a decision will have to be made one way or another. He'll be 29 and probably looking for his last long term deal.

IMO, Mantha hasn't done enough to justify a long term commitment. That more or less makes the decision easy. In any case, if the team misses the playoffs this year, it's a no-brainer. Get what you can, while you can.

I don't know about Oshie. A 35 year old who is unable to stay healthy and is signed for two more years after this one, at a pretty high cap hit, no less. That's a tough sell. If he were a UFA soon, I could totally see a playoff bound team taking a chance. Alas, that's not the case.

100% trade them both if we get 1st round offers. But I doubt GMBM will admit failure and clean up his mess

 

[twabby]

The league has it out for the Caps IMO.

 

[hb13xchamps]

Waiting to see Snively inserted into the lineup for NAK over McMichael just to see this place and Caps Twitter go bananas

 

[YippieKaey]

The league has it out for the Caps IMO.

Honestly though, pretty well-deserved. That was a classic "here's a concussion for ya" hit.

 

[PlushMinus]

It was a deliberate headshot and deserves a suspension. It is Aube-Kubel's first suspension and I expected him to get two games, which seems to be the norm so far this season. Did he get the extra game because it's the Caps?

Not a good look when we sign this guy and in just his third game he injures somebody. I'm not sure that he brings anything of real value to the team. Send him down and just play Snively / Protas etc. We don't need a plug and that's what Aube-Kubel seems to be.

 

[DWGie26]

Waiting to see Snively inserted into the lineup for NAK over McMichael just to see this place and Caps Twitter go bananas

I could easily see Snively in at 3LW and Mantha over on right instead of CMM.

It was a deliberate headshot and deserves a suspension. It is Aube-Kubel's first suspension and I expected him to get two games, which seems to be the norm so far this season. Did he get the extra game because it's the Caps?

Not a good look when we sign this guy and in just his third game he injures somebody. I'm not sure that he brings anything of real value to the team. Send him down and just play Snively / Protas etc. We don't need a plug and that's what Aube-Kubel seems to be.

Yeah, that is not a good way to make a first impression. I also thought 2 but 3 is not a surprise.

We can keep the warm body but rather see Snively and CMM.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

With the goalies we have, I feel better about not having a terrible winter period (Dec-Feb) where the last few years the Cap's cooled off after hot starts. If they can get chemistry and of course healthy anything can happen I guess. Protas and Milano doing great contributions in their development will help mightily. Protas is taking the little steps to being a great all around player and I love it. The big key is having a dialed in Kuzy.

 

[ovikovy817]

Nikolishin was at the Caps alumni week at the beginning of this season. And he's part of a team doing a YouTube show about hockey.
First part was about the Caps 98 + interview with Bondra and Khristich
Second part, the big focus in this video was an interview with Gonchar
And now the third part was released this morning with Kuzy. It will be an interesting half an hour.

 

[trick9]

100% trade them both if we get 1st round offers. But I doubt GMBM will admit failure and clean up his mess

Mantha should return that and more.

I don't think anyone takes Oshie's contract for free. Not during the season. Maybe in the off-season there could be a 'hockey trade' type of move available.

 

[g00n]

Looks like AK was hired to be Tom Wilson 1.0 and throw the fear of god into opponents with sketchy hits.