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

[IafrateOvie34]

Lapi is probably still 2 years away from being a true NHL center, if he even is. And that's assuming he graduates next year and gets time. CMM is probably the same, though I'm a believer and think he could be fine next year.

I think Strome should be re-signed, and Dowd is probably good enough to be a low end 3C if we need him. So I'm fine with those two.

Kuzy, Backstrom, and Eller are my big issues. If we get a coach that can't engage Kuznetsov, you've got to think about moving him for value. I think he still has more value here then elsewhere but it's not a massive difference, but that 8 million could probably be used better if he's not gonna be engaged. I also think by the time that teams "rebuilt", which I think will need to happen if Backstrom is gone, he'll 32 or 33 and on the down swing.

And most of that all hinges on Backstrom. I was encouraged by the little gifs we've seen of him coming back, but I think moving forward assuming he'll return as an NHLer, let a lone a Top 6 center, is just foolish. You need to assume he isn't coming back and build around it, and if he does come back you've got one hell of boost.

Eller just needs to be traded.

Just curious, do you base this on his body frame or skills, maybe both? To me, it seems he has the skills to play now, at least offensively. I prefer to keep him in Hershey for sure this season to continue to improve in pro hockey.

Yeah, I get that and agree. Speaking for myself, balancing criticism, praise, and being prone to gallows humor can be challenging. It genuinely sucks coming on here and seeing the same stuff over and over. You made a really good point in another post about the GDT post count. Dating back to lurking and then first joining here when the team was terrible, I feel like this stuff has always happened, but it's amplified because it seems there less and less unique posters chiming in.

I think a lot of us foresaw the fanbase struggling with the transition out of being a regular contender. I also think sports fans in this general tier (People who post on message boards, seek out podcasts, look at advanced stats, closely follow prospects, etc.) have a really hard time with teams being caught in the middle. It's either be a top contender or burn it down. So none of what's happening is particularly surprising, but it does suck.

To your point about Oshie, I 100% agree that will happen, people will forget and it's a shame. His impact on the team's morale is legitimately incredible. It's night and day when he's in the lineup. The team's body language and enthusiasm changed the moment he got back in.

Absolutely, and one of the franchise's best trades. His positive attitude, team work, leadership, and no fear rubs off on teammates and fans love him no matter where he plays.

 

[Brian23]

Just curious, do you base this on his body frame or skills, maybe both? To me, it seems he has the skills to play now, at least offensively. I prefer to keep him in Hershey for sure this season to continue to improve in pro hockey.

I'm mostly just making assumptions. I doubt he gets any time this year, as evident by the handling of CMM. So I assume he graduates next year, which is still a bit of a long shot, and spends the entire year playing and starting in the NHL. If that's the case, I expect there to be some level of adjustment, so maybe like a 60 or 70 game play with like 15 to 20 points would be outstanding. That'd lead into, hopefully, his second year starting being his more traditional break out year.

I just think that if he was gonna be so good that he's not only up in the NHL next year, but contributing at a high level, he'd have been good enough this year to maybe make it on over CMM who they didn't seem to love.

 

[Hivemind]

Lapierre should absolutely get another NHL stint at center this season. Don't block him behind declining players like they have with other prospects. Learn from their mistakes.

 

[g00n]

Lapierre should absolutely get another NHL stint at center this season. Don't block him behind declining players like they have with other prospects. Learn from their mistakes.

If you didn't have everyone you disagree with blocked you'd understand what's going on this year.

 

[HTFN]

If you didn't have everyone you disagree with blocked you'd understand what's going on this year.

You guys aren’t the only ones in the room capable of understanding “what’s going on” just because you’ll put up paragraphs in favor of it. Some of us think this plan creates a needless transitional gulf and is something of an unforced error.

You don’t see it that way so it’s all just whining to you though

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Finally you feel like talking actual hockey….

The real longterm plan is to probably blow it up post-8/19 and dip into the top of the lottery for a few years, and hope to land a Superstar. Nobody in the system now is going to prevent a rebuild IMO, so unless they get lucky with a Superstar in the next few drafts, that transition is coming….

get used to the idea….

 

[Brian23]

Finally you feel like talking actual hockey….

The real longterm plan is to probably blow it up post-8/19 and dip into the top of the lottery for a few years, and hope to land a Superstar. Nobody in the system now is going to prevent a rebuild IMO, so unless they get lucky with a Superstar in the next few drafts, that transition is coming….

get used to the idea….

Which is an extremely stupid idea. There is literally zero reason this team can't continue to be competitive at the end of the Ovi reign and into the post-retirement era. It's entirely due to this ridiculous notion that we have to keep the band back together and can't possibly try to bring in new players.

 

[twabby]

WARNING: NEGATIVE POST INCOMING

Orlov is set to miss his 16th game in a row this season with what seems to be a nagging lower body injury. It's good enough that he's taking morning skates and some practices, but not good enough to go all out. MacLellan mentioned they were trying to get a better sense of what the injury was in his latest presser.

This worries me quite a bit. This type of slow progress toward returning reminds me way too much of lower-body injuries to Brooks Laich and Karl Alzner which basically ended their careers. Washington needs to proceed very carefully and prudently with Orlov this season in terms of re-signing him or trading him.

 

[Brian23]

I dunno if those are fair comparisions. Orlov has basically been an ironman prior to this injury.

In Alzner's case, his was more just the culmination of being a high shot blocking physical defender. Like, they were telling joking stories about how he couldn't even open/close jars near the end of his time here. He was just spent.

Brooks is a bit longer back, but I think his was a mix of right time right place in terms of his production sky rocketing prior and then coming back to Earth and then getting something wrong with his groin. Basically, I think he was probably always at best a 3rd or 4th center and the injury took him out of that level, but compared to his "highs" it looked like a sizeable drop off.

But yeah, both Alzner and Brooks had lignering issues that stuck with them long term, one ended their career and the other just kinda culminated in them falling apart. Not sure it's comparable to Orlov at all. Oshie draws more comparable in my opinion, only he's still great when he plays unlike Alzner was.

 

[Marshall]

Fridgeman is talking way too much about Boeser for Mantha for my liking. (Latest 32 Thoughts pod @ 26:40 or so.)

 

[g00n]

You guys aren’t the only ones in the room capable of understanding “what’s going on” just because you’ll put up paragraphs in favor of it. Some of us think this plan creates a needless transitional gulf and is something of an unforced error.

You don’t see it that way so it’s all just whining to you though

See this is the butthurt misconception and narrative you and the rest of the tank brigade need to hammer in order to remain angry 24/7.

Nobody here ever said they were "in favor" of this plan. We've simply been pointing it out, and trying to explain why all these various howls at the moon are wasted breath.

But whatever. If you want to howl then howl away.

 

[Empty Goal Net]

///Brooks is a bit longer back, but I think his was a mix of right time right place in terms of his production sky rocketing prior and then coming back to Earth and then getting something wrong with his groin. Basically, I think he was probably always at best a 3rd or 4th center and the injury took him out of that level, but compared to his "highs" it looked like a sizeable drop off.

But yeah, both Alzner and Brooks had lignering issues that stuck with them long term, one ended their career and the other just kinda culminated in them falling apart. Not sure it's comparable to Orlov at all. Oshie draws more comparable in my opinion, only he's still great when he plays unlike Alzner was.

iirc, Laich sustained his groin injury while playing in the Swiss league during the lockout.

Regardless of how accurate the comparisons are to Alzner & Laich - and one or both may be relevant - I agree that Orlov's delayed return is troubling. Add in the uncertainties regarding how much of his former self Nicky can be once he is back in the line-up, and this season is not one that seems to be ripe for success.

 

[g00n]

WARNING: NEGATIVE POST INCOMING

Orlov is set to miss his 16th game in a row this season with what seems to be a nagging lower body injury. It's good enough that he's taking morning skates and some practices, but not good enough to go all out. MacLellan mentioned they were trying to get a better sense of what the injury was in his latest presser.

This worries me quite a bit. This type of slow progress toward returning reminds me way too much of lower-body injuries to Brooks Laich and Karl Alzner which basically ended their careers. Washington needs to proceed very carefully and prudently with Orlov this season in terms of re-signing him or trading him.

Uh, yeah. This is not good. If someone is out that long and you're still trying to figure out the problem 99% of the time it's something even more long-term and insidious. The rare exception is some weird thing that's been overlooked like a cyst against a nerve that doesn't show up on x-ray etc etc etc.

Orlov is the only d-man worth keeping going forward IMO and having him down for extended periods is very worrying.

 

[HTFN]

See this is the butthurt misconception and narrative you and the rest of the tank brigade need to hammer in order to remain angry 24/7.

Nobody here ever said they were "in favor" of this plan. We've simply been pointing it out, and trying to explain why all these various howls at the moon are wasted breath.

But whatever. If you want to howl then howl away.

Jesus, what a batch of bullshit characterizations. Everything we do is wasted breath, we don’t make decisions we just discuss them.

I don’t generally go out of my way to explain positions I don’t agree with and don’t see the point in adopting the “I have explained it, it is fact, let us not discuss it further” stance. I haven’t really changed much in my position over the last few years so when you’re done attacking straw men I’ll be here, right where I already was, nowhere near the tank brigade.

 

[g00n]

Jesus, what a batch of bullshit characterizations. Everything we do is wasted breath, we don’t make decisions we just discuss them.

I don’t generally go out of my way to explain positions I don’t agree with and don’t see the point in adopting the “I have explained it, it is fact, let us not discuss it further” stance. I haven’t really changed much in my position over the last few years so when you’re done attacking straw men I’ll be here, right where I already was, nowhere near the tank brigade.

Was I talking to you or Hivemind? I don't care about your self-defense about your positional integrity. Maybe mind your own business instead of rallying to white knight for the guy I was talking about, eh?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Which is an extremely stupid idea. There is literally zero reason this team can't continue to be competitive at the end of the Ovi reign and into the post-retirement era. It's entirely due to this ridiculous notion that we have to keep the band back together and can't possibly try to bring in new players.

Maybe you need to accept that they’re likely going that route? Kuzy was a chance to bridge the eras, but he’s not a guy you can count on. They don’t currently have the talent in the Organization to continue being competitive. Who knows, maybe this off-season with significant turnover that can change?

Who says we have to keep the band together? If there are smart hockey trades, not yard sales for futures, that would improve them immediately, I’m sure GMBM has or would pursue them.

 

[Brian23]

Maybe you need to accept that they’re likely going that route?

Cool, I don't expect them too. It doesn't mean I'm going to just stop talking about or advocating for what I think is a better road to travel. That's literally the entire point of a forum.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Good for VV.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Cool, I don't expect them too. It doesn't mean I'm going to just stop talking about or advocating for what I think is a better road to travel. That's literally the entire point of a forum.

Didn’t say you couldn’t….stop with the feigned persecution and just talk hockey and be less annoying. Simple.

Good for VV.

NHL thread?

 

[HTFN]

Was I talking to you or Hivemind? I don't care about your self-defense about your positional integrity. Maybe mind your own business instead of rallying to white knight for the guy I was talking about, eh?

What do you think the phrase “you and the rest of” means exactly?

 

[HTFN]

Didn’t say you couldn’t….stop with the feigned persecution and just talk hockey and be less annoying. Simple.


NHL thread?

“Feigned persecution”
“Be less annoying”

Alright. It’s you and g00n starting arguments with straw men by going “oh here come the whiny babies” and name dropping my ass constantly… must be “poking fun” with each other but anyone who jumps is feigning a persecution complex.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Must sting when the team wins…hard to be negative. You can’t just move on and talk hockey…points have been made…get over yourself already.

 

[Rayquaza64]

If our LHD could stop getting murdered by opposing teams and we played that well consistently that would definitely help clear up some negativity

 

[Raikkonen]

hate to say it but AA is getting injured too much.

hes getting in positions where his body can't handle the contact or straight where he gets hit brutally

kind of lost faith he will make it meaningfully

 

[Corby78]

hate to say it but AA is getting injured too much.

hes getting in positions where his body can't handle the contact or straight where he gets hit brutally

kind of lost faith he will make it meaningfully

Hard to count on someone who can’t stay in the lineup. TJ has at least proven himself and is a positive when healthy, but AA is still a question mark. Auto penciling him in to the future roster would be a mistake IMO.