Speculation: Caps Roster General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines/etc) | 2023-24 Regular Season Edition

[ArmadilloThumb]

I have been consistently very optimistic on Lappi, CMM, Protas, Miro,and Leonard. Still am.

CMM is just taking longer. He is showing the signs that the game is slowing down for him and I expect the finishing will follow. It sure did in London - where it also took a while...

I still contend that CMM and Lappi could both be very good 1C level players. I hope to see Protas eventually at C and contend he could be a high 2C to 1C as well.

Time will tell, but if it came to pass, having 3 potentially good 1Cs could be more effective that one Superstar C (Edmonton says Hi). You could also have the ability to apply them situationally based on opponent or game evolution. That kind of flexible deployment can be very hard to defend and has the potential to shift momentum when you need it.

Especially with a coach like Carbs.

 

[ArmadilloThumb]

I also wonder if there have been internal discussions about whether Leonard might be a candidate to one day become a C or at least a part time C. I suspect it might be something they at least consider.

 

[DWGie26]

Lappy and/or McMichael can probably be a 1C/2C on a developing team. Probably Not on a true cup contender. A true cup contender also needs a good 4C (shutdown center) like Dowd.

That said, I would try to find a 1C like Lindholm in offseason. Dowd as well.

OV-Lindholm-Wilson
Protas-Lapierre-Leonard
Milano-Strome-Oshie
Malenstyn-McMichael-NAK (whom i would resign)

Or add a 1RW like Sam Reinhart (whom i don’t think FLA can resign). Keep Dowd and play Oshie at 4RW and keep Dowd.

OV-Lappy-1RW (Sam Reinhart)
Protas-Strome-Wilson
Milano-McMichael-Leonard
Malenstyn-Dowd-Oshie

 

[HTFN]

Lappy and/or McMichael can probably be a 1C/2C on a developing team. Probably Not on a true cup contender. A true cup contender also needs a good 4C (shutdown center) like Dowd.

That said, I would try to find a 1C like Lindholm in offseason. Dowd as well.

OV-Lindholm-Wilson
Protas-Lapierre-Leonard
Milano-Strome-Oshie
Malenstyn-McMichael-NAK (whom i would resign)

Or add a 1RW like Sam Reinhart (whom i don’t think FLA can resign). Keep Dowd and play Oshie at 4RW and keep Dowd.

OV-Lappy-1RW (Sam Reinhart)
Protas-Strome-Wilson
Milano-McMichael-Leonard
Malenstyn-Dowd-Oshie

They'd also be stupid good depth pieces to a cup run if they develop on track and everything else doesn't pan out.

That leaves the team in either a place where they can keep up playing the asset game or, if they accidentally nail a 1C, suddenly have depth you can play with.

 

[Acallabeth]

I still contend that CMM and Lappi could both be very good 1C level players. I hope to see Protas eventually at C and contend he could be a high 2C to 1C as well.

Time will tell, but if it came to pass, having 3 potentially good 1Cs could be more effective that one Superstar C (Edmonton says Hi).

You must have a somewhat unconventional, broader 1C definition if you see McMichael, Lapierre and Protas as 1C material, especially very good 1C.
Our guys are fine for depth and middle 6, but expecting them to become so dominant the team will be a Cup contender is completely unrealistic. The only recent Cup champions not to have a high flight, top pick elite center were the Blues (and even that may be debatable).

And no, CMM, Lapierre and Protas aren't more effective than fn Mcdavid, no matter how we spin it.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

LOL no one thinks we have a Mcdavid who is the best center in like that last 20 years.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

We are +172 in Winnipeg tonight. This is gonna be a hard game to win.

 

[trick9]

We are +172 in Winnipeg tonight. This is gonna be a hard game to win.

MoneyPuck doesn't love us this week.

Monday: @ Winnipeg: 33.7% to win.

Wednesday: @ Edmonton: 30.0% to win.

Thursday: @ Seattle: 31.0% to win.

Saturday: @ Vancouver: 30.0% to win.

Rest advantage isn't our friend either... Oilers play their first game of the week against us. Kraken are rested team playing Caps in 2nd of back-to-back and 3rd game in 4 days. Canucks play their 2nd game of the week when we play our 4th and that's again 3rd game in 4 days.

Yikes.

 

[g00n]

yeah this trip is a massive ambush

good luck, boys

 

[Kuz]

MoneyPuck doesn't love us this week.

Monday: @ Winnipeg: 33.7% to win.

Wednesday: @ Edmonton: 30.0% to win.

Thursday: @ Seattle: 31.0% to win.

Saturday: @ Vancouver: 30.0% to win.

Rest advantage isn't our friend either... Oilers play their first game of the week against us. Kraken are rested team playing Caps in 2nd of back-to-back and 3rd game in 4 days. Canucks play their 2nd game of the week when we play our 4th and that's again 3rd game in 4 days.

Yikes.

Definetely will be hard and the team need to pickup points. At least we get rid of 3 of our 8 hardest remaining games that week. While Seattle who are considered the 6th easiest remaining game based on standings will be hard on a b2b. Hopefully Seattle looses to Vegas earlier that week as that pretty much would end their hopes of catching up to that WC spot and might give a worse performance against us.

Some better luck the week after where Caps will be finishing the road trip in Calgary march 18. Then we have Toronto who are on a b2b the 20th and Carolina on the 22nd who are also on a b2b. Both playing Philly rested then Caps on b2b. Winnipeg on the 24th is also on a b2b after playing NYI rested. So while Toronto-Carolina-Winnipeg after each other looks very hard it should be possible to get some points on teams who are not rested.

We have the hardest strenght of schedule left in the NHL while Tampa, Detroit, Philladelphia and Islanders are all in the top 5 easiest schedule left in the East. We have 0.596 in SOS left while the other 4 are between 0.544 - 0.559.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

One game at a time. Win and move on

 

[zappa4ever]

One game at a time. Win and move on

That's the only way for the team to look at it...

Unfortunately fans can look at the daunting schedule and ponder

5gms in 8 days, part of 11 in 20 for the rest of March (20 in 37 to finish RS)

March 31/April 1 is the only 2 day off period the entire rest of the season

Add on strength of schedule and it's a tough road

Step 1:
Get the W vs WPG and then who knows

 

[bacchist]

MoneyPuck doesn't love us this week.

Monday: @ Winnipeg: 33.7% to win.

Wednesday: @ Edmonton: 30.0% to win.

Thursday: @ Seattle: 31.0% to win.

Saturday: @ Vancouver: 30.0% to win.

Rest advantage isn't our friend either... Oilers play their first game of the week against us. Kraken are rested team playing Caps in 2nd of back-to-back and 3rd game in 4 days. Canucks play their 2nd game of the week when we play our 4th and that's again 3rd game in 4 days.

Yikes.

We have the toughest remaining schedule in the entire league.

 

[g00n]

We have the toughest remaining schedule in the entire league.


View attachment 834012

Of the 4 teams we're chasing it looks like PHI have the best shot due to home %, and only 1 projected standings point difference between any of those 4 teams.

But it's hard to say how meaningful the deltas are on these numbers. The "easiest" SOS teams to date are all the best teams, probably because they keep beating the others. So that column can probably be ignored.

The right column also looks pretty much split between East and West. Not sure what to make of that.

 

[trick9]

We have the toughest remaining schedule in the entire league.


View attachment 834012

Yeah i noticed.

Weird spot to be in. On one hand, they are really close to a Playoff spot. But it's a mountain to climb because they face elite teams a lot rest of the way. On the other hand, for the tank crew there is a pretty good chance that they'll slip back and have another top-11 pick in the draft. You watch that list at the bottom and it's basically all of the Western teams near us that have ridiculously easy schedules rest of the way (Wild, Blues, Kraken, Flames). You'd think Devils might get a new coach bump at some point too, but... Travis Green with that defense and goaltending. Yikes.

Not much to stress about, imo. We had a good deadline and opened ourselves to all kinds of opportunities in the summer, all while staying in the Playoff hunt right towards the end. Lots of opportunities for the kids, lots of picks coming up and great cap situation going forward. Playing with house money the rest of the way.

 

[um]

Lappy and/or McMichael can probably be a 1C/2C on a developing team. Probably Not on a true cup contender. A true cup contender also needs a good 4C (shutdown center) like Dowd.

That said, I would try to find a 1C like Lindholm in offseason. Dowd as well.

OV-Lindholm-Wilson
Protas-Lapierre-Leonard
Milano-Strome-Oshie
Malenstyn-McMichael-NAK (whom i would resign)

Or add a 1RW like Sam Reinhart (whom i don’t think FLA can resign). Keep Dowd and play Oshie at 4RW and keep Dowd.

OV-Lappy-1RW (Sam Reinhart)
Protas-Strome-Wilson
Milano-McMichael-Leonard
Malenstyn-Dowd-Oshie

Lindholm seems quite overrated, much prefer Reinhart.

 

[bacchist]

Of the 4 teams we're chasing it looks like PHI have the best shot due to home %, and only 1 projected standings point difference between any of those 4 teams.

But it's hard to say how meaningful the deltas are on these numbers. The "easiest" SOS teams to date are all the best teams, probably because they keep beating the others. So that column can probably be ignored.

The right column also looks pretty much split between East and West. Not sure what to make of that.

Yeah, that's a good point. Did Chicago *really* have the hardest schedule up to this point, or does it seem that way after they gave out all those Ws?

 

[twabby]

 

[DWGie26]

Lindholm seems quite overrated, much prefer Reinhart.

I am the same. Might be hard to get both. The trigger will be if Oshie LTI retires which he might do when he hits 1000 games. Or he may continue to try and play. But even if he stays on the roster next year, still room for a 1RW (Reinhart).

I would have loved to get Mittlestat from Buffalo. Oh well. But unless we can get a true 1C then I am fine rolling with what we have (and keeping Dowd). I love Tom Wilson, but I’d prefer him at 2RW and Leonard at 3RW and Oshie at 4RW (with a 13F who can play 4RW - NAK or Sutter).

 

[Misery74]

I am the same. Might be hard to get both. The trigger will be if Oshie LTI retires which he might do when he hits 1000 games. Or he may continue to try and play. But even if he stays on the roster next year, still room for a 1RW (Reinhart).

I would have loved to get Mittlestat from Buffalo. Oh well. But unless we can get a true 1C then I am fine rolling with what we have (and keeping Dowd). I love Tom Wilson, but I’d prefer him at 2RW and Leonard at 3RW and Oshie at 4RW (with a 13F who can play 4RW - NAK or Sutter).

Holy Shit. Lapierre has all the tools to be an elite center, and he makes less than $1m dollars.

His pre draft compatible was Bergeron. He looks every bit the part thus far.

Absolutely no reason to bring in a center unless one goes out first.

Of the 4 teams we're chasing it looks like PHI have the best shot due to home %, and only 1 projected standings point difference between any of those 4 teams.

But it's hard to say how meaningful the deltas are on these numbers. The "easiest" SOS teams to date are all the best teams, probably because they keep beating the others. So that column can probably be ignored.

The right column also looks pretty much split between East and West. Not sure what to make of that.

If we are going to make it, I would rather do it facing the leagues best teams.

If we get 6 of 10 on this trip, I really like our chances.

 

[g00n]

Holy Shit. Lapierre has all the tools to be an elite center, and he makes less than $1m dollars.

His pre draft compatible was Bergeron. He looks every bit the part thus far.

Absolutely no reason to bring in a center unless one goes out first.


If we are going to make it, I would rather do it facing the leagues best teams.

If we get 6 of 10 on this trip, I really like our chances.

6/10 would be amazing. 5/10 would still be considered successful, imo.

I recall a recent roadtrip where they exceeded expectations. Maybe they can pull that off again.

 

[tycoonheart]

Yeah I'd be very happy with 6/10.

Schedule is brutal for sure. But they have played very well against teams currently in playoff position (TB, Philly, Florida).

 

[bacchist]

I was just looking at the 2000s drafts. It's wild how many draft picks we were able to pile up. Mostly from blowing the team up in 2003-2004, but we also had 3 firsts in 2002.

Some highlights:

2002:
3x 1st

2004:
3x 1st
2x 2nd
2x 3rd

2005:
2x 1st

2006:
2x 1st
3x 2nd

2008:
2x 1st

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

I was just looking at the 2000s drafts. It's wild how many draft picks we were able to pile up. Mostly from blowing the team up in 2003-2004, but we also had 3 firsts in 2002.

Some highlights:

2002:
3x 1st

2004:
3x 1st
2x 2nd
2x 3rd

2005:
2x 1st

2006:
2x 1st
3x 2nd

2008:
2x 1st

Not only that, but our hit rate on those picks was pretty legendary.

 

[bacchist]

Not only that, but our hit rate on those picks was pretty legendary.

It sure was!

Some of our misses were kind of funny to look back on. In 2008 our two firsts were 21 and 28.

At 21, we picked Anton Gustafsson, whose entire North American career ended up being a single game in Hershey.

Pick 28? John Carlson!