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

[g00n]

That was our strategy, yes - and one that didn’t really work. The one year we got past the second round we were forced to play younger guys who usually were crowded out - Stephenson, Djoos, Boyd, Vrana, Burakovsky…

And yet we watched the Penguins win two years in a row by pairing their younger players with the Crosbys and Malkins. Tampa has had tremendous success giving guys like Point, Cirelli and Colton NHL playing time when they were promising, but incomplete, players.

How would this narrative flip if we'd gotten past PIT all those years and won Cups in those seasons like they did?

TB and PIT still had vet core and TB circumvented the cap.

I don't think the difference is as vast or damning as it appears to some. IMO our players failed to deliver on the ice for the better part of 10-15 years during a window that should've resulted in more than 1 Cup.

Offense was rarely a problem in that span. We have the best goal scorer in NHL history (pending). During most of that time the main struggle was defense, leadership, and goaltending. One could argue Holtby and Orpik et all made as much of a difference in 2018 as the younger bit players, and probably more.

IMO it's recency bias. We see a slower, older team now and think that youth has always been the answer.

 

[g00n]

Which NHL teams have drafted the best and worst since 2005?

The Blackhawks have made the most picks. The Penguins the least. And the Blue Jackets and Bruins have the most NHL games.

theathletic.com

This is not the last word on drafting but Caps rank first in this review of 2005-2016. I'm not going to argue the methodology or 1st rd vs 3rd rd or whatever, as most teams don't hit that much on later picks.

Point being if the same people are drafting now then maybe the problem isn't the scouting. Other teams are ranked based on the same criteria and they're not climbing over the Caps based on a bunch of home run picks we've missed.

 

[Hivemind]

Mahoney was the architect of drafting those players. McPhee was just the manager with the final say. Also remember BMac was the Assistant GM in help picking these players.

This is a refrain from a portion of the fanbase, but I think the results tend to speak for themselves. There is a sharp contrast between the efficacy of the drafting under McPhee and MacLellan. While we can pretend that the lead scout is pulling all the strings on who to pick with no control from the GM (which I believe to be a fantasy), we know for a fact that the GM is involved in making draft-day decisions (like when to trade a pick to another team), and the trade philosophy at the draft has starkly changed between GMGM hoarding picks approach and GMBM's mentality to consolidate picks by trading up.

There are a bunch of studies on team drafting out there, but this one spans from 1990-2012 so it matches relatively well with George McPhee's tenure. During that time, the Capitals were among the very best teams in the league at drafting (and that's impressive considering the pre-McPhee years between 1994-1997 was some pretty abysmal drafting where Jan Bulis and Richard Zednik where the most successful picks they had in that 4 year span - really dragging down the overall numbers before McPhee took over). I don't think anyone would even attempt to argue the Capitals have been among the best drafting teams in the NHL under MacLellan.

 

[Caps8112]

How would this narrative flip if we'd gotten past PIT all those years and won Cups in those seasons like they did?

TB and PIT still had vet core and TB circumvented the cap.

I don't think the difference is as vast or damning as it appears to some. IMO our players failed to deliver on the ice for the better part of 10-15 years during a window that should've resulted in more than 1 Cup.

Offense was rarely a problem in that span. We have the best goal scorer in NHL history (pending). During most of that time the main struggle was defense, leadership, and goaltending. One could argue Holtby and Orpik et all made as much of a difference in 2018 as the younger bit players, and probably more.

IMO it's recency bias. We see a slower, older team now and think that youth has always been the answer.

I know its woulda, coulda, shoulda but I absolutely believe the stanley cup was the 2nd round caps/pens series both of those years. Whoever got through would destroy who was left. Look what beating Pittsburgh did for them the year they actually won. Tampa was ridiculously good and the caps smoked them the first 2 games on adrenaline alone. DIfference in the year they won was actually getting secondary scoring that they never got the rest of history

 

[bacchist]

Spencer Carbery’s second intermission speech in locker room helps spark Capitals’ comeback win over Devils

After having about as bad of a five-game start as possible, the Washington Capitals came out firing on all cylinders against the…

russianmachineneverbreaks.com

He said bad words?!

Well I never

 

[g00n]

He said bad words?!

Well I never

I'd like to know what he told them about whey they were being hemmed in on defense.

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

This is a refrain from a portion of the fanbase, but I think the results tend to speak for themselves. There is a sharp contrast between the efficacy of the drafting under McPhee and MacLellan. While we can pretend that the lead scout is pulling all the strings on who to pick with no control from the GM (which I believe to be a fantasy), we know for a fact that the GM is involved in making draft-day decisions (like when to trade a pick to another team), and the trade philosophy at the draft has starkly changed between GMGM hoarding picks approach and GMBM's mentality to consolidate picks by trading up.

There are a bunch of studies on team drafting out there, but this one spans from 1990-2012 so it matches relatively well with George McPhee's tenure. During that time, the Capitals were among the very best teams in the league at drafting (and that's impressive considering the pre-McPhee years between 1994-1997 was some pretty abysmal drafting where Jan Bulis and Richard Zednik where the most successful picks they had in that 4 year span - really dragging down the overall numbers before McPhee took over). I don't think anyone would even attempt to argue the Capitals have been among the best drafting teams in the NHL under MacLellan.

Exactly it’s like GMBM for some reason is not the person responsible for making the picks. Like it or not when you become GM the responsibility falls on you. If you think the scouts are making poor choices then you get new scouts. No other team keeps a GM with a poor draft record because it was the scouts fault.

 

[Roshi]

Its also convenient to handpick deep drafts like 2016.

Rather look at the last 5 drafts. Theres really not many Adam Fox’s or Tage Thompson’s there. Just to add that neither of those guys even broke through with the teams they were actually drafted for.

I think 2022 draft will be another one with several high end picks from later numbers. and i wouldnt be shocked if Cristall was one of those.

 

[trick9]

I wish there would be more in-depth coverage on the Capitals draft Day stuff. There are some available for some years but when i tried to look for it before i didn't find Caps one for every draft like some teams do. Those are really interesting to watch and give you a better idea of the whole process.

 

[barriers]

 

[zappa4ever]

JC74 on LD?

Maybe it's b/c he pulled a LeTang a few times now where he's completely abandoned his position to go to the left boards along with the LD only to leave a wide open crease for easy goals multiple times?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

JC74 on LD?

Maybe it's b/c he pulled a LeTang a few times now where he's completely abandoned his position to go to the left boards along with the LD only to leave a wide open crease for easy goals multiple times?

Somewhere Oates is eye twitching at two offhand D on the top pair lol….

 

[Hivemind]

JC74 on LD?

I think you're putting a little too much faith in the order that a tweet has the defense listed

 

[zappa4ever]

I think you're putting a little too much faith in the order that a tweet has the defense listed

just a jab at Carlson making multiple LeTang-style-abandon-position gaffes this young season
don't read too much into it

 

[barriers]

 

[CapsCrazyX17]

I blame Trotz for scratching Schmidt over Alzner/Orpik. That or dressing 7D because he didn’t have the balls to scratch one of those guys.

Boy that was a frustrating playoffs. I was also mad at Ovie for sucking so hard. Our best team ever and Ovie’s worst year ever.

You really can’t blame Ovi, he was basically playing on one leg after he took a dirty knee shot from Kadri in the first round. I remember actually being shocked that he was still able to play after that because it looked brutal. After the Caps got eliminated Ovi’s wife posted a photo of the massive bruise Ovi still had on his leg/thigh weeks after it happened precisely in an attempt to shut up the people hating on Ovi for having a bad playoffs and “choking” again

 

[Roshi]

You really can’t blame Ovi, he was basically playing on one leg after he took a dirty knee shot from Kadri in the first round. I remember actually being shocked that he was still able to play after that because it looked brutal. After the Caps got eliminated Ovi’s wife posted a photo of the massive bruise Ovi still had on his leg/thigh weeks after it happened precisely in an attempt to shut up the people hating on Ovi for having a bad playoffs and “choking” again

I remember seeing a picture of Ovies leg after the playoffs and was like, yeah, they shouldnt let the guy play in first place. He could barely walk.

But history will remember how Ovie choked and failed to lead the Caps past second round.

 

[JayBeagleFanAccount]

 

[um]

You really can’t blame Ovi, he was basically playing on one leg after he took a dirty knee shot from Kadri in the first round. I remember actually being shocked that he was still able to play after that because it looked brutal. After the Caps got eliminated Ovi’s wife posted a photo of the massive bruise Ovi still had on his leg/thigh weeks after it happened precisely in an attempt to shut up the people hating on Ovi for having a bad playoffs and “choking” again

Yea that is true... but boy did he suck, especially in game 7 against the Pens.

His injury didn't save me any disappointment, we still lost.

 

[ClevelandCapsfan]

Weak slashing call on JC

 

[Devil Dancer]

I don't know about you all, but I wrote Willy off as a 4th liner back when it looked like Oates and GMGM had wrecked his development. It's been awesome watching his career trajectory since then.

 

[Jags]

I remember seeing a picture of Ovies leg after the playoffs and was like, yeah, they shouldnt let the guy play in first place. He could barely walk.

 

[crazy8888]

I don't know about you all, but I wrote Willy off as a 4th liner back when it looked like Oates and GMGM had wrecked his development. It's been awesome watching his career trajectory since then.

One of the most unique players, especially before he was labeled as a dirty player and neutered by the league. Side note, can you believe they also drafted Forsberg in that round too. One of the best drafts all time for caps and Mcphee screwed it up.

 

[Lou Sassole]

I remember seeing a picture of Ovies leg after the playoffs and was like, yeah, they shouldnt let the guy play in first place. He could barely walk.

But history will remember how Ovie choked and failed to lead the Caps past second round.

I still can't believe he came back in that game.

 

[Brian23]

I wonder who they might sit? Or maybe he really is just here as backup?