Speculation: Caps Roster General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines/etc) | 2024-25 Summer Edition

[Ovechkins Wodka]

9mill to pass Ovie apples in the office.

If he was in pads I would start wondering

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[usiel]

Speaking of Suzdalev he has 6+11 in 17 gp. Three points from the team lead with others at 22 gp.

 

[Maruk moustache]

What if we happened to get the best coach ever and no one knows it yet because of the small track record and we pay him and he just stays in Washington for his whole career? Wouldn't that be great? I have been fantasizing lately.

So far, he's coached a mediocre (or slightly less than mediocre) team for one year that somehow made the playoffs, and now a quarter of a season with a large percentage of new guys who seem to be playing like they've been together for years and have one of the best records so far despite a hard schedule. So, I ain't ruling it out.

Fun season. I am having about as much fun watching this regular season as I did in the Boudreau years.

 

[Calicaps]

Speaking of Suzdalev he has 6+11 in 17 gp. Three points from the team lead with others at 22 gp.

Where's he playing? SC?

 

[Maruk moustache]

One game in Hershey in October this year, but otherwise at SC, so far.

 

[usiel]

Where's he playing? SC?

Yep.

 

[Holtbyisms]

I still dont get why NHL players dont wear full cages. Atleast we mandate shields now

When I was a kid I couldn't wait to turn 18 and get mine off. They're the equivalent of driving in the rain with your wipers off. lol... But since I got old, value my teeth and the money in my HSA, things have changed a bit for me. Half the guys in my men's league play with a curve that looks like a banana and their shots are eye high more often than not so I found a monstrosity that I like... Visor cage mashup, the CCM HVR Hybrid. Got chirped a little at first because new things are scary and it does look a little strange but I get a lot more genuine "where did you get that?" from people now. Seen a handful of others popup this season. If the NHL ever mandates I could see a lot of guys going the visor cage combo route.

 

[Kazer]

Speaking of Suzdalev he has 6+11 in 17 gp. Three points from the team lead with others at 22 gp.

It's certainly a lot better than the alternative (not producing at the ECHL level), but I'm not convinced he has an NHL future. Stan Galiev is the only Cap draft pick* I can think of who produced at the ECHL level, graduated to the AHL level, and then eventually got into the NHL games (just 26, though).

*not Beagle

Suzdalev needs to make the Bears and be productive at that level before he will get consideration for an NHL callup. He's also behind a lot of better prospects. It's going to be a long road for him, but I'm glad to see him putting his name back in the conversation.

 

[um]

What if we happened to get the best coach ever and no one knows it yet because of the small track record and we pay him and he just stays in Washington for his whole career? Wouldn't that be great? I have been fantasizing lately.

So far, he's coached a mediocre (or slightly less than mediocre) team for one year that somehow made the playoffs, and now a quarter of a season with a large percentage of new guys who seem to be playing like they've been together for years and have one of the best records so far despite a hard schedule. So, I ain't ruling it out.

Fun season. I am having about as much fun watching this regular season as I did in the Boudreau years.

I love me some Carbery so far... I sure hope he's a good playoff coach. That's a whole new game.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Peaking too soon. We need more struggle and adversity.

Bring on the L's!

 

[zappa4ever]

Peaking too soon. We need more struggle and adversity.

Bring on the L's!

I pretty much fully believe that's why most Pres Trophy winners get ousted
Coasting into the Playoffs with nothing to play for, little intensity and challenge to the players to ramp it up to go into it; I think it was a big reason 2016-17 failed (while 2009-10 we were top-heavy w/crap D corps and mid goaltending)

 

[DWGie26]

It has happened a lot. It’s weird but i just feel like Carbs has this team in his hand and that just won’t happen.

 

[wickedwitch]

The issue is you can't just invent adversity.

Unless you want that adversity to be the Caps' inability to win a Cup in the same season they win the President's Trophy.

 

[Calicaps]

Losing isn't "adversity"; it's just losing.

Their captain and leading goal scorer broke his leg and has missed nearly a month of games. Then their captain-in-waiting broke his face and is playing inside fish bowl. That's adversity. This is a team overcoming adversity.

 

[DWGie26]

Losing isn't "adversity"; it's just losing.

Their captain and leading goal scorer broke his leg and has missed nearly a month of games. Then their captain-in-waiting broke his face and is playing inside fish bowl. That's adversity. This is a team overcoming adversity.

Yes! this ^^^.

They have had adversity. Add to that winning 10 in a row on the road. A ton of come from behind, in game adversity as well.

 

[Lou Sassole]

Losing isn't "adversity"; it's just losing.

Their captain and leading goal scorer broke his leg and has missed nearly a month of games. Then their captain-in-waiting broke his face and is playing inside fish bowl. That's adversity. This is a team overcoming adversity.

Plus most pundits still think they aren't for real. There's plenty out there to keep a chip on their shoulders.

 

[kicksavedave]

The issue is you can't just invent adversity.

Unless you want that adversity to be the Caps' inability to win a Cup in the same season they win the President's Trophy.

Losing their captain and greatest goal scorer of all time for a month isn't adversity? I mean, just because they keep rolling, its not like its been without some challenges. They lost Chych and Roy for a good while too.

 

[Calicaps]

Plus most pundits still think they aren't for real. There's plenty out there to keep a chip on their shoulders.

As far as chips on the shoulder, don't forget the 4 Nations snubs.

 

[stephenball]

Wont it be nice if Ilya Protas ends up being on his brothers level in the future?

 

[Calicaps]

Wont it be nice if Ilya Protas ends up being on his brothers level in the future?

Greedy. I like it.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Wont it be nice if Ilya Protas ends up being on his brothers level in the future?

Of course he will. Why not?

 

[Ridley Simon]

Re Presidents Trophy:

That was scary when that’s all we had won. It didn’t mean shit.

Now? They won a Cup. So the whole “who cares about the Prez Trophy until they win the Cup!!!” crap is no longer.

I hope they win the Prez Cup. Would be awesome and such a fun season.

And then I hope they win the Cup and stop the entire narrative about Prez Trophy jinxes Cup bullshit.

I am over being superstitious. They are who they are.

 

[RedRocking]

Re Presidents Trophy:

That was scary when that’s all we had won. It didn’t mean shit.

Now? They won a Cup. So the whole “who cares about the Prez Trophy until they win the Cup!!!” crap is no longer.

I hope they win the Prez Cup. Would be awesome and such a fun season.

And then I hope they win the Cup and stop the entire narrative about Prez Trophy jinxes Cup bullshit.

I am over being superstitious. They are who they are.

Yea, with those great PT teams a decade ago, I had trouble really enjoying them. I was so fed up with the lack of a Cup (or even a deep run) that nothing seemed to matter except the POs.

These last few years, as we’ve steadily declined - and looked headed for a long period of ‘the suck’ - I found myself wishing I had just enjoyed those great regular seasons more.

So, now that we’re unexpectedly back at the top, I’m not taking anything for granted. We’ll see what happens in the Spring - but for now, watching winning Caps hockey, with likeable players, is f***ing great and I’m loving it.

 

[usiel]

Losing isn't "adversity"; it's just losing.

Their captain and leading goal scorer broke his leg and has missed nearly a month of games. Then their captain-in-waiting broke his face and is playing inside fish bowl. That's adversity. This is a team overcoming adversity.

The long tenured NHL fans here I believe do recall that there are certain data points in a season that can't signal a legit run and whats been happening so far feels like it is going good. NHL playoffs are such an interesting chemistry for the teams that make deep runs. And some injury luck.