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

[kicksavedave]

Come on people. We are better than this

 

[Ridley Simon]

I think it's notable that last year Jimi produced a great year with the Caps and a great MVP run in the Calder Cup playoffs with the Bears in a top 6 role, which he hasn't had this year. So he's not just moving from center to wing, but he's also moving from top 6 to bottom 6, where expectations and points of emphasis from shift to shift are significantly different. In that role, Lappy has to focus much more on playing without the puck and playing responsibly in the D and neutral zones. My guess is that while they'd like to see some more production from him, the coaches are OK with him having to focus on strengthening those areas of his game - and are giving him some leash to do it.

This is a very good point.

Part of why team Canada (allegedly) didn’t keep Cristall was bc he wasn’t a bottom 6 type player and couldn’t use his strengths for the team. He was simply “beat out” by players that were deemed better. I get that. May think it’s bunk, but at least I get it.

Same is possibly true for HL. He still kinda looks like a little kid out there. Like he may break. CMM had a similar feel to me, his past couple of years.

Men go through changes physically, in so many dynamics. HL needs to get his “man strength” as people call it, before anyone makes a decision on him. Akin to CMM.

Assuming HL has that coming. Most do, but?

 

[Ridley Simon]

Well no. Not you. Apologies for the inference

 

[zappa4ever]

OV still in non-contact jersey today but Carbs hints at him being very close...
rules out vCAR tmrw but doesn't rule out @LAK @BOS (Sun/Mon) (5 day break after Mon @ BOS)

timing may be best to get 1 gm in @BOS Monday then have holiday break until Sat @TOR (maybe even sit him day later on Sunday w/b2b @DET then resume normal sched)

 

[Calicaps]

OV still in non-contact jersey today but Carbs hints at him being very close...
rules out vCAR tmrw but doesn't rule out @LAK @BOS (Sun/Mon) (5 day break after Mon @ BOS)

timing may be best to get 1 gm in @BOS Monday then have holiday break until Sat @TOR (maybe even sit him day later on Sunday w/b2b @DET then resume normal sched)

Carbs doesn't seem too pressed about Jimi.

 

[qc14]

I’m still a fan but also not against using him to get better somewhere else. Between him, McMike, Miro, Leonard, Protas, Cristall, and Wilson they have a surplus of young wingers that will be competing for time and I don’t see him overtaking Strome or PLD at center any time soon either. Can he play 3C next season? Is that going to be a role that suits him? Right now he’s essentially a worse version of young Burakovsky and the team is playing well so it’s not the easiest to find a spot where he realistically slots in.

I totally agree with you but this is the key. As we all know these things change, I think in the summer everyone -- including management -- would've thought McMichael was this guy not Lappy. No need to make a panic move a-la-Kaako, but if the right deal comes along I'm also not sweating too much about moving on.

 

[ovikovy817]

I hope they don't rush Ovi because of the last 2 games.

 

[HTFN]

They are coming off a Prez Trophy season, and an ECF loss the Cup winners!?!?

How is that not “good/effective”?

I think some posters just want to hate on him. Which is fine I suppose. It is the internet and all.

But to read this thread, some act like he’s dogshit. Even now. He’s not. He’s a good coach. Period end.

Is he part of the toilet spiral that has become the Rangers? 100% a part. But it sounds like he isn’t the main culprit — at least w the players — and he’s trying to right this ship.

He’s not an “old tired voice” only 110 games or whatever in. But he’s got a lot of shit swirling around him. Too bad for him, but I hate the Rags so I’m happy about it.

I already said exactly what I think happened, they got really good goaltending and turned it into points thanks to a 26% powerplay. Rode the goalie as long as they could and crashed out. When I say he's not good/effective there I'm saying that I absolutely doubt how vital he was to that effort, based on what we've seen and what we're seeing again now. New fresh face bonus, but what about those X's and O's is making you think he's still got it?

I don't think he's the worst coach in the league and now might be as good a time as any to say that "good", for these purposes, is probably pulling too much weight. In a league with 32 of them I'm fine saying he's in the top 15, probably top 10. The thing is that he offers virtually no promise, from my eyes. If you don't win in that new face burst it's over. He doesn't have backup plans or clever solutions, he's got whatever he's doing and a dumbfounded face when it doesn't work.

At a certain point you have to recognize the same shit following him everywhere he goes.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[Calicaps]

RMNB are such clickbait trolls. What a stupid headline to take from that presser.

 

[DWGie26]

I am very pro development of players. I am very pro Lappy and he needs more development. Multiple (productive options in order for me):
1. 13F in Washington - He can learn a lot just being around the team and practicing and training. And develop him as C while doing it (center tape, watching what Strome, PLD, and Dowd are doing). Means Miro goes down (or you cut Vrana)
2. Play at wing but only if injury while he is at 13F.
3. Send to Hershey (to keep Miro and Vrana up) and to get center playing time.

I think from a team management perspective, and focusing on development, I’m leaving Lappy in Washington and sending Miro to Hershey. The more versatile piece right now i Miro, as he can play up and down the lineup and left or right. But when fully healthy, that is the guy i am sending down.

 

[usiel]

I think we need to give more time for Lappy on the wing. It took a good long while for McM to adjust to that and he is a more natural center. Its a long season but having two center playing on the roster but at the wing definitely helps if Strome/PLD/Eller go down.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Lappy should go get his confidence back in. Hershey IMHO. It isn’t working up here right now and at times he doesn’t just look lost on the wing, he looks like a guy who doesn’t remember what his strengths are that got him here. It’s not a condemnation of the player, he just needs a reset. It took McMichael a few resets to figure it out too. No shame.

 

[RedRocking]

Lappy should go get his confidence back in. Hershey IMHO. It isn’t working up here right now and at times he doesn’t just look lost on the wing, he looks like a guy who doesn’t remember what his strengths are that got him here. It’s not a condemnation of the player, he just needs a reset. It took McMichael a few resets to figure it out too. No shame.

Yea, I think you basically alternate between Lappy and Miro in Hershey. Right now, Miro has taken some positive steps forward in DC. Keep him up, grinding on the Eller line (when Ovi returns) and see how it goes.

Cause right now, I don’t know what Lappy is bringing to that line (that Mangi doesn’t do better) and Carbery only plays him ~ 8 mins a night anyways. Miro at least brings physicality and some scoring ability. He’s had a lot of good chances, and is 4th on the team in xG/60, and is rocking a 63.7% xG share (2nd only to CMM).

If Lappy gets going in Hershey, then swap him and Miro down the road. It’s a long season.

 

[Kuz]

I would like to see Miro produce more, but its not easy producing that much with less than 10 minutes on the lower lines.

Hes producing around the same pr game as Mangiapane, Dowd and Eller who plays 3 and 5 min more than him. A little more than Lapierre who plays around the same minutes as him when in the lineup and more than Duhaime who also gets 3 min more than him. A little bit behind Raddysh who also gets 3 minutes more than him and also behind Vrana who plays around the same. I think he is good enough to get 13 min + pr game and that alone should probably bring him closer to 0,5 points per game and only Vrana produces more with the same minutes and he is and I like Miro's overall game better.

 

[hb13xchamps]

Lappy should go get his confidence back in. Hershey IMHO. It isn’t working up here right now and at times he doesn’t just look lost on the wing, he looks like a guy who doesn’t remember what his strengths are that got him here. It’s not a condemnation of the player, he just needs a reset. It took McMichael a few resets to figure it out too. No shame.

To add to this thought, I think the organization also needs to think about Lappys future long term. Is he a center or a wing in the NHL. If they project him to be more of a winger, then send him down and let him get reps as a winger playing 18-20 minutes a night. They have Vrana/Miro/maybe Milano as stopgaps for 3LW until they decide if they want to upgrade that position.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

to start his NHL career? Absolutely. He's shown to be a good two-way player and he's got a lot of drive in his game. I think he's got more potential than a third-line center, but if that's what he ends up being, that's fine.

I'm not against using him for an upgrade either, but I do think he has a role on this team in the future. Eller and Dowd don't have a lot of years left.

I think we’ll see how high they are on him and how much they think he can be a third line center after this season. They clearly didn’t think he was ready for the role this year, and it’ll be interesting to see if they go out and get another vet for the 3C role or if they pencil Lapierre in to start the season. There are some bigger names hitting FA that don’t seem like a fit in Brock Nelson, John Tavares, and Jaime Benn. Yanni Gourde is a player I’d love to have but he’s 34 so he’s almost certainly getting a contract someone will regret. Same with Mikael Granlund.

If HL doesn’t take the 3C role next year (or if they don’t move McMike to center) then it’s hard to see him playing next season either. That may be fine if both the player and the organization are ok with patience but push might come to shove as well.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

to start his NHL career? Absolutely. He's shown to be a good two-way player and he's got a lot of drive in his game. I think he's got more potential than a third-line center, but if that's what he ends up being, that's fine.

I'm not against using him for an upgrade either, but I do think he has a role on this team in the future. Eller and Dowd don't have a lot of years left.

I think we’ll see how high they are on him and how much they think he can be a third line center after this season. They clearly didn’t think he was ready for the role this year, and it’ll be interesting to see if they go out and get another vet for the 3C role or if they pencil Lapierre in to start the season. There are some bigger names hitting FA that don’t seem like a fit in Brock Nelson, John Tavares, and Jaime Benn. Yanni Gourde is a player I’d love to have but he’s 34 so he’s almost certainly getting a contract someone will regret. Same with Mikael Granlund.

If HL doesn’t take the 3C role next year (or if they don’t move McMike to center) then it’s hard to see him playing next season either. That may be fine if both the player and the organization are ok with patience but push might come to shove as well.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

To add to this thought, I think the organization also needs to think about Lappys future long term. Is he a center or a wing in the NHL. If they project him to be more of a winger, then send him down and let him get reps as a winger playing 18-20 minutes a night. They have Vrana/Miro/maybe Milano as stopgaps for 3LW until they decide if they want to upgrade that position.

He’s been projected as a C his entire time in the Org, why would that change after such a small sample?

 

[Langway]

He’s been projected as a C his entire time in the Org, why would that change after such a small sample?

I think it's less where does he project than what does the team need? Also, expectations have changed. Acquiring PLD changed things vastly re: longer-term planning/structuring. Overall there's little need to forcefeed HL into working out here as a center. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. It's up to him adapting his game to something more useful for the team regardless of position. There have been more skilled players that weren't able to make those adjustments and they were phased out. Put HL on a rebuilding team with less on the line, more easily able to hand him favorable 2C minutes and PP2 time and he could work into being alright top sixer. All of that opens the door for his value being higher elsewhere. At a certain point the player helps make that decision...

With Ovechkin nearing a return, Miro should definitely stay in the lineup over HL. And with a number's game resulting it also should force them to either send Lapierre to Hershey or cut bait with Vrana. They may just send Miro down and punt on those tougher decisions but in terms of competitiveness that shouldn't be the direction they take. The dogdays of the season will be coming and they've shown improved enough pace as a team to where more one-dimensional lightweight speed factors are way less important to have around.

 

[895]

Miro up and playing, Hendrix down, Vrana as popcorn eater is how I would do it.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Welp. Folks who think we are idiots for wanting to send Lappy down for more time in Hershey are probably going to get their wish. Time for him to sink or swim.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I think it's less where does he project than what does the team need? Also, expectations have changed. Acquiring PLD changed things vastly re: longer-term planning/structuring. Overall there's little need to forcefeed HL into working out here as a center. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. It's up to him adapting his game to something more useful for the team regardless of position. There have been more skilled players that weren't able to make those adjustments and they were phased out. Put HL on a rebuilding team with less on the line, more easily able to hand him favorable 2C minutes and PP2 time and he could work into being alright top sixer. All of that opens the door for his value being higher elsewhere. At a certain point the player helps make that decision...

With Ovechkin nearing a return, Miro should definitely stay in the lineup over HL. And with a number's game resulting it also should force them to either send Lapierre to Hershey or cut bait with Vrana. They may just send Miro down and punt on those tougher decisions but in terms of competitiveness that shouldn't be the direction they take. The dogdays of the season will be coming and they've shown improved enough pace as a team to where more one-dimensional lightweight speed factors are way less important to have around.

They sure don’t need more wings ready for NHL play lol….CMM couldn’t make it at C….so they kinda need HL to IMO. Luckily Eller is a fine stopgap but who knows about next year. No need to punt on HL unless a killer trade opportunity requires it.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Welp. Folks who think we are idiots for wanting to send Lappy down for more time in Hershey are probably going to get their wish. Time for him to sink or swim.

I don’t recall anyone saying or suggesting that. The effectiveness of a demotion was questioned yes…

 

[qc14]

With Ovechkin nearing a return, Miro should definitely stay in the lineup over HL. And with a number's game resulting it also should force them to either send Lapierre to Hershey or cut bait with Vrana. They may just send Miro down and punt on those tougher decisions but in terms of competitiveness that shouldn't be the direction they take. The dogdays of the season will be coming and they've shown improved enough pace as a team to where more one-dimensional lightweight speed factors are way less important to have around.

I wouldn't really be against this. I'm surprised they signed him out of camp and I don't think he's done much of anything to prove he should be in that 3lw spot. If you're having a vet on nacho duty -- which I don't think is bad -- I'd rather have someone that is more flexible in terms of usage and deployment.

Welp. Folks who think we are idiots for wanting to send Lappy down for more time in Hershey are probably going to get their wish. Time for him to sink or swim.

An illness requiring him to go on IR is definitely not good, hope he gets well soon