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

[wickedwitch]

so real questions is how far will Boston College go? Are they the favorite? dont follow college hockey. Even so, the GM said Leonard would likely be depth (press box) for the playoffs. Hopes and dreams, but wanted him to join the team the way Kreider did in the playoffs all those years ago and have an immediate impact.

Source?

 

[Caps8112]

Source?

Capitals considered Ryan Leonard’s possible cap hit in trade deadline plans: ‘That was definitely a factor in all our decision-making’

The NHL's trade deadline came and went and the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals had a light day. Washington added winger Anthony Beauvillier…

russianmachineneverbreaks.com

10th paragraph.

"Patrick admitted that the Capitals will rely on their 2023 first-round draft selection as forward depth heading into the playoffs. The club lost Jakub Vrana to a waiver claim, and Sonny Milano recently suffered a significant injury setback."

I guess you could read "forward depth" as further down the lineup.

 

[ovikovy817]

If Caps go 6W-6L-6OT to finish the season, the Canes would need to win 15 out of 18 games to take the first in Metro.
Florida is only 3 points ahead of Carolina so a 14/18 for them to take the East.

The race with the Trashers for Presidents' trophy will be fun.

 

[Silky mitts]

There was a mailbag from either Pronman or Wheeler January 2020 where someone asked something like "Is there any 2019 pick who has improved their stock as much as Connor McMichael?" and he said while CMM was putting up huge numbers he still had the same questions he had before but Protas had already answered questions about his skating and was drafted way too low.
Maybe that exists or this is what I was thinking of from November 2019

Pronman: Biggest risers from the 2019 NHL Draft

Looking at the prospects who have improved their stock the most since being drafted in June.

www.nytimes.com

 

[zappa4ever]

I was in on Protas from Day 1:

I wrote this in a blog back in Jan 2001 when I interned at a hospital in Vitebsk Belarus: “This newborn Protas held his umbilical cord like a hockey stick and looks like he has a really high hockey IQ. Really digging his composure.”

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

i have to admit I have never been more wrong about a player in my entire time watching hockey. I didnt like Wilson in the beginning, I despised watching Protas his first year or two. Could not process in my mind why he was on the roster. If you told me he would do what he has done this year I wouldve bet a million against it. Guy is beast now. He has to be the best contract in the NHL by a mile. I’ll admit I was about done with CMM too. Just didnt see him taking the next step. Would be nice If I could make it 3/3 and have Lapiere turn into something.

Lapierre is a really smart hockey player. That doesn’t guarantee success but it gives you hope that he’ll mature physically and emotionally and one day it’ll click.

A guy I always thought was a step slow mentally: Burakovsky. If he had a better feel for the game he would have been a star.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Protas:
Goals - 25 (Tied: 30th)
Assists - 30 (Tied: 68th)
Points - 55 (Tied: 43rd)
+/- - +35 (Tied: 1st)
EVG - 23 (Tied: 9th)
EVP - 50 (Tied: 9th)
SHG - 2 (Tied: 14th)
SHP - 4 (Tied: 9th)
GWG - 5 (Tied: 25th)

Pretty good numbers all across the board for a guy whose cap hit is only the 298th highest in the NHL.

For another half a decade! It won’t be 298th for long, either. Will hit the 300’s ASAP.

 

[895]

Player that I knew would be good and is good
- CMM

Player that I didn’t expect to be this good
-Wilson

Player that I thought would be good but isn’t doing as well as I hoped
-Mangiapane

Player that I knew would suck and sucks
-Lapierre (so far, prove me wrong)

 

[Dr John Carlson]

Bringing out receipts is crazy.

I'm still convinced there's an elite bottom six winger in Axel Jonsson-Fjallby somewhere.

 

[Misery74]

Bringing out receipts is crazy.

I'm still convinced there's an elite bottom six winger in Axel Jonsson-Fjallby somewhere.

Years ago, on another site, I thought Stefan Della-Rovere would be an all time NHL pest.

On top another player I am still high on, Hendrix Lapierre.

Any chance he gets a return look again this year?

I’d rather he get the line than Eller. And maybe that has been the plan all along.

 

[Lou Sassole]

Protas:
Goals - 25 (Tied: 30th)
Assists - 30 (Tied: 68th)
Points - 55 (Tied: 43rd)
+/- - +35 (Tied: 1st)
EVG - 23 (Tied: 9th)
EVP - 50 (Tied: 9th)
SHG - 2 (Tied: 14th)
SHP - 4 (Tied: 9th)
GWG - 5 (Tied: 25th)

Pretty good numbers all across the board for a guy whose cap hit is only the 298th highest in the NHL.

And doesn't play on the power play much at all.

 

[g00n]

I wrote this during a preseason GDT in Sept 2019: “Protas has a really high hockey IQ. Really digging his composure.”

Hockey IQ is either something you have or you don’t. You give the guys who understand the game every opportunity to improve whatever physical limitations they might have because you can’t teach seeing the game like moves a chess board — you either have it or you don’t. You can tell very early on at the pro levels who thinks the game at a high level and who has gotten by on physical gifts.

Wilson was always a very high IQ player as well which is why I was on the No Skill Willy train from the beginning. He made bad and reckless choices at times but he was always thinking the game the right way.

The very first thing I noticed about Protas was how hard he was to knock off the puck.

The last guy that gave me the same immediate impression of "this dude is a sneaky-good gamer trhat's underrated with lots of upside" was Orlov. Then the hip checks began...

 

[895]

I’m kinda disappointed in Orlov. I thought he would be immense after being out from Carlsons shadow. After we traded him to Boston he was nearly point per game for the rest of the season.

Now he looks washed in Carolina.

I’d take him in the offseason for a small cheap deal maybe?

 

[DWGie26]

I am still bullish on Lappy. We tried to get him into the 3C position this year, and it seems to just be a year too soon. Eller was a good stopgap for both a playoff run and on an expiring contract.

The challenge with Lappy as 3C next year is it will make the 3rd line young and inexperienced. The would be it evolves and develops as the 2025-6 season plays out. If not, we can make a move during the season.

 

[wickedwitch]

I think with all the new players, Lappy was somewhat overlooked by Cthe coaching staff in the offseason. Like for PLD, for example, there was a lot of thought on putting him in a position to succeed. I don't think Lappy's future got the same level of thought. Similarly, the top 2 lines were put together carefully; the 3rd line was whoever was left over. And the top lines had more time to gel, while the 3rd line was constantly changing, even at training camp.

In an ideal world, you'd like a player to succeed despite all of that. Obviously, this isn't an ideal world. And better and more experienced players have struggled when not in the right spot with the right linemates.

I think with fewer new adds this summer, hopefully he'll be put in a position to succeed. And hopefully, he'll take advantage of that.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Huge Protas fan especially of Wilson. This is the type of team I want with the Caps. Great work ethic, humbleness, and willing to work on weak areas. That said, I thought it would take Protas longer to score goals and mostly expected tipped garbage goals. Both players worked on skating and scoring ability and not just known for body frame. Can’t wait for younger Protas.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

I am still bullish on Lappy. We tried to get him into the 3C position this year, and it seems to just be a year too soon. Eller was a good stopgap for both a playoff run and on an expiring contract.

The challenge with Lappy as 3C next year is it will make the 3rd line young and inexperienced. The would be it evolves and develops as the 2025-6 season plays out. If not, we can make a move during the season.

He’s going to break out and some players just take longer. He showed the potential last year.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Lapierre is a really smart hockey player. That doesn’t guarantee success but it gives you hope that he’ll mature physically and emotionally and one day it’ll click.

A guy I always thought was a step slow mentally: Burakovsky. If he had a better feel for the game he would have been a star.

Just put Lappy between Wilson and Protas in the future years . They’ll make room for him up ice.

 

[DWGie26]

I think with all the new players, Lappy was somewhat overlooked by Cthe coaching staff in the offseason. Like for PLD, for example, there was a lot of thought on putting him in a position to succeed. I don't think Lappy's future got the same level of thought. Similarly, the top 2 lines were put together carefully; the 3rd line was whoever was left over. And the top lines had more time to gel, while the 3rd line was constantly changing, even at training camp.

In an ideal world, you'd like a player to succeed despite all of that. Obviously, this isn't an ideal world. And better and more experienced players have struggled when not in the right spot with the right linemates.

I think with fewer new adds this summer, hopefully he'll be put in a position to succeed. And hopefully, he'll take advantage of that.

I don’t think this is the case. I think they looked at what the best possible line combos looked like. They had set all four lines immediately coming into training Camp. They picked what they thought were the best 3 players for each line. They nailed it with lines 1, 2, and 4. 3rd line hasn’t jelled but they used the players they had.

Problem is, Lappy just wasn’t ready for that role yet. Same as McMichael wasn’t ready. And Miro this year. They are good but just not ready for full 82 game NHL season.

I think the Caps handled it perfectly. Lappy wasn’t ready. Rather than forcing it they sent him to Hershey to bake (develop) more and they made a trade to bring in a 3C.

 

[DWGie26]

Just put Lappy between Wilson and Protas in the future years . They’ll make room for him up ice.

In all seriousness, i think that is what they may have to do going into next season. Ideally, we leave the top 6 alone but I believe we’ll have three “rookies” in the lineup next year with Lappy, Leonard, and maybe Miro (on 4th line). So you may have to move Wilson down to third line. move Leonard up to second line. That is more about distributing the size and experience that what actual line they play on.

 

[Kolzilla]

In all seriousness, i think that is what they may have to do going into next season. Ideally, we leave the top 6 alone but I believe we’ll have three “rookies” in the lineup next year with Lappy, Leonard, and maybe Miro (on 4th line). So you may have to move Wilson down to third line. move Leonard up to second line. That is more about distributing the size and experience that what actual line they play on.

Depending on FA acquisitions/re-signings, I don't see an issue with trying a primarily young "third" line (ex: McM - Lappy - Leonard) next year. Especially if we have a "4th" line similar to this year. We aren't going to run 4 1A/B lines and they're always gonna be a spot or two that needs improvement.

I would want one of Willy/Protas with Dubois as are top two-way line combo.

Just for fun (please be nice):
Ovie - Strome - Willy
Ehlers/trade? - Dubois - Protas
McM - Lappy - Leonard
Duhaime - Dowd/New C - Trineyev
Extra: Frank