tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
I haven’t seen much of them so far this year, but in my small sample they look like a team that’s going to be a pain in the ass.
Does anyone want to talk about the Capitals
- Thread starter SherVaughn30
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leafsfan5
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- Jun 14, 2014
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MVP of West Hollywd
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- Oct 28, 2008
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Is goalie their weakness. Seems like they are getting away with just playing good D in front of them.
It's certainly not their strength, but I wouldn't call it a weakness. In general, they're just a really well-rounded team that doesn't excel at very much, but has no glaring issues that can be taken advantage of. They're extremely adaptable when it comes to playstyles, too.
Want to run and gun? Good luck, Caps can do that, too.
Want to slow it down and muddy things up? Yep.
Only time they really get into trouble seems to be when there's one insanely good puck handler with even just a little bit of speed.
I'm not entirely convinced they're world-beaters just yet, but I haven't felt this optimistic about a Caps team since the Cup season.
Demandedace
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- Apr 9, 2015
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LT saw this comment and played absolutely incredibly tonight. When was the last time you saw a goalie stop four breakaways in the same game along with several other mind boggling saves
Blades Ov Steel
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Wilson is a gem. Puck off the face, played through it, can hardly breathe, scores 2 goals. Future Caps Captain without a doubt.
- Oct 10, 2007
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They're a good team, which, come the playoffs, should be a tough match for anyone in a 7 game series
LeonDraisaitl
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Melkor
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Still waiting for Miroshnichenko to do something attention worthy. His good bud Michkov is tearing asses left and right, I remember them both being considered at the same level by scouts 3-4 years ago. By this point and on a team playing this well it's already time to make em remember your name
HTFN
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- Feb 8, 2009
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It’s almost like one of them had cancer….
Melkor
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He's been considered top tier talent his entire life. Giving up some ground considering circumstances is normal but he's not a Jay Beagle. If you're good - show it.
ZachaFlockaFlame
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- Aug 24, 2020
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Maybe if you had your head in the sand and didn't realize how amazing they did with restocking their defensive core then this is shocking but the Roy/Chycurun/Sandin adds bolstered their defensive core to top 3-5 in the league, Carbery is elite and their youth got a taste of the playoffs v NYR last year granted they got swept (btw they controlled most of that series at xGF). As a Devils fan, I hope it continues and we play them in the playoffs, would be nice to start a new rivalry in the Metro. Devils/Caps games have been tremendous this year
CapsJunkie
Beaglchuck scores
the Caps vs Devils games have been very fun to watch
The Panther
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They're a good team, for sure. They seem to win the "right way" (not sure that applies to other resurgent clubs like New Jersey), and their management has obviously made some canny moves that have paid off.
It all bodes very well for Alex Ovechkin. All great players who play for a long time desperately want to be on a contender late in their careers -- the more so in Ovi's case when he chases down the total goals record, to avoid that "he's hanging around too long just to get a record" claptrap that the jealous and juvenile will inevitably come up with otherwise.
For every Rocket Richard, Jean Beliveau, or Ray Bourque who go out on top teams, there are several Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, or Jaromir Jagr-types who go down on long-sinking ships (are are effectively put out to pasture, like Jagr by the Flames).
It all bodes very well for Alex Ovechkin. All great players who play for a long time desperately want to be on a contender late in their careers -- the more so in Ovi's case when he chases down the total goals record, to avoid that "he's hanging around too long just to get a record" claptrap that the jealous and juvenile will inevitably come up with otherwise.
For every Rocket Richard, Jean Beliveau, or Ray Bourque who go out on top teams, there are several Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, or Jaromir Jagr-types who go down on long-sinking ships (are are effectively put out to pasture, like Jagr by the Flames).
jetsforever
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- Dec 14, 2013
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I noticed NHL.com and various scorebugs have started using the W logo instead of the terrible wordmark - are they finally moving toward having a real logo?
BallardEra
Leafs&Caps Since 1982™
qc14
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- Jul 1, 2024
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Even pre diagnosis he wasn't thought of in the same tier as Michkov. As for showing it he's .5ppg despite playing 9 minutes a night in the NHL and before that was the best player on the best team in the AHL ...
He's been exactly what you would have hoped of him post-draft
Melkor
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He was right there top-5 - top-7 in every single draft ranking pre diagnosis, I don't know what sources you're basing this claim off
SeanMoneyHands
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- Apr 18, 2019
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Alexander the Gr8
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Development isn’t linear, and I think you might be underselling Michkov, who should’ve realistically gone 2nd overall behind Bedard.
Well this is factually incorrect. It was diagnosed and made public in March of 2022. He had already fallen to 15-30 (Dobber, SMAHT, FC Hockey, Eliteprospects) by mid-term/early 2022 calendar year rankings, prior to the cancer diagnosed. This is easy to look up.
As a younger prospect, in “pie in the sky pre-season and season before rankings” was there some hope he’d be a phenom of sorts? Yeah, there was buzz. But this isn’t uncommon…for guys to get hyped and then expectations to fall to realistic levels during their draft year.
Nobody. Nobody had Miro as some sort of “phenom” by the time January and February of his draft year rolled around. He was just a talented, high upside, perhaps a bit risky - of a prospect who then had his draft stock compounded by his cancer diagnosis.
But the Caps still took that 1st round bet and frankly, it’s gone as well as one could expect with a lost year and physical recovery from chemo. He’s probably getting more NHL time on teams without as much depth but the Caps can slow play his development and have a great system in Heshey.
This is a weird nit-picky hill to be on, frankly.
wickedwitch
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- Mar 21, 2010
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If you compare Miro to other 2022 forwards, he's doing great. He has more points than any forward drafted outside the top 10 other than Poitras. And that's despite the fact he still lost time to cancer recovery.
It's impossible for us to know to what extent the cancer was affecting his play prior to being diagnosed. That said, he was never considered in the same tier as Michkov, whom has been referred to as potentially generational.
Poppy Whoa Sonnet
J'Accuse!
- Jan 24, 2007
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Im pretty sure the consensus was they were toast and had to get started on a tear down rebuild in the offseason. Always happy to see a team find a different way to be competitive than that multi year project based on draft lottery luck, even if I don't like them and want them to go away.
KingAlfie11
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- Nov 3, 2021
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Caps are a solid team, they have one the best D in the league, very deep team, with solid GK. And Tom Wilson is a beast!
