Does anyone want to talk about the Capitals

[Ghost of Murph]

Carbery frontrunner at this point for the Jack Adams. He has his team playing like a well-oiled machine. Really impressed with the Caps this season.

 

[moropanov]

I think it doesnt bode/tell good about NHL that Washington is doing this well/good and without Ovechkin theyr most high payed player comparing player to player skill level speed etc Washington propably isnt higher than middletier team but winning constantly. It tells that NHL is mostly played beer league typicly coast to coast bad defense no structured play etc entertaiment business typic show hockey.. but at play offs it gets tighter and more serious ofc, so this propably wont translate into play off succees, but it seems Washington is one of rare teams in NHL that plays serious hockey.. most teams play whatever typic who cares star cult hockey nowadays in NHL regular season but Washington now has good structure like national team typic level where players and coaches take it seriously. Similar to World Championship typic game theyr structure is much better than other teams so they get to expose other teams who play like pond hockey and so they also get much goals from turnovers when other team's defences are so terrible. Also offensive structure as they attack and defend as a unit

 

[Oilslick941611]

More importantly, why is the word “capitals” written in all lower case on their jersey?

because for some reason they havent changed their look since the horrid RBK era j ersey designs that ruined every single design in the league.

 

[moropanov]

But eventough they are excellently coached team i dont think they will get much succees in play offs. Regular season is almost meaningless for play offs and theyr inferior player material will get exposed in play offs compared to best teams also they are peaking at wrong time at early season if u want to win Stanley you peak at spring. Very hard to keep elite level push year long top regular season teams like 18-19 Tampa and 22-23 Bruins dropped straight away at play offs and Washington's player material is nothing compared to them. They will tire out sooner or later and playing dynamics are totally different in Play offs when other teams get serious also.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

It’s like some sorcerer from DC swapped their skill with the Rangers after last playoffs.

 

[pezpunk]

.

 

[GRob83]

They improved to 11-3-1 when allowing the first goal compared to 10-3-1 when they do score first. The win% when allowing the opening goal is .733 and they've gotten 23 of a possible 30 points in those games for a point% of .766 which is higher than their season total. Just unbelievable results Carberry has been able to get out of this group and the never say die attitude and confidence they are playing with should scare every team in the league.

 

[Coffey]

View attachment 945511

Wonderful

(I do miss the Bullets tho)

 

[Nogatco Rd]

. but at play offs it gets tighter and more serious ofc, so this propably wont translate into play off succees, but it seems Washington is one of rare teams in NHL that plays serious hockey.. most teams play whatever typic who cares star cult hockey nowadays in NHL regular season but Washington now has good structure like national team typic level where players and coaches take it seriously. Similar to World Championship typic game theyr structure is much better than other teams so they get to expose other teams who play like pond hockey and so they also get much goals from turnovers when other team's defences are so terrible. Also offensive structure as they attack and defend as a unit

I kinda agree with you. The caps are a team of good to very good players who happen to be playing great.

They’ll have their work cut out for them when they meet a team with great players who are playing great.

Until then I think most Caps fans are just enjoying the ride.

 

[wickedwitch]

Until then I think most Caps fans are just enjoying the ride.

Yep. It's really nice to enjoy a top regular season team without the threat of "what if the Caps can never win a Cup?" hanging over everyone's heads.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

The Capitals are the Canucks of this year. Everything is going right for them.

 

[Demandedace]

But eventough they are excellently coached team i dont think they will get much succees in play offs. Regular season is almost meaningless for play offs and theyr inferior player material will get exposed in play offs compared to best teams also they are peaking at wrong time at early season if u want to win Stanley you peak at spring. Very hard to keep elite level push year long top regular season teams like 18-19 Tampa and 22-23 Bruins dropped straight away at play offs and Washington's player material is nothing compared to them. They will tire out sooner or later and playing dynamics are totally different in Play offs when other teams get serious also.

Lol your takes are always completely absurd, love it

The Capitals are the Canucks of this year. Everything is going right for them.

I would say Ovechkin getting injured for an extended timeframe while leading the league in goals was not something going right for us haha

 

[Coffey]

The Capitals are the Canucks of this year. Everything is going right for them.

Except I don’t hate them

 

[HabzSauce]

Lol your takes are always completely absurd, love it


I would say Ovechkin getting injured for an extended timeframe while leading the league in goals was not something going right for us haha

You guys got blessed it wasn't serious injury tho

 

[pezpunk]

You guys got blessed it wasn't serious injury tho

a broken leg isn't serious?

CApitals would be okay likeable team if Ovechkin wouldnt exist but team serving him makes Washington team of evil in NHL+Team Russia/Putin even if theres not so many Russians anymore but chief orc is still around .. He is disgrace of hockey/NHL. They play good hockey as a team but existence of theyr captain makes them disgusting. Its hard to understand how someone can root for that. Ovechkin is even so hideous to look at its hard to call him human he is somesort of creature.

 

[HTFN]

a broken leg isn't serious?

All things considered? No, a fractured (emphasis on fractured as opposed to broken) leg is substantially better than any ligament damage or a clean break by a lot.

It's basically just an extra bad bruise that will eventually heal back stronger than it started, as bones tend to do. That's not the worst thing in the world for a hockey player in their late 30's.

 

[Paxton Fettel]

You guys got blessed it wasn't serious injury tho

Ovy getting any kind of injury is as serious as Crosby getting sidelined for 6 months

 

[HabzSauce]

a broken leg isn't serious?

Ovy getting any kind of injury is as serious as Crosby getting sidelined for 6 months

No 4-6 weeks is not serious. Even more incredible when you consider his age.

 

[Klargplutte]

CApitals would be okay likeable team if Ovechkin wouldnt exist but team serving him makes Washington team of evil in NHL+Team Russia/Putin even if theres not so many Russians anymore but chief orc is still around .. He is disgrace of hockey/NHL. They play good hockey as a team but existence of theyr captain makes them disgusting. Its hard to understand how someone can root for that. Ovechkin is even so hideous to look at its hard to call him human he is somesort of creature.

This is just a new tune of Ovechkin not being Canadian, something he's had against him the entire NHL career.

 

[scoopscj]

If the Caps had a theme song so far, it would be "All I do is Win Win Win no matter what...."

They look legit.

 

[BallardEra]

Wrong thread.

 

[GoCaps2004]

All things considered? No, a fractured (emphasis on fractured as opposed to broken) leg is substantially better than any ligament damage or a clean break by a lot.

It's basically just an extra bad bruise that will eventually heal back stronger than it started, as bones tend to do. That's not the worst thing in the world for a hockey player in their late 30's.

What do you think a fracture is…?

 

[olli]

I hope they load up at the deadline because this has gotta be a top 2-3 caps team since they won the cup right??

 

[crab]

Tbh the regression has started, they aren’t nearly as explosive offensively as they were to start the season. They are getting outstanding special teams and goalie play right now, which I don’t expect to last, at least at this level.

I do think they “know how to win” close games though, dating back to their play style from last year.

I think the East playoff bracket will be tough sledding though almost no matter who they draw. Not betting on an extended run and it doesn’t appear the oddsmakers are either.

Ya who could have ever predicted the offense wouldn’t keep the same pace that would have resulted in them being one of the top offensive teams ever in NHL history.

Hard to see they would get better when Ovy returns.. almost certainly theyr record will get worse. They wont get 85% of points .. theyr player material after all isnt better than NHL average level and this kind of think cant last for too long. Or are other team's just so badly coached in NHL.. its kind of shameful for other team's that Washington's doing so good atm makes to think what are these other team's/coaches doing playing pond hockey without structures at all..

I have seen some fascinating posts on HF over the years but this may be my favorite.

Basically, the Capitals aren’t good, they are just winning because every other team is even worse.

 

[Kalopsia]

I hope they load up at the deadline because this has gotta be a top 2-3 caps team since they won the cup right??

Easily the best the Caps have looked since they won the Cup, and honestly, better than they looked in the regular season in 17-18. That team wasn’t really all that impressive in the regular season but came together, made some system changes, and found another level in the playoffs.

That said, they’re pretty tight to the cap right now and they aren’t banking cap space because they’re using LTIR to stay below the cap. There’s very little room for additions, but also not a lot of spots on the roster that need upgrading. 3LW is the only real question mark, but the Caps’ 3rd line is really their 4th by TOI so it’s not a big deal, and most of us assume that spot’ll be filled when Ryan Leonard finishes his season at BC and signs with the Caps. He’d take 3RW and Mangiapane would slide over to 3LW.