Does anyone want to talk about the Capitals

[pezpunk]

Team is poised to win another cup as the favs.

Who has them as the favorites? Vegas has 5 teams ahead of them.

 

[Bank Shot]

You haven’t watched PLD much this year, have you? It’s ok to admit it. He’s been shutting down ALL the top C’s for the opposition, ANd should bank a good 70pts.

He’s been as good a 2-way C as there is…. This season.

I take it all back then. Stanley Cup lore is littered with winning teams whose first line centre was unremarkable, but having a good season that season..

 

[TRASHCAT]

as a caps fans I'll pass

 

[Madap]

Nah

 

[Mr Nogatco]

I take it all back then. Stanley Cup lore is littered with winning teams whose first line centre was unremarkable, but having a good season that season..

you just described the Caps and Knights in 2018

 

[TheBeard]

It sucks he had the injury because the way he was playing he would have had the record by now and they could think about resting him more often with such a lead in the division.

 

[User9992]

you just described the Caps and Knights in 2018

To be fair Caps has better roster back then

 

[PaulD]

Caps look big, fast, deep, well coached, highly offensive, with great goaltending. Definitely favorites in the east.
Although Panthers will have 5 key players in the play offs who did not dress yesterday ( including Bob) the Caps were in full control of that game.

 

[Random schmoe]

They're a very good, deep, team, all playing well at the same time. But anything can happen in a 7 game series, much less four 7 game series(es?), so we'll see what happens once the playoffs start.

 

[Beezeral]

Caps look big, fast, deep, well coached, highly offensive, with great goaltending. Definitely favorites in the east.
Although Panthers will have 5 key players in the play offs who did not dress yesterday ( including Bob) the Caps were in full control of that game.

Almost every chance ending up in the net isn’t full control of a game.

 

[PaulD]

View attachment 998022

Almost every chance ending up in the net isn’t full control of a game.

I get that. So let me put it another way. And I like the Panthers. Do not like the Caps.
The Caps looked like the better team all game long.
Albeit, I said from the beginning of the game. Maurice will regret not putting Bob in net. Come on man, when playing against the highest scoring team in the league. You play your best goaltender. Duh. A no brainer.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I take it all back then. Stanley Cup lore is littered with winning teams whose first line centre was unremarkable, but having a good season that season..

Again, have you watched him at all this season? It’s easy to dismiss w some snarky comment, sure — but he’s played against other #1C’s alls season (he routinely gets match up with them, and has outplayed them as a group. Points, assists, plus minus,etc.

You *could* look it up, or you could be smarmy.

Whatever works for you my man.

 

[GlitchMarner]

View attachment 998022

Almost every chance ending up in the net isn’t full control of a game.

Looks like the Capitals built a solid three goal lead and then cruised at the end of the game while the Panthers tried to get back in it but couldn't.

I saw the second period and didn't watch the third because I turned the TOR/NSH game on. At no point during the second period did I think FLA was the better team but getting unlucky.

 

[Beezeral]

I get that. So let me put it another way. And I like the Panthers. Do not like the Caps.
The Caps looked like the better team all game long.
Albeit, I said from the beginning of the game. Maurice will regret not putting Bob in net. Come on man, when playing against the highest scoring team in the league. You play your best goaltender. Duh. A no brainer.

The panthers don’t care about the regular season. They are trying to get to the playoffs as healthy as possible which is proving to be quite difficult lately.

 

[SkinsFan09]

With the way OV plays these days, pretty hilarious to suggest the guy was just too worn out last year.

At 38/39 years old playing with the physicality he has, and being asked to score almost 25% of his team's goals for nearly 20 years, yeah that will wear you down. He plays the way he does now because he's almost 40 and father time is undefeated.

Considering he's 6th in points per 60, 1st in even strength points per 60, 1st in goals per 60 and even strength goals per 60 this year I'd say it's working.

 

[BallardEra]

At 38/39 years old playing with the physicality he has, and being asked to score almost 25% of his team's goals for nearly 20 years, yeah that will wear you down. He plays the way he does now because he's almost 40 and father time is undefeated.

Considering he's 6th in points per 60, 1st in even strength points per 60, 1st in goals per 60 and even strength goals per 60 this year I'd say it's working.

Also not a bad age 39 season despite the 16 games missed to injuries:

 

[PaulD]

The panthers don’t care about the regular season. They are trying to get to the playoffs as healthy as possible which is proving to be quite difficult lately.

I think Maurice cares about acquiring home ice advantage over leafs and bolts in a play off series. So there is a good close race on. Imo

 

[Misery74]

The big question, where does Ryan Leonard line up come Mid April?

 

[pezpunk]

View attachment 998022

Almost every chance ending up in the net isn’t full control of a game.

people been pretending shooting well is a bad thing for like, 65 games now. claiming it's luck at this point is just denial of reality.

"expected goals" is not a real statistic. It's a series of subjective judgment calls that someone applied arbitrary numbers to. Plotting that on a graph is like plotting your hurt feelings.

 

[pezpunk]

The big question, where does Ryan Leonard line up come Mid April?

Caps fans a week ago seemed to universally agreed he'd slot in on the third line. No need to disrupt the unbelievable chemistry of the first two, and up until the last game or two, the third line was struggling mightily. could change. could be wrong. who knows.

 

[Bank Shot]

Again, have you watched him at all this season? It’s easy to dismiss w some snarky comment, sure — but he’s played against other #1C’s alls season (he routinely gets match up with them, and has outplayed them as a group. Points, assists, plus minus,etc.

You *could* look it up, or you could be smarmy.

Whatever works for you my man.

Yeah I have.

I don't think there is ever anyone more smarmy and snarky than the "Do you even watch him play?" crowd.

They always have ultimate confidence and end up being wrong more often than not.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

The panthers don’t care about the regular season. They are trying to get to the playoffs as healthy as possible which is proving to be quite difficult lately.

Wow, (big picture) the same way the Caps feel.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Yeah I have.

I don't think there is ever anyone more smarmy and snarky than the "Do you even watch him play?" crowd.

They always have ultimate confidence and end up being wrong more often than not.

It’s a legit question, as your commentary about his play **this year** is nonsensical. It was the only conclusion I could draw.

Regardless, it’s not like either of us could prove it either way. Right? Only you know that answer.

PLD has been the backbone of the top teams going in the NHL(as of right now, obv). He must be doing something right

 

[Bank Shot]

It’s a legit question, as your commentary about his play **this year** is nonsensical. It was the only conclusion I could draw.

Regardless, it’s not like either of us could prove it either way. Right? Only you know that answer.

PLD has been the backbone of the top teams going in the NHL(as of right now, obv). He must be doing something right

Well he currently has an on ice shooting % of 14.47.

Dubois is doing good by the underlying numbers, but he is currently putting up Patrice Bergeron results, without Patrice Bergeron underlying numbers.

You confident the shooting percentage advantage will hold strong throughout the playoffs?

 

[Mr Nogatco]

View attachment 998022

Almost every chance ending up in the net isn’t full control of a game.

Surprised to see the shape of that graph, specifically the steep vertical leap in Florida’s xGF just after the goal that made it 5-3. I wonder if this model uses “flurry-adjusted” expected goals?

Either way, we all expect this Florida team to look much different in the playoffs. Caps-Cats would be a fun series