Post-Game Talk: G10: Bs @ Caps | 2/1/21 | 7p ET
- Thread starter AlexBrovechkin8
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Is Oshie a fine C? I haven't really assessed his play at center but more or less, he's filled in. Maybe the fancy stats crowd can chime in. But I thought Kuzy was fine in the few games he played at center this year. Oshie can still take faceoffs and play wing if that's what we want.
Barry Amsterdam
Nättias Dänielstrom
- Apr 2, 2013
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he seems to be getting better each game at it and is very responsible defensively. if it allows kuz to play wing and focus more on offense than it better for both parties
txpd
Registered User
What kind of hockey do the Caps play and how does having Kuznetsov on the wing rather than TJ Oshie advance that?
Hivemind
We're Touched
The sample size of Oshie at center is minuscule. Anyone claiming anything about his play at center is making some absurd jumps.
Carlzner
Registered User
Melkor
Registered User
Kuznetsov had played a meaningful amount of games at wing back in Russia before leaving for the NHL. He..um.. let's put it this way: he had looked pretty good until he suffered a pretty serious shoulder injury for which he underwent a surgery later and after that he didn't look good at all but his russian coaches weren't giving a flying f*** about it cause he was leaving anyways so he was kinda going through the motions until he bought the tickets and flew over to DC. I don't think it'll be an easy transition for him back to wing as it wasn't an easy transition to the center for him either when he came over here and started learning to be a 2 line C the Caps never had.
Barry Amsterdam
Nättias Dänielstrom
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dont think kuz and nick have ever been tried together at even strength and i think theyd be amazing together
ovikovy817
Registered User
I see that Kuzya is progressing on his board.
We don't want to trade him anymore but move to wing.
We don't want to trade him anymore but move to wing.
- Feb 10, 2010
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In theory it enables Oshie to take on more of a defensive role (which he is good at) and allows Kuzy to take on less of a defensive role (which he is bad at).
I don't think it makes that much of a difference.
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- Feb 10, 2010
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I never wanted to trade him. And I see trying him at wing as having very little risk.
I think the defensive prowess of TJ Oshie is overstated here, I wouldn’t call him “good” but I guess he’s not bad.
HecticGlow
Registered User
Oshie already takes an offensive role - he’s said that being C hasn’t really added much in terms of duties/responsibility that he wasn’t already doing. The issue is more that being a wing, especially in this system, requires a lot of work in the corners and along the boards, which doesn’t play to Vrana or Kuzy’s strengths at all. Isn’t it also easier to be a playmaker, generally, from the middle of the ice than from the wing?
If you end up playing Oshie in an unnatural position so that Kuzy can play an unnatural position, somethings going badly wrong on your team. More likely is that Kuzy gets limited 3C ice time if he doesn’t improve, once he and Eller are back.
HecticGlow
Registered User
I think that might be the worst take in this thread. In a thread featuring an Eller-Backstrom-Kuzy line proposal.
I was referring to his defensive play, which I wouldn't conclude as something he's good at based on two games. He's fill in, which is nice and he hasn't cratered but I think we're getting ahead of ourselves calling TJ Oshie a good defensive center.
txpd
Registered User
Yea. They would be great passing the puck back and forth. My point is that the Caps use their wingers as a hammer. Kuzy really doesnt do much for that images. I just dont think using Kuzy on the wing does anything to further the Caps game plan.
txpd
Registered User
The Caps style of play is built around Ovechkin, Wilson, Oshie, Panik, and Hathaway. They do use Vrana and Hagelin as specialists but those other wingers are the style of he team. Can Kuzy do what those guys do?
HecticGlow
Registered User
I don’t see his typical defensive game as any worse than Backstrom, Dowd or Eller, so within a Caps context it’s hard to criticise. And in terms of him as a ‘fill in’ center, let’s not forget the defensive play of the guy he’s temporarily replacing.
I don’t see a long term fit for Oshie at center either, but it isn’t because he’s mediocre defensively. With a healthy lineup, he’s one of the six forwards (with Backstrom, Wilson, Eller, Hagelin, Dowd and Hathaway) you can usually trust defensively in any situation. And that group is a lot deeper today than it was a couple of years ago.
Carlzner
Registered User
?
If anything his defensive prowess is massively underrated. His hockey IQ is great and there's a reason he's out there for big penalty kills/up a goal late.
maybe I'm being too harsh, i didn't think it was that controversial of a take. Just trying to say he's ok defensively, but nothing that special that would warrant a position change IMO
- Feb 10, 2010
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No, but he can't do what Backstrom and Eller do either. Both of those players are solid to great defensively. Dowd is decent too. But Kuzy is also a way better skater than any of them.
Not sure why you're stuck on every line having a similar style. I know Lavi said something to the effect of the team establishing an identity. That's great, but it seems to me you gotta play the hand you're dealt, and playing to Kuzy's strengths is a worthwhile endeavor.
Corby78
65 - 10 - 20
Just no more injuries please. I feel like we get one back and lose another. Really want to see 100% caps play
he’s no selke guy. But he’s pretty good out there from a defensive standpoint. He reads plays well and can get in passing and shot lanes... which is more of a winger responsibility in the Dzone.
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