GDT: 4/11 Caps vs Sabres

[trick9]

The dagger.

I don't get blaming Carbery's system on a loss like this. He plays with the weapons we have, and on the offensive side, those weapons are the worst in the Eastern Conference.

As for this game, they had 27-16 scoring chance advantage 5-on-5, high-danger chances were 12-4 for the Caps. All situations those numbers were scoring chances 31-17 and high-danger chances 12-4. For the Capitals, this was an above average offensive display. But they gave up 4 goals despite only giving up 4 high-danger chances all game.

It's almost like they were beaten by their own weapons... this team has relied heavily on goaltending (or Lindgren) this season and in this one, Luukkonen got the better off him.

 

[Fred22406Capsfan]

Not quite yet.

Hope you're right and I'm eating crow!

 

[marcel snapshot]

Not quite yet.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Brutal second goal for Chuckie to let in but he gets zero blame because we’d already be dead and buried by now if it wasn’t for him.

Don’t really get the McMike hate. He’s been thrown into some tough situations and has the chance to pot 20 goals in his first season playing important minutes. He needs to take the next step but so do a lot of other guys.

 

[ovikovy817]

Well. Need to wait for an L from the opposition.

 

[tycoonheart]

Brutal second goal for Chuckie to let in but he gets zero blame because we’d already be dead and buried by now if it wasn’t for him.

Don’t really get the McMike hate. He’s been thrown into some tough situations and has the chance to pot 20 goals in his first season playing important minutes. He needs to take the next step but so do a lot of other guys.

Agreed regarding CMM. I think he has been good.

 

[StrikingDistance]

We out-chanced, but didn't outscore. Shit happens. That's hockey.

Sucks it's happening now though.

 

[Roric]

So we need to win/pitt lose tomorrow to stay alive correct

 

[Neil Racki]

Our team is bad, and should feel bad.

Milano - bad ( i dont care if he has 'value')
NAK - get real
Patches (goodbye!)
CMM (undecided)
Protas (ya, he's a 'playmaker' lol)
Wilson ( woof, maybe next year)

What can't be beat? A dead horse

Milano? hes 1 of 3 forwards that I actually notice when hes on the ice.

Sonny at 1.9 is a steal.

I cant with all this self hate on here today .. have a good weekend yall.

 

[crazy8888]

So we need to win/pitt lose tomorrow to stay alive correct

Alive like a fruit fly. But technically yes.

 

[Langway]

They have the weakest offense in the Eastern Conference. Criticizing their forward mix is well warranted.

Turns out they didn't have a Lavi problem, they had a roster construction problem.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

They have the weakest offense in the Eastern Conference. Criticizing their forward mix is well warranted.

Turns out they didn't have a Lavi problem, they had a roster construction problem.

Finally someone else says it. Every time I mention this I am reminded that BMac is a God. I don’t hate BMac by any means but acting like this isn't a poorly constructed team and that the GM has no culpability in that is gaslighting.

 

[crazy8888]

Finally someone else says it. Every time I mention this I am reminded that BMac is a God. I don’t hate BMac by any means but acting like this is a well constructed team and that the GM has no culpability in that is gaslighting.

A well constructed team does not sell at TDL for two years in a row. GMBM will always be remembered for his part in 2018 but its been down hill ever since. Interestingly enough, 2018 was in big part owed to two big free agent signings and Oshie trade. Neither one has happened since 2018. Whether its trough draft, trades, waivers of fa signings, GMBM has been trying to find guys that either injured or coming off an injury, or dropped in draft position because of injury. Always trying to be smarter than everybody else. Not saying that its been a fail every time, obviously some choices are working out better than others. Just saying it seems like they strayed away from the very strategy that helped them win a cup in the first place.

Saw Ovi mention something along the lines of im sure gm will sign some experienced guys this summer. My guess would be the conversation went something like hey forget the two waisted years. We got $ to spend and we are going to use it this summer.

Time will tell but knowing Ted i think its safe to say that we are stuck with GMBM for foreseeable future-results be dammed.

 

[twabby]

I wonder what having Mantha around for this final stretch would have done. Is everyone still happy that they got a second + fourth round pick for him when maybe he could have given them that extra punch to give them a few more standings points? They've scored 2 or fewer in 8 straight games. I didn't really like the trade then and I really don't like it now.

But the biggest managerial/ownership blunder is still the Wilson contract. They had an incredible opportunity to capitalize on a highly valued asset last offseason and instead doubled down on a declining asset, with predictable results this season. He's outscoring only 6 regular forwards in the NHL on a rate basis at 5v5 (266th out of 272 forwards).

I think he's still tradable this offseason and they need to pull the trigger on it, but I think his value is going to be lower than last season. This may be their final opportunity to get any value though.

 

[RandyHolt]

I saw Max had been sticking his nose in there in recent games. I'd be happy to have 12 Oshies at forward.

https://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/n269504

 

[Corby78]

Finally someone else says it. Every time I mention this I am reminded that BMac is a God. I don’t hate BMac by any means but acting like this isn't a poorly constructed team and that the GM has no culpability in that is gaslighting.

I can’t speak for everyone but I don’t think it’s feeling that the roster is fine, but more that a lot of the issues aren’t all at the GMs feet.
1. Going all in for years in a row, and even past the window because “Ovie”
2. That “bridge” group of players (Bura/Vrana/Kuzy/etc..) all having issues and never being able to be the next set of guys.
3. Backy and his back
4. Samsonov being a mental basket

Are just examples that really hamstrung any ability to rebuild on the fly. Did he make mistakes? Sure but unless we were willing to blow it up after 18’ (the hindsight answer) this was a almost impossible ask of a GM IMO

 

[ovikovy817]

It seems like M3 spot is over for us.
Only hope for WC2.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

They have the weakest offense in the Eastern Conference. Criticizing their forward mix is well warranted.

Turns out they didn't have a Lavi problem, they had a roster construction problem.

I mean shit…..nobody knew they were old and broken down and stuck with Kuzy and Backstrom’s (and Oshie’s) cap hits going into the season right?!

The roster is what it is because they were hamstrung by two guys who physically can’t bring it, and one who is a flake and refuses to bring it.

I wonder what having Mantha around for this final stretch would have done. Is everything still happy that they got a second + fourth round pick for him when maybe he could have given them that extra punch to give them a few more standings points? They've scored 2 or fewer in 8 straight games. I didn't really like the trade then and I really don't like it now.

But the biggest managerial/ownership blunder is still the Wilson contract. They had an incredible opportunity to capitalize on a highly valued asset last offseason and instead doubled down on a declining asset, with predictable results this season. He's outscoring only 6 regular forwards in the NHL on a rate basis at 5v5 (266th out of 272 forwards).

I think he's still tradable this offseason and they need to pull the trigger on it, but I think his value is going to be lower than last season. This may be their final opportunity to get any value though.

Yep…..glad he’s gone…

 

[Langway]

Yet the offense was somehow better with half a season of a shell of Backstrom last year. It's a pretty significant decline, esp. lately when it's mattered most.

Their attempt to modernize was hiring Carbery but followed it up by acquiring Pacioretty and Edmundson? It doesn't make a lot of sense outside of a general resignation and largely running out the clock these remaining couple seasons of 8/74. Their hands have been tied re: 19/92 and the salary cap but it's really their decline in netting impact talent in the draft that's led to falling off the map.

They'll have room to add but roster construction seems stuck unable to strike the right balance. Hard to bank on additional flexibility doing the trick when vision hasn't obviously been on point lately. They did the responsible thing at the deadline but the Wilson extension is indeed looking pretty questionable these days. It was inevitable and to be expected but nonetheless difficult to believe in this leadership group overall now given how they've squandered the past few weeks.

 

[Kuz]

We have been a top team for years with few and late draft picks. The rebuild was gonna come sooner or later and I start to like the start of the future squad.

Strome on a very good contract
Lapierre showing a lot of promise
CMM and Protas have slowed a little down during the season, but should be 2nd to 3rd liners.
Leonard looks like a future 1st line wing
Miro hopefully a top 6 wing

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Yet the offense was somehow better with half a season of a shell of Backstrom last year. It's a pretty significant decline, esp. lately when it's mattered most.

Their attempt to modernize was hiring Carbery but followed it up by acquiring Pacioretty and Edmundson? It doesn't make a lot of sense outside of a general resignation and largely running out the clock these remaining couple seasons of 8/74. Their hands have been tied re: 19/92 and the salary cap but it's really their decline in netting impact talent in the draft that's led to falling off the map.

They'll have room to add but roster construction seems stuck unable to strike the right balance. Hard to bank on additional flexibility doing the trick when vision hasn't obviously been on point lately. They did the responsible thing at the deadline but the Wilson extension is indeed looking pretty questionable these days. It was inevitable and to be expected but nonetheless difficult to believe in this leadership group overall now given how they've squandered the past few weeks.

I think resignation is a good description….they were resigned to the fact that they couldn’t rebuild the roster much due to those 3 on the books to start the year.

All they could afford was a few guys who were cheap and mostly useless.

We have been a top team for years with few and late draft picks. The rebuild was gonna come sooner or later and I start to like the start of the future squad.

Strome on a very good contract
Lapierre showing a lot of promise
CMM and Protas have slowed a little down during the season, but should be 2nd to 3rd liners.
Leonard looks like a future 1st line wing
Miro hopefully a top 6 wing

Nope no credit for GMBM for any of that!

 

[Calicaps]

Yet the offense was somehow better with half a season of a shell of Backstrom last year. It's a pretty significant decline, esp. lately when it's mattered most.

Their attempt to modernize was hiring Carbery but followed it up by acquiring Pacioretty and Edmundson? It doesn't make a lot of sense outside of a general resignation and largely running out the clock these remaining couple seasons of 8/74. Their hands have been tied re: 19/92 and the salary cap but it's really their decline in netting impact talent in the draft that's led to falling off the map.

They'll have room to add but roster construction seems stuck unable to strike the right balance. Hard to bank on additional flexibility doing the trick when vision hasn't obviously been on point lately. They did the responsible thing at the deadline but the Wilson extension is indeed looking pretty questionable these days. It was inevitable and to be expected but nonetheless difficult to believe in this leadership group overall now given how they've squandered the past few weeks.

It's important to remember though that they didn't just bring Carbery in for 2 years. He's on a 4 year deal, which signals patience and an expectation that the roster will continue to turn over and he'll have a freer hand as they get Ovie's record secured and move past the vets. I don't agree that roster construction is rudderless. I think there are vets--who either are here and will stay here because Ovie (though there are fewer of them than I thought there would be at this point)--who are occupying spots or kids who are mostly not gonna be superstars but are promising parts of the roster going forward. But we'll see what happens when Mac has BOTH money and openings to fill with it--hopefully this offseason.

 

[HTFN]

Yet the offense was somehow better with half a season of a shell of Backstrom last year. It's a pretty significant decline, esp. lately when it's mattered most.

Their attempt to modernize was hiring Carbery but followed it up by acquiring Pacioretty and Edmundson? It doesn't make a lot of sense outside of a general resignation and largely running out the clock these remaining couple seasons of 8/74. Their hands have been tied re: 19/92 and the salary cap but it's really their decline in netting impact talent in the draft that's led to falling off the map.

They'll have room to add but roster construction seems stuck unable to strike the right balance. Hard to bank on additional flexibility doing the trick when vision hasn't obviously been on point lately. They did the responsible thing at the deadline but the Wilson extension is indeed looking pretty questionable these days. It was inevitable and to be expected but nonetheless difficult to believe in this leadership group overall now given how they've squandered the past few weeks.

A.) seems to me like Ovechkin's Jekyll and Hyde year has made that a fairly pointless comparison.

B.) you're rewriting history to act like signing Pacioretty and Edmundson was a calculated competitive move, and not taking advantage of retention and bonuses to have a few extra assets to shop. That part... worked. Could have worked even better if Pacioretty waived, but it's pretty fairly surprising that he didn't want to go try for a Cup with the Rangers and I'm not sure you lay that at GMBM's feet.

Even if we wanted to, though... really low risk, and at worst it's only chipping into recently freed up money next year. There's no loss, there was never any way to lose and there wasn't a run on better options later. They basically invested in penny stocks and did okay.

C.) Competing wasn't happening. Modernize and move forward, sure, but I distinctly remember posting that the point of this year is to push the stress points (Kuznetsov, Backstrom) so that they can plan for the future and that's exactly what they did. They got a modern coach, tested their younger players to better understand who is equipped to take roster spots, and got a lot of useless money out of the way to better understand how they'll be filling the surrounding holes.

It's not a sexy season but it's exactly what the plan seemed to look like to me and probably went better than expected. I'm not sure I'm seeing this lack of vision, selling at the deadline was fairly strong evidence that they're sticking to a plan even when there's a small temptation to buy and push down the stretch.

 

[kicksavedave]

Isles are 8-2 in their last 10. Pens are 7-0-3 (pts in 10 straight). Caps, Wings and Philly are all well sub .500 in their L10, completely out of gas. Two teams want it and are earning it, three teams don't. Sucks, but its the reality.

 

[Calicaps]

Isles are 8-2 in their last 10. Pens are 7-0-3 (pts in 10 straight). Caps, Wings and Philly are all well sub .500 in their L10, completely out of gas. Two teams want it and are earning it, three teams don't. Sucks, but its the reality.

Isles also had a coaching change mid-season that's starting to kick in.