GDT: GM31: Caps @ Hawks - 8:38pm EST

[usiel]

Have to admit seeing 4th liners on PP2 was a bit revolting and surprising to see Carbery go there.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Which is exactly what I am doing. Insert Miro in OV spot. Put Raddysh back on 4th line. All lines stay the same with Miro slotting in for OV.

You want Miro playing 1st line winger? He would be playing against each opponents top D pairing/top back-checking forward lines/top scoring forward lines to force him to try to defend(which is a bit of weakness for him). Miro at best is maybe 3rd line winger. He needs to be a shooter(he has an under rated shooting ability). Dowd is not a setup man, so I don't see it as a good fit. At age 20, Miro is getting some good NHL experience, but for what he was doing offensively in Hershey, has not translated that at the NHL level. Someone else with some offensive touch and experience, needs to be in OV's spot until OV is ready to play again.

 

[HTFN]

You don't put Miro on the top line when his production has been minimal playing on lower lines. I think you go back to the lines when OV was still healthy and just plug-in for him.

Lower lines being asked to do what?

There are maybe two other guys on the team who could make the move he made the other night and create a real scoring chance out of being marked. Give him some minutes and freedom to try doing that, vocally change his mentality and role from "don't give anything up" to "go make something happen" and see what you get.

At the end of the day Raddysh also has minimal production on lower lines, so it's not really like this decision would rob a deserving player either. Ovechkin isn't a defensive lynch pin, I'm pretty sure they can handle a guy contributing about as much defensively while trying to create, so give that role to a creative player.