Is there a narrative that the Capitals are sacrificing everything to get Ovechkin the Goal Record? Is there a double standard with regards to Crosby?

[WarriorofTime]

Basically the question is in the title.

Do you believe (a) there is a narrative that Washington has sacrificed all team building for the sake of Ovechkin's legacy/pursuit of goal scoring record, (b) that this narrative has any merit, (c) that Pittsburgh has somehow escaped the same level of scrutiny with regards to the late stages of Crosby's career, (d) if there is a double standard, that this is somewhat warranted?

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[blankall]

Crosby is a better and far more complete player at this point. He's good enough that his play stops his team from tanking. So you either trade him or build some kind of team around him.

Ovechkin is extremely one dimensional at this point. The Caps aren't really doing what's in the best of interest of winning either. Honestly, I were the Caps, I'd kill two birds with one stone. Go full tank except for an Ovy led powerplay with a bunch of PP specialists. Ovy gets his record. The Caps get the rebuild.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Pittsburgh traded, Guentzel, the best long-term winger Sid has ever had. What favors are they doing for him? What?

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Yes, the Penguins sacrificed everything in pursuit of individual scoring records for Crosby.

Here's how they did it:

Step 1: Trade Guentzel
Step 2: ?????
Step 3: Inflate Crosby's numbers

 

[SEALBound]

The Capitals SHOULD be doing that. 100%. Ovie has earned that favor. You may never again have the opportunity to help your franchise star surpass a major Gretzky record. They should absolutely sacrifice a couple of years of a shitty, stupid rebuild in pursuit of that record. I can't fathom who wouldn't be tuned into that game to witness the tying and record-breaking goal.

Sid is a competitive guy and wants to end his career in Pittsburgh. He's going to go down as an all-time great. He's earned the attempt to stay relevant, especially when he's resigned for 2 more years at a discount. Now how well that will go is anyone's guess. With even an average year, Sid will start to pass other all-time great players in the all time stats categories.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Would it be wrong if Washington was in fact doing just that, while also semi-trying to make it to the playoffs?

Ovechkin is by far the most important player Washington ever had, they 100% are Indebted to him, and I think that both him and also the team would benefit from the fact that he'd be the most prolific goal scorer ever

 

[wickedwitch]

Obviously, the Caps aren't sacrificing everything to get Ovi the record. If they were, they have valuable trade chips (Leonard/1st round draft picks) they could trade. I'm not sure why that's ever been the narrative other than that media people don't remember that the Caps exist outside of Ovi and Wilson.

The Caps are trying retool. Conveniently, Ovi scoring goals helps the Caps do just that. Now, it's questionable whether that's a smart decision,* but it's very clearly what they are trying to do.

*I think the Caps generally draft well enough and have gotten lucky in a few places, where they could pull the retool off. But we won't know for a while.

 

[Laus723]

Why exactly did they move Guentzel?

 

[Nogatco Rd]

They’re both doing the right thing.

That is, toeing the line between trying to put together a competitive team that can compete for a playoff spot, while starting to get younger and stock up on picks.

Maintaining some organizational agility by signing/trading for players who can help the team now, but who will be pending UFA’s and can be flipped at the deadline if the season goes south (as the Caps did last year, before surprisingly making the playoffs).

Record or no record, if those guys want to finish their careers in their respective cities they’ve earned enough goodwill for their FO to surround them with a competitive team, as long as there’s an understanding that the days of aggressively trading high picks to ‘win now’ are largely over.

It’s not strictly an altruistic/charity play either, as ownership benefits by filling the arena and selling jerseys for a few more years as these guys ride off into the sunset.

 

[Gnome17]

Crosby is a better and far more complete player at this point. He's good enough that his play stops his team from tanking. So you either trade him or build some kind of team around him.

Ovechkin is extremely one dimensional at this point. The Caps aren't really doing what's in the best of interest of winning either. Honestly, I were the Caps, I'd kill two birds with one stone. Go full tank except for an Ovy led powerplay with a bunch of PP specialists. Ovy gets his record. The Caps get the rebuild.

One-dimensional how? Id argue Ovie is a better passer than goal scorer right now.

I like this years caps, they snuck into the playoffs last year and theyre a lot better this year. I like the way the caps have retooled a lot more than the way the pens have.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Pittsburgh traded, Guentzel, the best long-term winger Sid has ever had. What favors are they doing for him? What?

Yes, the Penguins sacrificed everything in pursuit of individual scoring records for Crosby.

Here's how they did it:

Step 1: Trade Guentzel
Step 2: ?????
Step 3: Inflate Crosby's numbers

Why exactly did they move Guentzel?

Pending UFA.

Since 2018, neither team has won a Playoff Series. Since the 2018-19 season, Washington has drafted in the First Round 5 times and the Second Round 6 times, Pittsburgh has drafted in the First Round 3 times and the Second Round 3 times.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Pending UFA.

Since 2018, neither team has won a Playoff Series. Since the 2018-19 season, Washington has drafted in the First Round 5 times and the Second Round 6 times, Pittsburgh has drafted in the First Round 3 times and the Second Round 3 times.

You're making other people's arguments for them.

If the Pens were only concerned with Crosby's numbers, they would have pulled out all the stops to re-sign Guentzel. That didn't happen...not even close.

What are you suggesting with the traded draft picks?

 

[WarriorofTime]

What are you suggesting with the traded draft picks?

Trading futures to improve present.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Ovechkin is extremely one dimensional at this point. The Caps aren't really doing what's in the best of interest of winning either. Honestly, I were the Caps, I'd kill two birds with one stone. Go full tank except for an Ovy led powerplay with a bunch of PP specialists. Ovy gets his record. The Caps get the rebuild.

This is why fans don't run teams. Besides the fact that OV has expressed multiple times how he still is committed to winning and the importance of the capitals organization being on the same page, tanking is extremely costly to an organization. Unless you are getting McDavid, it isn't worth the stain and losing culture it creates.

To answer OP's question, I think there is a small narrative around this idea, specifically with regards to them feeding him for empty nets at all costs. It seems amplified on these boards to the degree that people think that the capitals are throwing games in order to force feed OV, and there seems to be a notion that he wouldn't be on one of the top scoring lines anywhere else besides the capitals. There is absolutely no merit to this narrative. Crosby doesn't seem to be facing the same scrutiny on these boards or elsewhere, so I won't comment on that.

 

[Laus723]

Pending UFA.

Since 2018, neither team has won a Playoff Series. Since the 2018-19 season, Washington has drafted in the First Round 5 times and the Second Round 6 times, Pittsburgh has drafted in the First Round 3 times and the Second Round 3 times.

But, he played well with Sid. Why not re-sign him? Granted I forget what he was moved for, and what they got for him, but if they’re trying to stay in the hunt…why didn’t they work to re-sign him?

 

[WarriorofTime]

But, he played well with Sid. Why not re-sign him? Granted I forget what he was moved for, and what they got for him, but if they’re trying to stay in the hunt…why didn’t they work to re-sign him?

They wanted to go in a different direction. Not sure the confusion, Washington has also traded players and generally got more "futures" oriented package as Pitt didn't even bother getting a 1st back and instead got Bunting and some prospects a couple years post draft.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Is Sid going to get any records soon? What are they sacrificing in Pitt?

 

[Golden_Jet]

No both are trying to win or make playoffs, while they still have those players.
Not saying they should, but they are.
Pitt just has a worse prospect pool.

 

[Laus723]

They wanted to go in a different direction. Not sure the confusion, Washington has also traded players and generally got more "futures" oriented package as Pitt didn't even bother getting a 1st back and instead got Bunting and some prospects a couple years post draft.

I’m not confused, I don’t know. I remember the return was underwhelming. I don’t give af about Washington either, that trade was always weird to me.

 

[Madap]

Yes of course they’re doing that, and it’s a horrible look. Getting the goal record because your team sacrificed their own well-being is not an opportunity Gretzky had and a really bad look for the “greatest goal scorer” ever. It will put a stain on his legacy if he limps into the record like that.

 

[wickedwitch]

Yes of course they’re doing that, and it’s a horrible look. Getting the goal record because your team sacrificed their own well-being is not an opportunity Gretzky had and a really bad look for the “greatest goal scorer” ever. It will put a stain on his legacy if he limps into the record like that.

How have the Caps sacrificed their own well-being?

 

[K Fleur]

This thread starts with a premise and then offers no support to it.

I think you read a couple posts you didn’t like in an OV thread and got in your feels OP.

 

[WarriorofTime]

This thread starts with a premise and then offers no support to it.

It’s “asking questions” as to whether a narrative exists.

Since you commented, do you think such narrative exists?

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Basically the question is in the title.

Do you believe (a) there is a narrative that Washington has sacrificed all team building for the sake of Ovechkin's legacy/pursuit of goal scoring record, (b) that this narrative has any merit, (c) that Pittsburgh has somehow escaped the same level of scrutiny with regards to the late stages of Crosby's career, (d) if there is a double standard, that this is somewhat warranted?

If Pittsburgh is sacrificing everything to get Crosby the goal scoring record they are doing a terrible job of it. He's hundreds of goals short.

 

[Madap]

How have the Caps sacrificed their own well-being?

They should likely be rebuilding as they really have no shot at winning for starters. Even if you don’t think they should rebuild, Ovi should not be on the top line and should not be double shifting on the PP as he’s just not that player anymore.

Look, I don’t blame the Caps at all for doing this. But as a competitor and one of the best all time, I think it’s a bad look for Ovi. He should be getting the record because he deserves it, not because he’s afforded opportunities other players have not gotten.