GDT: Pens at Caps Sat Jan 18 @ 7pm

[Darren McCord]

They’re doing a variation of what we’re doing except actually successfully for reasons we won’t think too deeply about.

Sure but they also got extremely lucky.

Backstrom and Oshie were declining hard and now both are on retired LTIR. That’s like 15 mill in free space. With them around there’s no chycrun and dubios etc.

Strome worked out really well as a UFA for them too.

Like all retools luck is a huge part in the NHL.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

They’re doing a variation of what we’re doing except actually successfully for reasons we won’t think too deeply about.

The Capitals haven't won a playoff series since their Cup win. They made it back to the playoffs last year and are playing well this year, but let's not get too far ahead.

Also, the Capitals were forced into this state earlier because Backstrom and Oshie are essentially LTIR-retired. But they've really only been in sell mode for two years - 2022-23, when they missed the playoffs; and last year, when they were kind of buyers and sellers at the same time.

The Pens are essentially a year behind the Capitals' timeline. Firing Sullivan would be an important step, too.

 

[PamBallam]

Blom was solid for the most part. Rest of the team... not so much. Not gonna win many games scoring 1 goal

 

[DesertPenguin]

What's funnier is Det, Ott and Mont have all caught/passed us too. And they each still have 3 games in hand.

We are the third worst team in goal differential in the whole league. We're closer to winning the lottery than the cup right now. Significantly.

 

[caps4cup]

Sure but they also got extremely lucky.

Backstrom and Oshie were declining hard and now both are on retired LTIR. That’s like 15 mill in free space. With them around there’s no chycrun and dubios etc.

Strome worked out really well as a UFA for them too.

Like all retools luck is a huge part in the NHL.

Backstrom was their best player until he got the surgery. Oshie had a higher PPG last year than Mangiapane this year and their cap hit is virtually identical. Strome was a UFA for anyone to sign. Chychrun was traded for Jensen+ who had a difference of $500k in cap hit.

Dubois has been unreal for them and wouldn’t have been possible without the Backstrom LTIR. But if Backstrom wasn’t hurt/LTIR possible he’s likely still a top 6 center. Better than Dubois right now? Probably not. But if you’re assuming he didn’t have the injury (so he wouldn’t have been LTIR possible), his overall game was aging better than Ovechkin at the time who is still extremely productive. The other moves are all still possible, save the Mangiapane on line 3/4 for Oshie swap which isn’t a difference maker. The Thompson, Lindgren, Sandin, TVR, Raddysh, and Duhaime deals could have been made by almost every other team. Other than that, it’s been Protas and McMichael’s development. Calling them lucky is just an extreme cope/cop out.

 

[Pancakes]

I skipped the game to get drunk with friends and I'm drunk now
Thank God for auto correct on my phone
That is all

 

[HandshakeLine]

The Capitals haven't won a playoff series since their Cup win. They made it back to the playoffs last year and are playing well this year, but let's not get too far ahead.

Also, the Capitals were forced into this state earlier because Backstrom and Oshie are essentially LTIR-retired. But they've really only been in sell mode for two years - 2022-23, when they missed the playoffs; and last year, when they were kind of buyers and sellers at the same time.

The Pens are essentially a year behind the Capitals' timeline. Firing Sullivan would be an important step, too.

How many play off series have we won since their cup win?

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Backstrom was their best player until he got the surgery. Oshie had a higher PPG last year than Mangiapane this year and their cap hit is virtually identical. Strome was a UFA for anyone to sign. Chychrun was traded for Jensen+ who had a difference of $500k in cap hit.

Dubois has been unreal for them and wouldn’t have been possible without the Backstrom LTIR. But if Backstrom wasn’t hurt/LTIR possible he’s likely still a top 6 center. Better than Dubois right now? Probably not. But if you’re assuming he didn’t have the injury (so he wouldn’t have been LTIR possible), his overall game was aging better than Ovechkin at the time who is still extremely productive. The other moves are all still possible, save the Mangiapane on line 3/4 for Oshie swap which isn’t a difference maker. The Thompson, Lindgren, Sandin, TVR, Raddysh, and Duhaime deals could have been made by almost every other team. Other than that, it’s been Protas and McMichael’s development. Calling them lucky is just an extreme cope/cop out.

The point is they're not lingering around playing mediocre hockey taking up 15M in space.

It'd be like if during points in the season last year Malkin, Letang and Carter all got LTIRd and Dubi had an extra 15M to play with this summer.

Without that space, you can't move Kuemper and take on Dubious. You can't get Chic or Roy either. WSH is getting praised for the big swings that are working out this season, but you can't take big swings w/o the cap space to do it.

IMO, the coaching change is a huge part of the success but you got extremely lucky with those two guys getting LTIRd.