Series Talk: Rangers/Craps (Game 1 is Sunday 4/21 @ 3pm ET)

[LaffyTaffy13]

Here. We. Go.

Click to read more...

 

[McRanger92]

i thought gauthier was as ideal of a 4th liner for this team as you’ll find. Amazing transition, drew a shit ton of penalties, scored at a good rate. Hit more than anyone other than Blais if you’re into that shit

He needed a map in his own zone. There’s a reason he barely has an NHL job

 

[Megustaelhockey]

• Nothing easy for this team in the playoffs since the 1990s.
• Heavy reliance on special teams and very mid 5 on 5 play all season long.
• Woefully inconsistent, seemingly disengaged seasons from Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad
• Poor stretch lasting 8 weeks from Igor Shesterkin
• An opposing goalie who has the potential to play out of his mind
• The birth and entire life to date of Jacob Trouba

Yes, there are plenty of reasons to worry going into this series, but I can't stress about it. If we can't win convincingly in a series like this, we've got much more serious problems to solve.

 

[cheech70]

so does it look like 3pm Sunday game 1?

 

[Captain Monglobster]

• Nothing easy for this team in the playoffs since the 1990s.
• Heavy reliance on special teams and very mid 5 on 5 play all season long.
• Woefully inconsistent, seemingly disengaged seasons from Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad
• Poor stretch lasting 8 weeks from Igor Shesterkin
• An opposing goalie who has the potential to play out of his mind
• The birth and entire life to date of Jacob Trouba

Yes, there are plenty of reasons to worry going into this series, but I can't stress about it. If we can't win convincingly in a series like this, we've got much more serious problems to solve.

Its put up or shut up time for this leadership group.

 

[nyr2k2]

• Nothing easy for this team in the playoffs since the 1990s.
• Heavy reliance on special teams and very mid 5 on 5 play all season long.
• Woefully inconsistent, seemingly disengaged seasons from Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad
• Poor stretch lasting 8 weeks from Igor Shesterkin
• An opposing goalie who has the potential to play out of his mind
• The birth and entire life to date of Jacob Trouba

Yes, there are plenty of reasons to worry going into this series, but I can't stress about it. If we can't win convincingly in a series like this, we've got much more serious problems to solve.

Yeah this is one of the situations where if you choke here you legitimately have to consider blowing up the team.

 

[kovazub94]

Yeah this is one of the situations where if you choke here you legitimately have to consider blowing up the team.

I think anything short of at least ECF will result in significant pieces being moved.

 

[AirGut]

nervous but also very confident

 

[The Crypto Guy]

so does it look like 3pm Sunday game 1?

Apparently that’s what Boomer said on his show today, but there hasnt been confirmation anywhere else.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

View attachment 853921

It's a sign.

no, its a thermostat.

don't @ me. Im a dad. I'm qualified

 

[Rongomania]

delete

 

[savebyrichter94]

so does it look like 3pm Sunday game 1?

Yuck, we really gotta start with a shitty afternoon game?

 

[Rongomania]

We're talking about rate. Brodzinski's production was fine for the role he's in. Per minute, he outscored Kakko who everyone wants in the top 9, Cuylle who everyone says had a great season, and Vesey who everyone likes.

With all due respect, I don't understand why efficiency and scoring to the minutes you play is such a sideways concept in hockey.

You would never complain that your 7th or 8th guy in an NBA rotation doesn't score 25 a game.

Comparing a 30 yr old nothing to a just turned 23 year old who had a pretty nasty injury this season. Coooool.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

I dunno man, throwing a kid in like that...maybe he'd surprise me but I don't think he's talented enough to be a big difference maker in the NHL playoffs at this point

This caps team isn't very good. They're not making a deep playoff run. They're also a team that likely has some difficult years ahead. Maybe worry about developing him long term instead of throwing him in a meat grinder unnecessarily.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Yuck, we really gotta start with a shitty afternoon game?

Official 3pm sunday nhl just posted.

 

[cheech70]

 

[Anthony5967]

Would have to think Laviolette has them practicing tomorrow.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

Wilson knows his assignment and it's not to go out there and fight Matt Rempe. Tom Wilson will do whatever the f*** he wants regardless of whether or not Rempe is out there, on the bench, whatever. I mean christ, Rempe does whatever he wants regardless of who the other team has in their lineup; do we not understand yet that deterrence isn't really a thing?

You play Rempe if you think his energy and physicality will give you a boost. You don't play him because of Tom Wilson.

I like it because the defense is forced to look over their shoulders when retrieving the puck in the offensive zone.

this might be unpopular, but because Rempe having a reputation as being reckless and a little crazy is a good thing for the team.

guys are gonna be more likely to bail out and try to save themselves to avoid injury.

Or they're gonna be a split second slower moving the puck along the boards because they're making sure there isn't a freight train in their periphery.

I agree that it won't stop Wilson from doing his thing, but it would be beneficial in other ways.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Yeah why was he in the lineup tonight?

Injuries to Nick Jensen and Rasmus Sandin and Ethan Bear is in the player assistance program.

McIlrath is probably 9th on their depth chart and won’t play if Sandin or Jensen are healthy.

 

[Ruggs225]

Sunday afternoon Wtf

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

We're talking about rate. Brodzinski's production was fine for the role he's in. Per minute, he outscored Kakko who everyone wants in the top 9, Cuylle who everyone says had a great season, and Vesey who everyone likes.

With all due respect, I don't understand why efficiency and scoring to the minutes you play is such a sideways concept in hockey.

You would never complain that your 7th or 8th guy in an NBA rotation doesn't score 25 a game.

because scoring rates in hockey don't scale like other sports.

There is much more variance in the quality of competition when you get more ice time, plus its a more random sport as a whole.

At most you would see 13 different players (typically less) playing against you in an NBA game. In the NHL its 18, and the ice time is much more evenly distributed than playing time in the NBA.

It's not a reliable stat for players who don't play big minutes.

I think anything short of at least ECF will result in significant pieces being moved.

agree. Trouba's gone if we don't make some noise IMO

 

[Fitzy]

Sunday afternoon Wtf

Get those mimosas flowing we’re in for the weird trip that is a high stakes day drinking game that ends when it’s still light outside

 

[Irishguy42]

Sunday afternoon Wtf

Pretty perfect, tbh.

Now I can eat dinner without having to worry about anything pressing in the evening.

 

[bl02]

Would have to think Laviolette has them practicing tomorrow.

I would imagine. 3 days off in a row would seem a bit out of the norm no?

 

[nyr2k2]

I like it because the defense is forced to look over their shoulders when retrieving the puck in the offensive zone.

this might be unpopular, but because Rempe having a reputation as being reckless and a little crazy is a good thing for the team.

guys are gonna be more likely to bail out and try to save themselves to avoid injury.

Or they're gonna be a split second slower moving the puck along the boards because they're making sure there isn't a freight train in their periphery.

I agree that it won't stop Wilson from doing his thing, but it would be beneficial in other ways.

Right. I don't necessarily agree with your assessment of what Rempe brings, but your logic is spot on. If you're Peter Laviolette and you agree that Rempe does these things, that's why you play him. You're not playing him because of Tom Wilson.

It's easy to forget because Tom Wilson is a f***ing ogre, but the Capitals also rely on him to provide offense. He's not in their lineup to chase around Matt Rempe. If Rempe is in, Wilson may challenge him to a fight, but otherwise I would expect that Wilson would generally ignore him (or at least, not go out of his way to engage). The guy was fourth on their team in scoring. They need him out there.

 

[NikC]

• Nothing easy for this team in the playoffs since the 1990s.
• Heavy reliance on special teams and very mid 5 on 5 play all season long.
• Woefully inconsistent, seemingly disengaged seasons from Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad
• Poor stretch lasting 8 weeks from Igor Shesterkin
• An opposing goalie who has the potential to play out of his mind
• The birth and entire life to date of Jacob Trouba

Yes, there are plenty of reasons to worry going into this series, but I can't stress about it. If we can't win convincingly in a series like this, we've got much more serious problems to solve.

if you're really "worried" about this series... i would suggest a different sport. This maybe the weakest Caps lineup i've seen in years... this is not a hot NYI team, or Tampa. This is a broken down trash heap Caps team.

Sure there's always the rangers playing down to their opponent which is my greatest concern... but worried? I'll save that for round 2.