StrikingDistance
Buford T. Justice
Is it too late? Some troll-bots appear to think the Caps management can't do anything right. Hi JBFA! haha
Confirmed with Link: The Tiger 2.0 | Lars Eller traded back to Washington from Pittsburgh (for a 3rd in 2027 and a 5th in 2025)
- Thread starter twabby
- Start date
Is it too late? Some troll-bots appear to think the Caps management can't do anything right. Hi JBFA! haha
Calicaps
NFA
Lappy was better last year. And hopefully will find that form again and more. This is why you need to have patience with prospects, especially guys who have had nonlinear development paths.
- Jun 25, 2018
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I feel bad for Milano, but at the same time it's a real testament to how much the team's improved that a guy who was 6th on the team in goals and 4th in goals/game last year can't even make the starting lineup this year.
The more I think about it, the more I think this move is less an indictment of Lapierre and more a recognition that PLD and Dowd are playing a really key role on the team right now centering lines that get the tough deployments and there are no good internal options to replace them if one of them gets injured. Strome's too valuable offensively, Lapierre can't play that role, Sgarbossa's not good enough, McMichael's breaking out as a winger and you don't want to interrupt that (edit: thanks for backing me up on that Spencer, swear I didn't see that tweet before I wrote this). Last year defensive center depth didn't matter because the team wasn't a contender anyway, but now that the team looks legit they needed to add that depth preemptively. If you wait til PLD or Dowd goes down teams will know you're desperate, and whatever replacement you get will be thrown right into the fire as they learn the system. Acting early gets them a lower price and time for Eller to integrate before he's asked to fill someone's shoes.
Well, we started and ended with Eller, so I think he cancels out. I'd say it's
IN: Mangiapane
OUT: 2027 3rd, Chicago 2025 5th, 99 game loan of Eller to the Pens
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Lou Sassole
Registered User
- Oct 15, 2020
- 287
- 440
Because the 3rd line has been getting it's head caved in, and that eventually will take a toll on the other lines. You can't have a 3rd line that gets out chanced as much as they have, while only playing 10 mins a night.
- Feb 15, 2005
- 5,255
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Given this, I assume Lappy has his best game of the year tonight
hb13xchamps
Registered User
This is make or break for Lappy. He can cower in the corner and be a baby about it, or he can step up to the plate and make it very difficult for the coaching staff to remove him from the lineup.
caps4cup
Dynasty
- Dec 31, 2010
- 6,113
- 1,272
I wouldn’t really say they’ve been getting caved in. They’ve been on the ice for 2 goals for and 1 against. Their xG% is 53% according to natural stat trick and 57% according to Moneypuck. Both sites have them around 2.10 xGA/60 which is really good. Moneypuck just has their xGF higher. Their scoring chance rate is even and SF% is 62%.
To your point though, they did need to start playing that line more, especially because Mangiapane has been really effective and deserves more ice. And it’s not sustainable/smart throughout the year to play them that little. Adding Eller as a good FO guy and defensive presence instantly turns that line from one that Carberry shied away from with both Lapierre and Vrana, into a more trusted line with 2 strong defensive forwards. And stylistically, even if Lapierre was playing well, I’m not sure him and Vrana on the same line is a great match with Mangiapane. Having a heavier center will certainly help Vrana and they’ve played well together before.
Either way, it’s early but Lapierre and Vrana were the 2 outliers among the forwards in terms of xG%. Vrana is sticking around but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Miroshnichenko up before Christmas if he doesn’t pick it up. His 2 regular linemates and 5 most common defenseman he has been on the ice with have been considerably better away from him than they have been with him.
Not really though. We lost Eller AND got him back.
So it’s Mangiapane for 18mo of no Eller and a 3rd and 5th.
Edit — @Kalopsia beat me to it!
I assume you mean overall, not just this one game, right? I kinda expect HL to step up on the long run... its not like he forgot how to play hockey since he was the organization's best playoff performer in two leagues just this past May/June. He's either hurt, or exhausted, but he doesn't just all of a sudden suck.
It would be monumentally stupid for them to give up on him now after seeing the trajectory of both CMM and AP. HL is a year behind them in development.
Calicaps
NFA
I'm betting exhausted/depleted physically. Seems like he needs a chance to rebuild and increase his strength and conditioning for the grind of an NHL season. I agree. He didn't just fall off a cliff over the summer. And he was, IMO, too good late last year for it to have been a fluke.
hb13xchamps
Registered User
Yes I mean overall. If they were “giving up on him” I think we would have seen him demoted immediately over Sgarbossa. Sometimes players have an off year. He just has to sit down with the coaching and developmental staff and start fixing whatever flaws they currently see in his game. He has all the tools to be a solid NHL player.
- Feb 13, 2019
- 1,137
- 1,297
I've been planning a long, rambling, post, expressing numerous random thoughts on this deal and what it means. But I don't have time for that shit. So instead: If they thought they needed to acquire a 3C, this is a great move to do that. I still think Lappy is a future core guy, top 6 forward. Whyever he's struggling right now, they need to do what is needed to get him back on pace, whether that's nachos and the gym, Hershey, more naps, or getting a minor medical procedure on a stubbed toe that keeps him out for 10 games or 24 days.
Likely mentally too. Its propably been quite exhausting couple years emotionally aswell.
First pro season. AHL playoffs and winning championship. Getting called up and staying up. NHL playoffs, and continue to MVP the b2b championship for Bears. Thats a lot in a short time for a 20-21 year old guy.
A little step back could work as a reset.
hockeykicker
Global Moderator
- Dec 3, 2014
- 35,777
- 13,842
Jags
Mildly Disturbed
Right, but this one's a matter of perspective. CMM struggling the last couple years didn't stand out because the team was a mess and not very competitive. There were A LOT of squeaky wheels and very few guys that were playing really well.
Lapierre is this year's lone squeaky wheel on a team that, early on, looks like it might be able to make some noise in the playoffs. Totally different situation.
The thing is that the situations don't really matter. You should develop prospects properly and show patience regardless. We also saw from CMM's situation that things rarely actually resemble fan narratives. Turns out the team was patient with him, he didn't want big money and signed a deal that made many naysayers reframe their view of him, and it's worked out pretty great so far.
So...
1) Fans are overreacting about LP.
2) Eller frees us up to be more flexible in our approach to handling LP.
3) Unlike his last years here, now Eller is playing better and costs much less.
4) This situation FEELS dire because we're winning and LP is struggling.
5) Let's go get a beer.
Timing on this move is really good and smart management of assets:
1. Caps don’t want Sgarbossa to get stuck in DC all season again
2. Lappy needs to press the pressure release valve and focus on ancillary development (outside of games)
3. We needed some man strength and defensive leadership on third line - Eller Fits that bill and has Cap and term that is easily digestible
I also love the comment about being both buyers and sellers. We won’t move all of them, but lots of expiring contracts again this year and we’ll move the right ones. Getting Eller now solves short term challenges, and gives us future flexibility.
1. Caps don’t want Sgarbossa to get stuck in DC all season again
2. Lappy needs to press the pressure release valve and focus on ancillary development (outside of games)
3. We needed some man strength and defensive leadership on third line - Eller Fits that bill and has Cap and term that is easily digestible
I also love the comment about being both buyers and sellers. We won’t move all of them, but lots of expiring contracts again this year and we’ll move the right ones. Getting Eller now solves short term challenges, and gives us future flexibility.
