Speculation: Who should be the new GM of the Washington Capitals?

[strungout]

How much longer is this **** going to play out?

 

[BobRouse]

Sure, that's the way it ought to go. Timing could force personnel decisions to be made prior a coach being hired but, assuming no ownership meddling, a GM should still have a general sense of the type of style they're going to play before a hire is made anyway.

Evaluating Green is a tough one. He's a rare talent but is he salvageable? He could be someone that could net them multiple cheap young players perhaps but is ownership prepared to maybe weaken their roster for next year (at least with that one move)?

Not sure there's an actual proven playoff coach with an offensive approach out there now that Laviolette is gone.

These are all valid and difficult questions to answer.

We really need to move on the GM issue pretty soon to give him as much time as possible to make these decisions.

 

[Cush]

How much longer is this **** going to play out?

I'll go with 2 weeks

 

[Devil Dancer]

I'll go with 2 weeks

That's about right. I could see an announcement right before or after Memorial Day.

 

[Langway]

In conclusion: Trotz sucks and I hope the new GM doesn't make him coach.

@JapersRink: To the point that Trotz isn't a defensive coach but rather plays the hand he's dealt, in his last season with Kariya, NSH was 3rd in 5v5 Gs.

@JapersRink: In the two seasons for which he had Kariya, Trotz's Perds were 6th and 4th in 5v5 ratio, 11th and 5th in goals-per-game.

 

[BobRouse]

@JapersRink: To the point that Trotz isn't a defensive coach but rather plays the hand he's dealt, in his last season with Kariya, NSH was 3rd in 5v5 Gs.

@JapersRink: In the two seasons for which he had Kariya, Trotz's Perds were 6th and 4th in 5v5 ratio, 11th and 5th in goals-per-game.

This year Boston was 3rd in the league in 5 on 5 goals scored.

In 2000-2001 the Devils were 1st.

If you have the right kind of players for the trap you can score goals because you are so good at playing the "sit back and capitalize on mistakes" thing that it can work.

We don't have those kinds of players.

Nylander part II example...Nylander was coming from the Renney Rangers who played a trap into the Hanlon Caps who played a trap. Nylander was a PPG player under Renney and Hanlon.

Boudreau opened it up. Nylander was not a "full ice attacker". He was more of a half court type offensive player. (yes he was injured. Yes that had a lot to do with it. But he wasn't going to succeed there). More current example is Lecavalier with Philly. Going from Lavi to Berube crushed his game.

We do not have the personnel to play that way in order to optomize our team.

 

[caps4cup]

Boston doesn't trap...

 

[Langway]

If you have the right kind of players for the trap you can score goals because you are so good at playing the "sit back and capitalize on mistakes" thing that it can work.

We don't have those kinds of players.

You mean...smart ones? Disciplined ones? Maybe they just ought to purge the dumb selfish ones then? Maybe set a higher standard?

I don't think your vet examples with declining speed hold up. Those guys were on the decline regardless outside of their PP contributions due to that factor. Erat seemed very similar. Maybe a higher standard pace helps mitigate it but the Caps aren't full of slow veterans. They're full of predominantly lazy players that float around and shouldn't really be catered to what comes easily to them.

Whether it's an up-tempo forecheck or a trap they need many fewer non-garbage defensemen to play any particular style. They currently have no particular style they're suited for due to those roster shortcomings. (It's not like they've proven to be a strong forechecking group overall either.)

 

[g00n]

Boston doesn't trap...

Does seem to be a fallacy with many people, doesn't it? Either you're a wide open offensive team or a trapping team. No middle ground...on much of anything, really.

Boston is successful partly because they insist on having 4 lines mostly comprised of guys who can play both ways and aren't afraid to do whatever it takes. They play a team game that covers all the bases and doesn't rely on the referees granting power plays. Smart hockey, filling the lanes, making good passes, screens, going to the net...fundamental hockey top to bottom, and built from the goal out.

The Caps are a one line team, and it's the third line. The 4th line was a dumping ground, the 2nd line was a confused mix of grinding and finesse, and the 1st line was one of the worst defensive top three groups I think I have ever seen, with no chemistry or finish to make up for it. You had a 3 headed goaltending monster that was being torpedoed by the head coach, and a defensive merry go round that made the rebuild defensemen look like a solid crew.

The Bruins have 9 or 10 guys who are right around that 20-30 goal range, almost all with a pretty consistent, high plus/minus.

The Caps have a 50 goal PP turret, three guys sniffing the 20s, and then everyone else and plus/minus all over the map including some of the worst in the league.

People can poo-poo those stats as not telling a complete story but when you see a massive pattern it means something. You may not say X is better than Y because of a few digits difference in a stat, but when entire teams show patterns that's significant.

If a Benning comes in and builds a team with 10 solid 2-way guys scoring 25-30 goals in front of a d-corps that's true NHL quality, and they go deep in the playoffs and maybe threaten for a Cup, who would complain that Ovechkin is only potting 40 because the firewagons aren't running? Not me.

 

[Hivemind]

Boston doesn't trap...

Boston absolutely traps. Julien uses both a passive 1-2-2 forecheck and a 1-4 forecheck, both being variants of the trap. Julien does incorporate a more aggressive 1-2-2 (which can quickly morph into a 2-1-2 situationally), but it's not the only system he uses. There are very few teams in the league who don't trap at some point during a game.

 

[Raikkonen]

While there is no smoke about GM candidates there is one for Trotz and Caps.

Maybe they're aiming for Fenton + Trotz?

 

[Dream Big]

They're full of predominantly lazy players that float around and shouldn't really be catered to what comes easily to them.

Langway-What are you saying here? That they are playing follow the leader?

 

[Langway]

Langway-What are you saying here? That they are playing follow the leader?

That increasingly seems so...at least when it comes to 19 & 52.

Carlson, Alzner, Chimera, Fehr, Ward, Holtby, Wilson, Beagle and Brouwer can usually be relied upon from an effort standpoint. The last three have their limitations in certain areas so there's more to it than that but, yes, those three core players have their issues. It's the burden of expectations in some respects but they, much like the rest of the organization, haven't handled it well.

 

[um]

why is green a core player when carlson and alzner are both better than him, and younger.

 

[Langway]

why is green a core player when carlson and alzner are both better than him, and younger.

They're also core...arguably more firmly core give Green's contract status. I didn't mean to suggest those three players were the entire core. The remaining Not-So Young Guns trio are the most skilled offensive players on the team and provide the bulk of the team's identity. The team often goes as they go and...they don't go enough overall anymore. Perhaps that changes with another coach but I wouldn't count on it. Due to Green's contract they likely shouldn't wait to see if that happens with him in particular.

 

[RandyHolt]

Great lazy post Langway

I will add MJ. Carlson too and maybe even Alzner appear to be catching the lazy disease, likely from Green, the closest thing to a mentor for them both. When the captain and highest paid players don't break a sweat its contagious for those in a stable contract. I cannot recall either throwing a memorable hit this year. At least they hustle to get back on 2 on 1s still but that is were the compliments are.

They are our new core on D expected to lead us to a cup but both looked more passive and largely disinterested this past year, much like Green.

Most here will be quick to say the lazy play I saw was solely a result of Oates, and that with Bruce II in the fold, all our problems will go away; that our core players will unquestioned bust their humps for 80 regular season games with BBII.

I am not sure it going to be that easy for our new GM.

 

[Langway]

Johansson's just soft. He wasn't quite so soft initially so maybe there is a developing bad habits argument to make there too.

I give Alzner/Carlson a pass because they were so overloaded playing prime minutes, arguably like never before. That's been the case for a while but not truly to last season's extent. That they even had no Schultz/Hannan/Hamrlik to help out like in year's past is pretty pathetic. Even the year before they had Hillen & Oleksy playing at high level. Part of that's on coaching and the GM forcing Carrick into the lineup and the like.

Mostly I guess I understand the limitations of those two and just expect way from 8/19 from a consistency and effort standpont. At the end of the season maybe the points are there and the production looks fine but the shift-to-shift intensity was hardly ever there. Maybe a coach can get these guys playing with a greater degree of confidence and playing a system with more of an emphasis on speed and possession. Ovechkin can come around if the surroundings are more stable and there's more juice in the game, although I really wonder about his preparation level. Backstrom is a more worying on-ice concern given what's needed at center and how slow and invisible he looked 5-on-5.

 

[Liberati0n*]

the GM forcing Carrick into the lineup and the like.

Why do you say that? Considering GMGM's comments about the Grubauer situation, I think it's clear Carrick being up was an Oates priority.

 

[Langway]

It may have been an Oates/Johansson priority but, just as with Grubauer, McPhee always had the power to put an end to it. More and more it seemed like McPhee just mailed it in last year. The Forsberg deal seemed like his last attempt to try to save his job. Of course, there's a silver lining to their shared incompetence...provided ownership makes quality hires.

Speaking of CalleJo, kind of amazing that he's still employed. A very awkward situation for CalleJo, Olli & Forsythe at the moment. I could see the later two sticking around maybe, although if they hire Trotz they really need to bring Mitch Korn along as well.

 

[Liberati0n*]

Well...fair enough, but that's not "forcing."

 

[Langway]

True. Waiving Oleksy paved to the way for it, though, and he always had the authority to make other callups. It's at least equally on him for thinking that was best for both the team and Carrick. That had to be the worst personnel management of a prospect in a long time.

 

[g00n]

It may have been an Oates/Johansson priority but, just as with Grubauer, McPhee always had the power to put an end to it. More and more it seemed like McPhee just mailed it in last year. The Forsberg deal seemed like his last attempt to try to save his job. Of course, there's a silver lining to their shared incompetence...provided ownership makes quality hires.

That's kind of how I look at it. A difficult, narcissistic BSing coach who thinks he knows everyone's jobs better than they do and may have been picked by ownership? Yeah, that's a formula for Operation Shutdown by a GM who's been there for 17 years and may be leaving.

GMGM seemed to be giving Oates enough rope to hang himself. You want 3 goalies? Fine. You want a left handed Eskimo defenseman with 12 toes? Have two. Whatever. You're taking the blame and the credit, pal.

If it meant leaving DC at the end of the contract, no more Oates. If he got a new deal and Oates missed the playoffs, no more Oates.

It seemed like a war between the two of them as to who could talk about how much they like their own work without blinking or giving the other guy any credit.

 

[MW6]

Dredger said he had heard Dave Poulin mentioned as a GM candidate, although permission to talk with him hadn't been asked yet.
Don't know much about his merits in the front office, and TML hasn't exactly been successful (to say the least), but it's hard to estimate what kind of saying he has had in everything.
I like his traits as a hockey player though. Former Selke winner, multiple visits to the finals (no cup though?), played for both the Broadstreet Bullies and Boston (and Caps obviously).

What do you guys think?

 

[Langway]

@Hope_Smoke: Dreger "I did hear Dave Poulin's name thrown out there as a potential GM in Washington. They haven't asked for permission yet"

Seems more like speculation. I wouldn't consider him a top-tier candidate, although he does have a pretty varied background.

Thinking back to when McPhee was hired, and Patrick was part of the process, the Canucks were fairly competitive. There's the SCF appearance obviously but they also made the playoffs four of the five years. Current parallels would be: Benning, Sweeney, MacIver & Gilman. That's where I'd look and if I had to bet it would be Sweeney or MacIver given all of the Benning to VAN speculation. There are a few others are worthy as well, like Joe Will given San Jose's playoff appearance streak, but that's largely what I'd consider the top-tier. (Will has also been with SJS since their expansion so I'm not sure he'd be as ready to move as most.)

 

[Atlas]

Dredger said he had heard Dave Poulin mentioned as a GM candidate, although permission to talk with him hadn't been asked yet.
Don't know much about his merits in the front office, and TML hasn't exactly been successful (to say the least), but it's hard to estimate what kind of saying he has had in everything.
I like his traits as a hockey player though. Former Selke winner, multiple visits to the finals (no cup though?), played for both the Broadstreet Bullies and Boston (and Caps obviously).

What do you guys think?

I haven't heard that name in a long time. As a player, Poulin was a rock. Even-keeled, smart, played defense hockey, won face offs, played hard. Wore the "A" and probably the "C." A good warrior and leader. Poulin is an interesting name for this. Building a hockey culture is a unique skill. You have to be serious about it and people have to take you seriously. You cannot compromise or play favorites. The Ravens have built a great football culture. You have to act and play a certain way or you just don't belong there. Poulin is a guy worth interviewing from what I know of his playing days.

One of the reasons I like filling the staff with Cup winners is that the players have to take what you say seriously. If the GM and his staff haven't won the Cup it's harder to take what they say seriously. That's not an absolute but it's a part of it.