but he'll result to dump ins and retreating into a trap instead of forechecking... you'll be down a couple of goals and do that.. nothing like protecting the other teams lead.
But weren't you impressed by the incredible discipline it took for his teams to play that way and protect the other teams' leads?
Oh sure some might think actually trying to win the game sounds like that would make more sense but we are playing the right way now and apparently that is playing not to lose and hoping the other team makes enough mistakes so that more than 1 puck ends up in the opposition net over the course of 60 minutes.
Just trade away all the offensive talent now and fill the lineup top to bottom with grinders, defense first, and in your face types...
ok....boudreau sucks. he can't coach. i will stipulate. he's in anaheim ruining them further. for the caps, the anchor is gone. the chains have been removed. they have a real coach with a real system. eureka. 3 goals in 3 games.
now...its not the coaching its the players and the management that assembled these players. maybe if the team was so flawed, it was the previous coaching the overproduced them.
I don't want to be mean to you, but someone should be truthful with you:
You think you know more about the game than you actually do.
FYI: The D and goaltending is horrible, and the only way to compensate is to go to a grinding game. That's why Dale has adopted this style.
As for BB: it was pretty clear to those who know the game that his system would never work in the playoffs. How many times did we tell you this? I lost count.
But even after you ignored this, BB & company went out and proved it to you 4 times.
People like to say BB should have been fired after Montreal. WRONG. He should have been fired after the game 7 no-show against the Pens... in OUR house, no less.
Is Dale attempting to drive square pegs into round holes? Of course. He has NO choice.
I don't want to be mean to you, but someone should be truthful with you:.
where did i ever say i knew anything about hockey? when the team was created a couple of them lived in my neighborhood. i played a little hockey in college(club hockey).
i wrote the caps for the county journal newspapers as a teenager and bob fachet was my mentor.
As for BB: it was pretty clear to those who know the game that his system would never work in the playoffs. How many times did we tell you this? I lost count.
But even after you ignored this, BB & company went out and proved it to you 4 times.
People like to say BB should have been fired after Montreal. WRONG. He should have been fired after the game 7 no-show against the Pens... in OUR house, no less.
Is Dale attempting to drive square pegs into round holes? Of course. He has NO choice.
The blame for this mess lies with the GM.
This is a very very important post.
Many around here know exactly why the Caps are "where the are right now."
My opinion is that GMGM is so good at drafting (or keeping amazing scouts on the payroll who cares) it's simply impossible for me to think that he hurts the organization more than he helps it......
but keeping BB that long was an astoundingly bad move.
Also...I will call it right now. The Caps will make noise in the playoffs under DH..... THIS YEAR.
Many around here know exactly why the Caps are "where the are right now."
My opinion is that GMGM is so good at drafting (or keeping amazing scouts on the payroll who cares) it's simply impossible for me to think that he hurts the organization more than he helps it......
but keeping BB that long was an astoundingly bad move.
Also...I will call it right now. The Caps will make noise in the playoffs under DH..... THIS YEAR.
I love this post..i also believe the boys will turn it around in this system and be a veryyyy hard team to play against in the playoffs
Many around here know exactly why the Caps are "where the are right now."
My opinion is that GMGM is so good at drafting (or keeping amazing scouts on the payroll who cares) it's simply impossible for me to think that he hurts the organization more than he helps it......
but keeping BB that long was an astoundingly bad move.
Also...I will call it right now. The Caps will make noise in the playoffs under DH..... THIS YEAR.
I truly believe this as well. But I also think we clearly need at least 1 more top 6 winger, possibly two, and maybe a 2C as well. This is what I would like to see from the top 6:
90-19-8 have played briefly together (Mostly just 1 shift like last night) but I feel like there could be something there. Thinking about it, it seems like it could do great damage, and I think OV and Nicky could use a speedster on their line.
This is just what I'd like to see, not saying it will happen, but the cap space does work. I do feel like the caps will acquire one of those guys though.
Just spitballin... if the Caps send Schultz to NYI for Nielsen, that frees up Laich. Trade a depth forward for a depth D like Zanon...
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Chimera
Semin-Johansson-Brouwer
Laich-Nielsen-Ward
Hendricks-Halpern-Knuble
Perreault/Beagle/Eakin (whoever's left after trading a depth forward)
Very hard to be certain of much of anything about this team. The next four weeks should be telling as far as how improved the offense can get with current personnel (assuming no moves). I'm not terribly optimistic about their productivity given their top-end mix, depth and mental toughness generally.
Only two games in the next seven days. Hopefully they'll put the ample practice time to good use in becoming a more supportive, muscular offense. In Jim Johnson We Trust, I guess.
I don't think the D/G is horrible. What's very mediocre is their collective ability to control the pace of the game at either end of the rink. Failing in the offensive zone inevitably bleeds into the defensive zone (and vice versa) and it seems partially why Vokoun has admittedly struggled to adjust here. Being better in that regard requires a professionalism and dedication in their approach, something I'm not certain this group is up to whether due to inadequate leadership or an insufficient blend in the supporting cast.
Smart organizations know that to win you need to own the puck. Boudreau was flawed but at least understood that generally, at least initially. If Hunter is going to last or begin to thrive then that area of the game must improve substantially.
People like to say BB should have been fired after Montreal. WRONG. He should have been fired after the game 7 no-show against the Pens... in OUR house, no less.
You make some bombastic claim to 'knowing the game' and then say something like this? Yeah you know the game...
I may be alone here, but i thought Neuvy did really well after that softy.
Defense looks great, but offense is freakin HORRENDOUS.
He played good but the second one was his fault as well. He should've covered the puck, but instead 5 seconds later it was in the back of the net. Even Locker and Joe B pointed it out.
there's a difference between the goaltending playing bad and being bad. neither of the caps goalies are bad goalies. they are both highly motived to play for their future. i think vokoun has been overwhelmed by the pressure he is under. i think neuvirth has been effected by being a backup for the first time in his life.
i saw nothing wrong with the past two games by neuvirth and i am hopeful that is the start of something strong and reliable.
the capitals need to score some goals on a consistant basis and earn back some respect from the rest of the league. right now the league attacks the caps without care. that pressures the entire defensive game far more than a team with ovechkin, backstrom and semin should allow. they treat the caps as if they are the preditors.
Goalies are an interesting bunch. Hardest job on the team, but they are used to the pressure otherwise they wouldnt be here. What goes up and down, is their confidence.
I wonder if Vokoun's cage was rattled by not getting the first start of the year. Maybe he has I AM GOD complex, and assumed he would start. Bruce had a I love Nuevy complex. Neuvy saw George go out and get a number 1, and probably scratched his head. Holtby heard George of all people tell the media that Holtby was ready, a capital next season, the day before we got Vokoun. All three probably lost confidence through no doing of their own. All three are struggling. I think Dale has to roll with Vokoun for 3 or 4 straight games and see what happens. Did he forget how to play goal? No, he is just lacking confidence right now. He was brought in here to be the starter, and Neuvy has not outdueled him.
yea? goalies are used to it? you mean there are not goalies known for playing better or worse in the playoffs than the regular season?
this is vokoun's first season with a team believed to be a legit contender. he has a one year contract. he has very little playoff experience. you dont think these things can create pressure that he cant handle? really?
maybe he is just po'd over his salary and his loser agent. maybe on top of that he thinks he should play every game. i dont know. i think its the do or die nature of this season for him.
I think just about everyone connected to the Caps has lost confidence. From Ovie all the way down to us fans. I blame Ted's cheery blindness. He refuses to see what any child can see: the GM can't win the big shiny thing.
But I do like having #32 in town again. He has the guts and attitude to win. Huntsy does not care who gets their feelings hurt. He wants to win. We'll see if he has the x's and o's to do it. And eventually we'll also see if these players are the right guys to have.
I think just about everyone connected to the Caps has lost confidence. ...
Right on. We do lack confidence. Maybe team confidence is best founded from the net out. The G has to do well if Ovi scores or not. We turn to Ovi for confidence, but he is defended extensively now, and we get team goals in lieu of it. We need our G's to bail us out.
I would swear the team had more swagger if not success, with Varly in goal, founded in his playoff successes and the confidence he gave everyone, including me. Sure he crapped the bed in a 7, but he was out of gas and it was easy to see in the games before that.
Goal play is the most important factor in games. Horrible G play, imagine what is inside the skaters heads. Oh, here we go again. Why do I even bother. I miss Varly.
The players feel pressured to score more. It just sandbags the entire team. If we cant get Neuvy or TVo going, F it, call up Holtby. I dont care how bad his season has gone. The way I see it, we owe him one anyways.
If you think Vokoun is nervous about playing in November, we can just agree to disagree.
But then what's wrong with Holtby and Neuvy, the pressure of playing on contenders suddenly has also become too much?
is this november like any november that vokoun has ever had? he's on a one year contract on a team expected to contend for a stanley cup. every other season in his career playing on a team in 10th or 11th place is normal, but even making the playoffs was considered a struggle for those teams.
neuvirth is easy. he is a very young goaltender that has been the #1 goalie on every team he has ever played on. he is used to getting the lion's share of the play. now he is playing once every 10 days or two weeks as a backup. like ive said previous in this thread, i fully expect to get last season's neuvy two weeks of him playing most of the games.
its your choice. get neuvy going to last season's standings and get the team back on track or let that wait and keep forcefeeding vokoun.
holtby...he isnt playing in the nhl. i have no idea. ive read where his aggressiveness has been used against him or has failed him and he is struggling to find the right balance. but i dont know. i have not seen him play.
If we cant get Neuvy or TVo going, F it, call up Holtby. I dont care how bad his season has gone. The way I see it, we owe him one anyways.
so, we have gone from getting neuvy out of the way to get vokoun back in there to passing over neuvy to get to holtby. rh, do you have something against neuvy?
reading this post it would seem that way. you thought varly should have been playing. the team played better with varly. you want to see vokoun. if vokoun doesnt get it going, you want holtby.
its like my suggestion that playing neuvirth the next three games will bring his game back to last season's standards even if true is not an option you want to see in place.
Many around here know exactly why the Caps are "where the are right now."
My opinion is that GMGM is so good at drafting (or keeping amazing scouts on the payroll who cares) it's simply impossible for me to think that he hurts the organization more than he helps it......
but keeping BB that long was an astoundingly bad move.
Also...I will call it right now. The Caps will make noise in the playoffs under DH..... THIS YEAR.
Unless you're absolutely horrible, you make the playoffs in the NHL. They should make the playoffs with their eyes closed with this talent. Instead they're being challenged and they have a roster full of holes and with zero confidence. At least in previous years they had confidence to cover those roster holes. Not so much now.
Keep skapegoating Bruce....probably easier than looking at the real problem.....the assembly of this roster.
__________________
George McPhee....The Teflon GM. 15 years of failure and counting....
6 - Number of playoff series the Capitals have won since George McPhee took over as General Manager in 1997 (which makes him the third-longest-tenured GM in the League), three of which came in McPhee's first season on the job.
you realize that half the teams miss the playoffs or 16 of 30. you realize that in 07-08 the caps played the final 50 games of the season with the best record in the nhl and made the playoffs on a tie breaker on the last game of the season.
solid teams in the middle or teams that have a couple of bad months miss the playoffs all the time.
Right on. We do lack confidence. Maybe team confidence is best founded from the net out. The G has to do well if Ovi scores or not. We turn to Ovi for confidence, but he is defended extensively now, and we get team goals in lieu of it. We need our G's to bail us out.
I would swear the team had more swagger if not success, with Varly in goal, founded in his playoff successes and the confidence he gave everyone, including me. Sure he crapped the bed in a 7, but he was out of gas and it was easy to see in the games before that.
Goal play is the most important factor in games. Horrible G play, imagine what is inside the skaters heads. Oh, here we go again. Why do I even bother. I miss Varly.
The players feel pressured to score more. It just sandbags the entire team. If we cant get Neuvy or TVo going, F it, call up Holtby. I dont care how bad his season has gone. The way I see it, we owe him one anyways.
Neuvy was the starter last year and did fine. What is there to miss about Varly? He was never the true #1 starter... ever.
