Does any of this matter? Ovechkin is already back, stop freaking out, he flew out within hours of the announcement.
No freak out from me. Just relaying some interesting information. An international **** fight with the KHL over contract legality is just what the NHL needs after the BS lockout.
It sounds like anything but three scoring-oriented lines would strike many posters as a failure or a relapse into a Hunter-style system. I don't know that I'd agree.
There's a real issue at scoring wing. Ribeiro ought to be able to turn a 20-goal man into a 30-goal man, and Backstrom will have Ovechkin, but it gets thin after that, to these eyes. I don't really see the personnel to not ice a checking line and an energy line. It would be the best use of personnel (as it stands at the moment, at least).
I'm not sure there's even that 20-goal man that Ribeiro can help tack on another ten. I can't really see Chimera, Laich or Brouwer taking that next step up to 30-goal scorer in a go-to role. That would take some real development and coaching for any of them to evolve into that sort of presence. Wolski would seem like the only guy that might have that sort of break-out potential but who knows what to expect from him. Johansson or Perreault breaking through would be huge but surprising.
In the absence of a highly productive top six they almost have to look to score by committee and it requires as much of a balanced lineup as possible. Whether that third line is Chimera-Laich-Ward tasked to put up a full-season equiv. of ~45 goals or a mixture that includes Wolski, Perreault, Crabb or Brouwer doesn't really matter IMO. It's just that Beagle is probably the last regular forward I'd count on in that capacity.
Who can gain chemistry where under a more aggressive, up-tempo system is perhaps the big question, particularly with little time for trial and error. Maybe they can get by if that's unsettled largely thanks to team defense and clutch special teams but I'd hope Oates can eventually make a difference in improving their offensive habits. He's got his work cut out for him.
Our best bet, rosterwise would have been an ace scoring line and 2 3rd lines that can totally demolish the opposition with a 2nd line that can hang in there. All we'd have needed for that is McClemment or some other high end defensive 3C (not Laich who just hangs in there being average)
3rd line could play 15 minutes a game, 4th line 13 minutes a game, both would completely wipe out the opposition. 18-20 from the top line and sheltered minutes from the 2nd one.
Laich has potted 25 in a season before. I certainly think Ribeiro could turn one of him or Brouwer into a 30 goal guy. Chimera, probably not, but he could keep him around 20 goals.
It's not as if Brendan Morrow was ever an incredibly gifted offensive player. He's willing to go to the dirty areas and can be very effective around the net, but it was Ribeiro who would create the opportunities for him. Laich and Brouwer are certainly capable of crashing the net and converting on a back door opportunity.
Our best bet, rosterwise would have been an ace scoring line and 2 3rd lines that can totally demolish the opposition with a 2nd line that can hang in there. All we'd have needed for that is McClemment or some other high end defensive 3C (not Laich who just hangs in there being average)
I don't think AO and Backstrom will be separated, they are too proved together. Better is good's worst enemy.
I also don't know who will finish Ribeiro's passes on the 2nd line...
I don't see how there would be a problem with two scoring lines, each anchored by a real scoring center; a cycling and checking line; and an energy line. It sounds like anything but three scoring-oriented lines would strike many posters as a failure or a relapse into a Hunter-style system. I don't know that I'd agree.
There's a real issue at scoring wing. Ribeiro ought to be able to turn a 20-goal man into a 30-goal man, and Backstrom will have Ovechkin, but it gets thin after that, to these eyes. I don't really see the personnel to not ice a checking line and an energy line. It would be the best use of personnel (as it stands at the moment, at least).
exactly....what about two scoring lines and a checking line says turtle dump and chase? neither backstrom nor ribeiro are dump and chase players
I might catch some heat for this...but what I wouldn't give to have Arnott back on this team right now. Strong verteran presence in a limited time 3c role, cheaper contract for 1 year. He's still a UFA.
If Arnott, which is a longshot anyways, wasn't a possibility picking up a big 2LW like...oh I don't know Morrow and I'd feel really good about this team.
Picking up a winger at trade deadline time should be much easier than a center. Just please stay away from Iggy and Perry, will cost way too much for 1 year and I'd like to see this squad with Forsberg and Kuzya in hopefully two years.
Laich and Brouwer are certainly capable of crashing the net and converting on a back door opportunity.
It looks easy enough but I'm not sold on their hockey sense and O zone play away from the puck generally. You'd hope that gets better thanks to playing with a quality puck possession/distributor center but we'll see. Bringing in Ribeiro should help foster more team play but not without the players around him changing their game a bit, buying in, reading off of him and working on becoming more effective away from the puck.
I like how New Jersey played, attacking the puck and creating chances from play down low but it's going to require working smarter and playing more aware than most of these players usually have.
I might catch some heat for this...but what I wouldn't give to have Arnott back on this team right now. Strong verteran presence in a limited time 3c role, cheaper contract for 1 year. He's still a UFA.
If Arnott, which is a longshot anyways, wasn't a possibility picking up a big 2LW like...oh I don't know Morrow and I'd feel really good about this team.
Picking up a winger at trade deadline time should be much easier than a center. Just please stay away from Iggy and Perry, will cost way too much for 1 year and I'd like to see this squad with Forsberg and Kuzya in hopefully two years.
We'll always have the Arnott to Semin turnaround laser playoff OT goal.
if the caps are tearing it up, i'd be stunned to hear that you arent going. if they are stinking it up, id be stunned to hear you were going.
i think in the end it all ends up with performance
No last season when Hunter had then playing that 'like watching paint dry' style of hockey I was seriously considering dropping my season tickets, even though they were doing ok and had a decent playoff run.
I've had those tickets for almost 15 years and through some pretty darn bad stretches of Caps hockey and had never been as bored watching them or less excited about going to watch them play as last year.
That combined with the lockout has made me incredibly apathetic about the Caps and the NHL in general.
The problem of pairing Ribero with Laich, is that Laich takes to many low percentage shots as it is, and this would probably only encourage that behavior. He's not a great play making partner with elite or semi-elite line mates, and would likely choose to continue to take poorly selected shots, and not maximizing zone possession/play making opportunities.
Laich is better when he's on a line that has more defensive responsibilities - where he has to work harder for his scoring chances off of back-checking and turnovers
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No last season when Hunter had then playing that 'like watching paint dry' style of hockey I was seriously considering dropping my season tickets, even though they were doing ok and had a decent playoff run.
I've had those tickets for almost 15 years and through some pretty darn bad stretches of Caps hockey and had never been as bored watching them or less excited about going to watch them play as last year.
That combined with the lockout has made me incredibly apathetic about the Caps and the NHL in general.
when during the paint drying were they tearing it up? if i thought the caps were going to play beagle hockey as a matter of course, i wouldnt watch either. they arent
when during the paint drying were they tearing it up? if i thought the caps were going to play beagle hockey as a matter of course, i wouldnt watch either. they arent
If they start to entertain me again, win, lose or draw, I will be pleased, but right now I couldn't care much less about this team or this league.
He at least broke the lockout being over news, I posted it on here and Avalanche fans don't think highly of him either, basically were saying its Dater, ignore it.
