I think 54 points in consecutive healthy years is the bigger issue here.
Yeah, unlike the rest of the team he certainly **** the bed with respect to offense. If only he could be more like those guys who posted exceptional offensive seasons in their past 2 years here!
If we keep this style by all means, dump all the Semins and Ovechkins and bring in some more Jay Beagle clones.
The problem with the caps is besides the big three,they have a very unskilled offense who has no ability to play any kind of puck possession game. That boat sailed away with Fedorov and Kozlov leaving. What the caps have now is a bunch of 3rd liner types and guys who skate fast but have lead gloves and the hockey sense or a zamboni. In his infinite genius , Hunter decided to break up the Semin-Backstrom- Ovechkin line to sprinkle the talent to a few lines. All this leads to is the opposition needing to just shut down 1 or 2 guys as opposed to shutting down a real 1st line. Much easier to do that on the small ice with all the clutch and grab going on these days. The system they play is really mismatched for the type of players they have too. I can't wait for Hunter to get fired.
100% true, don't forget Flash (Fleishmann) and Nylander who were very effective. Facts backing up your theory are: OV, Semin carear year? - When Fedorov and Kozlov were in town. When did they make it farthest in the playoffs in the past 10 years? - Exact same year, game 7 loss to Pittsburgh! Caps fans open your eyes, McPhee is an idiot. By signing grinders look what happens -> As Vlad pointed you only have one skilled line, and teams can shut that down easily by matching them with say... CHARA! In the past Budreau was able to run 3 skilled lines and break up OV, Semin, Backstrom without diluting there potential effectiveness (by placing them with guys like Fedorov Kozlov etc.. and not grinders!), this makes it harder to match lines since there is only 1 Chara and 3 potent Caps lines!!
Yeah, unlike the rest of the team he certainly **** the bed with respect to offense. If only he could be more like those guys who posted exceptional offensive seasons in their past 2 years here!
If we keep this style by all means, dump all the Semins and Ovechkins and bring in some more Jay Beagle clones.
Semin's power play points have also dropped by 2/3 over the past four years. Is that also a function of the trap?
Semin's power play points have also dropped by 2/3 over the past four years. Is that also a function of the trap?
If you're looking to play the PP card then 8 and 52 are a whole lot more concerning. And yes, our total inability to play any semblance of a puck possession game on the PP is a function of the trap. I totally agree, if we're going for the offensive setup that Kings had this season Semin should be on his way out. Along with just about everyone else.
He has some of the best even strength game on the team now though. Not that it counts for anything. If only we had more grinders we could grind our way anywhere.
If you're looking to play the PP card then 8 and 52 are a whole lot more concerning. And yes, our total inability to play any semblance of a puck possession game on the PP is a function of the trap. I totally agree, if we're going for the offensive setup that Kings had this season Semin should be on his way out. Along with just about everyone else.
He has some of the best even strength game on the team now though. Not that it counts for anything. If only we had more grinders we could grind our way anywhere.
Ovechkin's ppp dip hasn't been nearly severe as Semin's. And as Semin is the ppqb, yes, I blame him disproportionately for the failure of that unit.
I want to add, that a new, Euro (Skill) friendly GM needs to be recruited. Kugryshev was dumped (Even though he is thriving in the Russian junior system and may yet develop into an excellent forward), Galiev we can hope will not be assigned to the AHL for an extended period, etc...
Like the Red Wings, they continue to draft euros because those guys fit the style of play of the Red Wings and complement their keystone players - Datsyuk, Lidstrom, Zetterberg, and now Fillpula.
My point in short is this, the Red Wings don't change the way they draft and recruit players, so why do the caps suddenly have a change in team composition over one summer? If they want to go chip and chase that's fine, but don't expect big years from Semin and Ovechkin. Some people don't realize how much chemistry can effect players performance.
Just to prove I don't have some hard on for Euros, I think there is one good player the caps brought in recently - Perrault, he plays with skill, but his skating is choppy, and his quickness holds him back. Give it a few years and he could be really good.
Ovechkin's ppp dip hasn't been nearly severe as Semin's. And as Semin is the ppqb, yes, I blame him disproportionately for the failure of that unit.
It's been severe enough that it's brought him down from around PPG, all things considered, to 65 points. That's a much more severe blow to the team then Semin's woes.
Semin as PPQB makes no sense. He was always at his best when he could get open by the top of the circles as a triggerman. He's not someone you want to rely on for primary playmaking or bombing. He can force a pass as well as anyone, sure, but he always telegraphs the hell out of it. He's got an excellent slapshot but for whatever reason he can only use it when streaking down the wing.
I'm pretty sure the main reason he's the PPQB now is because he's the only one who can hold the line without ******** himself. He's basically playing what should be Mike Green's role because Mike Green is too busy daydreaming about vespas to even do as much as not cause unforced PP turnovers in his own ****ing zone.
The PP has much bigger core problems than Semin. If you think swapping him out for whoever you think will take his spot (Kuznetsov? 8 million dollar Parise?) will fix things, well, I don't know what to tell you. This team's offensive problems are far beyond any one player.
I'm all for moving him if that's what it takes to sign Suter, but not keeping him if he's willing to stay for 6 million or less without a real backup plan is stupid. He's scored 11 points less than Ovechkin while being a +9 to Ovechkin's -8, again while playing with barely NHLers for most of the season. Without him we comfortably miss the playoffs.
Semin's power play points have also dropped by 2/3 over the past four years. Is that also a function of the trap?
What? Semins dip in production is totally proof of change in team style and composition. Exactly, you answered your own question. Wideman has no business on the powerplay, Johanson is not ready to be on the #1 unit yet, Green injuries, I've seen Ward out there. Yeah, its that ugly. Gone are the days of Fedorov and OV manning the points, Backstrom or Kozlov down low, Semin on the half wall and Laich sticking his big nose up the goalies butt. Those were the Harlem Globe trotters days.
Even before Green's game fell off a cliff, back when he was scoring 30 goals, once the playoffs started he would retreat into a shell. That right there is a classic example of the benefit of running a guy. He's completely gun shy under pressure, and it affects not only his play deep in his own zone, but his ability to lug the puck up ice and make an offensive play. Huge disappointment in the Spring. They've got to deal him. He is killing them in the playoffs every year.
By contrast, Semin is just a streaky scorer. He has three or four tremendous playoff series under his belt. He just killed the Rangers in two series, I believe. Green has no such postseason success.
Edmonton could be an option, and so could Anaheim. He enjoyed his greatest success with Boudreau. I have no idea where his value might be at the moment, but the Caps need to cut the cord.
Keep Semin, sign Kuznetsov, keep plugging away.
I still remember the Montreal series where the Caps were on the PP in maybe Game 6 and Green looked jittery and sure enough coughed up the puck to Plekanec who went racing down the ice. The only thing that stopped him was a brilliant defensive move by Semin. It is just weird that every year you think this is the year where he'll be sure of himself and you're still waiting.
As for Semin, it'd be interesting to see what he could do with a solid consistent center
I'm pretty sure the main reason he's the PPQB now is because he's the only one who can hold the line without ******** himself. He's basically playing what should be Mike Green's role because Mike Green is too busy daydreaming about vespas to even do as much as not cause unforced PP turnovers in his own ****ing zone.
The PP has much bigger core problems than Semin. If you think swapping him out for whoever you think will take his spot (Kuznetsov? 8 million dollar Parise?) will fix things, well, I don't know what to tell you. This team's offensive problems are far beyond any one player.
Why not Orlov on the point. He's a pass first but canon if he has to kind of guy. I find that Wideman takes too many ill advised shots. You know guys are shadowing OV so it means the other point man has to be a skilled deceiver and set up man, not just an "Oh well I'll just shoot" kind of guy. He just has very little skill in setting up OV.
In NJ Kovy is still firing away successfully from the point and teams are shadowing him. Difference is Elias is one of the best passers in the game and he always catches Kovy cross seem when he's open.
It's been severe enough that it's brought him down from around PPG, all things considered, to 65 points. That's a much more severe blow to the team then Semin's woes.
Semin as PPQB makes no sense. He was always at his best when he could get open by the top of the circles as a triggerman. He's not someone you want to rely on for primary playmaking or bombing. He can force a pass as well as anyone, sure, but he always telegraphs the hell out of it. He's got an excellent slapshot but for whatever reason he can only use it when streaking down the wing.
I'm pretty sure the main reason he's the PPQB now is because he's the only one who can hold the line without ******** himself. He's basically playing what should be Mike Green's role because Mike Green is too busy daydreaming about vespas to even do as much as not cause unforced PP turnovers in his own ****ing zone.
The PP has much bigger core problems than Semin. If you think swapping him out for whoever you think will take his spot (Kuznetsov? 8 million dollar Parise?) will fix things, well, I don't know what to tell you. This team's offensive problems are far beyond any one player.
I'm all for moving him if that's what it takes to sign Suter, but not keeping him if he's willing to stay for 6 million or less without a real backup plan is stupid. He's scored 11 points less than Ovechkin while being a +9 to Ovechkin's -8, again while playing with barely NHLers for most of the season. Without him we comfortably miss the playoffs.
Semin has always been the ppqb and he's almost never been the trigger man on the point.
He's always run the unit from the half wall, feeding the points and scoring on the give and go with Backstrom cross ice. He has the highest hockey iq on the team and as long as that's true he should run it.
I'm fine with paying him 5 but he hasn't earned anything more than that.
Why not Orlov on the point. He's a pass first but canon if he has to kind of guy. I find that Wideman takes too many ill advised shots. You know guys are shadowing OV so it means the other point man has to be a skilled deceiver and set up man, not just an "Oh well I'll just shoot" kind of guy. He just has very little skill in setting up OV.
In NJ Kovy is still firing away successfully from the point and teams are shadowing him. Difference is Elias is one of the best passers in the game and he always catches Kovy cross seem when he's open.
Cause Hunter has a huge boner for Wideman.
It should be Orlov or Hamrlik and Carlson, with Ovechkin, Backstrom and Brouwer up front. Semin on the 2nd unit, at least for now.
Semin has always been the ppqb and he's almost never been the trigger man on the point.
He's always run the unit from the half wall, feeding the points and scoring on the give and go with Backstrom cross ice. He has the highest hockey iq on the team and as long as that's true he should run it.
I'm fine with paying him 5 but he hasn't earned anything more than that.
Sorry if I'm missing your point. I'm drunk.
PPQB I generally think of the guy on the point making the plays. Brad Richards, Martin St. Louis, Brian Campbell, Erik Karlsson, etc.
There's two distributive plays you can make from the half wall. One is to throw it back to the defense, which anyone can do and gets you nowhere. The other is to thread a pass through 2 people to the guy on the opposite half wall. That's usually what Semin does when he waits for 5 seconds for that other guy to get open, and everyone in the building knows what he's trying to do. If the entire point of the PP is to have Semin stand there and try to force passes across the entire PK to a receiver on the other half wall then you might as well decline PPs. It's a good play when it's there. When there's 3 players in that lane and you need to spend 30 seconds just to get to a point where you can get the puck across it's a horrible play. Having a guy playmaking from a defensive position makes a ton more sense. Semin should be the triggerman, and only forcing the seam pass when it's open and the other team's timing is off. Backstrom won't force any more obvious seam passes than Semin (since it's not really a hockey IQ thing, more "how can I get the puck through 3 people to that one guy everyone knows I'm gonna pass it to" thing. It becomes more accuracy than anything else, and Semin is quite accurate).
If we keep paying people only what they've earned we're gonna outbid precisely zero other teams on any player worth bidding on. Semin may have only earned 5 this year going by his stats, but not keeping him for 6 unless it's getting in the way of more critical moves would set the team back. Erik Cole earned nowhere near 4.5 million last year and now everyone wishes we got him instead of Ward (who did earn 3 million after all).
I hope any Semin haters are watching this overtime right now, he is just beasting defensively...not many players "without heart in the playoffs" voluntarily lie down in front of a Chara slap shot
I hope any Semin haters are watching this overtime right now, he is just beasting defensively...not many players "without heart in the playoffs" voluntarily lie down in front of a Chara slap shot
CBC analysts agree with you, as do I. He's been good all game long, especially in OT so far.
I don't know if anyone watched the 2nd last game against the lightning on NBC. He missed a chance on an OV set up. Pierre McGuire went on a massive rant on how Semin is too soft and needs more effort yada yada yada. Wouldn't you know on the ensuing face off Semin one timed a wicked shot home and abruptly cut off Mcquires rant. It was a beautiful moment, he shut up Pierre so fast, ,he starting fumbling his words then started singing a different tune. I recommend fans watch it, it was Semins last goal of the season. Pierre will never dis Semin mid game again.
I don't know if anyone watched the 2nd last game against the lightning on NBC. He missed a chance on an OV set up. Pierre McGuire went on a massive rant on how Semin is too soft and needs more effort yada yada yada. Wouldn't you know on the ensuing face off Semin one timed a wicked shot home and abruptly cut off Mcquires rant. It was a beautiful moment, he shut up Pierre so fast, ,he starting fumbling his words then started singing a different tune. I recommend fans watch it, it was Semins last goal of the season. Pierre will never dis Semin mid game again.
Think it was Brooks Laich who did the same thing later on and nothing was said.
