Clark has scored more recently than Fehr has or am I wrong?
That may technically be true, but Clark has exactly 1 point, a goal, since November 19th. That's pathetic. He got a bit of a reprieve around here for finally scoring, but it's time he got some more scrutiny.
That may technically be true, but Clark has exactly 1 point, a goal, since November 19th. That's pathetic. He got a bit of a reprieve around here for finally scoring, but it's time he got some more scrutiny.
I just want Nylander gone and Fehr in the line up. Not sure Im going to get my wish...but whatever.
Every team except a detroit losses three games in a row. It is a long season. 3 in a row was common place just 14 months ago. As Ovi and Semin go, our team goes. They hit the crest, we are more often than not doomed. I think running into these so called hot goalies is a blessing in disguise. You'd think we would remember how we started beating Biron in the playoffs. You need to be dynamic on offense and get pucks past the goalie, no matter the means. Priority one. they say defense wins games, but they never will when you cant score.
I'm pretty sure the bonus cushion isn't an option this season, even when the NHLPA declines to exercise their option of re-opening the CBA.
If they continue to play selfish, stupid hockey then I can't really take offense to them losing. They deserve it. My question right now is whether they'll actually start to adapt their offensive game and be more willing to battle in the high traffic areas or if their shots will simply start to fall again and they'll just keep playing the same way. Secondarily, can this team even play a dirty, simplified game or will that emphasis make them slump even further since it's not something that comes naturally to them? We'll see. Boudreau harps over and over again on how this team has to play when things don't come easy and yet the point never seems to go through. It's a personnel issue in part but they've got to get more players buying into doing the unglorified trench work rather than pretty perimeter play.
They overcame a lot of adversity last month due to injury, now they need to overcome some weaknesses on the healthy roster and come together more as a team. Alzner said their last few practices before last night that they weren't that good and that constant high focus level and attention to detail has to be there from game-to-game if they really have the desire to be the best in the league. Everyone says they want to be the best and that they're gunning for Boston and whatnot but it's hard to see the preparation being done for it. Rather they appear to just be happy to get by on their raw talent alone and that's never going to be good enough without the necessary commitment and work ethic to go with it.
I just want Nylander gone and Fehr in the line up. Not sure Im going to get my wish...but whatever.
I realize that seeing Nylander makes your head explode on occasion. I suppose they could move him at all costs. Fehr....well...here's hoping something comes of that.
hmm...Nylander and Osala to Toronto for a 3rd round pick. How's that?
I think the question is how that is for Toronto? That contract isn't just half a throwaway season and then a guy is unrestricted. That's not a rental playing out the string. Taking Nylander is a commitment to a guy making upwards of $5M against the cap for two more seasons. That is a core guy well into Toronto's rebuild. I think Burke would take rentals for half a season to get a good prospect, but not Nylander's remaining contract.
With the Chicago window closed... yeah. Nylander is a bear to trade, and my guess is that it is an impossibility until the Finals are over, when all teams start building their 2009-10 rosters from the ground up again. Right now, teams are either:
1) Right up against the cap;
2) Not up against the cap, but this is because they are on a fixed budget, which is essentially the same thing;
3) Rebuilding, and thus there is no reason to use that cap room, since the priority #1 is player development, not winning, and a low payroll helps offset the hit taken at the gate.
The one team that had both cap space and the willingness to use it was Vancouver, but the Sundin signing used up virtually all of the available cap space, so the Canucks are now in the same boat as the rest of the contender clubs.
For the most part, no teams that have any intention of using it have cap room this year. Shedding significant payroll is a near impossibility. This is why Sundin is not a NY Ranger right now.
Since Toronto would spend $70m or more on salary if they could, taking Nylander's contract and buying him out is well within their ability to pay. Its really Osala for a 3rd and some cash for them.
No chance McPhee does that, but that is about what it would take for McPhee to move Nylander were there a gun to his head.
I think the question is how that is for Toronto? That contract isn't just half a throwaway season and then a guy is unrestricted. That's not a rental playing out the string. Taking Nylander is a commitment to a guy making upwards of $5M against the cap for two more seasons. That is a core guy well into Toronto's rebuild. I think Burke would take rentals for half a season to get a good prospect, but not Nylander's remaining contract.
With the Chicago window closed... yeah. Nylander is a bear to trade, and my guess is that it is an impossibility until the Finals are over, when all teams start building their 2009-10 rosters from the ground up again. Right now, teams are either:
1) Right up against the cap;
2) Not up against the cap, but this is because they are on a fixed budget, which is essentially the same thing;
3) Rebuilding, and thus there is no reason to use that cap room, since the priority #1 is player development, not winning, and a low payroll helps offset the hit taken at the gate.
The one team that had both cap space and the willingness to use it was Vancouver, but the Sundin signing used up virtually all of the available cap space, so the Canucks are now in the same boat as the rest of the contender clubs.
For the most part, no teams that have any intention of using it have cap room this year. Shedding significant payroll is a near impossibility. This is why Sundin is not a NY Ranger right now.
I realize that seeing Nylander makes your head explode on occasion. I suppose they could move him at all costs. Fehr....well...here's hoping something comes of that.
Fehr wasn't scoring, but in recent weeks he's been forechecking like a mad man, throwing his body around, and providing tons of energy. Its tough to be down on a guy when he's clearly giving it his all but simply isn't getting the results.
Question for those more familiar with the CBA than I: will Nylander's NTC (I believe it's that and not an NMC) have any bearing if the Caps decided to buy Nylander out in the offseason? Not saying it will happen, just curious as to if it could happen.
I would say we could bulldoze the next hot goalie to knock him off his game. But our PK has been so pathetic Potiless, I think that is not a good idea. But as we have all seen, you can bump into a goalie battling in front, and not have a penalty called. Unless its Flash of course, in which case goals are disallowed.
Speaking of Poti, lets get worried when he is back at full strength. We used to be lost without him, so we have come a long ways already.
Question for those more familiar with the CBA than I: will Nylander's NTC (I believe it's that and not an NMC) have any bearing if the Caps decided to buy Nylander out in the offseason? Not saying it will happen, just curious as to if it could happen.
If he agrees to it...I suppose it could be done. (I though it was a NMC myself)
I don't think that a NMC clause prevents a buyout. It just concludes the contract early.
As far as Fehr and being down on him. His forechecking like a mad man has not earned him a spot in the lineup. I think there is less value there than you think or else somebody else would be sitting.
I don't think that a NMC clause prevents a buyout. It just concludes the contract early.
As far as Fehr and being down on him. His forechecking like a mad man has not earned him a spot in the lineup. I think there is less value there than you think or else somebody else would be sitting.
Let's be honest though, if Clarkie didn't have a C on his chest he'd likely have been scratched multiple times already (as it stands now he was scratched once earlier this season). To my eyes Fehr has outplayed Clarkie by a fairly significant margin thus far.
I hate to be a negative nellie, but I dont think Bourque is going to cure our woes unless he makes a living camping out in front.
You are expecting Fehr or Clark to cure our woes? Our woes are based on fighting thru 6 week or more of serious injury damage to the lineup and then suffering a let down when the players all got back in the lineup.
Thats really all it is. A bunch of players trying to get back in the swing and not being a whole lot more effective than the callups playing over their heads while the rest of the players relax a bit thinking they don't have to carry all that weight anymore....see Ovechkin suddenly getting 1 pt on 4 games and not goals.
They will refocus with their newly healthy roster and go from there.
I will say that I am concerned that the Caps top 3 minutes playing defense were Green, Alzner and Erskine. If Erskine is all of a sudden a top 2 or 3 defenseman in Bruce's eyes, we are in more trouble than I had thought.
I don't think Clark has played that badly the last 2-3 games prior to last night. Not great, but he at least was getting in someones face. Heck, he even fought (something Brashear hasn't felt the need or desire to do).
But I rather play Fehr at this point than him.
I hate to say it, but I think this team needs a little crazy. A drink stirrer or something. Where's our Jarkko Ruutu? I know SDR is down in the pipeline, but I think a little bit of aggravation would help things going.
I hate to say it, but I think this team needs a little crazy. A drink stirrer or something. Where's our Jarkko Ruutu? I know SDR is down in the pipeline, but I think a little bit of aggravation would help things going.
that was apart of the reason that I wanted to keep Cooke around...but we get Bradley instead.
I agree. There are few trades to be made right now. It's not a lack of urgency on one or a few GMs' part. It's just nearly impossible for two clubs to improve their teams while exchanging exactly the same amount of salary. When so many teams are about $500K under the cap, that's what teams need... that, or ideally shedding some payroll.
The Caps don't need to make deals...gimmie a break. One slump spells disaster for a team that has proven to be elite? Come off it.
that was apart of the reason that I wanted to keep Cooke around...but we get Bradley instead.
I'm as anti-Bradley as anyone, but I'd still take him over Cooke. Cooke's a turtling *********. I don't like agitators who won't back it up -the whole time Cooke was here, I was worried he would do something stupid and the retaliation would come against Ovechkin/Backstrom/Semin/Green.
Well, it was plainly going to happen, but the Blackhawks were no more able to clear salary than Washington, and it died when Chicago started playing lights out and never backed off that pace.
I think that a buyout becomes a realistic possibility in July 2010. At that time, though the cap hit is the same, the one year remaining only calls for a payout of $3M. At the same time, the NMC ends for that final year, so he can be traded at will. Really, it's a contract designed to give total leverage to the player through July 2010, and then give the Caps lots of options that summer, heading into that final season of the contract.
Put differently, McPhee planned for a buyout/trade as one of his options for July 2010 when those new contracts to Semin and Backstrom go into effect. Ideally he's gone in a trade, but if need be, the buyout is a realistic option at that point.
That's 2/3 the cap hit, spent over two years. I think that is quite feasible, whereas if they buy him out this summer, that's 2/3 of the remaining two seasons, with the cap hit spread out over four years. I think the chances of a buyout this summer are slim.
Clark and Fehr in front are exactly what we need anytime we get stonewalled in the first. Laich cant do it all himself. Since we have no agitators to call up nor any cap room to do anything anyway, its going to come down to getting it done in house. But I think Clark is a little gun shy to camp (can one blame him). Fehr can barely get into the lineup. Laich is a one man show. Its not really Bradley's game but it needs to be or he needs to be sat for Fehr.
Even Ovi was screening Biron in the playoffs. It has to be a collective effort.
