GDT #43 Caps vs Blue Jackets @ 5pm

[Mickstix]

Yup, complete survival of that one. Kuemper absolutely stole it. We had what, 20 shots on goal the entire game? Oof.. By the end Wilson didn't look terrible. Threw a couple hits was skating hard. Nicky looked like a little kid trying to keep up with grown men. Not sure how much (skating) rust he can shake off, but hopefully he's not a liability. Guess we're gonna find out one way or another.. 

[richkrt99]

I'll take that steal.  Give Kuemper some credit - he earned that win basically by himself.  His stats are not great this year, but he has been solid.  A little more run support earlier in the season and he would look like the top tier goalie we paying him to be.


Shocked they sat Mantha, but happy they did it.  Pretty much agree with all the moves they made to squeeze Backy and Willy back in.  Protas to Hershey was easy decision even if not deserved - he can be moved without cost (or loss).  Snively to waivers was a given IMO, and not much of a risk or hurt if lost.  Sucks for A-K, but he didn't get moved, just sat.  We have basically two extra forwards so that is gonna happen.  Maybe they give Backy a night off now and then?
Milano getting a sweater is fantastic as he has earned it.


I was against it before, but trade Mantha.  He should be more productive than he has been.  Big body, good skater, great shot, but can't find the net.
Milano and Sheary should both have a spot before Mantha even without considering salary.  The fact that this team is absolutely salary cap strapped....they have to move Mantha.
Even better - move Carlson and Mantha both, although I know that's not possible with Carly injured.


I am surprised Backy is ready...and I guess we will see if he truly is.  I think he skating will improve, but to what extent who knows.


Willy....I have no concerns about. 


Go Caps

[alta]

Injured players have been traded before. The biggest deterrent to trading Carlson is that contract. The Caps would to have to sweeten the deal quite a bit to get another team to take that baggage. Secondarily, he is a perceived team/fan favorite and this management rarely moves those.

[Surreylily]

Yeah.  I'm absolutely fine with how it's been juggled about.
I'm really, really glad we've kept Milly.      He has so much potential.  No real downside to him that I have seen.

I suspect that Nicky and Willy could only come back because Dylan was put on LTIR and I'm absolutely fine with that too.   
Still not totally sold on Mr Pretentious, but he has shown signs of improvement, for sure.   I think the reality check, when he rode the pine after coming back off the suspension was key.    I would still take Milly over him every day and twice on Sundays.  I would even sacrifice AntMan to keep Milly.       

We have a pretty good team right now.  I think we could do with one better D man, but if we can out-score the opposition and IF our goalies keep improving, as they both have been, I think we'll do okay.

With the decisions made in the roster for this game, I am cautiously optimistic for the second half of this season.  .....   Maybe they've employed a woman in that office, to do more than just make the tea.......   
 

 

[richkrt99]

Well not to be Derrick the Downer, but I suspect Milano is playing above his level right now.  Great for him, and I hope he continues to have success with this opportunity, but I don't see him has a legit 30 goal scorer.  I also suspect his back check and D is a little wanting.
Don't get me wrong, I had no idea who this dude was and he has played well and certainly shows some offensive skills.  Love to see him get 3 on 3 or Shootout opportunity, but I watching him away from the puck....he is kind of standing around waiting for something to happen.  He is fine when the Caps have the puck, but I suspect his team D is not quite what Lavi wants.  Small sample size and he could certainly improve and likely will if he gets enough playing time and coaching.  He certainly has the offensive skills with speed and good hands, but it still surprises me he couldn't get a contract or even an offer somewhere prior to the Caps picking him up off the street.


He had 14 goals and 20 assists last year in 66 games.  His NHL career stats are 43G, 57A for 100 pts in 227 games.  That's nearly 1/2 point per game and NOBODY wanted this guy?
All the better for us....needed some cheap talent and Sonny is THE LOWEST paid player on the Caps Roster (league minimum $750k)


Go Sonny!  Go Caps!

[waynerivers]

Milano is risk free and he's played very well.  I have no problem with his defense.  He's only a -23 for his career playing for CBS and ANA.  He's in the plus column so far this year.  I agree on unloading Mantha for anything we can get.  I'd love to move Carlson, too, but that's never going to happen.  As mentioned, he's a "fan favorite" (ie. usually a washed up vet who the fans think is still good, if he ever was).  Carlson hasn't been quite the disaster of prior years defensively but that can change quickly.  The bad part is that he's now past his peak trade value which would have been about 3 years ago. 

As for Backstrom, they should have a nice center ice ceremony, retire his number and move on.  He just doesn't have it and anything he brings to the PP can be replaced by a guy like Strome or Mojo.  Sacrificing on ice success out of sentimentality is not something winners do.  A guy like Yzerman is what you need.  If there's no production, there's no job.  Let's remember, this is the oldest team in the league and unless you're on the cusp of a cup, there's no reason not to prune the dead wood.

[Beaglefan2]

Yep - no use talking about a Carlson trade. He will retire a Cap. Our only hope is that they now realize that Gustafson is way better and can pass to Ovi equally well, so maybe they limit Carlson's ice time so he doesn't embarrass himself quite so often.


I also think they keep playing Backy unless he gets hurt again. We are a better team without him at this point, but he is one of their guys and probably deserves it.


it's going to take Willy a while to get close to normal - maybe the rest of the season, so we have to deal with that.


Really wish they could get A-K in the lineup.  I would suggest him over Mojo, but Mojo has been playing well and has really been skating.

[BlackIce]

Yep - no use talking about a Carlson trade. He will retire a Cap. Our only hope is that they now realize that Gustafson is way better and can pass to Ovi equally well, so maybe they limit Carlson's ice time so he doesn't embarrass himself quite so often.


I also think they keep playing Backy unless he gets hurt again. We are a better team without him at this point, but he is one of their guys and probably deserves it.


it's going to take Willy a while to get close to normal - maybe the rest of the season, so we have to deal with that.


Really wish they could get A-K in the lineup.  I would suggest him over Mojo, but Mojo has been playing well and has really been skating.

Please don't judge either guy after one game.  You seem to realize that it's going to take awhile for Wilson to round to form, but you aren't going to give Backstrom the same rope?


I realize, Wilson is still in his 20's and Backstrom is 35.  I don't ever expect Backstrom to be what he was -- that's unreasonable -- but what he WAS was a point-per-game player.  There is room for regression and still he can contribute.  Let's see what his skating evolves to over time.  In the meantime, you have to have a speedy player like Sheary on his line to help with defensive coverage against counterstrikes.  When he is back, Backstrom has always been a fabulous positional defender.  It's a part of his game that has gone mostly unrecognized.

[Beaglefan2]

I'm not against Backstrom returning and know it will take time.  My pessimism is just his age, that type of injury and the fact that he has really slowed down the last couple of years - which I realize was probably due to his bad hip.  He is however 35 and I think we need youth and speed.


We are just at the stage that we knew would come - aging players with big contracts. if only, they could all be like Ovi.....

[BlackIce]

I want to give the Caps a little credit here for being honorable about the salary cap.  Given the nature of Backstrom's injury and procedure they probably could have hemmed and hawed and held him off until the end of the regular season, saving themselves salary cap misery.  But Backstrom was diligent in his rehab and the club didn't hesitate to bring him back.  Now cynics would say that the only reason they were honorable was that Carlson was available to take up the LTIR slack.  So, we'll see how Carlson is handled, though it's hard to know how honorable or otherwise the club might be, because we've never heard exactly what Carlson's issues are.  But if the organization is as enamored with Carlson as this site seems to think they are, I'd think that they would want to get him back on the ice as soon as possible, with whatever Salary Cap pain that might entail.

[alta]

There was an unofficial report yesterday that Carlson needed his ear reattached. Which makes sense. Stitches alone would not cause a two month injury. I had assumed there were fractured bones involved.