GDT #49 Caps at Panthers @ 7pm

[Surreylily]

Seems like a lot of nothing going on .

[alta]

 


 

[Surreylily]

Dagnammit.   K is so slow. 

[alta]

last chance pp …

[alta]

 


 

[alta]

at least the Caps played better tonight

[Surreylily]

Ho hum.

Laters.   

[Mickstix]

Darcy did all he could. Just outmatched, as usual.

[BlackIce]

Darcy did all he could. Just outmatched, as usual.

Given that the Caps missed the playoffs last year and didn't do anything significant to upgrade themselves beyond taking a flyer on Pacioretti, things were always going to have to go right in order to make the playoffs this year.  Instead, most of the elite side of the roster has hit a wall:  Ovie looks like father time has caught him; Backstrom is done due to injury; and Kuznetsov has self-destructed.  Carlson's offense at least has faded - time may be catching up to him as well.


Because of current rules/style of play, success, especially offensive success, is driven by skill/speed/creativity, which you see especially in the very top draft picks.  The Caps don't have any of that any more.  The key to getting back toward the top of the league is to get top-echelon tools/skills players.  The most straightforward way to do that is to get picks at the very top of the draft.

[Mickstix]

Yea, all the "stars" have hit the wall. But the lack of talent down through the lineup is alarming. I've never seen so many missed shots and lack of creativity by NHL players in my life. Protas and McMichael are duds. Probably won't even sniff 3rd line duty if on a good team. All our D suck. Can't believe we paid Jensen 4 mil a year. He makes about twice as much as -ANY- Florida D. 

[richkrt99]

Well....Ovie scored.  Mantha Scored.  Both those are good things.
Panthers GWG...Ovie should have got a stick on the guy but didn't.  ALthough...it was high slot center of the ice, so prolly not his man
We just not that good.  We have moments, but overall we pretty mediocre.

Hopefully Mantha stays hot (okay warm) and scores a bunch and looks great and we can get something for him in trade.  Even if you assume he's finally turned a corner and will be productive the next few years (and that'd be a HUGE assumption)....he's not the age or guy you want to rebuild with.

I'd trade everyone you could move, retain salary on everyone just to move them, but dont trade away any pics.
Next year play with youngins and picks and wait out your retained salary problems and tank next year for more pics
Move Kuemper, he's never getting you a cup

Willy and Ovie are untouchable...the rest can go.
I'm a little surprised Willy signed a long term deal here...he had to know the team was in decline.  He could have gone home to Toronto or a real contender.

[Surreylily]

Darcy did all he could. Just outmatched, as usual.

He's just too, too slow.  His positioning is usually good, but he doesnt have the reaction speed, certainly not to play at this level.
He might actually make a good goalie coach for a youth team?