The ‘24-‘25 boredom thread..

[richkrt99]

Oilers 1-0 in OT is crazy.  I watched the first 2 periods, couldn't hang on.


Edmont, FLA and Dallas are the 3 teams that have improved since the start of playoffs.  Canes have held steady.  Everyone else not so hot.

[alta]

tee time..

[alta]

Caps lose in the 2nd round 4-1. It is an improvement over getting swept in the 1st round last season. But these improvements should be bigger than baby steps.

[Mickstix]

6'1" 205#  Leads team in blocked shots. Wonder if he can skate?


https://twitter.com/Capitals/status/1923415702997778885

[richkrt99]

Well he's over 6' and 200lbs so there's that.  Is he quick?

[Surreylily]

6'1" 205#  Leads team in blocked shots. Wonder if he can skate?


https://twitter.com/Capitals/status/1923415702997778885

A good start  .....  I hope.   


We're stuck with Dylan for another year, I believe, and we've re-signed Chych so only another 3 Dmen to go.........


Maybe some peeps who can backcheck, play along the boards, pass to our own players occasionally, get the puck out of our zone, maybe?  Maybe help our goalie out sometimes, challenge the puck carrier instead of letting them camp out and have tea and cakes in front of our net all the time, maybe?

Whilst size might be nice, I'd be more interested in players who actually give a flying fuck.


That's all I have to say about that.
 

[Iafrates Ghost]

Thinking of Caps Lineup next year:


Ovechkin Strome Leonard
Protas Dubois Wilson
Lapierre McMichael Miroschinko
Duhaime Dowd  Raddysh (resigned)
Cristall


I would love this type of youth movement as they all have potential and the sooner the better. They will need more speed and finishing touch to compete in the playoffs next year. Also this would show them if these guys all have a future here.


If not, then OV's 9.5 million and Carlson 8 mil come off the books and they could aquire some big talent that Summer. There is no imminent massive rebuild with this team as there is plenty of strong prospects already in the system


Also Ilya Protas, Cole Hutson and Ryan Chesley maybe even Paraczak in a couple of years.


I think the future is bright... what is everyone else's thoughts?

[Mickstix]

I'd love that forward lineup. Nothing to prove next year anyway. Get the youngsters acclimated and see what they got! The sooner the better!!

[waynerivers]

Thinking of Caps Lineup next year:


Ovechkin Strome Leonard
Protas Dubois Wilson
Lapierre McMichael Miroschinko
Duhaime Dowd  Raddysh (resigned)
Cristall

 
I would love this type of youth movement as they all have potential and the sooner the better. They will need more speed and finishing touch to compete in the playoffs next year. Also this would show them if these guys all have a future here.


If not, then OV's 9.5 million and Carlson 8 mil come off the books and they could aquire some big talent that Summer. There is no imminent massive rebuild with this team as there is plenty of strong prospects already in the system


Also Ilya Protas, Cole Hutson and Ryan Chesley maybe even Paraczak in a couple of years.


I think the future is bright... what is everyone else's thoughts?

We have to do a LOT more than just lose Eller, Mangiapane and Bouvillier.  If you watch the other top teams, they get scoring and quality shifts out of their 3rd and 4th lines nightly and I'm not sure minor tinkering will get us there.  I also saw nothing out of Leonard that would make me think he'll be on the 1st line next season.  We also need more size both up front and on the defense.   You build a team for the playoff grind, not the regular season.  That's the reason you see so many conference champs and President's Cup winners fall short when it counts.  We also need to get younger.  I can see us struggling next year unless we make a couple strategic trades to improve the roster as it now stands.

[waynerivers]

Thinking of Caps Lineup next year:


Ovechkin Strome Leonard
Protas Dubois Wilson
Lapierre McMichael Miroschinko
Duhaime Dowd  Raddysh (resigned)
Cristall


I would love this type of youth movement as they all have potential and the sooner the better. They will need more speed and finishing touch to compete in the playoffs next year. Also this would show them if these guys all have a future here.


If not, then OV's 9.5 million and Carlson 8 mil come off the books and they could aquire some big talent that Summer. There is no imminent massive rebuild with this team as there is plenty of strong prospects already in the system


Also Ilya Protas, Cole Hutson and Ryan Chesley maybe even Paraczak in a couple of years.


I think the future is bright... what is everyone else's thoughts?

I think we need to do a lot more than that.  More size and speed both up front and on defense.  Make a few strategic trades to fill the holes we now have.  We got virtually nothing out of the 3rd and 4th lines (or the others, frankly) in the playoffs and the playoffs are what you build your roster for.  How often do we see regular season conference champs and President's Cup winners fail at crunch time?   It's because they have a regular season roster, not a playoff roster.  That's where the Caps are.

[alta]

All 4 wild card teams lost in round one. With the Dallas win tonight, 3 of 4 number 1 teams have lost in round two. Florida at Toronto tomorrow night for game 7, see if Florida can make it 4 for 4.

[BlackIce]

We have to do a LOT more than just lose Eller, Mangiapane and Bouvillier.  If you watch the other top teams, they get scoring and quality shifts out of their 3rd and 4th lines nightly and I'm not sure minor tinkering will get us there.  I also saw nothing out of Leonard that would make me think he'll be on the 1st line next season.  We also need more size both up front and on the defense.   You build a team for the playoff grind, not the regular season.  That's the reason you see so many conference champs and President's Cup winners fall short when it counts.  We also need to get younger.  I can see us struggling next year unless we make a couple strategic trades to improve the roster as it now stands.

I think the Caps have soured on LaPierre, and are uncertain at best about Miroshnichenko.  I think they resign Beauvillier and continue to use him as a Swiss Army Knife.  I very much doubt that they are counting on Leonard as a top-line RW yet - he probably starts on the 3rd line next season.  Training camp will be interesting here.


I think Chesley starts in Hershey and they judge what he has to offer.  No pressure on him right away.


How can we be excited about Cole Hudson?  Yeah, he's exciting and skilled, but he's small, and his brother Lane, as good as he is, got exposed somewhat in the Caps/Habs series.  We have no reason to think that he's not going to have the same issues.


Cristall had a great training camp, and if he does it again he may well make the roster - but the problem is, if Ovie is back there is no good fit for him in the lineup this upcoming season.  He probably should play at Hershey as well - guys like him need to play lots of games/minutes, not sit on the bench at the NHL level (cf. Alexeyev, who has been ruined.)   


Good news for the Caps is that, with Winnipeg's loss, the Caps move up one spot in the draft, to #27.  Every draft spot is important if they can be positioned to take Blake Fiddler, my #1 hope for their first round pick (6'4", 210 pound RD, good skating, primarily defensive defenseman.)  Jack Nesbitt (6'4" center) is my next choice, but more and more mock drafts have him going before #27.

[Mickstix]

Panthers finally showed up! I watched game 6 and it looked like they were rocking the red. lol

So, all the #1 jinx seeds are gone! 

[BlackIce]

I know people are disappointed with the Caps losing to Carolina when they were obviously outplayed.


But how would you feel if you were the Leafs, after taking a 2-0 lead in your series, losing in 7 games by losing back-to-back 6-1 decisions AT HOME in games 5 and 7?

[alta]

Toronto management has some serious issues to fix.

[Beaglefan2]

Wayne and BlackIce - you guys are right about building for the playoffs. Size and speed! We have always had the reputation as a heavy team, but we are soft and desperately lack size and aggressiveness on the back end. Sandin really got exposed and was tossed around the entire playoffs. I was also disappointed that Chychrun didn't hold up better as he is a strong guy but seemed to get knocked around a bit. 


I'm also concerned about Leonard.  I was under the impression that he was a beast - another Tom Wilson in the making.  He turned out undersized and was lucky he didn't get badly injured. Maybe he can put on some weight and mussel next year and get to a better size, but he is not going to be another Willy. Hopefully his skills are good enough that he will still be very good.

[Mickstix]

I'm also concerned about Leonard.  I was under the impression that he was a beast

Same with Miroshnichenko When we drafted him, the hockey peeps were like "He would of went top 5 if he didn't get sick. He plays like Ovi and has a wicked 1x'r" But he's never really showed much either.. Hope those guys can/do take steps like McMike and Proti..

[alta]

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2025/05/19/alex-alexeyev-arrested-pepper-sprayed-public-intoxication-physical-altercation-arlington/

[Beaglefan2]

Maybe there is hope yet for Alexyev!  That is the kind of guy we need to clear the crease!! Now, if he could just play a little better....

[Mickstix]

Maybe there is hope yet for Alexyev!  That is the kind of guy we need to clear the crease!! Now, if he could just play a little better....

He may be able to get better defensively, but don't think there's any fixing the skating..