GDT #63 Caps vs Mammoth L 3-2

[alta]

nother pk . .

[alta]

 

[alta]

Caps down 3-1 after two

[Mickstix]

Can't stop the 29th worst PP in the league. 


I hope they have a big bright FOR SALE sign up before Friday.. Very few names shouldn't be on it.

[alta]

nother pp . .

[alta]

PP GOOOAAALLLL

LEONARD

[alta]

Caps lose 3-2

[Mickstix]

   When they show us time and again what they're capable of, late in the 3rd period, but can't find that intensity but 10 minutes a game.. You either change the coach or the players.. Can't just sit around with a thumb in your ass. Though that seems like the plan, for the last 2-3 years. 

[BlackIce]

Mick is right -- the Caps are too far back now, they have 8 home games left vs 11 on the road, and they just haven't been able to keep their entire roster on the ice this season.  I wouldn't be surprised if Utah's success on the pp tonight was directly due to the absence of Protas.  We have been missing the wrong people at the wrong time, and the team as a whole doesn't have enough top-end talent to make the next-man-up concept work.   The thing is, they are far enough ahead of enough teams in the standings that they will probably end up with their first round pick in the low teens unless they get extremely lucky in the draft lottery.  A low teens pick might get an eventual good player, but it won't get you elite talent.  And even if they get lucky, there isn't any fabulously elite talent at the top of the draft this year, it doesn't seem.


The thing is, they probably won't sell much because they won't move Ovie, and the rest of the roster has two kinds of players:  Those they won't want to get rid of (Strome/DuBois/Leonard/Protas/Sourdif/Fehervary/Roy/Chickie) and those that aren't worth much of anything.  Maybe Carlson could fetch a little something as a rental, but I can imagine that the organization will treat him as a franchise icon and not let him go.

[richkrt99]

I agree BlackIce, most of the guys we want to move, aren't worth anything, with the exception of MAYBE Carlson.  I really hope they move him, but you are right...they wont.
Its funny, i have exactly the same list of guys not to move as you.  Although despite low return, I would prefer to move some dead weight, or at the very least DO NOT re-sign them next year.  TVR, Carlson are the only UFAs on D.  Duhaime and Frank are UFA, but none of these guys are real trade bait for a team looking at a playoff run with the exception of maybe Carlson.  He could help a playoff team.
Not that you can't trade guys under contracts, but the few worth trading are guys we want to keep, but I guess that's true of most any team...well teams that won't commit blowing it up.

[richkrt99]

I was a little surprised they started BigMac over Chisholm...considering the speed of Utah.  Maybe Chisholm got dinged or maybe he had a really bad game vs Montreal...i dont recall.

[richkrt99]

Also, I was gonna say this team lacks true goal scorers.  Ovi is one certainly and will shoot the puck.  Chicky has been phenomenal...good puck mover, but also SHOOTS THE PUCK.  We have a team full of guys who just aren't shooters.
That is one thing I like about Leonard...he shoots the puck.  This team will pass itself to death and never get a shot off (ahem like on the PP), but just before he scored last night on the PP, I was screaming...pass to Leno...HE WILL SHOOT....and he did, and scored.
I get it you want to move the puck around, create quality chances and make the netminder move or blind him with a screen, but FFS you HAVE TO SHOOT THE PUCK to score a goal.  Leno never thought about passing to willy who was right beside the net, Leno took the shot (a tough shot) and scored.
Dubois also took a shot that probably was not a high percentage shot, but it was well placed and went in.

Shoot the puck more = more goals.  Duh.  Its not that simple, but we don't shoot enough.

[Mickstix]

They just resigned Frank to 2x2m. Should package him and McMike and see if they can get a goal scorer. (who's not in his mid 30's)

[Beaglefan2]

I agree with you guys. I don't expect the Caps to do much at the deadline as they don't have the assets to bring much in return, unless they traded some of their prospects - which would be a huge mistake.


I just posted in the "Boredom" thread some chatter about Carlson - which is just a rumor and not close to reality.


One thing I have been surprised about is the lack of attention around the NHL to the Ovi retirement issue. I was of the opinion that if Ovi was going to retire, that he would have announced it right after the Olympic break so that he could have a farewell tour over the last 20 games or so. I just can't see him announcing it in the summer and then riding off into the sunset. So, ..... Ovi will probably be back next year, meaning the transition of the team will have to wait another year.

[Mickstix]

I fear if Ovi (thinks) he can reach 1000 goals in the next 3 years, he may sign a 3 year extension... Stuff that in the pipe and take a toke!