Not meaning to poop on your epiphany, but I and others have been saying this is the problem for the last 3-4 years. It has been painfully obvious. Trotz would call them out on it beginning about three seasons back by repeatedly saying they had a "Lack of Urgency". I always called that a lack of heart, a lack of effort.
Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Somehow they found a way to drive themselves hard to a cup win last year, but as I said a day or two ago, I think they may be content to have won a cup. The NHL pays these guys peanuts for playoff runs, so why bust your balls to play for an extra three months and wearing out your body to the point of reducing the number of years you have left to play and make the real bucks, which come in the regular season games. Just a thought. Last year I think they knew it was possibly the last chance for some of the guys like Ovie and Backy to get a cup to cap their careers, so they went balls to the wall for each other. Then they partied just as hard in the off-season. It kind of makes sense for them to rest on their laurels and have a nice long summer break and come back to make millions again next year.
I think the writing was on the wall when they let Trotz go. Sad, but true.
Thanks AJ, You didn’t poop on any epiphany!!
Like I mentioned earlier in the post, we’ve all been thinking this for a long time. I think you and I, and many others here have noted this characteristic for quite some time now!!
I agree with you that this situation is a good way to see, in hindsight, how Trotz handled the same “urgency” issue, versus Rierdens inability, so far, to get on top of it!
The distinction I was trying to make, about this long-standing “effort” issue, was that Carlson actually SPOKE IT, in the locker room. A guy who Rierden, and the team hold in high esteem!! We’ve always thought, and suspected this to be going on, (something that Caps management, and the players, realize is an extremely unattractive trait for the FANS to have to swallow), and the team tries their best to avoid talking about!!! It was that lame-ass Carlson that said it, plain as day!!! Him being one of the LAST of the players to admit such a thing!!!
Orpiks words will be both practical and prophetic, one way or the other!!
“We will get what we deserve”!!
Amen Brooksie!!
Rush