Author Topic: Off Season  (Read 51344 times)

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Offline Beaglefan2

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #80 on: Sunday June 30, 2019, 05:12:58 PM Eastern »
I wasn't as down on Burt as the rest of you guys. I always felt he didn't fit with Trotz and staff for some reason, and I think he will do better in Colorado - which reminds me - I think Colorado will surprise everyone and win the Cup next year - if not, then the year after.  You heard it here first!!

Offline DC_1908

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #81 on: Monday July 01, 2019, 05:00:02 PM Eastern »
Bobrowsku signs 7yr 10mn with FLA


Jesusfuckin Crrist, 7yr 10m?!?!i


We better be prepared to say good buy to Holts, Nick, or hopefully Kuzy and Carlson.  Now way we can scrape another 4 together and do anything in terms of competing

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #82 on: Monday July 01, 2019, 05:19:53 PM Eastern »
Added some grit.. GMBM could of done worse! Still wish we'd play the homegrowns and guys we already have, but we'll see..

https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/caps-add-trio-of-bottom-six-wingers/c-308153932

Offline richkrt99

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #83 on: Monday July 01, 2019, 05:52:31 PM Eastern »
Where the hell is everyone?


Conolly gone to FLA


Caps sign Panik - 4 years $11 mil
Caps sign Hathaway - 4 years, $6 mil


Don't really know either of these guys wll (okay, never heard of Hathaway), buts sounds like some decent sized guys anyway.  Panik has some scoring skill and Caps need some 3/4 line grit.  probably a slight drop in scoring overall, but picked up some grit and got some fairly budget friendly guys.  Plus both have some PK experience and sounds like Hathaway likes to hit people.


I never had issue with Conno, but he worked/scored himself out of Caps pay scale so good for him.


Burka....way too little too late from that guy.  Glad to see him just gone and happy Caps won't be overpaying on a big contract for him


Got to get Vranna signed.  Could care less about Djoos.


We're going to be missing Orpik and Nisky.  Orlov better show the F up this year and earn his salary.







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Offline richkrt99

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #84 on: Monday July 01, 2019, 06:18:25 PM Eastern »
Some Jackass on RMNB tweeted (well, okay, I READ the tweet on RMNB)


"Don't Panik, GMBM always hathaway"


 :raspberry:


At least we added some toughness.  I think D will be our issue.  Holts better have a Vezina season.


Go Caps.
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Offline zerofox

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #85 on: Monday July 01, 2019, 09:14:54 PM Eastern »
Bobrowsku signs 7yr 10mn with FLA


Jesusfuckin Crrist, 7yr 10m?!?!i


We better be prepared to say good buy to Holts, Nick, or hopefully Kuzy and Carlson.  Now way we can scrape another 4 together and do anything in terms of competing


Massively overdid it. Glad we didn't make that offer. Paying him that much through age 37??? Crazy

Offline DC_1908

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #86 on: Monday July 01, 2019, 09:22:28 PM Eastern »
Meh not bad, Hathaway is the real steal out of that.  Thankfully, their salaries will keep them in the lineup, but we’ll wait and see how Reidon uses em

Offline zerofox

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #87 on: Monday July 01, 2019, 09:22:34 PM Eastern »
Some Jackass on RMNB tweeted (well, okay, I READ the tweet on RMNB)


"Don't Panik, GMBM always hathaway"


 :raspberry:


At least we added some toughness.  I think D will be our issue.  Holts better have a Vezina season.


Go Caps.


I think Hagelin over Bura will be a huge improvement. Panik's gotta fill some pretty big shoes on the 3rd line though.


Carlson, Orlov, Kempny, and Jensen doesn't sound like a terrible top 4. But Orlov and Carlson need to stop being retarded and Kempny needs to recover and get his game back. Jensen seemed solid in the few games I saw of him.


I read on RNMB that our signings add a lot of physicality to big hitters like Ovechkin and Wilson. I'm down with that. We can score goals in bunches and wear people down physically. I'd hope we bring some more speed to our game too (Vrana is great, but Hagelin even though he's known for his speed is on the wrong side of 30)


What I'm most worried about is our depth, especially outside of the 12F and 6D. An injury could leave us in a lot of trouble, forcing us to pull up some unproven AHL guys.

Offline PUCKNRUSH

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #88 on: Tuesday July 02, 2019, 01:11:04 AM Eastern »
If he grows up and quits worrying about “Top 6” and his stats,  he could be a damn good player.   He’s gonna learn the hard way that most teams won’t tolerate that childish video-game mentality.  He’ll either man-up or find a spot on the second line of a KHL team


This, IMO, is the foundation that all of Bura’s issues spring up from!


Every one of these youngsters, that were absolute superstars in their hometown, and beyond, before hopping onto pro NHL ice for the first time, were all coddled, had enormous amounts of praise heaped upon them, some even practically worshipped, like young gods! Simply what would seem like an endless reservoir of adulation, limelight, and the like!


It’s certainly easy to understand why most all of these “superstar rookies”, come into their first NHL training camps, thinking they are the Jesus of all things hockey! Indestructible, and cockey!


Coaches and team mgmnt, have been quite aware of this phenomenon, for years, and have learned, over time, just how to handle these individuals, generally allowing the natural “realities”, of playing pro hockey, work their magic, humbling, ways.


This normal “educating”, (LOL), process, works quite well, and has for decades, on MOST of these youngins, one way or the other!
I emphasize MOST, because there are those rookies that are SO full of themselves, without having the inner character to realize, at some point, that they are, “no longer in Kansas, anymore”! They’re in the big leagues!


They don’t get coddled anymore, instead, they get roughed up! Their “go to” moves don’t work like they did in junior leagues, BUT MAINLY, the common thread for their demise is leaning on their individual understanding, way too much, dismissing advice from players and coaches, with a stubborn unwillingness to truly believe THEY have to change! They’re heads are filled with a lot of “if onlys”, that blame other things, and convince themselves, are the REAL reasons that their performance is sub par!


Immaturity, over confidence, lack of discipline and character, or just plain growing up, are the phrases we commonly hear.
Bura was an absolute poster boy for this type of rookie-itis!


I have yet to see any other Caps youngster, be extended such longsuffering, patience, and an endless abyss of “resets”, from coaches and mgmnt, as Andre Burakovsky!
He would be the last person on earth, to be able to claim that he wasn’t given enough opportunity! (But I’d wager he still believes that very notion)! LOL


I believe the Caps, by virtue of the quick Hagelin signing, have signaled whom they believe is Bura’s replacement. With Dowd, Boyd, Stephenson, DSP, Jaskin?, getting he 4th line look!


Rush











Always hopeful, yet discontent -
He knows CHANGES aren’t permanent -
              BUT CHANGE IS!!!

RUSH - from “Tom Sawyer”

Offline Beaglefan2

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #89 on: Tuesday July 02, 2019, 08:35:58 AM Eastern »
Who knows on these three signings.  Could work out great and I do like what GMBM did with the draft.  One thing this might hint toward is potentially losing Stephenson.  I expect they will, and should, prioritize signing Vrana and there won't be any money left for Stephenson. I think Stephenson took a huge step backwards this year, but he still has a big upside.  I would hate to lose him.

Offline richkrt99

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #90 on: Tuesday July 02, 2019, 11:33:32 AM Eastern »
Who knows on these three signings.  Could work out great and I do like what GMBM did with the draft.  One thing this might hint toward is potentially losing Stephenson.  I expect they will, and should, prioritize signing Vrana and there won't be any money left for Stephenson. I think Stephenson took a huge step backwards this year, but he still has a big upside.  I would hate to lose him.


I'd say Stepho is a gonner.  Signing Vranna is their focus (well, I sure as hell hope he is)  Signing a new FA 4th line guy doesn't leave room or bode well for Stepho.


Caps have $3.5 mil in cap space.  That's not enough for both Vranna and Djoos, much less Stephensen.  I heard GMBM on the radio yesterday saying the Salary Cap figure was reduced from what they expected it to be and that didn't help their plans.  Caps were in cap trouble anyway, but shorting the cap by 1/2 mil didn't help.  GMBM said they are now looking to sign a "bridge" deal with Vranna because of the cap.


They asked GMBM directly, now that the free agent signings were done, what his plans were and his response was "signing Vranna, Djoos, and Stephenson"  Honestly, what else would he say?


Hopefully they can get that done, but I sure don't see how they can swing it unless all three really WANT to be here and are willing to take short term deals to stay here.


IMO you have to sign Vranna, but we are short on D as well.  Djoos is not a guy I have ever been a fan of due to his size, but we are short on D.  Unless they really plan on Ziggy playing a bigger role.  I'm mostly okay with that, but an injury to this D will certainly be devastating.


I'm pretty happy with the moves/direction they've made so far this  (WAY TOO LENGTHY) offseason.  Not happy to see Nisky go, but HAD to cut salary somewhere.  I like the size and toughness pickup from the FA market.  Pretty happy with Hagelin too - although I was a bit surprised, I figured we had no hope of signing him.  I guess they KNEW Burka was gone and pretty likely Conno too, and they cleared salary with Nisky trade, so we had some money to spend.  HAVE TO get Vranna signed yet, though.


Overall, I'd say the O-side is an upgrade to where we were last year.
Minus Conno, Burka, Jaskin, Smith-Pelly, and probably Stephenson, but PLUS Hagelin (he was a rental last year so not really counting him last year), Panik, Hathaway, Leipsic.  Say Hags is a wash, but he will have a bigger role on 3rd line this year.  Jaskin is kind of a non factor as the Caps just never utilized him, and I am REALLY curious why.  They made moves this year to obviously toughen up the roster, yet they had a big hitting Jaskin just sitting around.  I really think he has (or the Caps perceive) he has an attitude problem.
Overall, we might have lost a little scoring (if Conno is really a 20-25G guy), but we've added players that help more all around.  All the new fellas are (well, at least play some) PK and PP guys which was sorely needed last year.


If you consider what Conno, Burka, Jaskin, Smith-Pelly brought in special teams, vs what the new guys bring (at least in theory), I'd say this is certainly a better team value as the new crew brings more overall team value.


Like Beaglefan says....Who Knows..




Now sign Vranna so I can quit worrying about it.


Go Caps

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Offline DC_1908

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #91 on: Tuesday July 02, 2019, 06:14:13 PM Eastern »

I'd say Stepho is a gonner.  Signing Vranna is their focus (well, I sure as hell hope he is)  Signing a new FA 4th line guy doesn't leave room or bode well for Stepho.


Caps have $3.5 mil in cap space.  That's not enough for both Vranna and Djoos, much less Stephensen.  I heard GMBM on the radio yesterday saying the Salary Cap figure was reduced from what they expected it to be and that didn't help their plans.  Caps were in cap trouble anyway, but shorting the cap by 1/2 mil didn't help.  GMBM said they are now looking to sign a "bridge" deal with Vranna because of the cap.


They asked GMBM directly, now that the free agent signings were done, what his plans were and his response was "signing Vranna, Djoos, and Stephenson"  Honestly, what else would he say?


Hopefully they can get that done, but I sure don't see how they can swing it unless all three really WANT to be here and are willing to take short term deals to stay here.


IMO you have to sign Vranna, but we are short on D as well.  Djoos is not a guy I have ever been a fan of due to his size, but we are short on D.  Unless they really plan on Ziggy playing a bigger role.  I'm mostly okay with that, but an injury to this D will certainly be devastating.


I'm pretty happy with the moves/direction they've made so far this  (WAY TOO LENGTHY) offseason.  Not happy to see Nisky go, but HAD to cut salary somewhere.  I like the size and toughness pickup from the FA market.  Pretty happy with Hagelin too - although I was a bit surprised, I figured we had no hope of signing him.  I guess they KNEW Burka was gone and pretty likely Conno too, and they cleared salary with Nisky trade, so we had some money to spend.  HAVE TO get Vranna signed yet, though.


Overall, I'd say the O-side is an upgrade to where we were last year.
Minus Conno, Burka, Jaskin, Smith-Pelly, and probably Stephenson, but PLUS Hagelin (he was a rental last year so not really counting him last year), Panik, Hathaway, Leipsic.  Say Hags is a wash, but he will have a bigger role on 3rd line this year.  Jaskin is kind of a non factor as the Caps just never utilized him, and I am REALLY curious why.  They made moves this year to obviously toughen up the roster, yet they had a big hitting Jaskin just sitting around.  I really think he has (or the Caps perceive) he has an attitude problem.
Overall, we might have lost a little scoring (if Conno is really a 20-25G guy), but we've added players that help more all around.  All the new fellas are (well, at least play some) PK and PP guys which was sorely needed last year.


If you consider what Conno, Burka, Jaskin, Smith-Pelly brought in special teams, vs what the new guys bring (at least in theory), I'd say this is certainly a better team value as the new crew brings more overall team value.


Like Beaglefan says....Who Knows..




Now sign Vranna so I can quit worrying about it.


Go Caps
Weeeeelll. . Panik is was a fiull time PK last year, Hathaway, parttine and Leipsic not a PK.
Plus with Bura gone, we’re ahort one on the power play.


So special teams still aren’t pretty but workable and “shouldn’t” be   next year.


What we need to consider and be cautious about is Kempy and Oshie not being 100% after these injuries, particularly as the year goes on.


The combo of Hathaway, Leipsic, and Stevenson?) would help cover for Oshie, but  Kemply will be a bigger issue.   With Hooks gone and Kempy a ?, the left side is Orlov, Sleight?, Djoos, and with any luck Lewimgton.  This leaves our left side going and or mistake prone.

Online Mickstix

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #92 on: Tuesday July 02, 2019, 07:23:51 PM Eastern »
Need to trade Orlov and get some Cap $ back.. Sign a blue collar defender in his place, have enough left for Djoos or Stephenson..

Offline richkrt99

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #93 on: Tuesday July 02, 2019, 09:36:31 PM Eastern »
Need to trade Orlov and get some Cap $ back.. Sign a blue collar defender in his place, have enough left for Djoos or Stephenson..


There's a thought, but I think the Caps are in way too deep on Orlov and would have to retain some salary to send him elsewhere (and eat some crow) which I think they really don't like.  Also, with 2 Cap-veteran guys gone from last year's D corps, I think they want some stability... (okay, how about I use the word familiarity, instead) on D going into the season.
Sure the hell hope Orlov finally gets it, and plays up to his potential.  Plus, hoping some of the new tougher guys will slow down the pressure moving in on our D and give them a chance to clear the puck instead of a dumbass Orlov cross the crease blind pass from behind Holtby's net.
Maybe one of the young D guys will get a real chance to play and prove himself.  (maybe my penis will grow instead of shrink as I hit middle age too)  :cross:


We shall see.


Hell, with the toughness factor alone, I feel a little better before the start of this season than I did last year...although that ain't saying much.  I didn't think the Caps would end up as well as they did last year....(and NO, I Aint talking about the miserable failed playoff effort where we should have beat the fuckin canes and had an easier path to the Cup than in memorable history)


Go Caps
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Offline justwincaps

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #94 on: Wednesday July 03, 2019, 03:15:02 PM Eastern »
It's a bit concerning that we have to look elsewhere to find 4th line depth - what does that say about Hershey?   Not that I mind the signings.  The money was reasonable and the term was OK given the AAV was so low we can bury some of that [up to 1 million or something like that I heard] in Hershey. But is there so little talent in Hershey that we don't even have NHL caliber 4th liners?

I'm curious about Vrana.  Those who understand the offer sheet better than I may be able to explain.  If we are down to a paltry $3.5 million in cap space, and if everyone else, hell anyone else, in the NHL likes Vrana as much as we do, why wouldn't they tried to sign him to an offer sheet since the Caps have zero cap flexibility.  I know they'd have to send draft picks back, but it's not like he'd be getting a large enough contract that the draft picks would be that bad.  Assuming, of course, that they do like Vrana. 

Offline BlackIce

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #95 on: Wednesday July 03, 2019, 07:30:40 PM Eastern »
It's a bit concerning that we have to look elsewhere to find 4th line depth - what does that say about Hershey?   Not that I mind the signings.  The money was reasonable and the term was OK given the AAV was so low we can bury some of that [up to 1 million or something like that I heard] in Hershey. But is there so little talent in Hershey that we don't even have NHL caliber 4th liners?

I'm curious about Vrana.  Those who understand the offer sheet better than I may be able to explain.  If we are down to a paltry $3.5 million in cap space, and if everyone else, hell anyone else, in the NHL likes Vrana as much as we do, why wouldn't they tried to sign him to an offer sheet since the Caps have zero cap flexibility.  I know they'd have to send draft picks back, but it's not like he'd be getting a large enough contract that the draft picks would be that bad.  Assuming, of course, that they do like Vrana.


Puckpedia has our cap space at almost $4.3 million rather than $3.5 million, so there's that.


I think teams are really loathe to poach other teams' RFA's because no one wants to lose prospects/players after just a few years' control, and what you do today may come back to bite you in a big way down the line.  It seems that teams just don't want to open that Pandora's Box.

Offline alta

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #96 on: Sunday July 07, 2019, 11:51:09 AM Eastern »
I'm ok with this, as long as Kempney is healthy,...


Projected lineup for 2019-20
      Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
      Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
      Hagelin-Eller-Panik
      Leipsic-Dowd-Hathaway


        Kempny-Carlson
        Orlov-Jensen
        Djoos-Gudas


            Holtby
           Copley


Extra: Siegenthaler
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Offline DC_1908

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #97 on: Monday July 08, 2019, 09:59:37 AM Eastern »
I'm ok with this, as long as Kempney is healthy,...


Projected lineup for 2019-20
      Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
      Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
      Hagelin-Eller-Panik
      Leipsic-Dowd-Hathaway

        Kempny-Carlson
        Orlov-Jensen
        Djoos-Gudas


            Holtby
           Copley


Extra: Siegenthaler
Yeah, that’s how I figured the 19-20 was already sketched out.


You’re right about Kempy, but there is also Oshie to be concerned about.  If those two return at 100% we’ll be lucky..


While the PK will be improved, The weakness is still at center.  While the “popular”, naive, video game, “New NHL”  full-retard mentality says face-offs don’t matter, we haven’t improved the middle from finishing dead last, in a skill the in reality is extremely imposrtamf

Offline justwincaps

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #98 on: Monday July 08, 2019, 01:10:49 PM Eastern »
With Dowd at 51.9% and every other center underwater [Stephenson 49.5%, Eller 49%, Backstrom 48.5%, and Kuzy 38.7%] it's hard to imagine that stat is going to improve any.  I don't know how many he took, but Wilson was 54.7% - hell let him take the draws instead of Kuzy.  Better yet, someone has to be out their ala Mitch Korn for goalies, who can teach Kuzy to at least be respectable in the faceoff circle.

Offline DC_1908

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Re: Off Season
« Reply #99 on: Monday July 08, 2019, 04:30:21 PM Eastern »
With Dowd at 51.9% and every other center underwater [Stephenson 49.5%, Eller 49%, Backstrom 48.5%, and Kuzy 38.7%] it's hard to imagine that stat is going to improve any.  I don't know how many he took, but Wilson was 54.7% - hell let him take the draws instead of Kuzy.  Better yet, someone has to be out their ala Mitch Korn for goalies, who can teach Kuzy to at least be respectable in the faceoff circle.
I have my doubts Kuzy will ever be worth a damn in the circle, (maybe even defensively), nor will Eller, nor will Dowd be the elite faceoff/shut down center we need him to be.


Yes a faceoff only coach( cough, Halpern, cough), will help, but the bottom line is the muscle, brains, work ethic, IQ, and more muscle we lost when Beagle left hasn’t come close to be replaced yet.


And that’s just on faceoffs, without mentioning PK, 200ft, or shutdown centers that, maybe except Nick, we don’t have, or have added to.