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Talk about Capitals hockey & more! => Washington Capitals & Other Hockey Discussion => Topic started by: DC_1908 on Monday May 06, 2019, 10:35:42 AM Eastern

Title: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Monday May 06, 2019, 10:35:42 AM Eastern

Official Offseason thread:
Be interesting to see what, if any, changes Rierden makes to his coaching approach.. Will he just be the same as he was and hope for the best? Did he learn anything and will he adjust?? Will they change any of the assistant coaches or systems?? Will the veterans of the team help with attitude, effort, etc.. (ie: someone needs to hold them accountable.. On effort alone! Especially shit like Kuznetsov saying he just doesn't give 100% most of the time.. If that's how he wants to play, please trade him immediately!!) And that leads to GMBM.. What will he do with the roster? That's about all we have to look forward to, imo.. My bets: No major changes forthcoming, just tinker here and there.. Probably overpay Burt, Sign Vrana for longer than they should, so they can afford him, let Hagelin walk. Probably keep Niskanen as I don't see how they unload that contract w/o major "helpers" attached.. Connolly? Not sure.. Him or Burt have to go I suspect.. Orpik probably comes back 1 more time. So basically Im looking at the coaching, system, attitude type adjustments.. Look for this to be copied/pasted when the "offseason" thread pops up.. Im too lazy to write it again.  :snicker:

There ya go Mick!
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Monday May 06, 2019, 04:19:00 PM Eastern
Management should attempt to keep Hagelin. He looked good. Who else is up for a contract?


















I will give Reirden until November to prove why he doesn't deserve his own volcano thread, because I'm nice like that
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Monday May 06, 2019, 04:40:30 PM Eastern

Official Offseason thread:
There ya go Mick!

Thanks brother!!

Management should attempt to keep Hagelin. He looked good. Who else is up for a contract?

I will give Reirden until November to prove why he doesn't deserve his own volcano thread, because I'm nice like that
Hagelin's gonna cost too much for a 4th line penalty killer, isn't he??  :huh: Though I see he's at 1.875 now.. I was thinking he'd get 3 mil, but maybe Im wrong.. We can't afford 3 mil though. 
That Kuznetsov contract is gonna burn my ass if this punk plays like a girl again next year.. Just sayin'.. :snicker:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Monday May 06, 2019, 07:39:19 PM Eastern
Thanks brother!!
Hagelin's gonna cost too much for a 4th line penalty killer, isn't he??  :huh: Though I see he's at 1.875 now.. I was thinking he'd get 3 mil, but maybe Im wrong.. We can't afford 3 mil though. 
That Kuznetsov contract is gonna burn my ass if this punk plays like a girl again next year.. Just sayin'.. :snicker:


Hagelin's real cap hit is $4M, but there's some retained salary. I assume whoever retained that salary no longer has to pay him after this year since his contract is up, so there's no more benefit for us cap wise. He may be out of his prime years but I can't see him going for lower than $3M at all. Guy has speed and the NHL today is about that speed and skill.


As for Kuzy, honestly his contract was a bit rich even before he started playing like shit. Was hoping $7M would be more reasonable as a high end, but he ended up closer to $8M. He better perform next year or it'll be a shitshow. That said, last thing I wanna do right now is cut bait and go back to being a 1C team, like back when Brooks Laich was our 2C of the future. Only Cup that guy has is the one protecting his glass groin.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Monday May 06, 2019, 08:47:39 PM Eastern
I’ll bet they’ll let Hagelin walk and give BretFuckinConolly 4+mil to score 20 goals and cost 50.


Given Monumentals ideal of “Keep The Band Together.  We’re The Best.  We have “Chemistry” “, it’s safe to say that it’s unlikely we’ll see trades to cut salary, and continue to overpay most anyone on the 17-18 team.


I’ll bet that DSP and Jaskins won’t be back, don’t  wanna come back, and will have a great year for another team that values them.


Theoretically, if Connolly, Hagelin, and Bura where dumped, we could go for Colburn, Simmons, Del Zotto, Mcquaid, Flippula, or Maroon amoung others, and MAYBE still keep Hagelin. . .


I just don’t see Monumental being willing to, or GMBetaMale being good enough to do it.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Monday May 06, 2019, 09:26:02 PM Eastern

Hagelin's real cap hit is $4M, but there's some retained salary. I assume whoever retained that salary no longer has to pay him after this year since his contract is up, so there's no more benefit for us cap wise. He may be out of his prime years but I can't see him going for lower than $3M at all. Guy has speed and the NHL today is about that speed and skill.


As for Kuzy, honestly his contract was a bit rich even before he started playing like shit. Was hoping $7M would be more reasonable as a high end, but he ended up closer to $8M. He better perform next year or it'll be a shitshow. That said, last thing I wanna do right now is cut bait and go back to being a 1C team, like back when Brooks Laich was our 2C of the future. Only Cup that guy has is the one protecting his glass groin.
Yep, there is a very real possibility that we can end up hating/regretting that Kuzy contract.  Sure Ovie got 51 goals, but he does nothing else.  He’s making more than (at least) Bergeron, Larkin
and Karlsson who both superior all around players who don’t have 600 goal scorer they play with normally
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Monday May 06, 2019, 10:14:48 PM Eastern
WTF happened to my post?
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Monday May 06, 2019, 10:37:48 PM Eastern
I doubt they keep the Hagler. I'd like to see him back but can't see how we can swing the dollars. Sure as hell cant pay him $3mil. (We have to save that for a multi year deal for Burka :P )


Conno and Orpik are UFAs. I'd sign both for the same money as last year but very little more. Conno should be able to get more next year (somewhere) based on his 20 goals. I'm not sure Orpik will even play again.


Jake the snake and Burka are RFAs.
Sign Jake, let Burka walk....FINALLY
I think Stephensen is also.


I actually posted all the RFA and UFA guys upcoming several weeks ago but I'm WAY too lazy to look it up again.


Jaskin and DSP are gone. Why would either sign with Caps again?


I don't see the caps making any serious moves. We shall see. Would be nice to get a good D man, but then.... My wife been saying that for years  8-0

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Tuesday May 07, 2019, 10:13:42 PM Eastern
It’s not just us . . .
https://mobile.twitter.com/nbcscapitals/status/1125875689465491457 (https://mobile.twitter.com/nbcscapitals/status/1125875689465491457)
Though giving Bura a C- is a bit generous
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Wednesday May 08, 2019, 09:18:35 AM Eastern
It’s not just us . . .
https://mobile.twitter.com/nbcscapitals/status/1125875689465491457 (https://mobile.twitter.com/nbcscapitals/status/1125875689465491457)
Though giving Bura a C- is a bit generous


Yep, season's over. Cup honey moon, also over.. Time to get real on these bitches!! Burt is a soft, 100' footer who doesn't kill penalties.. No way in hell should we even consider 3+ million for him, which IIRC is what the "minimum" is to sign him.. Use that 3 million elsewhere..
(Sad thing is, at his size, speed and skill, with a little motivation and heart, he could be a premier "power" forward.)  :-\
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Friday May 10, 2019, 01:09:39 AM Eastern
Givin the D corp, I wouldn't be surprised to see Orpik do one more year at
              1for$1M deal, if he doesn't get that offer I bet he retires.

LW Bura needs to walk.

LW keep Hags because he still has skill & speed, assuming he'd want to


RW Maybe give DSP a shot at camp, see if he's in shape, he will be cheap. If
            he's not in shape again let him walk. He made difference when brought
            up for the playoffs, then got benched for OT  :huh:

LW Vrana needs to stay.

RW Conno ??

D Djoos ??

C Stephenson ??
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Friday May 10, 2019, 01:14:20 AM Eastern

Yep, season's over. Cup honey moon, also over.. Time to get real on these bitches!! Burt is a soft, 100' footer who doesn't kill penalties.. No way in hell should we even consider 3+ million for him, which IIRC is what the "minimum" is to sign him.. Use that 3 million elsewhere..
(Sad thing is, at his size, speed and skill, with a little motivation and heart, he could be a premier "power" forward.)  :-\


We've been having the exact same conversation about Bura for 4 years, time to go
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Friday May 10, 2019, 09:10:50 AM Eastern
Givin the D corp, I wouldn't be surprised to see Orpik do one more year at
              1for$1M deal, if he doesn't get that offer I bet he retires.

LW Bura needs to walk.

LW keep Hags because he still has skill & speed, assuming he'd want to


RW Maybe give DSP a shot at camp, see if he's in shape, he will be cheap. If
            he's not in shape again let him walk. He made difference when brought
            up for the playoffs, then got benched for OT  :huh:

LW Vrana needs to stay.

RW Conno ??

D Djoos ??

C Stephenson ??





I'd like to see Orpik for another 1/1.  I'd agree he'll retire if it doesn't happen.  I can't see him moving to another team at his age, and he is a huge family guy and surely doesn't want to move again....but then if someone offered me $3-4 mill for one year, I'd play elsewhere for a year and leave the family where they are.
I'd let Djoos walk and play Ziggy  (especially if Orpik is around), but the Caps seem to really like Djoos.  Plus, play Ziggy and get him lots of regular season game experience -  I think that's all he's missing.
Definitely say bye bye to Bura  (way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way overdue there)


Definitely sign Vranna.  Not sure what that will cost, but at some point you have to move forward and pick guys to be part of your future.  (I do recall wanting to use him as trade bait about 2-3 years ago, but not anymore)


I'm okay on DSP on the cheap too.  With our Cap struggles, we are going to need some guys on the cheap, AND we definitely need some guys with grit in their game.


I'd like to keep the Hagler as well, but I don't see us affording him.  What would it cost to get him?  $3+ mil I would think?  I think he is/can be a really good fit for us.  Fills a lot of holes we need filled - great PK, good speed, good skills, good 3rd wing and can play 2nd wing also.  You can plug him into several spots which gives you some flexibility with lines when needed.


Conno...I've always liked Conno...for the price.  Not sure I'd like him at a higher price tag.  He DOES score and he has shown some SC scoring as well.  I see him as a relatively solid 3rd line guy than can produce some much needed 3rd line scoring, but.....I don't want to pay him real top 6 pay, which I think he might get somewhere based on his goal numbers.


Djoos - send him back to the flyweight division


Stepho - meh, no idea.  I liked him a lot previous year, then this year he just sort of floundered and didn't show much even when given opportunity.  Again, we need some cheap guys, and he has decent size and good speed, but he'd have to be a relative cheap deal.


Go Caps.













Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Monday May 13, 2019, 10:14:59 AM Eastern
Wonder what it would take to get Johannson back? On the last year of his deal, 4.25 mil.. 28 years old. Probably not dooable, but if they let Burt walk, that's 3 mil.. If they could trade Niskanen..
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Monday May 13, 2019, 04:03:14 PM Eastern
Wonder what it would take to get Johannson back? On the last year of his deal, 4.25 mil.. 28 years old. Probably not dooable, but if they let Burt walk, that's 3 mil.. If they could trade Niskanen..
I wish, but he’s a UFA that will probably get that or more


Besides GMBetaMale nor only gave him away once, but, for whatever reason didn’t go for, or pay for him at the trade deadline.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Saturday June 01, 2019, 04:23:14 PM Eastern
Resigning Holts  (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/why-braden-holtbys-future-capitals-could-be-determined-sergei-bobrovsky)“could” get interesting
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Saturday June 01, 2019, 11:52:38 PM Eastern

Hagelin's real cap hit is $4M, but there's some retained salary. I assume whoever retained that salary no longer has to pay him after this year since his contract is up, so there's no more benefit for us cap wise. He may be out of his prime years but I can't see him going for lower than $3M at all. Guy has speed and the NHL today is about that speed and skill.


As for Kuzy, honestly his contract was a bit rich even before he started playing like shit. Was hoping $7M would be more reasonable as a high end, but he ended up closer to $8M. He better perform next year or it'll be a shitshow. That said, last thing I wanna do right now is cut bait and go back to being a 1C team, like back when Brooks Laich was our 2C of the future. Only Cup that guy has is the one protecting his glass groin.


GLASS GROIN!! LMFAO😂🤣🤣😂


Don’t know why I missed this earlier, Zero, but funny as hell!!


Rush
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Sunday June 02, 2019, 12:57:53 AM Eastern
Bura has certainly been around long enough to have a VERY CLEAR picture of him!
It can safely be said, with accuracy, that his only CONSISTENT thing on his resume, is that he is TERMINALLY INCONSISTENT!!!


NEVER, has he had anything close to ANY kind of dependable, reliable, “you-can-put-your-finger-on-it”, type of play!!
Worse yet, is the lack of any rhyme or reason, as to when his play picks up, or goes south!! This is almost ALWAYS trouble!! IMO, his total career has changed the word, “Hope”, into having a negative and reluctant connotation!!


At least with some of the inconsistent players in the league, the NHL coaches have an idea as to what factors contribute to their failures!! Not so with Bura!
Bura gets on a hot streak....... WHY? Nobody knows! Bura goes cold......WHY? Nobody knows!
Sadly, BURA has always offered plenty of reasons, and solutions, as to how his legs are better, how he “feels good now”, mentally, and any other number of Mumbo-Jumbo ass excuses, ALL of which are deemed completely INSIGNIFICANT, in hind sight, after he gets back on the ice!!


Bura’s career has had more ups and downs than Ron Jeremy’s right hand in an old porn flick!! LOL!
Seriously though, let him go, and then you may have Hagelin money! A PROVEN ASSET to the team!!


Djoos is tiny, but he’s very high in hockey IQ. Something we seem to lack a lot on our overall D! That’s why they keep him.


I like Connelly for the money, or some thing close to it, but who knows with him!
Brooksie, for a 1mil/1yr? Still a great deal with the intangibles!
Carlson, I’ve grudgingly learned to live with it! WHATEVER!


Kuzy, is a WHOLE different matter!! He, simply, and absolutely, has to show that he gives a flyin fuck about playing regular season hockey for the Washington Capitals...OR....go back to frickin Moscow, you ungrateful SOB!!!
Your innocent “honesty” is no longer funny and cute, when commenting about your attitude towards the Washington fans!  Time to “grow a pair”, Kuzy!! Shut your yap in the press for awhile, at least until you hold up YOUR END, of your performance on the ice, when compared to your contract!


You have trouble “feeling motivated”, during the regular season?? That’s idiotic to say publicly in the media, but then, AT LEAST, pick your game up in the playoffs, or you get hung by your words!! You come off like some spoiled, Russian millennial crybaby, you douche!


Whew!! Ok I’m done with my second-wind, late spring, disappointment!!
GO BLUES!! (for now)!!


Rush









Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Sunday June 02, 2019, 12:24:30 PM Eastern
Bura has certainly been around long enough to have a VERY CLEAR picture of him!
It can safely be said, with accuracy, that his only CONSISTENT thing on his resume, is that he is TERMINALLY INCONSISTENT!!!


NEVER, has he had anything close to ANY kind of dependable, reliable, “you-can-put-your-finger-on-it”, type of play!!
Worse yet, is the lack of any rhyme or reason, as to when his play picks up, or goes south!! This is almost ALWAYS trouble!! IMO, his total career has changed the word, “Hope”, into having a negative and reluctant connotation!!


At least with some of the inconsistent players in the league, the NHL coaches have an idea as to what factors contribute to their failures!! Not so with Bura!
Bura gets on a hot streak....... WHY? Nobody knows! Bura goes cold......WHY? Nobody knows!
Sadly, BURA has always offered plenty of reasons, and solutions, as to how his legs are better, how he “feels good now”, mentally, and any other number of Mumbo-Jumbo ass excuses, ALL of which are deemed completely INSIGNIFICANT, in hind sight, after he gets back on the ice!!


Bura’s career has had more ups and downs than Ron Jeremy’s right hand in an old porn flick!! LOL!
Seriously though, let him go, and then you may have Hagelin money! A PROVEN ASSET to the team!!


Djoos is tiny, but he’s very high in hockey IQ. Something we seem to lack a lot on our overall D! That’s why they keep him.


I like Connelly for the money, or some thing close to it, but who knows with him!
Brooksie, for a 1mil/1yr? Still a great deal with the intangibles!
Carlson, I’ve grudgingly learned to live with it! WHATEVER!


Kuzy, is a WHOLE different matter!! He, simply, and absolutely, has to show that he gives a flyin fuck about playing regular season hockey for the Washington Capitals...OR....go back to frickin Moscow, you ungrateful SOB!!!
Your innocent “honesty” is no longer funny and cute, when commenting about your attitude towards the Washington fans!  Time to “grow a pair”, Kuzy!! Shut your yap in the press for awhile, at least until you hold up YOUR END, of your performance on the ice, when compared to your contract!


You have trouble “feeling motivated”, during the regular season?? That’s idiotic to say publicly in the media, but then, AT LEAST, pick your game up in the playoffs, or you get hung by your words!! You come off like some spoiled, Russian millennial crybaby, you douche!


Whew!! Ok I’m done with my second-wind, late spring, disappointment!!
GO BLUES!! (for now)!!


Rush
Damn right Rush!


But think the bottom line is Bura, Kuzy, and Connolly are just not very good hockey players.  “Talent”, “skill”, and couple points sure, but if you can’t do every shift, or at minimum 85%.with 100% intensity, can do nothing else than get a few points, (ie play D, PK), and cost more than goals than you put up, you’re just not a good hockey player.


Just look at SCF and compare Kuzy to Tarasenko: 27_28yo, 7,8 and 7.5. . . and anyone who thinks Kuzy is a better player needs to step away from the XBox and quot attemding Rec League games.



Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Monday June 03, 2019, 01:38:06 AM Eastern
Damn right Rush!


But think the bottom line is Bura, Kuzy, and Connolly are just not very good hockey players.  “Talent”, “skill”, and couple points sure, but if you can’t do every shift, or at minimum 85%.with 100% intensity, can do nothing else than get a few points, (ie play D, PK), and cost more than goals than you put up, you’re just not a good hockey player.


Just look at SCF and compare Kuzy to Tarasenko: 27_28yo, 7,8 and 7.5. . . and anyone who thinks Kuzy is a better player needs to step away from the XBox and quot attemding Rec League games.


Well said DC!
Bura and Kuzy have shown some highly distinctive INDIVIDUAL talent. Kuzy can even do some one-of-a-kind, eye popping, stuff.
Connelly, on the other hand, lacks the “gifted” talents of Bura and Kuzy.


I think it’s accurate to say that Kuzy and Bura, both possess “good” talent, and actually CAN “FLASH” some unique, quality, excellence. Lack of CONSISTENCY, on both their parts, COUPLED with demonstrating a severe lack of defense, in their 200 foot play, (said another way, mostly one sided, offensive players), renders them both as very “incomplete” hockey players, and a plausible case could be made as to whether they are just as harmful, as they are helpful, to the team! This makes them, OVERALL, not so good!


Connelly, on the other hand, is different. (I think it’s hilarious, DC, that when we get together and drink, we usually re-establish our “agree to disagree” thing with Conno!!) We never seem to recall, when we’re lit, that we’ve established our positions, already, in prior drinking episodes!!🤣😂🤣🥃🥃


Anyway, I think Conno has found his niche for developing his better O production! He simply has worked on a very basic skill of shooting the puck, very quickly, from the passes he receives, as he cuts across the ice within 10-15 feet of opponents goal!
I’ll give you that he’s not that accurate, because he’s not that naturally gifted....BUT, he’s worked at it, for at least  the last 2 seasons, and has been very successful, using quantity of chances, NOT quality, and this fits great into his lower talented game!!
By all counts, his performance needle has slowly, but consistently kept pointing North!! (Compare that with Kuzy and Bura’s general direction!!)
I do believe he has probably plateaued, and that’s fine with me! He is in a position to get better money elsewhere, as a result of his performance here, as a Capital! I’d hate to see him go, but the ball is in HIS court!


Good comparison you make about the SCF! Actually a lot of the playoff games were really some high effort hockey games, and extremely enjoyable for me to watch!
It also allowed us to compare a few of “our guys” efforts, to some of those grittier, physical, games!
It just made some of our “low effort guys”, appear even worse! LOL


 We will be watching, boys, next season!!!!


Rush

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Tuesday June 04, 2019, 10:16:58 AM Eastern
Wonder what it would take to get Johannson back? On the last year of his deal, 4.25 mil.. 28 years old. Probably not dooable, but if they let Burt walk, that's 3 mil.. If they could trade Niskanen..


https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/caps-reportedly-have-johansson-their-radar-does-it-make-sense-and-can-they-make-it-work (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/caps-reportedly-have-johansson-their-radar-does-it-make-sense-and-can-they-make-it-work)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Tuesday June 04, 2019, 08:14:29 PM Eastern

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/caps-reportedly-have-johansson-their-radar-does-it-make-sense-and-can-they-make-it-work (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/caps-reportedly-have-johansson-their-radar-does-it-make-sense-and-can-they-make-it-work)
Yep, the Lin inside that article begins to tell how fucked up the cap situation (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/explaining-brian-maclellans-ominous-comments-about-roster-and-why-caps-may-need-shed-salary) is


These flashy, long term, overpaid contract, and not building  are staring to catch up
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Wednesday June 05, 2019, 04:49:52 PM Eastern
Especially when guys start getting hurt (cough) Oshie (cough) and the GM can't unload them.. I guess it's Niskanens turn, but not sure anyone will take that salary for his age, even healthy..
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Wednesday June 05, 2019, 09:12:45 PM Eastern
Especially when guys start getting hurt (cough) Oshie (cough) and the GM can't unload them.. I guess it's Niskanens turn, but not sure anyone will take that salary for his age, even healthy..
Trading Nisky would be moronic.  Hate to say it, but he’s our most complete Dman, particularly if we can’t be sure Kempy will be 100%.


But, for two years left on a 5mil contract several teams would take him, but not for what we need to replace him.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Friday June 14, 2019, 09:10:43 AM Eastern

Caps acquire Radko Gudas from Flyers for Matt Niskanen:


*After they retain some of Gudas salary, it looks like we clear around 2.5-3 mill in cap space, if my math is right. (it's early, only 1 cup of coffee, so don't hold me to it)

https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-acquire-radko-gudas-from-philadelphia-flyers/c-307848944?fbclid=IwAR07QY6C4rM3uyUADeAGe2pPQA5x6aaJsNQqEKdyEmmERuw0P12J3UvVDF8 (https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-acquire-radko-gudas-from-philadelphia-flyers/c-307848944?fbclid=IwAR07QY6C4rM3uyUADeAGe2pPQA5x6aaJsNQqEKdyEmmERuw0P12J3UvVDF8)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Friday June 14, 2019, 10:27:33 AM Eastern
Caps acquire Radko Gudas from Flyers for Matt Niskanen:


*After they retain some of Gudas salary, it looks like we clear around 2.5-3 mill in cap space, if my math is right. (it's early, only 1 cup of coffee, so don't hold me to it)

https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-acquire-radko-gudas-from-philadelphia-flyers/c-307848944?fbclid=IwAR07QY6C4rM3uyUADeAGe2pPQA5x6aaJsNQqEKdyEmmERuw0P12J3UvVDF8 (https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-acquire-radko-gudas-from-philadelphia-flyers/c-307848944?fbclid=IwAR07QY6C4rM3uyUADeAGe2pPQA5x6aaJsNQqEKdyEmmERuw0P12J3UvVDF8)
Love adding Gudas, (I’ve wanted them to for a while), a tough,physical, defensive Dman at a reasonable cost. 

Dont like loosing Nisky as he was our most complete Dman, course he could of wanted out. (Wouldn’t blame him if so).   

Heh I’m betting Dickless, BetaMale abd Reirdom are etching him in on “3rd Pair” and having Jensen take over babysitting Orlov
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Friday June 14, 2019, 08:21:26 PM Eastern
does this trade mean Orpik is done here? Because I could make a very good argument for one more 1 for 1 contract
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Friday June 14, 2019, 10:22:54 PM Eastern
does this trade mean Orpik is done here? Because I could make a very good argument for one more 1 for 1 contract
If he’ll take it there’s little reason not to.  Don’t know exactly how buyouts work but he got a chunk of change from the Avs, so there’s that.


Gudas was a top PK guy in Philly, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the “plan” was to put he and Hooks as the “3rd Pair”, and mostly use them on the PK
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Sunday June 16, 2019, 05:10:13 PM Eastern
Uh boi.. They just gave Hagelin 2.75 x 4 and he doesnt take faceoffs..  (cough-Beagle took 3mil-cough)  :huh:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Sunday June 16, 2019, 07:54:52 PM Eastern
Uh boi.. They just gave Hagelin 2.75 x 4 and he doesnt take faceoffs..  (cough-Beagle took 3mil-cough)  :huh:
Yyyyyyyyyep
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Monday June 17, 2019, 12:17:23 AM Eastern
Uh boi.. They just gave Hagelin 2.75 x 4 and he doesnt take faceoffs..  (cough-Beagle took 3mil-cough)  :huh:


Hopefully the next move will be a decent face off guy!
Not always ready to warm up to an ex-HEN, but Hagelin made it much easier with his all hustle/effort attitude! I like the guy a lot now. He directly opposes that “low-effort-itis”, that rears it’s head, from a few of the guys, now and then!


His speed and acceleration are superior gifts, that make him a better candidate than most, for the older guy/longer term contract! He may not be a scoring wiz, but he opens WAY more production opportunities for any line he plays on, as opponents are forced to respect his speed and quickness, when having to defend their zone!


He also overwhelmingly improves our PK, and is an intelligent player!


I loved me some Niskanen during his stay here, but there’s no doubt that he doesn’t age as well as Orpik does. Hey, I mean some guys just succumb to age related effects, more than others!
Niskanen, IMO, is one of these! He is still tough and gritty, and has a good hockey brain, but the last 2  seasons, ESPECIALLY this last season, he simply suffers from not always being able to execute PHYSICALLY, what he MENTALLY wants to DO!


Nisky has a lot of pride, as well, and I believe he starts trying to “make up”, for some of his more frequent errors, by attempting stretch passes, that aren’t really there, or trying to over compensate by trying too hard to FORCE big plays, taking senseless risks that don’t have to be taken, often times, at a minimum, resulting in an unnecessary change of possession, or a high chance SOG for the opponent!


Nisky was never considered to be speedy, or quick reacting, so it’s only natural that his aging body, has a slightly more negative effect on his play than average! The guy has a great attitude, and is a consummate pro, he’s just getting slow as molasses, and it just happens to really SHOW with him! It’s too bad, but I like the move for Gudas!


 I don’t know if GMBM is trying to send a message,  but he just inked a DEFENSIVE, more physical, Dman, AND a true all effort, all hustle guy in Haglin!


 Hopefully some of these softy’s,  and fellas that don’t feel like “showing up all the time“,  are watching!!!


Rush

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Monday June 17, 2019, 12:26:57 AM Eastern
The Caps needed to keep Hags, so I like that move. Now they can trade Kuzy for someone that gives a shit, and does face offs
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Monday June 17, 2019, 12:31:35 AM Eastern
The Caps needed to keep Hags, so I like that move. Now they can trade Kuzy for someone that gives a shit, and does face offs


LOL, Alta!
 I think we are quite like-minded about Kuznetzov!
 My attitude is it’s on him now, to prove he wants to play here.


Rush
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Monday June 17, 2019, 12:34:38 AM Eastern

LOL, Alta!
 I think we are quite like-minded about Kuznetzov!
 My attitude is it’s on him now, to prove he wants to play here.


Rush


It's not just here, I don't think. The guy has even admitted he gets bored on the ice. Maybe a trade will be the incentive he needs. Or he can go home and play in the KHL.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Monday June 17, 2019, 06:14:29 AM Eastern
The Caps needed to keep Hags, so I like that move. Now they can trade Kuzy for someone that gives a shit, and does face offs
That should of been done a couple years ago.  Even if they would they would admit their mistake and try to move him, who would take a almost 30yo head case with that contract now?
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Monday June 17, 2019, 08:41:23 AM Eastern
I like the Hagelin signing. Only real concern is the 4 year term, but other than that I think the dollars are pretty damn cap friendly.

I hate to see Nisky go but he has been struggling and ate up cap space. I like that Gudas offers some physicality (who will fuck with us now that we have Willy and Gudas?) but the dumb penalties are a concern.  Hopefully Carlson Orlov Kempny and Jensen will be a solid top 4...
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: KitFisto on Monday June 17, 2019, 09:58:21 AM Eastern
Uh boi.. They just gave Hagelin 2.75 x 4 and he doesnt take faceoffs..  (cough-Beagle took 3mil-cough)  :huh:


At the time the Caps didn't have the money for Beagle. Hagelin is also 3 years younger. Yes, they desperately need a face-off guy without question, but Hagelin vs Beagle isn't a choice the Caps made between the two. It's where they were financially at different times.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Monday June 17, 2019, 04:24:46 PM Eastern

At the time the Caps didn't have the money for Beagle. Hagelin is also 3 years younger. Yes, they desperately need a face-off guy without question, but Hagelin vs Beagle isn't a choice the Caps made between the two. It's where they were financially at different times.
Yes, true . . . but the issue is, as I said at the time, the lack of foresight, and priorities over that time is  the issue.  Sure, Beags at 3.5abouts may look like a lot, but without out him, we were last, or damn near last, in not only face offs, but penalty kill. . .(which is pretty out and out full retard considering we   not only have the leagues most watched players by the refs, but we are the “bad guys” to the NHLs media darlings that we play all the time).

But hey, Dowd is just as good as Beags . . . Ummm, . . . well

The bottom line is GMBetaMale has plumb-tee total, bent us over a barrel, provided fluff girls and complimentary hors’dorves  to get fucked by every agent in the business. . . and maybe peanut vendors too should they fall on that side of the rainbow.

This is an ok deal on 7/17, even 7/2, but almost three weeks before UFA, . . . I’d rather call the other teams bluff and see if Arizona, NJD, or Minnesota would match it
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Monday June 17, 2019, 07:27:14 PM Eastern
I don't mind the Hags deal.  He played with heart and improved every line he played on.  Definitely has quickness and Caps need him for the PK.  Fair price for the talent.  Four years...meh.  We shall see.  He can fill Connolly's spot with more speed and open it up a bit more.  He can plug many holes when needed, so good guy to have on this roster especially.  (Yes, I know he doesn't do faceoffs, but don't blame him for everyone else's weakness  ;D )


Hate to see Nisky go.  As much grief as these boards give him, he was likely our best all around D man over the last 4 seasons. (Yes, Maako, I know Johnny Qualude is on this team, but I said all around D-MAN)  That being said, I'd agree he isn't aging well.  Definitely nice to offload some contract and paying 5.75 to a 34 year old Nisky would be painful.  Moving to the Flyers is got to suck ass for him.  End your career in freakin Philly?
Looks like we save 5.75 mil and Gudas hit is 3.35, net gain of 2.4 in cap hit to spend elsewhere. (which I guess is Hags)


I'd welcome Orpik at another 1/1 deal if he'd have it.  We need some budget guys.


Who else is left for us to sign....I don't even remember.


Stephensen....
Burka..... :lol:


What about VRANA?  Got to sign that dude.


Jaskin - will walk...or should, caps don't like him for some reason


Smith Pelly -







Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Tuesday June 18, 2019, 03:49:34 AM Eastern
I don't mind the Hags deal.  He played with heart and improved every line he played on.  Definitely has quickness and Caps need him for the PK.  Fair price for the talent.  Four years...meh.  We shall see.  He can fill Connolly's spot with more speed and open it up a bit more.  He can plug many holes when needed, so good guy to have on this roster especially.  (Yes, I know he doesn't do faceoffs, but don't blame him for everyone else's weakness  ;D )


Hate to see Nisky go.  As much grief as these boards give him, he was likely our best all around D man over the last 4 seasons. (Yes, Maako, I know Johnny Qualude is on this team, but I said all around D-MAN)  That being said, I'd agree he isn't aging well.  Definitely nice to offload some contract and paying 5.75 to a 34 year old Nisky would be painful.  Moving to the Flyers is got to suck ass for him.  End your career in freakin Philly?
Looks like we save 5.75 mil and Gudas hit is 3.35, net gain of 2.4 in cap hit to spend elsewhere. (which I guess is Hags)


I'd welcome Orpik at another 1/1 deal if he'd have it.  We need some budget guys.


Who else is left for us to sign....I don't even remember.


Stephensen....
Burka..... :lol:


What about VRANA?  Got to sign that dude.


Jaskin - will walk...or should, caps don't like him for some reason


Smith Pelly -


Good post Rich!
I still don’t understand the way the Caps have handled Jaskin? The boy has shown up practically every time he’s been called upon, with just a few exceptions!


In a longer lookback at GMBM, concerning the issue, originally, of handling the latter years of both Orpik, AND Niskys expensive contracts, (at the time), I think he has done an excellent job of dealing with the “weighty”, concerns, murmured over the last two seasons, about their age vs performance vs money!


With the recent Nisky deal, and the Orpik return, on the cheap, causing both Colorado, and now apparently Philly to shoulder much of the overload of their prior contracts! Props to GMBM for those well timed moves!


GMBM has also shown somewhat of a tendency, the last few seasons, to seem to want to use the earlier, offseason signings, to sort of telegraph to the team, more who he strongly favors, his “first fruit” preferences, maybe even passively letting some other players know, who the management is more willing to break balls for, and also who maybe, “not so much”!


Bura comes to mind, with the rapid signing of Hagelin!


The Vrana situation will be interesting to watch unfold! He can show some great stuff, but there were some times where he was starting to do some of the “low effort” stuff, IMO, especially when having to get back on defense, AND his playoff performance was, across the board, very below his standard of play! Add to that, he and Kuzy, get my solid vote for the absolute, “most wanting to go home”, attitude during the exit interviews! Unlike, with Bura, and Kuzy, I really want to see Vrana play here, so I hope my early insight on him, is off base! We shall see!


Can’t see Orpik going anywhere else, if his decision is to play another year! He, and family are dug in to the DC area pretty well!


Rush
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Tuesday June 18, 2019, 02:03:10 PM Eastern
This is interesting, Dion Phaneuf bought out  (https://www.tsn.ca/los-angeles-kings-to-buy-out-veteran-d-dion-phaneuf-1.1323208)


He’ll probably get a slew of offers, but he sure as hell could help us regardless of his age
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Tuesday June 18, 2019, 04:42:34 PM Eastern
This is interesting, Dion Phaneuf bought out  (https://www.tsn.ca/los-angeles-kings-to-buy-out-veteran-d-dion-phaneuf-1.1323208)


He’ll probably get a slew of offers, but he sure as hell could help us regardless of his age


though I've not seen it mentioned anywhere, I think there is something wrong with Phaneuf. He's either a mental case or a problem in the lockerroom. He's been on far too many teams for someone of his talent.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Tuesday June 18, 2019, 07:05:13 PM Eastern

though I've not seen it mentioned anywhere, I think there is something wrong with Phaneuf. He's either a mental case or a problem in the lockerroom. He's been on far too many teams for someone of his talent.
Probably, but if he’s a mental case he’ll fit right in on our D 🤣.  I have a felling they’ll be a good market for him though, so despite being a “big name” like GMBetaMale likes, he’ll likely be out of our price range anyway.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Tuesday June 18, 2019, 07:24:46 PM Eastern
There are some very interesting names of potential buyouts  (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sportingnews.com/ca/amp/nhl/news/nhl-rumors-2019-perry-callahan-potential-buyout-candidates/19dkicfjozue911jv4cxot8ugf)
Perry
Callahan
Steen
Jack Johnson
Alzner (shrug)
And
Brendan Smith


While they’ll pretty much be out of the cap range, could require “unpopular” moves to fit salary or position, changing engraved lines, , tweaking Reidons EA Sports system makes it all but impossible we’d see any one of these approached let alone signed.   But aside from addressing the face off issue any of them would help get the PK out of the inexcusable 70%s and make  make this team far, far,  better.









Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Friday June 21, 2019, 05:32:36 PM Eastern
I see Caps play St Louis for the season opener.


Didn't we have to endure playing the fuckin Hens in their home opener after winning their last cup?  Now the same for St Louis?


Not that I have anything against St Louis and I was happy they won, but WTF NHL?  What's with the total "FU in your face" again Caps?
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Friday June 21, 2019, 08:53:13 PM Eastern
I see Caps play St Louis for the season opener.


Didn't we have to endure playing the fuckin Hens in their home opener after winning their last cup?  Now the same for St Louis?


Not that I have anything against St Louis and I was happy they won, but WTF NHL?  What's with the total "FU in your face" again Caps?


while the Hens game was definitely a big F U to the Caps and fans, I don't see it that way with the Blues game. The Blues aren't a big rival, and it's the two recient champions playing each other.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Saturday June 22, 2019, 01:34:20 PM Eastern
The Caps picked Connor McMichael in round 1, he's a center and a Dale Hunter prodigy...


https://www.japersrink.com/2019/6/21/18701586/nhl-draft-2019-caps-select-connor-mcmichael
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Saturday June 22, 2019, 05:14:25 PM Eastern
Sound good on the surface anyway! Hope he pans out!
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Saturday June 22, 2019, 09:32:03 PM Eastern
Well three more,  didn’t take a D til late, but the center looks promising.

https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-make-three-selections-on-second-day-of-2019-nhl-draft/c-308013636 (https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-make-three-selections-on-second-day-of-2019-nhl-draft/c-308013636)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Beaglefan2 on Sunday June 23, 2019, 10:03:12 AM Eastern

Hey DC - you have to be happy with the size of their last three picks - all three are big boys!  If they could coach him up on the toughness side, Leason, could be a Wilson-type player.


Overall, I was happy with what they did - they traded up and got some guys they wanted and I think a couple of them were viewed as real "steals".  Of course these are 18 year old kids and who knows if they will ever play in the NHL!
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: canadiancapman on Sunday June 23, 2019, 02:49:10 PM Eastern
Leason is a 20 year old that bloomed late.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Monday June 24, 2019, 10:19:42 AM Eastern
Hey DC - you have to be happy with the size of their last three picks - all three are big boys!  If they could coach him up on the toughness side, Leason, could be a Wilson-type player.


Overall, I was happy with what they did - they traded up and got some guys they wanted and I think a couple of them were viewed as real "steals".  Of course these are 18 year old kids and who knows if they will ever play in the NHL!
It’ll be interesting to see that’s for sure.  Have they learned from last year and seen the way to win multiple series and Cups is with a roster built  size, muscle, hockey IQ, hard work and excelling in all aspects, or  if they just picked “best available”


Given recent history, I’m betting the first two picks have been etched into stone as “4th liners”
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Tuesday June 25, 2019, 09:26:44 AM Eastern
Orpik retires after 15 seasons..


https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/brooks-orpik-announces-retirement-after-15-nhl-seasons/c-308042362 (https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/brooks-orpik-announces-retirement-after-15-nhl-seasons/c-308042362)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Tuesday June 25, 2019, 12:48:11 PM Eastern
Orpik retires after 15 seasons..


https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/brooks-orpik-announces-retirement-after-15-nhl-seasons/c-308042362 (https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/brooks-orpik-announces-retirement-after-15-nhl-seasons/c-308042362)


shame, I think the Caps are gonna need the help on D for another season. But, he had a good run, I wish him well.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Tuesday June 25, 2019, 05:12:30 PM Eastern
Yep, definitely gonna miss him and wish him well.. Said his knee was so bad last year, he couldn't even get up and down the stairs..


In other news: Caps offer Burt (others) qualifying offers..   ::)  Hopefully it's a sign and trade move, but doubtful anyone really wants a 3+ million $ Burt.. Think they only have around 9 mill and need to sign all those guys, plus Vrana...  :sick:


https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/06/25/capitals-give-qualifying-offers-to-andre-burakovsky-christian-djoos-and-chandler-stephenson-non-tender-dmitrij-jaskin/ (https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/06/25/capitals-give-qualifying-offers-to-andre-burakovsky-christian-djoos-and-chandler-stephenson-non-tender-dmitrij-jaskin/)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Tuesday June 25, 2019, 09:34:51 PM Eastern
Too bad on Brooksie.  He will be missed in more ways than one.  Classy guy, from what all we hear, and certainly a man of character that any group could use this day and age.
Caps could certainly use a quality guy in their room.  Good luck to you Brooks.



Caps really just don't seem to like Jaskin, do they?  He must really have an attitude problem or something..


Why bother with an offer to Burt.  Let the fucker walk already

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Wednesday June 26, 2019, 12:09:21 AM Eastern
I hope Bura is just a sign and trade. No qualifying offer means he goes UFA and I assume that means we could lose him for nothing. With a sign and trade we can at least get a bag of pucks for him.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Wednesday June 26, 2019, 01:42:37 AM Eastern
Too bad on Brooksie.  He will be missed in more ways than one.  Classy guy, from what all we hear, and certainly a man of character that any group could use this day and age.
Caps could certainly use a quality guy in their room.  Good luck to you Brooks.



Caps really just don't seem to like Jaskin, do they?  He must really have an attitude problem or something..


Why bother with an offer to Burt.  Let the fucker walk already


Well said on all points Rich!
Couldn’t agree more!
My company, (and many others), worked with the Make a Wish foundation last year, where Brooks and his wife head up that charity, representing the DC area chapter.


We met Brooks and his lovely wife, and did one of the many charity events at Top Golf in Ashburn!
Everyone came out in January, shot golf balls, and had a lot of fun, despite the SNOWY weather, with several inches on the ground already!
Brooks and his family attended, as well as many other Caps players, Locker, Joe B,, Slapshot etc.
Never heard a single gripe about the weather, as Brooks and his wife made the rounds to EACH and every golf tee station, greeting everyone, doing selfies, and autographs!


You said a mouthful, Rich, when mentioning him as a man of character, who will be missed!!
Highest respect to you and your family Brooksie!!


I still don’t know what it is either, about the Caps and Jaskin? I’ve heard nothing, pro or con, that addresses how he behaves in practice, or how Caps mgmnt regards him.
In the very few times I’ve seen him being interviewed, he came off enthusiastic and solid. Nothing extraordinary, just quite normal for a young guy!  I like him, and especially his style of play, when he’s been in! Seems unafraid to get gritty, and he’s a hustler, as well!  It’s a mystery to me!


I don’t want Bura here either, but not very confident that he will get any good offers, above what Caps offer. I certainly don’t think Caps are figuring to keep him, mainly because they sent a strong message signing Hagelin so rapidly! (Not a mistake, IMHO)! Glad we got him back!


My worry is that Bura will hear crickets, from around the league, then have to accept Caps offer, which HE may feel is “undervalued”, (cuz he’s a cocky fucker, too), and play accordingly, based on how valuable he feels he is, (in his own mind)!
Then, like the movie Groundhog Day, we will hear, over and over again, the same old “my legs are feeling stronger”, “I’m feeling more comfortable now, with my role”, and all the other, no substance, lame ass, crap he barfs out, after ANOTHER “reset”, handed out to him after ANOTHER inconsistent month or two!!  Can’t ya just hear it playin’ now, 🎵”Wheel goes around, and around”🎵😂🤣😂


Good post Rich!


Rush
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: ArJunaZ on Wednesday June 26, 2019, 09:00:20 AM Eastern
Really bummed me out to hear Orpik is retiring. I hope we can find someone even half as good.
 :praying:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Wednesday June 26, 2019, 09:00:57 AM Eastern
I hope Bura is just a sign and trade. No qualifying offer means he goes UFA and I assume that means we could lose him for nothing. With a sign and trade we can at least get a bag of pucks for him.
They’d be nice but it’s unlikely.  Monumental “said” they didn’t trade him in season because they could only picks for him, yet they not only hold onto him and given him an offer after the Draft. 


Looks like Monumental just thinks we’re a better team with him, . .a better team in video games anyway

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Wednesday June 26, 2019, 01:03:20 PM Eastern
Giving Bura an offer sheet:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D-ALqr_XsAEtY4k?format=jpg&name=small)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday June 26, 2019, 05:06:41 PM Eastern
They’d be nice but it’s unlikely.  Monumental “said” they didn’t trade him in season because they could only picks for him, yet they not only hold onto him and given him an offer after the Draft. 


Looks like Monumental just thinks we’re a better team with him, . .a better team in video games anyway


this makes absolutely no sense, at this point I'd be more than happy to get some draft picks for him rather than just let him walk. The only thing that would make sense is keeping some low hanging fruit around for the Seattle entry draft. But after the Caps let Schmidt walk I'm betting the Caps screw this one up too
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Wednesday June 26, 2019, 11:10:12 PM Eastern
Giving Bura an offer sheet:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D-ALqr_XsAEtY4k?format=jpg&name=small)


🤣😂🤣🤣😂
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Thursday June 27, 2019, 07:41:40 AM Eastern

this makes absolutely no sense, at this point I'd be more than happy to get some draft picks for him rather than just let him walk. The only thing that would make sense is keeping some low hanging fruit around for the Seattle entry draft. But after the Caps let Schmidt walk I'm betting the Caps screw this one up too
Agreed, particularly when most of the draft pics where given away.  This is the Caps so see him starting the season on the “4th Line” isn’t unbelievable.


You make a good point about Seattle, but if they take him, it’s their own damn fault.





Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Friday June 28, 2019, 03:18:30 PM Eastern
He gone! Burt to Avs for a 2nd/3rd..


https://novacapsfans.com/2019/06/28/report-capitals-trade-andre-burakovsky-to-avalanche/?fbclid=IwAR333kxK6jJsPepRZfYRiza55k82Cbt6nQynkl_rjvW2CtK7roGK7goU6l0 (https://novacapsfans.com/2019/06/28/report-capitals-trade-andre-burakovsky-to-avalanche/?fbclid=IwAR333kxK6jJsPepRZfYRiza55k82Cbt6nQynkl_rjvW2CtK7roGK7goU6l0)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Pavel095 on Friday June 28, 2019, 03:27:51 PM Eastern
He gone! Burt to Avs for a 2nd/3rd..


https://novacapsfans.com/2019/06/28/report-capitals-trade-andre-burakovsky-to-avalanche/?fbclid=IwAR333kxK6jJsPepRZfYRiza55k82Cbt6nQynkl_rjvW2CtK7roGK7goU6l0 (https://novacapsfans.com/2019/06/28/report-capitals-trade-andre-burakovsky-to-avalanche/?fbclid=IwAR333kxK6jJsPepRZfYRiza55k82Cbt6nQynkl_rjvW2CtK7roGK7goU6l0)


Finally, we should done it before playoffs this season!
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Friday June 28, 2019, 04:17:50 PM Eastern
He gone! Burt to Avs for a 2nd/3rd..


https://novacapsfans.com/2019/06/28/report-capitals-trade-andre-burakovsky-to-avalanche/?fbclid=IwAR333kxK6jJsPepRZfYRiza55k82Cbt6nQynkl_rjvW2CtK7roGK7goU6l0 (https://novacapsfans.com/2019/06/28/report-capitals-trade-andre-burakovsky-to-avalanche/?fbclid=IwAR333kxK6jJsPepRZfYRiza55k82Cbt6nQynkl_rjvW2CtK7roGK7goU6l0)
. . . I would say better late than never, but one or two years ago we’d of got a hell of a lot more.


Hell Im surprised they even traded him
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Friday June 28, 2019, 07:06:29 PM Eastern
GOOD FUCKING RIDDANCE. I wouldn't be surprised if Bura has a solid career elsewhere but he was hot garbage with us. Got tiring waiting for him to show up. The one time he did show up was when he scored 2 goals vs TB in the playoffs last year. One game he showed up.


Guys like Dowd and Boyd, who played 4th line minutes, actually scored at a higher rate than 3rd line and occasional top 6 Bura.


Bura = 25 points in 76 games
Dowd = 22 points in 64 games
Boyd = 20 points in 53 games


That is not a good sign for a 1st round pick who supposedly has a high ceiling. That plus Vrana soared to higher heights than Bura ever did, in a fraction of the time. Good riddance.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Friday June 28, 2019, 07:26:29 PM Eastern
Oh thank God.  WAYYYYYYY overdue, but glad to see him go.  I don't wish ill on the kid, but definitely glad to be rid of him.  I was terrified Caps would WAY OVERPAY him and be stuck with his horrible contract for years.  Bad enough to suffer with his play at a reasonable price.  Can only imagine how I'd feel paying him more.


(talking about Burka, BTW)


I'd have taken a bag of used pucks for him, so getting a pick, ANY pick, is better than signing him again.  I'm sure if we had the cap space he'd still be haunting our bench/ice/locker room for years to come.


Way to Go GMBM


Now sign Vranna


and find a decent dman to fill Orpik's shoes (good luck there)


Go Caps







Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Friday June 28, 2019, 11:04:25 PM Eastern
Yea, I wish no ill will on the kid.. He needs to get with a coach who doesn't allow him to play soft.. He's got the size and skill, just needs the balls.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Saturday June 29, 2019, 12:50:36 AM Eastern
Yea, I wish no ill will on the kid.. He needs to get with a coach who doesn't allow him to play soft.. He's got the size and skill, just needs the balls.


Same here Mick. No ill will on the youngster!
I wish Bura well, also. Just ELSEWHERE!😆


As frustrated as my many posts have been, about Bura, the player, the greater frustration was at the coaches and management, who created this patience trying, indecisive, back and forth scenario, with Bura, by re-signing him to that 2yr, “show me” contract, that was WAY ABOVE even the higher “show me” contracts around the league!


The higher money put coaches and mgmnt in a tough position of reluctantly having to extend their patience and tolerance of Bura, in a desperate hope that he may come around, so that their decision to re-sign wasn’t a bust.


While tolerating his mental and erratic production issues, all through his career, GMBM, and coaches, were treated to one hell of a spectacle of near meaningless ups and downs, to the point where Bura’s final few, short, “ups”, were no longer considered as signs of hope, that he was finally COMING AROUND!! Rather, it was more like, “Yeah, we’ve seen this routine. Not getting our hopes up this time”!


Bura just never took hold here, IMHO, although he does have his supporters. I started my dislike for him sometime during his 2nd season! Maybe he’ll fit better in Colorado!


Finally, thanks Andre, for your solid contribution to our Stanley Cup, especially those badly needed goals against Tampa Bay!! You made a difference!


Now that the Bura issue is over, GOOD LUCK #65, in Colorado.


Rush



Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Saturday June 29, 2019, 12:55:21 AM Eastern
GOOD FUCKING RIDDANCE. I wouldn't be surprised if Bura has a solid career elsewhere but he was hot garbage with us. Got tiring waiting for him to show up. The one time he did show up was when he scored 2 goals vs TB in the playoffs last year. One game he showed up.


Guys like Dowd and Boyd, who played 4th line minutes, actually scored at a higher rate than 3rd line and occasional top 6 Bura.


Bura = 25 points in 76 games
Dowd = 22 points in 64 games
Boyd = 20 points in 53 games


That is not a good sign for a 1st round pick who supposedly has a high ceiling. That plus Vrana soared to higher heights than Bura ever did, in a fraction of the time. Good riddance.


Good comparitive stats, Zero!
Says a lot. Thanks!


Rush
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Saturday June 29, 2019, 02:17:06 AM Eastern
 :phew:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: canadiancapman on Saturday June 29, 2019, 09:49:04 AM Eastern
I feel like Bura will do well in Colorado. Good to see what we got for him. Vegas only got a 2nd and a 5th for Colin Miller from Buffalo and I think he's a better player at this point in his career.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Saturday June 29, 2019, 10:21:45 AM Eastern
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D-PCmhOXsAE--yt?format=jpg&name=360x360)
One down . . .


What they’ll “replace” Bura with that will comply with Reidons rec league system remains to be seen, but I have strong doubts that Stevenson or Boyd will get a better chance, or be used as the two way players they are.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Saturday June 29, 2019, 11:26:35 AM Eastern
just heard on the radio local sports talk idiots that Bura requested a trade in the middle of last season, seems he was unhappy in the bottom six yet didn't really make the case that he deserved to bump one of the current top six down a level
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Saturday June 29, 2019, 12:20:21 PM Eastern
just heard on the radio local sports talk idiots that Bura requested a trade in the middle of last season, seems he was unhappy in the bottom six yet didn't really make the case that he deserved to bump one of the current top six down a level
Heard that too. .  There’s probably some truth in that.  Particularly the part where he couldn’t a case for it.


I’m not sure he’ll do well with Avs.  He sure as hell won’t crack their “first line”, and he isn’t enough of a twoway player to fit the rest of their system/roster.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they used him to flip him in a trade sooner rather than later
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Saturday June 29, 2019, 03:40:35 PM Eastern
If he wants to play in the top 6 there's always the AHL. He had "potential" but he never did a damn thing to earn a top 6 spot, unlike Vrana. Even Wilson stepped up big time. He earned his spot in the top 6. Bura had his chances.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Sunday June 30, 2019, 10:53:48 AM Eastern
Heard that too. .  There’s probably some truth in that.  Particularly the part where he couldn’t a case for it.


I’m not sure he’ll do well with Avs.  He sure as hell won’t crack their “first line”, and he isn’t enough of a twoway player to fit the rest of their system/roster.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they used him to flip him in a trade sooner rather than later


He's definitely not a top 3 forward on the Avs and I even doubt his place in the top 6 is guaranteed. I think if he continues to be the headcase he has been, he'll earn his way to the bottom 6 pretty quickly.


I took a quick look at top 6 across the league, I think Arizona, Anaheim, and Edmonton (because outside of McDavid, Draisaitl, and RNH it gets pretty sad pretty quickly) he could potentially be a top 6, at least probably with more ease than he could be with most other teams. And this isn't even taking into consideration how he would actually fit in another team's system or fit in with linemates. It's just a basic back of the envelope "is he more talented than the current top 6 wingers there?"




Simply put, if Bura goes anywhere with the "I've got a top 6 spot locked down" mindset he's going to find himself demoted pretty quickly.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Sunday June 30, 2019, 02:12:09 PM Eastern

He's definitely not a top 3 forward on the Avs and I even doubt his place in the top 6 is guaranteed. I think if he continues to be the headcase he has been, he'll earn his way to the bottom 6 pretty quickly.


I took a quick look at top 6 across the league, I think Arizona, Anaheim, and Edmonton (because outside of McDavid, Draisaitl, and RNH it gets pretty sad pretty quickly) he could potentially be a top 6, at least probably with more ease than he could be with most other teams. And this isn't even taking into consideration how he would actually fit in another team's system or fit in with linemates. It's just a basic back of the envelope "is he more talented than the current top 6 wingers there?"




Simply put, if Bura goes anywhere with the "I've got a top 6 spot locked down" mindset he's going to find himself demoted pretty quickly.
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
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Beaglefan2 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!!
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 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
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix 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 (https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/caps-add-trio-of-bottom-six-wingers/c-308153932)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 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.







Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 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.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox 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
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 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
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox 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.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH 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











Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Beaglefan2 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.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 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

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 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.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix 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..
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 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
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: justwincaps 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. 
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: BlackIce 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.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta 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
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 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
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: justwincaps 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.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 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. 
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Monday July 08, 2019, 07:44:44 PM Eastern
Guys I agree

It isn't just Kempny I'm worried about from an injury recovery standpoint, but Oshie too. Concussions are a dangerous thing, and Oshie might very well never be the same or even decide to call it quits if he gets another concussion.

In the meantime, I'm looking for...

1) Kuzy to have a bounceback season. He's not a bad player at all. He's good and a guy who a lot of teams would love to have. But last season his play took a dive. He didn't have the magic he once had, he sucked at faceoffs, and all too often he tried to dance through 5 defenders like a complete retard, often resulting in us losing possession. Who knew? We all know how important strength down the middle is. He's getting paid big bucks as our 1C. He's got to step up because Backy is getting older and slower.

2) Carlson and Orlov to play at a level we expect out of them and their contracts. Like Kuzy, neither of these guys are bad, but the fucked up plays and mental breakdowns they make are infuriating when you look at what we expect out of them and what we pay them. Carlson needs to get his head out of his ass and realize that yes, making $8 million a year means he better take an hour after each practice to perfect those one-timer passes to Ovi so they hit the wheelhouse 100% of the time.

3) Panik to fill Connolly's shoes. Conno was solid and scored way more than I would have expected for a guy in his role. His loss will definitely hurt, and it's up to Panik to replace a good deal of that scoring. Bad news is that he's a few years removed from his last 20+ goal season. Good news is he played his last few seasons with the garbage Coyotes.

4) Hagelin to continue providing the skills we acquired him for. Hagelin's supposed to be fast and good on the PK, plus he should be able to chip in offensively. But the guy is on the wrong side of 30 and we just signed him to a 4 year contract. We need at least 2-3 good years out of him to not feel like we made a mistake. If he starts the season being a slow defensive liability, I'm going to be concerned.

5) Gudas to be a physical defensive defenseman while not taking too many dumb penalties. That's all we can really expect out of him I guess.

6) Holtby to step the fuck up. Guy has been slipping ever since Mitch Korn left. True goalie whisperer that guy is.

7) Us to get some clarity on the Vanacek/Samsonov situation. Holtby will probably not play well enough to justify the $10 million a year he'll probably ask for. We need a backup in place, and I don't think Copley will be our #1
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Tuesday July 09, 2019, 04:00:04 AM Eastern
Guys I agree

It isn't just Kempny I'm worried about from an injury recovery standpoint, but Oshie too. Concussions are a dangerous thing, and Oshie might very well never be the same or even decide to call it quits if he gets another concussion.

In the meantime, I'm looking for...

1) Kuzy to have a bounceback season. He's not a bad player at all. He's good and a guy who a lot of teams would love to have. But last season his play took a dive. He didn't have the magic he once had, he sucked at faceoffs, and all too often he tried to dance through 5 defenders like a complete retard, often resulting in us losing possession. Who knew? We all know how important strength down the middle is. He's getting paid big bucks as our 1C. He's got to step up because Backy is getting older and slower.

2) Carlson and Orlov to play at a level we expect out of them and their contracts. Like Kuzy, neither of these guys are bad, but the fucked up plays and mental breakdowns they make are infuriating when you look at what we expect out of them and what we pay them. Carlson needs to get his head out of his ass and realize that yes, making $8 million a year means he better take an hour after each practice to perfect those one-timer passes to Ovi so they hit the wheelhouse 100% of the time.

3) Panik to fill Connolly's shoes. Conno was solid and scored way more than I would have expected for a guy in his role. His loss will definitely hurt, and it's up to Panik to replace a good deal of that scoring. Bad news is that he's a few years removed from his last 20+ goal season. Good news is he played his last few seasons with the garbage Coyotes.

4) Hagelin to continue providing the skills we acquired him for. Hagelin's supposed to be fast and good on the PK, plus he should be able to chip in offensively. But the guy is on the wrong side of 30 and we just signed him to a 4 year contract. We need at least 2-3 good years out of him to not feel like we made a mistake. If he starts the season being a slow defensive liability, I'm going to be concerned.

5) Gudas to be a physical defensive defenseman while not taking too many dumb penalties. That's all we can really expect out of him I guess.

6) Holtby to step the fuck up. Guy has been slipping ever since Mitch Korn left. True goalie whisperer that guy is.

7) Us to get some clarity on the Vanacek/Samsonov situation. Holtby will probably not play well enough to justify the $10 million a year he'll probably ask for. We need a backup in place, and I don't think Copley will be our #1


Hey Zero!
Lots of good points to consider in your post.
I certainly agree with the majority of your observations, but have a different take on a few of the points.


There is no doubt that we need Kuzy to bounce back from last seasons performance. I’m not optimistic that he will, at all. His OWN WORDS have helped us to understand more of what had been a bit of mystique, surrounding the WHYS of his declining performance.
He ACTUALLY said, (confessed accidentally, IMHO), that he “loses his motivation”, to play sometimes, during the regular season grind. It gets a little “boring”, for him!
He added that he had “hoped”, during some of these boredom spells, that “some of the boys” would help pick up the slack, to cover the voids left, created by his resulting lesser performances.


Now, I’ve partly paraphrased here, except for the quoted words, but the media articles,(very few of them), that commented on his post season, and exit interview comments, will easily verify the substance of what he said and meant!
Mind you, Kuzy made NO apology, not even the appearance of feeling any trace of disappointment in himself, when uttering his comments to the press! Made no indications that he thought this was a bad characteristic to have. On the contrary, he spoke quite matter-of-factly about it, as if he regards it as something that just comes with the territory, nothing to see here, let’s move on, type of attitude.


To me, this really says SO MUCH more about his real attitude towards playing here, about his character, and how he couldn’t give a flying fuck what we, the fans, or anybody else thinks about it!


Bottom line, (again IMHO, only), is that he is the Russian version of a pampered, and extremely spoiled, and entitled, millennial youngster, who happens to be blessed with the rare, and unique, talents of a potential NHL superstar!
Who just may end up joining the ranks of those shameful, “coulda beens”, had they been able to pull their heads out of their gifted asses, long enough to realize that their existence, in the NHL, alone, doesn’t make excellence, rather, disipline, hard work, and professionalism, go hand in hand, and can produce REAL excellence in the NHL!
Mr Kuznetsov should simply just ask his Russian mentor, Ovechkin. You practice right alongside of him!


Forgive me Zero,  I got a little carried away!


Rush
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Tuesday July 09, 2019, 10:04:00 PM Eastern
in regards to Venecek, he will be in the system at least three more years...


https://novacapsfans.com/2019/07/01/capitals-re-sign-vitek-vanecek-to-three-year-deal/


goalies were always the better part of the farm system, and losing Korn was a big concern
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Wednesday July 10, 2019, 11:38:36 AM Eastern
https://youtu.be/ANDIEZ-RmxI (https://youtu.be/ANDIEZ-RmxI)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Monday July 15, 2019, 06:25:28 PM Eastern
It appears Burka signed only a one year deal with the Avs for $3.25m.  That's pretty much what he made on the Caps last year.  A one year deal for a guy his age aint saying a whole lot about his new team's confidence in him.
Hope Sakic and his crew can wake the Burka up...such a waste.

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Wednesday July 17, 2019, 09:57:44 AM Eastern
Okay Cap Fans....


Our roster is nearly 100% set for the 2019/20 season.  I'm pretty happy with the acquisitions, contracts, etc. based on what we needed to do with cap space.
Other than being a big giant question mark on D and highly vulnerable to a shortage due to an unforeseen injury, I'm more pleased than I thought I would be at this point.  I like that we added some blue collar toughness, which I think were short on.  We probably lost a bit of scoring touch losing Conno, but he really did not bring that much otherwise and I would be terrified paying him the salary he earned for himself.  I never thought of Conno as a 25 goal guy, but good on him.  I think the net increase from Willie and Vrana this year will more than offset the difference in Conno vs Panik.  Plus Hagelin will hopefully contribute a bit more in goals.


Honestly, I like the balance of our roster (at least on the O-side) more now than last year's roster.  (well on paper, anyway)
The D situation worries me a bit.  Nisky took some abuse last year, but he was probably our most stable D man.  Hard to lose a guy who had that much experience and really was a cornerstone on our d-core.  I'm afraid though father time and the hard miles he's had really resulted in a decline in his play that will continue to get worse.  Dollars pretty much forced him being moved, but really that had to be done.  I wish Orpik was healthy enough for 1 more year, as a part time fill in guy - his experience and leadership will be missed.  Kempny sure as hell better come back 100% - we are going to need him to be great.


Only guys left unsigned at this point are Djoos and Stephenson.  Caps have $935,706 in cap space. (from Sportrac)  I don't know that they can get Djoos for that?.  He was on 2-way contract last year for $650k.  Would he sign short term deal for $950K?  He's an RFA, so I would think somebody would pay him more than that, but I really don't know.  I never really cared for him due to his size.  He has performed better than I expected, but his size truly is a problem.  Maybe they can pair him with Gudas so he doesn't get killed.  Also, I am not sure what the rules are on overspending the cap.  I guess maybe if they sign Djoos then Ziggy is sent down and his $$$ doesn't count against the cap?  Maybe they can stay under cap that way?  Don't you usually carry 7d though?


I figure Stephenson HAS to be gone - Caps simply don't have any money.  Although, I certainly don't know all the rules on how to manipulate the cap.


By the way, Sportrac https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/washington-capitals/cap/ (https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/washington-capitals/cap/) is a great site for checking team rosters/contracts.


Is it hockey season yet?


Go Caps






[size=78%]  [/size]
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Beaglefan2 on Wednesday July 17, 2019, 11:30:50 AM Eastern

I hate to lose Stephenson, but I think you are right that he is gone.  I actually would think they could get Djoos signed for the $950 for a year or two - although I really don't care.  Djoos got exposed in the playoffs and he is just another smurf-sized defenseman.  I think they like Seigenthaler better anyway and maybe there is another guy in the system they can plug in.


Generally, I like the other moves they have made and their draft although we will have to wait and see if they pan out.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: BlackIce on Wednesday July 17, 2019, 03:46:56 PM Eastern
I hate to lose Stephenson, but I think you are right that he is gone.  I actually would think they could get Djoos signed for the $950 for a year or two - although I really don't care.  Djoos got exposed in the playoffs and he is just another smurf-sized defenseman.  I think they like Seigenthaler better anyway and maybe there is another guy in the system they can plug in.


Generally, I like the other moves they have made and their draft although we will have to wait and see if they pan out.
 


Stephenson has to be gone.  Djoos must be resigned or some other defenseman brought in to be the 7th under contract, and one way or the other, that will eat up almost all of the remaining cap space.  There literally is no room for Stephenson unless something else happens on the roster.  My understanding is that the Caps intend to go with a 22-man roster this coming season:  13F/7D/2G.


Now one possibility is if Kempney isn't ready at the start of the season and the Caps put him on LTIR, freeing up $2.5 million (AAV) in cap overage exemption.  Then the Caps could conceivably sign Stephenson and Djoos AND bring in a Hershey callup to fill in for Kempney until he is ready to return.  But then BOTH Stephenson and the callup would have to be jettisoned when Kempney is ready to return to get the team back under the salary cap.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Wednesday July 17, 2019, 04:55:41 PM Eastern
Thanks BlackIce....I wasn't sure what the options were with tweaking the cap.


I looked at the cap at some other teams and the Capitals have about the worst cap space issue going.  Hard to tell right now cause most teams don't have their rosters anywhere near completed.
At least we have most nearly 100% of our roster signed, so I'll give them that.


I'm shocked at some of the teams' Cap space:


Ottowa has 22/23 players signed with $20 mil + left in cap space
Colorado has 21/23 players signed and $19.6mil left


Shitsburg is about where we are cap wise; 22/23 signed with $842k left.
Coyotes have 22/23 and $179k left
Vegas has 21/23 and over cap by $850k


I realize teams are still making moves and this will change, but some of these were surprising.


Problem is being right up on the cap doesn't leave any room come trade deadline without moving a piece we already have.



Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: BlackIce on Wednesday July 17, 2019, 05:33:55 PM Eastern
Thanks BlackIce....I wasn't sure what the options were with tweaking the cap.


I looked at the cap at some other teams and the Capitals have about the worst cap space issue going.  Hard to tell right now cause most teams don't have their rosters anywhere near completed.
At least we have most nearly 100% of our roster signed, so I'll give them that.


I'm shocked at some of the teams' Cap space:


Ottowa has 22/23 players signed with $20 mil + left in cap space
Colorado has 21/23 players signed and $19.6mil left


Shitsburg is about where we are cap wise; 22/23 signed with $842k left.
Coyotes have 22/23 and $179k left
Vegas has 21/23 and over cap by $850k


I realize teams are still making moves and this will change, but some of these were surprising.


Problem is being right up on the cap doesn't leave any room come trade deadline without moving a piece we already have.




There is another point that needs to be made about the salary cap.  The Caps COULD resign both Djoos and Stephenson, and then they would be over the salary cap.  BUT that is OK now -- a team can be up to 10% over the salary cap up until rosters have to be finalized (usually a day or two before the regular season starts.)  At that point the team would have to get down to the salary cap.  So how would the Caps do that?  They'd have two options:  (1) trade somebody away; say, Stephenson, for probably a low-round draft choice; or (2) put someone through waivers, with the intention of sending him down to Hershey if he isn't claimed.  Now Stephenson might well be claimed by someone, and then we'd just lose him from the organization.  But there is one tricky thing for the receiving team.  I THINK if they claim Stephenson they can't just jettison him; they have to keep him on their NHL roster.  If the Caps don't waive Stephenson until a few days before the regular season, most other teams will have their rosters essentially set.  Claiming Stephenson would be a last-minute change to their roster that might cause a lot of teams some logistics problems.  So maybe if you want to try to sneak someone through waivers, just before the start of the regular season is as good a time as any to try to do it.


You are of course right that, however things play out between now and October, the Caps figure to have little or no room to simply add someone at the trade deadline unless something significant happens personnel-wise between now and then.  Of course, hockey being a rough sport, something like a serious injury could happen and give the team an over-cap exemption to replace them.  But that wouldn't necessarily help the team -- they'd be looking to replace someone who might be a key team member, not add to the team at the deadline.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Thursday July 18, 2019, 08:45:57 AM Eastern
Thanks BlackIce....I wasn't sure what the options were with tweaking the cap.


I looked at the cap at some other teams and the Capitals have about the worst cap space issue going.  Hard to tell right now cause most teams don't have their rosters anywhere near completed.
At least we have most nearly 100% of our roster signed, so I'll give them that.


I'm shocked at some of the teams' Cap space:


Ottowa has 22/23 players signed with $20 mil + left in cap space
Colorado has 21/23 players signed and $19.6mil left


Shitsburg is about where we are cap wise; 22/23 signed with $842k left.
Coyotes have 22/23 and $179k left
Vegas has 21/23 and over cap by $850k


I realize teams are still making moves and this will change, but some of these were surprising.


Problem is being right up on the cap doesn't leave any room come trade deadline without moving a piece we already have.
That’s what overpaying for two-many years does.


The biggest issues is the health and readiness of Kempy and Oshie.  With those twos heading and readiness being unknown, (at least to the public),it’s hard to tell if an extra forward or extra D is needed at the start of the year.


If both are ready, it males more sense to move or drop Djoos as we have another D more than ready in Lewington (that will help are PK FAR more), and leave us with an extra forward that can play all three forward positions. . . But, then again this is GMBetaMale and Reidon who just love the weak, soft  puckmoving Dmen of “Today’s NHL”
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Thursday July 18, 2019, 08:47:16 AM Eastern
Thanks BlackIce....I wasn't sure what the options were with tweaking the cap.




I looked at the cap at some other teams and the Capitals have about the worst cap space issue going.  Hard to tell right now cause most teams don't have their rosters anywhere near completed.
At least we have most nearly 100% of our roster signed, so I'll give them that.




I'm shocked at some of the teams' Cap space:




Ottowa has 22/23 players signed with $20 mil + left in cap space
Colorado has 21/23 players signed and $19.6mil left




Shitsburg is about where we are cap wise; 22/23 signed with $842k left.
Coyotes have 22/23 and $179k left
Vegas has 21/23 and over cap by $850k




I realize teams are still making moves and this will change, but some of these were surprising.




Problem is being right up on the cap doesn't leave any room come trade deadline without moving a piece we already have.
That’s what overpaying to many overrated players for to years does to ya.

The biggest issues is the health and readiness of Kempy and Oshie.  With those twos heading and readiness being unknown, (at least to the public),it’s hard to tell if an extra forward or extra D is needed at the start of the year.


If both are ready, it males more sense to move or drop Djoos as we have another D more than ready in Lewington (that will help are PK FAR more), and leave us with an extra forward that can play all three forward positions. . . But, then again this is GMBetaMale and Reidon who just love the weak, soft  puckmoving Dmen of “Today’s NHL”
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Thursday July 18, 2019, 10:29:01 AM Eastern
That’s what overpaying to many overrated players for to years does to ya.

The biggest issues is the health and readiness of Kempy and Oshie.  With those twos heading and readiness being unknown, (at least to the public),it’s hard to tell if an extra forward or extra D is needed at the start of the year.


If both are ready, it males more sense to move or drop Djoos as we have another D more than ready in Lewington (that will help are PK FAR more), and leave us with an extra forward that can play all three forward positions. . . But, then again this is GMBetaMale and Reidon who just love the weak, soft  puckmoving Dmen of “Today’s NHL”
^^^^ Cause it needed to be said a third time!  :snicker: 


I wouldn't expect much on the "sheet" from Hagelin.. Think "Beagle 2.0". Hopefully his work ethic will pay off. Wilson and Vrana will need to stay consistent to offset any scoring we lost from Conno, imo.. Kuzy getting off his ass and having a decent season won't hurt. Just gonna have to cross fingers as far as Oshie and Kempney are concerned.


Saw today that there's 77 days until Caps hockey! Im bout ready for some!  :hearts:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Thursday July 18, 2019, 08:03:33 PM Eastern
^^^^ Cause it needed to be said a third time!  :snicker: 


I wouldn't expect much on the "sheet" from Hagelin.. Think "Beagle 2.0". Hopefully his work ethic will pay off. Wilson and Vrana will need to stay consistent to offset any scoring we lost from Conno, imo.. Kuzy getting off his ass and having a decent season won't hurt. Just gonna have to cross fingers as far as Oshie and Kempney are concerned.


Saw today that there's 77 days until Caps hockey! Im bout ready for some!  :hearts:
Heh, well they asked the 50mil question I’ve been holding off on:
https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/20-burning-capitals-questions-what-adjustments-will-coach-todd-reirden-make-his-second (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/20-burning-capitals-questions-what-adjustments-will-coach-todd-reirden-make-his-second)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Friday July 19, 2019, 08:39:39 AM Eastern
I don't mind Oshies contract, he has and still earns it. The one that still annoys the crap outa me is on D 8)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Friday July 19, 2019, 12:36:54 PM Eastern
I don't mind Oshies contract, he has and still earns it. The one that still annoys the crap outa me is on D 8)
Damn Right!!!


There’s also Kuzy, who just can’t have another year as bad as last again.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Friday July 19, 2019, 02:46:11 PM Eastern
I don't mind Oshies contract, he has and still earns it. The one that still annoys the crap outa me is on D 8)


Quit saying he is a defenseman!  :P
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: OnlyCaps2 on Friday July 19, 2019, 05:24:52 PM Eastern
So what will be our projected line up?
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Friday July 19, 2019, 11:41:49 PM Eastern
So what will be our projected line up?


 8)


https://washingtoncapitalsfanforum.com/index.php/topic,523.80.html (https://washingtoncapitalsfanforum.com/index.php/topic,523.80.html)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday July 24, 2019, 07:44:54 PM Eastern
that one is done....


https://novacapsfans.com/2019/07/24/arbitrator-awards-capitals-christian-djoos-with-one-year-1-25-million-contract/
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: BlackIce on Thursday July 25, 2019, 01:01:27 PM Eastern
that one is done....


https://novacapsfans.com/2019/07/24/arbitrator-awards-capitals-christian-djoos-with-one-year-1-25-million-contract/ (https://novacapsfans.com/2019/07/24/arbitrator-awards-capitals-christian-djoos-with-one-year-1-25-million-contract/)


Well now -- THIS is a problem.  I suspect the Caps went into arb with an offer that kept them just under the salary cap, Djoos went in with $1.25M, and the arbiter agreed with him. 


Interesting that a guy as peripheral as Djoos could get that much in arbitration.  But beyond that of course, the contract puts the Caps more than $300K over the salary cap, and Stephenson is sitting out there with arbitration rights as well.  We could be upwards of $1.5M over the cap by the time this is done, with neither one of them alone able to be eliminated to get the club under the cap.  This is not a problem now -- the team is allowed to be over the salary cap during the summer, and for that matter, during training camp as well.  But once rosters are finalized just before the regular season starts, the Caps have to have their roster under the cap.  The article suggested that the Caps "might" have to shed a salary to conform with the salary cap.  Well, duh!!  They'll have to do SOMETHING.


So what does the team do?


(1)  The problem could conceivably solve itself, temporarily at least, if a major player on the team were injured and had to go on Long Term Injured Reserve.  Then the Caps would receive an exemption to the salary cap equal to the player's cap hit to bring in replacement player(s).  In that scenario (say, Oshie wasn't ready to go at the beginning of the season), all of Djoos, Stephenson, and some callup or other forward replacement for Oshiie could fit within his $5.75M cap hit.  But eventually, when Oshie was ready to return the team would have to get back under the cap, so such an injury would delay but not eliminate the problem.  NOTE:  Even, say, a Kempny injury wouldn't be enough to cover Djoos, the anticipated cost of Stephenson, AND a callup or other replacement for Kempny -- his salary isn't high enough.


(2)  So if, alternatively, someone would have to go, replaced by a lower-price player to create the necessary salary cap space, who are the most likely candidates? 


The Caps could flip Garnet Hathawy, sign a Jaskin or similar for near league minimum, and save about $750K.  But that wouldn't be enough to cover both Djoos and Stephenson.  You'd still have to ditch Stephenson, and you'd have the black eye of signing a UFA and then ditching them.  I don't think the Haiglin or Panik is going anywhere.  The other 4th line signee is close to league minimum, so nothing is to be gained by ditching him.


The Caps could trade Copley for, say, a low draft pick, and use Vanacek to back up Holtby.  But that would save less than $400K, which would barely cover Djoos, and would foul up the goalie exposure strategy the Caps have in place for the upcoming expansion draft.


Could Oshie be moved?  Probably not for any value given his contract and injury history. 


Eller is a conceivable, I guess.  But the club likes its center depth and thinks it is crucial to the team's chances going forward.  Not likely to be moved.  Do you really want Boyd and Dowd to be the 3rd and 4th line centers?  One is OK.  Both in the lineup is a longer-term problem, and neither makes enough money to move the needle on the problem.


Vrana and Wilson are going nowhere.


Which among the forwards, leaves Kuzy, Ovie, and Backstrom.  I doubt Kuzy could be moved for anything more than 10 cents on the dollar given his contract and the Caps won't do that given their commitment to him.  Ovie is untouchable.  Might the Caps conceivably part with Backstrom in the last year of his contract, essentially giving up on the season?  Doesn't seem likely, but who knows?


Among the defensemen, like him or not, Carlson anchors the defense and is going nowhere.  Orlov looks like the big target here, but who is going to give anything for that contract given last year's performance?  Kempny and Jensen are relative bargains, so probably stay.  Seigenthaler is all upside and minimum cost, so he's going nowhere.  The other possible move is to move Gudas, say for a draft pick since you'd get little for him in trade, and bring up a Hershey D or someone you sign off the NHL scrap heap for close to minimum salary.  But would the club do that so soon after SAVING cap room by getting him in exchange for Niskanen?  I suspect not.


The other BIG fix to the problem would be to trade Holtby for some lower-cost goalie, or something else, and bring up Samsanov, essentially rolling the dice on the goaltending now rather than assessing the goaltending over the upcoming season and making the decision at the deadline.


It could well be that the end of the summer for the Caps will be more active than usual.


 


                                                                                               
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Thursday July 25, 2019, 03:12:45 PM Eastern
If it were me, I'd trade Dylan for draft picks
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Thursday July 25, 2019, 03:29:41 PM Eastern
Sounds like maybe the Caps KNOW someone isn't going to be ready, (I assume that would have to be Kempny) but that only solves the dollars issue short term.  That and they got F'd by arbitration.  Djoos aint worth 1.25 mil.  Not unless he put on 30 lbs which brings him up to a whopping 185lbs.  I mean, with the current D situation, I was figuring let Djoos go and just rely on Ziggy and bring up Lewington or such for the 7th D man.  Sooner or later, they younger D guys are going to have to get some real playing time.


Djoos has performed better than (I expected) due to his size, but you just can't get away from that being an issue.  He is either going to get exposed (ahem....playoffs) or flat out killed in the NHL sooner or later.  He seems to be smart enough and good stick skills, but asking a 160lb guy to clear Malkin out of the crease or knock him off the puck in the corner is a bit of a stretch.



Currently, with Djoos they are over only by about $300k, I think.  ($314,294 - without Stevo)

What if Stevo gets moved to Hershey and the caps have a 22 man roster? Hershey roster players don't count vs the Cap can they?


I think maybe the Caps were thinking Djoos arbitration would come in at more like $950k?....(which they had exactly $935,706 to work with).  The guy made $650k last year and arbitration doubled that?  That's a little much all things considered.  You can say he was underpaid last year, strictly based on amount of playing time, but not by half.


That and the Caps and everyone else was figuring the cap to be a little higher than it turned out, so the margins are that much closer.







Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Thursday July 25, 2019, 03:32:50 PM Eastern
If it were me, I'd trade Dylan for draft picks some ammo


fixed your typo for you  ;)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Thursday July 25, 2019, 07:33:14 PM Eastern
What makes Djoos' contract so special? If they need to move someone, move HIM..
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Thursday July 25, 2019, 08:05:48 PM Eastern
What makes Djoos' contract so special? If they need to move someone, move HIM..


He's special cause we are short on D and Djoos is the perfect specimen of prototypical NHL dman:  155lbs of Swedish meatball  :P
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Friday July 26, 2019, 12:45:01 AM Eastern
I haven’t had a big problem with Djoos in the lineup, and am ok with the signing.
Absolutely Djoos is tiny, as far as D men go, but he seems to be quite aware of it, and modifies his play accordingly.
His biggest strength is in having an EXCELLENT, defensive, hockey IQ. He is also a very quick decision maker! Two qualities that many on our defense, BADLY LACK!  We’ve seen this over and over!


My guess is that, he was FORCED to have to prioritize, and rely on his hockey smarts, and snap decisions, in order to JUST survive, given his size, and realizing that, from his teenage years on, that most all of the other boys that were advancing with him, through the ranks, were growing bigger and stronger, while he remained smaller!


This type of player either EVOLVES and survives, or he DOESNT. The fact that he survives at the pro level, suggests, and obviously his coaches agree, that he has found a way!


When I think more about it, observing Djoos’s size would make an easy prediction for anyone, that he would just get knocked all around, and be like an ineffective, little wet puppy, shivering over in some small corner of the ice....


ON THE CONTRARY!! In reality, you rarely, if ever, see this happening to Djoos. He smartly avoids these situations, (again, learned survival), plays quite astutely, and actually ranks among our top Dmen, in reliably bringing up the puck from our end! Which by the way, was one of our BIGGEST defensive issues last year!! Most of our defensemen, rank BELOW Djoos in this category!


Secondly, Rich is right, in that Djoos can’t clear the crease very well, however I don’t believe the coaches expect that role out of Djoos!
Djoos isn’t much of a defensive “man-mover” either. But he makes up for it often with swiftness, and anticipation of movement!
I have to also ask, which D men do we have, all of which are larger than Djoos, that actually clear creases?? Orpik was ok at it, he’s gone. The pathetic answer is NOBODY! Nobody clears the crease well on our team! And we get killed by it, often!!


Lastly, IMO, it seems that so many of the goals scored against us, from a defensive perspective, came as a result of either, stupid penalties, failure to reliably clear the puck, bone head decisions/communication between defensemen, or lack of defensive EFFORT!


These specific defensive issues, however, are not the issues that we see plague Mr. Djoos!  He does have HIS weaknesses, to be sure, but not, so much, in the areas of our markedly, more harmful, defensive issues! This explains why the coaches keep him around.


Rush





Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Friday July 26, 2019, 09:51:05 AM Eastern
Good post Rush.  I'd grudgingly agree with your assessment on Juice.  He has learned to be effective at parts of the game he can survive in.  He is effective at "his" game.  He positioning is good.  I am sure that's why mgmt/coaching likes him.  He just isn't the D-man on my wish list. 
I will agree ALOT of the Caps D problem is clearing the zone - its not the initial rush, its the inability to move the puck up and out that seems to plaque us.  They get hemmed in and then do something stupid with the puck.  That's not all on the D guys either.  However, having a smaller sized D is only going exacerbate the problem of retrieving a lost puck.  Djoos simply can't take it back - he positions himself well to defend it, but simply cannot just go take it away.  Not sure why our coaching staff has not developed some schemes to help clear the puck better (with whatever talent pool they have available).  I realize we have to work with what we have.


I'm just a little surprised at the $1.25m.  I mean I guess Arbitration shoots for middle ground, but Juice's corner asking for $1.9m is a joke, all things considered.  A fairly unproven, seriously injured 24 year old 160 lb D guy, who did struggle last season....seems like a stretch.  I would have been okay with an even $1m for him at this point in his "career"


I looked up a few stats on him - He is an overall +24 in plus/minus in 108 NHL games.  His corsi numbers are pretty even (neither good or bad).  He is upside down on giveaways vs take aways with  23 take aways and 55 give away.
Now, I am not a real stat guy and don't even know if that TK vs GV stat is average or below average for a NHL d man, but I would think that's not great....especially for a guy on a good team.
He does have 100+ games of NHL experience, so there's something.  His playoff stats are much worse, but also not as large of a sample pool, but 22/25 of his playoff games were during the Stanley Cup year, so his playoff numbers should be better.
 
I looked up Orlov's numbers for comparison...and Orlov's stats are better....especially if you add in Hits and blocked shots.  I realize not the same type of player, but Orly was the first one I think of when it comes to stupid turnovers in our own end.


Anyway, not really knocking Juice, but think $1.25 is about 20% too much for him, all things considered.  But then, WTF do I know.




For what its worth, I went back and looked up team corsi for the Caps last year and it was 49.0, so Juice at 48.8 that year means he is about at the team average.

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Friday July 26, 2019, 06:15:54 PM Eastern
Sounds like maybe the Caps KNOW someone isn't going to be ready, (I assume that would have to be Kempny) but that only solves the dollars issue short term.  That and they got F'd by arbitration.  Djoos aint worth 1.25 mil.  Not unless he put on 30 lbs which brings him up to a whopping 185lbs.  I mean, with the current D situation, I was figuring let Djoos go and just rely on Ziggy and bring up Lewington or such for the 7th D man.  Sooner or later, they younger D guys are going to have to get some real playing time.


Djoos has performed better than (I expected) due to his size, but you just can't get away from that being an issue.  He is either going to get exposed (ahem....playoffs) or flat out killed in the NHL sooner or later.  He seems to be smart enough and good stick skills, but asking a 160lb guy to clear Malkin out of the crease or knock him off the puck in the corner is a bit of a stretch.



Currently, with Djoos they are over only by about $300k, I think.  ($314,294 - without Stevo)

What if Stevo gets moved to Hershey and the caps have a 22 man roster? Hershey roster players don't count vs the Cap can they?


I think maybe the Caps were thinking Djoos arbitration would come in at more like $950k?....(which they had exactly $935,706 to work with).  The guy made $650k last year and arbitration doubled that?  That's a little much all things considered.  You can say he was underpaid last year, strictly based on amount of playing time, but not by half.


That and the Caps and everyone else was figuring the cap to be a little higher than it turned out, so the margins are that much closer.


I would HOPE it’s because they know how bad
 Kempys “Lower Body Injury” is and that he’ll be starting on LTIR at best.  But, this is Monumental Entertainment.  This could of very well of happened without Kempy being hurt as overpaying a player that fits their agenda and was on the Cup team over the player and abilities.


Djoos, is OK. He’s a good skater and can play both RD and LD.  But he is just an Offensive Dman, of which we have to many of to begin with.


 
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Friday July 26, 2019, 11:32:09 PM Eastern
Ok, I got ya.. Just saw the post about moving Oshie, Eller, or Copley.. I mean Djoos is ok, but I wouldn't be trading off anyone of those 3 to keep
 his tiny ass..  :raspberry: :rofl:


As for Kempny.. Im not so sure he's gonna be on any IR list. Saw a video of the dude running up/down stadium stairs the other day..
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Friday July 26, 2019, 11:47:22 PM Eastern
Good post Rush.  I'd grudgingly agree with your assessment on Juice.  He has learned to be effective at parts of the game he can survive in.  He is effective at "his" game.  He positioning is good.  I am sure that's why mgmt/coaching likes him.  He just isn't the D-man on my wish list. 
I will agree ALOT of the Caps D problem is clearing the zone - its not the initial rush, its the inability to move the puck up and out that seems to plaque us.  They get hemmed in and then do something stupid with the puck.  That's not all on the D guys either.  However, having a smaller sized D is only going exacerbate the problem of retrieving a lost puck.  Djoos simply can't take it back - he positions himself well to defend it, but simply cannot just go take it away.  Not sure why our coaching staff has not developed some schemes to help clear the puck better (with whatever talent pool they have available).  I realize we have to work with what we have.


I'm just a little surprised at the $1.25m.  I mean I guess Arbitration shoots for middle ground, but Juice's corner asking for $1.9m is a joke, all things considered.  A fairly unproven, seriously injured 24 year old 160 lb D guy, who did struggle last season....seems like a stretch.  I would have been okay with an even $1m for him at this point in his "career"


I looked up a few stats on him - He is an overall +24 in plus/minus in 108 NHL games.  His corsi numbers are pretty even (neither good or bad).  He is upside down on giveaways vs take aways with  23 take aways and 55 give away.
Now, I am not a real stat guy and don't even know if that TK vs GV stat is average or below average for a NHL d man, but I would think that's not great....especially for a guy on a good team.
He does have 100+ games of NHL experience, so there's something.  His playoff stats are much worse, but also not as large of a sample pool, but 22/25 of his playoff games were during the Stanley Cup year, so his playoff numbers should be better.
 
I looked up Orlov's numbers for comparison...and Orlov's stats are better....especially if you add in Hits and blocked shots.  I realize not the same type of player, but Orly was the first one I think of when it comes to stupid turnovers in our own end.


Anyway, not really knocking Juice, but think $1.25 is about 20% too much for him, all things considered.  But then, WTF do I know.




For what its worth, I went back and looked up team corsi for the Caps last year and it was 49.0, so Juice at 48.8 that year means he is about at the team average.


Back at ya Rich! Very fair and good post. as well!
You used a good variety of stats, to shed more light on Djoos.
This may sound odd, coming from me, but if I were an NHL head coach, with even just a slightly above average, overall team defense, I would most likely NOT want to take a gamble with Djoos.


One of the takeaways I want to imply from my previous post, is NOT so much that Djoos carries the pedigree of a “written-in-stone”, hands down, sure fire, starter, on any NHL team, as a defenseman.
He doesn’t, at all, really!


Maybe he’d be welcome on 40-50%, of the NHL franchises. Just guessing?
But he certainly would not fit in well with teams that predominantly rely more on physical, gritty, defensive efforts, for their overall success. He would be an ineffective team contributor, in this scenario!


He does happen to gel better in the Caps defensive scheme, partly because our general defense problems, are glaringly obvious, and we have a few more prominent named guys on our defensive crew, whose mistakes are easily observed, and have been repeatedly addressed, over several seasons, and they seem to never get corrected.


As fans, we see these defense challenges as ever reoccurring, perpetual issues. We know the major guilty parties, sadly through repetition, and we voice our complaints often, here on the board! LOL


It’s certainly plausible that part of the reason they choose to put Djoos on the ice, isn’t so much about his great contributions to the team, but perhaps because his specific shortcomings on D, aren’t as heavy of a liability to our overall team defense, as the more major shortcomings of some of our other guys!


Let me add that our Stanley Cup win came about for several unique reasons! One of them being our whole team, defensive effort, and hustle, which if we are honest, looked nothing like our standard defensive postures during the regular season.  It’s still a mystery to me how it came about, although a very HAPPY mystery, nonetheless!!!👍


Also didn’t know that Djoos’s camp was asking damn near 2 mil!!
Thanks Rich!


Rush





Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Friday July 26, 2019, 11:57:42 PM Eastern
Ok, I got ya.. Just saw the post about moving Oshie, Eller, or Copley.. I mean Djoos is ok, but I wouldn't be trading off anyone of those 3 to keep
 his tiny ass..  :raspberry: :rofl:


As for Kempny.. Im not so sure he's gonna be on any IR list. Saw a video of the dude running up/down stadium stairs the other day..


Hey Mick!
Hope your summer is goin well!
I was just curious about the Kempny video. I assume you mean he looked ok? Could you tell if he was still in good physical conditioning, as well? He was on crutches for quite a while.


Rush
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: BlackIce on Saturday July 27, 2019, 07:34:55 AM Eastern
OK, so the Caps just resigned Stephenson for $1.05M, so now we know the full extent of the salary cap situation.


As the roster is now constructed, with "all 23 spots filled," the Caps are $1.365 million over the salary cap.  But in reality, the situation is a little worse than that, because the team will need at least a little bit of cap space to bring up players when roster guys are hurt, but not seriously enough to go on LTIR.  You can hang with no replacement for one player for a few games if you have to, but if multiple players are banged up, call-ups are needed.  And any time a goalie is out for a few games, a backup absolutely HAS to be brought in.  I'd think that the Caps would like at least a quarter million dollars in place for such contingencies, so the amount of reduction that I'd think GMBM would need to get would be, at minimum, between $1.6 and $1.7 million.  Also, it should be noted that, as far as I know, both Djoos and Stephenson must go through waivers to get sent down.


So simply sending Djoos or Stephenson down, even if the Caps were willing to lose them for nothing, won't solve their problem.  They could lose Djoos (or trade him for a prospect, say), bring up a Hershey guy, and save $300K to $600K that way.  Then if they also moved Stephenson off the roster one way or another, and DIDN'T replace him, going with 13 forwards, that COULD about do it if the Djoos replacement was really cheap.


Alternatively, someone else would need to go.  If it were a defenseman, he would HAVE to be replaced, because 7 defensemen at a minimum are needed on the roster.  If it were a forward, he wouldn't HAVE to be.  Though if it was a more core player that were moved you'd think the Caps would try to bring in someone cheaper but still a viable NHL player, since their forward prospect pool is so bare right now.


Then there is the goalie situation.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Saturday July 27, 2019, 09:35:16 AM Eastern

Hey Mick!
Hope your summer is goin well!
I was just curious about the Kempny video. I assume you mean he looked ok? Could you tell if he was still in good physical conditioning, as well? He was on crutches for quite a while.


Rush
Summer's going good Puck! Hope your's is as well!! Not sure how many or how long he did them, but from the short twitter video, he looked fine to me.
https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/video-michal-kempny-doing-bleacher-runs-reminds-us-there-no-offseason-capitals (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/video-michal-kempny-doing-bleacher-runs-reminds-us-there-no-offseason-capitals)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Saturday July 27, 2019, 10:35:20 AM Eastern
OK, so the Caps just resigned Stephenson for $1.05M, so now we know the full extent of the salary cap situation.


As the roster is now constructed, with "all 23 spots filled," the Caps are $1.365 million over the salary cap.  But in reality, the situation is a little worse than that, because the team will need at least a little bit of cap space to bring up players when roster guys are hurt, but not seriously enough to go on LTIR.  You can hang with no replacement for one player for a few games if you have to, but if multiple players are banged up, call-ups are needed.  And any time a goalie is out for a few games, a backup absolutely HAS to be brought in.  I'd think that the Caps would like at least a quarter million dollars in place for such contingencies, so the amount of reduction that I'd think GMBM would need to get would be, at minimum, between $1.6 and $1.7 million.  Also, it should be noted that, as far as I know, both Djoos and Stephenson must go through waivers to get sent down.


So simply sending Djoos or Stephenson down, even if the Caps were willing to lose them for nothing, won't solve their problem.  They could lose Djoos (or trade him for a prospect, say), bring up a Hershey guy, and save $300K to $600K that way.  Then if they also moved Stephenson off the roster one way or another, and DIDN'T replace him, going with 13 forwards, that COULD about do it if the Djoos replacement was really cheap.


Alternatively, someone else would need to go.  If it were a defenseman, he would HAVE to be replaced, because 7 defensemen at a minimum are needed on the roster.  If it were a forward, he wouldn't HAVE to be.  Though if it was a more core player that were moved you'd think the Caps would try to bring in someone cheaper but still a viable NHL player, since their forward prospect pool is so bare right now.


Then there is the goalie situation.
If they know Kempy and/or Oshie will, (at minimum) start the season on LTIR.  That should, theoretically, give enough cap relief to fit Djoos and Stephenson under the cap for a while.


If they plan to trade anyone of them for a low pick or give one away via waivers, there’s little to know organizational depth to replace them with.


Bottom line is the salary cap situation  has been Full Retard since GMBetaMale and Monumental started this circus act.   The continued practice of over-valuing players and signing them to untradable contracts, including splashy tradeline and UFA signings are only just starting to show the negative effects.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Saturday July 27, 2019, 02:33:06 PM Eastern
I think we'll need to part with Holtby sometime in the not too distant future. Guy is a UFA and if Bob's huge contract is any indicator, Holts will be massively overpaid. Ever since Mitch Korn left, Holtby has done nothing to make me feel like he's a consistent elite goalie. I mean think about it, Holts played amazingly during Trotz's first 3 years as coach (and Korn's first 3 "full time" years). During the 2017-2018 season, Korn scaled back his role, and Holts was absolutely abysmal. Korn gets a little more involved towards the end of the season, and Holts wins a Cup. Holts is once again shit when Trotz and Korn leave the Caps. I see a pattern here.

Holtby is a good goalie but Korn is the only thing capable of making him an elite goalie. Without Korn, Holts is NOT worth more than $7 million, but he's going to get way north of that. And he's probably going to get term too, which again, he's not worth a long term contract.

We already have some overpaid players, such as:

Kuzy - He's paid too much for his "no effort regular season" mentality and retarded plays on ice. He's gotta play harder for $7.8 million a year.

Carlson - He's paid too much for his general stupidity and PP fuck ups (whether it's a botched slingshot or a bad pass to Ovi). $8 million a year is high as fuck for him, and he'll be 36 by the end.

Oshie - I love Oshie and think $5.7 million a year is fair, but his injuries are a concern and the term. Holy fuck the TERM. Guy will be 38 by the end of his contract.

You could argue that some other contracts are overpays as well, but in those cases the overpayment is pretty small (because the contracts are generally small). Djoos is overpaid, but who gives a shit about a couple hundred grand? It's the contracts above that are hurting / will hurt the most.

But to add Holtby to that, I feel like he would get $8-10 million a year (probably closer to the higher end of that range) and at LEAST 6 years. He's not worth that much. No way in hell. To add a contract like that to our existing iffy contracts would be death. But he's going to get paid for the Vezina and Cup, which are well behind him. We would be better off getting a solid goalie in the $4-5 million range and using the extra money to bolster other areas of the team.


Holts is going to be a UFA after next season. It would be terrible to lose him for nothing. It also probably wouldn't make sense to switch goalies mid-season if we're trying to make a push. So if not now then nothing would happen until next offseason, where we'll lose him for nothing. I almost feel like we should part ways with Holts now, get some return for him...
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Sunday July 28, 2019, 10:07:32 AM Eastern
I think we'll need to part with Holtby sometime in the not too distant future. Guy is a UFA and if Bob's huge contract is any indicator, Holts will be massively overpaid. Ever since Mitch Korn left, Holtby has done nothing to make me feel like he's a consistent elite goalie. I mean think about it, Holts played amazingly during Trotz's first 3 years as coach (and Korn's first 3 "full time" years). During the 2017-2018 season, Korn scaled back his role, and Holts was absolutely abysmal. Korn gets a little more involved towards the end of the season, and Holts wins a Cup. Holts is once again shit when Trotz and Korn leave the Caps. I see a pattern here.

Holtby is a good goalie but Korn is the only thing capable of making him an elite goalie. Without Korn, Holts is NOT worth more than $7 million, but he's going to get way north of that. And he's probably going to get term too, which again, he's not worth a long term contract.

We already have some overpaid players, such as:

Kuzy - He's paid too much for his "no effort regular season" mentality and retarded plays on ice. He's gotta play harder for $7.8 million a year.

Carlson - He's paid too much for his general stupidity and PP fuck ups (whether it's a botched slingshot or a bad pass to Ovi). $8 million a year is high as fuck for him, and he'll be 36 by the end.

Oshie - I love Oshie and think $5.7 million a year is fair, but his injuries are a concern and the term. Holy fuck the TERM. Guy will be 38 by the end of his contract.

You could argue that some other contracts are overpays as well, but in those cases the overpayment is pretty small (because the contracts are generally small). Djoos is overpaid, but who gives a shit about a couple hundred grand? It's the contracts above that are hurting / will hurt the most.

But to add Holtby to that, I feel like he would get $8-10 million a year (probably closer to the higher end of that range) and at LEAST 6 years. He's not worth that much. No way in hell. To add a contract like that to our existing iffy contracts would be death. But he's going to get paid for the Vezina and Cup, which are well behind him. We would be better off getting a solid goalie in the $4-5 million range and using the extra money to bolster other areas of the team.


Holts is going to be a UFA after next season. It would be terrible to lose him for nothing. It also probably wouldn't make sense to switch goalies mid-season if we're trying to make a push. So if not now then nothing would happen until next offseason, where we'll lose him for nothing. I almost feel like we should  part ways with Holts now, get some return for him...
Without Holtby we’d of been lucky to make the playoffs last year.


Under Reidon, his EA Sports System, and the roster full of offensive only players, Holtbu had to do more than any goalie in the league last year.  It’s as simple as a team last in faceoffs and PK shouldn’t even  make the playoffs.


If . . . if. . .,he wants to stay, the Caps need to do everything to keep him for another couple years,
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Monday July 29, 2019, 09:36:26 AM Eastern
If . . . if. . .,he wants to stay...
Shit, what other white collar/liberal dominated town is he gonna play for? Seattle? Send him on..  :yawn:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Monday July 29, 2019, 01:11:26 PM Eastern
Shit, what other white collar/liberal dominated town is he gonna play for? Seattle? Send him on..  :yawn:
NYI
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Monday July 29, 2019, 03:57:13 PM Eastern
Interesting piece on Chandler Stephenson  (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/why-chandler-stephensons-new-contract-says-he-thin-ice-washington)


Though I’m not a J.J. Regan fan in the least.  He writes like his playing video games and writing for others also playing video games
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Monday July 29, 2019, 04:21:48 PM Eastern
NYI


You think the Isles fans will embrace his excessive love of rainbows and unicorns? Eh, they prolly would.. Send him!!  :rofl:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: BlackIce on Monday July 29, 2019, 05:36:51 PM Eastern
And now TB has resigned Vasilevskiy, 8 years, AAV $9.5 million.


This echoes the Bobrovsky deal, AAV $10 million, and would seem to definitively set the future market for top goaltending.  Holtby HAS to get $10M AAV from somebody, and I'm sure his agent could argue he's worth even more, because he has a better playoff pedigree than either of these two guys.  I'm sorry, but this just isn't worth it.  MAYBE the Caps could try to sign him for fewer years (say, 5 or so) to lower their downside risk at the end of the contract.  But if they do that the AAV probably has to go up, because Holtby wouldn't be maximizing his total contract value.  I just don't see a way the team could do it without eviscerating some other parts of their roster.  If they had a bunch of hot prospects coming up, maybe, but the farm just isn't there.


I really think that Holtby has to be gone after this season, unless Samsanov totally tanks at Hershey.  The problem is, if the Caps try to trade him closer to the deadline his return will plummet because his status may be rental.  Maybe the Caps should trade him now, get what they can for someone who has top value, could play for someone else this year, and that team could potentially resign him if they were willing to pony up.  Just throw this season away [or at least, make it much more of a struggle with the goaltending in the hands of guys who look like backups or a potential #1 goalie with NO NHL exposure.]


If TB is willing to pay Vasilevskiy that, how the heck are they going to get all of their young assets resigned down the line? 
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Monday July 29, 2019, 06:24:35 PM Eastern
The contracts Bob and Vasiline got are a joke. I was really hoping Holts would stick around long term, but, but not at $9-10M a year, and not if he can't play well without Korns influence. Maybe the Caps should trade him now, it would fix their money issues
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Ozzies09tc on Monday July 29, 2019, 06:25:33 PM Eastern
Trade Holtby for a bunch of picks a-la Ryan Miller to St Louis a few years ago, use the picks to re-stock the cupboard, and trade for Jake Allen who is owed 4.45/yr and becomes an UFA at the end of the 20-21 season.


I will say, as a Blues fan AND a caps fan I would HATE for this to happen as I do not believe in Jake Allen after seeing him over the past 4 yrs, he is a great 30ish game starter. -HOWEVER- he truly is a great goaltender minus whats between his ears...IDK who the goalie coach is in wsh but if he is a "goalie whisperer" that could revive Jake's career to flashes he has shown (when pushed by a good backup) he could be a great stop gap until someone in the minors is ready.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Monday July 29, 2019, 06:59:01 PM Eastern
If they move or let Holtby walk, we might as well go into a full rebuild.   Or at least have no delusion of being any sort of serious contender for the foreseeable future.



To think that Copley or Samsonov can just step on and take over without missing a step and well be back in the Finals because Ted and God is delusional.


The bottom line is GMBetaMale and Monumental have fucked the Cap up situation for a long time.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Monday July 29, 2019, 07:55:18 PM Eastern
Caps need "all" their star players to be a "serious contender".. They all either contribute huge on the scoring side or assist side or PP side.. Can't lose any of em' and have any real expectations, imo.. They'll probably keep them together one more year then start the rebuild.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Tuesday July 30, 2019, 10:17:07 AM Eastern
Interesting, though I think J.J. Regan works for EA Sports, article on Stevenson  (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/why-chandler-stephensons-new-contract-says-he-thin-ice-washington)


This season is gonna come down to Monumentals willingness and ability  to adjust to a real system, which Stevenson excels in).  If this isn’t done, particularly with the Holtby issue coming up, it’s gonna get ugly
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Tuesday July 30, 2019, 11:14:11 AM Eastern
Caps need "all" their star players to be a "serious contender".. They all either contribute huge on the scoring side or assist side or PP side.. Can't lose any of em' and have any real expectations, imo.. They'll probably keep them together one more year then start the rebuild.
They need all their players to play smart, hard hockey in a serious system to be anything more than a circus act. 


They also need a GM that won’t over pay average players to 60+mil contracts that end up costing us elite players.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Beaglefan2 on Tuesday July 30, 2019, 06:51:15 PM Eastern

Caps management won't trade Holtby period.  They think they can win the Cup with this team and they will just play it out and assume Samsonov will step in next year when they can't sign Holtby.  They are going to be in a tough spot until Ovie and Backstrom are done.



Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Thursday August 01, 2019, 02:17:26 AM Eastern
Braden Holtby’s career, since the arrival, and thru the departure, of Trotz, and Korn, IMO, has been hands down, for me, the most difficult player performance assessment to have to ACCURATELY make on the entire team.
Mind you, I said accurately, because the opinions on Holtz run the entire spectrum. And with good reason!


Let’s cover the obvious first. He has shown himself, to possess STELLAR abilities, numerous game winning super saves, commanding, dominant, play, with incredible anticipation, and has often been UNSOLVABLE, by the opponent!
Add in two Vezinas, and superb play to win the Stanley Cup, and you have the recipe for him to be plausibly claimed as one of the Caps best goalies, in their history!
That’s the undeniable TOP side to Braden Holtby!


The negatives are way less obvious, depending on how you wanna look at, and judge, the quite complicated matrix of the, “good D/good goalie - bad D/bad goalie” relationships, and how each affect the other!
OR NOT!.....See what I mean…..very difficult to assess, with all the “ifs”, and especially all of the woulda-coulda-shouldas, that can be put on both Holtz’s performance, OR the rest of the entire CAPS team!!


We have a TON of solid evidence for game losses, where Holtz has been thrown under the bus! Yet a TON of evidence also exists for losses where Holtz has allowed in, some of the simplest frickin shots, or just looks clueless out there with his advance positioning being quite off the mark, upon review!
We also have Holtby, BOTH stepping it up in the playoffs, and NOT stepping up his play level in the playoffs!


We’ve also lost, many times, in spite of Holtz playing well, because we could NOT generate enough offense!
We’ve also won, in spite of a poor Holtby showing, because our sticks generated enough O to win!
Same can be said on both sides of the issue, regarding the D, and Holtz’s interrelationships!


IMO, there is no single, correct assessment of Braden Holtby. Firstly, because his career is still ongoing, and secondly, the mile-wide parameters of his career play, render it practically impossible to mention one side, without the other, if you seek accuracy!  I say, you simply mention BOTH, (while scratching your head)! LOL!


One thing that I think can be said now, however, is that he is a different Holtby, without Mitch Korn!


Personally, I continue to go through ups and downs about him.  I’m not sure that’s going to change anytime soon either!


Rush





Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Thursday August 01, 2019, 09:28:36 AM Eastern
Braden Holtby’s career, since the arrival, and thru the departure, of Trotz, and Korn, IMO, has been hands down, for me, the most difficult player performance assessment to have to ACCURATELY make on the entire team.
Mind you, I said accurately, because the opinions on Holtz run the entire spectrum. And with good reason!


Let’s cover the obvious first. He has shown himself, to possess STELLAR abilities, numerous game winning super saves, commanding, dominant, play, with incredible anticipation, and has often been UNSOLVABLE, by the opponent!
Add in two Vezinas, and superb play to win the Stanley Cup, and you have the recipe for him to be plausibly claimed as one of the Caps best goalies, in their history!
That’s the undeniable TOP side to Braden Holtby!


The negatives are way less obvious, depending on how you wanna look at, and judge, the quite complicated matrix of the, “good D/good goalie - bad D/bad goalie” relationships, and how each affect the other!
OR NOT!.....See what I mean…..very difficult to assess, with all the “ifs”, and especially all of the woulda-coulda-shouldas, that can be put on both Holtz’s performance, OR the rest of the entire CAPS team!!


We have a TON of solid evidence for game losses, where Holtz has been thrown under the bus! Yet a TON of evidence also exists for losses where Holtz has allowed in, some of the simplest frickin shots, or just looks clueless out there with his advance positioning being quite off the mark, upon review!
We also have Holtby, BOTH stepping it up in the playoffs, and NOT stepping up his play level in the playoffs!


We’ve also lost, many times, in spite of Holtz playing well, because we could NOT generate enough offense!
We’ve also won, in spite of a poor Holtby showing, because our sticks generated enough O to win!
Same can be said on both sides of the issue, regarding the D, and Holtz’s interrelationships!


IMO, there is no single, correct assessment of Braden Holtby. Firstly, because his career is still ongoing, and secondly, the mile-wide parameters of his career play, render it practically impossible to mention one side, without the other, if you seek accuracy!  I say, you simply mention BOTH, (while scratching your head)! LOL!


One thing that I think can be said now, however, is that he is a different Holtby, without Mitch Korn!


Personally, I continue to go through ups and downs about him.  I’m not sure that’s going to change anytime soon either!


Rush
I’m pretty sure that Monumental doesn’t think goalies are popular or all that important.


Which would locking two “star players”, one to dance and one to not hit anybody and pass the puck, for a ridiculous eight years while snubbing one of the best goalies in the league.


13 goal games and “a chance to win another Cup”, will keep the team popular with zealots, woman, hipsters, and the 12yo and under crowd for a few more years.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Thursday August 01, 2019, 09:50:34 AM Eastern
DC needs to get laid..  :rofl:  Relax brother, they aint even laced up the skates yet!!!  :uh-huh:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Thursday August 01, 2019, 10:53:17 AM Eastern
LoL
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: justwincaps on Thursday August 01, 2019, 03:25:40 PM Eastern
I’m pretty sure that Monumental doesn’t think goalies are popular or all that important.


Which would locking two “star players”, one to dance and one to not hit anybody and pass the puck, for a ridiculous eight years while snubbing one of the best goalies in the league.


13 goal games and “a chance to win another Cup”, will keep the team popular with zealots, woman, hipsters, and the 12yo and under crowd for a few more years.
I feel ya' DC but I don't see how we keep Holtby without losing Backstrom.  There's no one in the cupboard that'll come even close to replacing Backstrom.  If Samsonov is as advertised [not convinced yet], then there's a potential near replacement for Holtby on the ice.  What Holt's does off the ice won't be replaced.  I think he's a great ambassador for the Caps but doubt that factors in to whether he comes back.

We only have Gudas coming off the books after this year and the cap is projected to only go up around $2mil, so I don't know where the Caps find the money for both 19 and 70.

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Thursday August 01, 2019, 05:23:13 PM Eastern
All these ridiculous contracts (Bobrovsky) are starting to make Ovi's $10mil look like a relative bargain.  Granted, a 35 year old Ovi, but he was making $10mil all during his premium years as well, and he really hasn't started to drop off yet, even at his age.  With all he brings, his contract aint that bad.  I realize some of it is marketing & selling tickets, but Ovi definitely brings that as part of the bargain.


I love Holtby, and the goalie is the one key position that can make or break a team, but I'm not sure he's worth $10m/year, which is what he will get...somewhere.
IF the Caps want to keep him they are going to have to part with someone in the top 8 salaries....


Ovi  (No fucking way the Caps part with him - he is a cash cow for selling tickets)
Dylan  (No way the Caps part with Dylan - he's our "Norris" candidate  :lol: [size=78%])[/size]
Kuzy  (would really take some souring between him and mgmt for that to happen - which means his contract would then be worth shit and you couldn't offload it then anyway)
Backy (i'd hate to lose Backy - but what is a 32 year old Backy worth?  Can you sign him for another 3 years at $8m per?
Holtby (pack your bags kid....I think there is a liberal city out there yearning for you)
Oshie  (Realistically - how would they unload him at his age and contract?)
Willie  (Better not, no fucking way they let him loose - I believe he is the future and heart and soul of this team and a bargain at $5.1m)
Olov  (Okay...IF he has a stellar year and you find some team desperate enough, but I don't see it)





Bobrovsky will be 37 in his final year of his contract - that's a stretch for a goaltender, aint it?  I mean the "king" is 37 I think, and his played has dropped off in recent years.



Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: BlackIce on Friday August 02, 2019, 11:29:17 AM Eastern
Just as a side note, the Avalanche just signed defenseman Sam Girard to a 7-year contract extension at $5 million AAV (straight $35 million over 7 years).


Girard is smaller than Djoos.  He's a top-flight skater and puck mover, and played 20 minutes a game this past season, but still, a 160 pound defenseman?





Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Friday August 02, 2019, 03:41:50 PM Eastern
I feel ya' DC but I don't see how we keep Holtby without losing Backstrom.  There's no one in the cupboard that'll come even close to replacing Backstrom.  If Samsonov is as advertised [not convinced yet], then there's a potential near replacement for Holtby on the ice.  What Holt's does off the ice won't be replaced.  I think he's a great ambassador for the Caps but doubt that factors in to whether he comes back.

We only have Gudas coming off the books after this year and the cap is projected to only go up around $2mil, so I don't know where the Caps find the money for both 19 and 70.
There’s a way, a smart way to do it:  trade Kuzy, which they should of done long ago.

But this won’t happe.  On the Caps part, he’s popular, it would show them to be moronic, (and rightfully so), and the organizational depth at center is VERY thin, and that’s being generous.  Even if they don’t sign Backstrom, they ARE’NT gonna get anyone better for cheaper.


For the other team, who want him?  Let alone for 7yrs @ 8mil?  He’s just not worth it to anybody but Monumental.   I’m pretty damn sure most non-zealot


Paying to ok players for ridiculous contracts that will end up costing us an-elite center,, our best two-way player, and an elite goalie (both of which still have a few years left), for a one way bird dancing center, a 5th forward, and “having a chance that Copley or a guy that’s never played in the NHL will become Jesus Fucking Christ in a playoff run.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Friday August 02, 2019, 04:40:07 PM Eastern
Just as a side note, the Avalanche just signed defenseman Sam Girard to a 7-year contract extension at $5 million AAV (straight $35 million over 7 years).


Girard is smaller than Djoos.  He's a top-flight skater and puck mover, and played 20 minutes a game this past season, but still, a 160 pound defenseman?
Cause he’s an excellent PP QB, rarely screws up, and a quality two-way D-Man. The rest of there D, in general, are huge, and  there very deep on D, except for ODmen.

So it makes sense in many ways. but that’s still a big contract for a 160lb player that sensible teams will have a target on. 
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: RavenCp on Saturday August 10, 2019, 11:47:42 PM Eastern
Goalies are always high risk, so many teams were burned with long term contracts. At the same time always pop up great young goalies.   
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Sunday August 11, 2019, 10:21:01 AM Eastern
Holtby is good, and yes he was vital to us even making the playoffs last season thanks to the abysmal coaching/play we had. But he just isn't worth the $9-10 million a year for a contract term that will likely take him to his mid-late 30s. Especially when you consider that with the loss of Mitch Korn he hasn't been the same Vezina caliber goalie he used to be. He went from averaging over .920 save percentage and a GAA in the low 2s, to averaging .910 save percentage and a GAA in the high 2s (nearly 3). And yeah not all of that is on him, because our team has played kinda crap too. But I'd rather not be paying "top 2 goalie in the league" money for someone who isn't even close at this point.

Copley is not the answer. And right now neither are Samsonov or Vanecek. But we should at least be considering a trade to get someone younger and cheaper and still solid. Because unless we plan on going balls deep on Holtby's contract next year (or unless Holtby is okay with taking a cap-friendly deal, which I doubt he would be), we're gunna get hosed when we lose him for nothing if we keep him around this season.

And listen, if there's no trade or signing available this summer, then yeah I guess we have no choice but to keep Holtby around this season. But I'd sure hate to handcuff another $9-10 million a year on another player.

The Kuznetsov, Carlson, and Oshie contracts either currently are, or will in the future, give us a headache. No need to add another contract to that list. If Holtby's fine with $6.5 million for 3-5 years then sure let's fucking do it. But fuck no to $9-10 million for 6-8 years.

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Monday August 12, 2019, 07:33:04 PM Eastern
Holtby is good, and yes he was vital to us even making the playoffs last season thanks to the abysmal coaching/play we had. But he just isn't worth the $9-10 million a year for a contract term that will likely take him to his mid-late 30s. Especially when you consider that with the loss of Mitch Korn he hasn't been the same Vezina caliber goalie he used to be. He went from averaging over .920 save percentage and a GAA in the low 2s, to averaging .910 save percentage and a GAA in the high 2s (nearly 3). And yeah not all of that is on him, because our team has played kinda crap too. But I'd rather not be paying "top 2 goalie in the league" money for someone who isn't even close at this point.

Copley is not the answer. And right now neither are Samsonov or Vanecek. But we should at least be considering a trade to get someone younger and cheaper and still solid. Because unless we plan on going balls deep on Holtby's contract next year (or unless Holtby is okay with taking a cap-friendly deal, which I doubt he would be), we're gunna get hosed when we lose him for nothing if we keep him around this season.

And listen, if there's no trade or signing available this summer, then yeah I guess we have no choice but to keep Holtby around this season. But I'd sure hate to handcuff another $9-10 million a year on another player.

The Kuznetsov, Carlson, and Oshie contracts either currently are, or will in the future, give us a headache. No need to add another contract to that list. If Holtby's fine with $6.5 million for 3-5 years then sure let's fucking do it. But fuck no to $9-10 million for 6-8 years.


"Amen Brother" so sayeth the great and power "Hulk"


I like Holtby...okay I have loved Holtby, but he aint all that and a bag of chips.  NOT 9-10 million worth of chips anyway


And you said it...IF we didn't have Carlson, Kuzy, etc, then maybe you have some room, but the fact is....
We DO have several 8 million dollar men already



Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Tuesday August 13, 2019, 04:06:57 PM Eastern
looks like we get an early warning about Penishead.....


https://novacapsfans.com/2019/08/06/capitals-to-be-featured-on-nbc-networks-12-times-in-2019-20/
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Tuesday August 20, 2019, 10:39:55 AM Eastern
Looks like Oshie is good to go!!


Oshie: "Im ready to roll.. I can't wait" (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/oshie-injury-update-full-clearance-clears-way-training-camp)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Tuesday August 20, 2019, 09:08:05 PM Eastern
Looks like Oshie is good to go!!


Oshie: "Im ready to roll.. I can't wait" (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/oshie-injury-update-full-clearance-clears-way-training-camp)


That's great, I can't wait to watch the run to the back to back  :-|
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Tuesday August 20, 2019, 10:30:19 PM Eastern
Looks like Oshie is good to go!!


Oshie: "Im ready to roll.. I can't wait" (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/oshie-injury-update-full-clearance-clears-way-training-camp)
Despite my usual skepticism, I will say this:  Oshie unselfishly played the best all around game he ever had last year.

For a player of  that style and rep (“TJ Soshie”) to shift focus, improve and excel in a 200ft game because it was needed, he (and Nick) stepped up at the expense of their own stats with minimal complaints if any is extremely rare.

If Oshie (and/or Nick),had just cried about not being a stat-getter, it’s not unreasonable to question if we’d of made even made the playoffs last year. 

So cheers to TJ for stepping up and doing what needed to be done, because it needed to be done!
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Wednesday August 21, 2019, 09:28:39 AM Eastern

That's great, I can't wait to watch the run to the back to back  :-|


 :raspberry:


Despite my usual skepticism, I will say this:  Oshie unselfishly played the best all around game he ever had last year.
Yep, just need to keep him healthy.. Somehow. :cross:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday August 21, 2019, 01:36:59 PM Eastern
just about everyone is in town even though training camp doesn't officially start for three weeks, and with the start of informal practices I think it's time to say the off season is over....

https://novacapsfans.com/2019/08/21/braden-holtby-jonas-siegenthaler-michal-kempny-join-capitals-informal-practice-on-wednesday/ (https://novacapsfans.com/2019/08/21/braden-holtby-jonas-siegenthaler-michal-kempny-join-capitals-informal-practice-on-wednesday/)

since these aren't official team practices the schedule isn't posted on the website, does anyone have any information on when these practices are?
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday August 21, 2019, 02:00:39 PM Eastern
https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/08/21/report-dmitrij-jaskin-expected-to-sign-contract-with-dynamo-moscow/#more-334431
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday August 21, 2019, 02:11:36 PM Eastern
The expansion draft for Seattle is in June. If it were me, I'd leave Dylan unprotected, but then I never would've agreed to that contract to begin with..

https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/expansion-plan-projecting-the-washington-capitals-protection-list-for-the-2021-expansion-draft (https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/expansion-plan-projecting-the-washington-capitals-protection-list-for-the-2021-expansion-draft)

and whoever came up with this list just proved the NHL network does not drug test its employees...

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/08/19/nhl-network-ranks-john-carlson-the-sixth-best-defenseman-in-nhl/ (https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/08/19/nhl-network-ranks-john-carlson-the-sixth-best-defenseman-in-nhl/)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Wednesday August 21, 2019, 11:55:56 PM Eastern
The expansion draft for Seattle is in June. If it were me, I'd leave Dylan unprotected, but then I never would've agreed to that contract to begin with..

https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/expansion-plan-projecting-the-washington-capitals-protection-list-for-the-2021-expansion-draft (https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/expansion-plan-projecting-the-washington-capitals-protection-list-for-the-2021-expansion-draft)

and whoever came up with this list just proved the NHL network does not drug test its employees...

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/08/19/nhl-network-ranks-john-carlson-the-sixth-best-defenseman-in-nhl/ (https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/08/19/nhl-network-ranks-john-carlson-the-sixth-best-defenseman-in-nhl/)


LOL, Alta!
We all know that for Carlson to get that ranking, they’ve simply revamped the criteria!
One of the new applied factors is THC%, per liter of blood! It counts as 15% of the total ranking score for defenseman now!🤣🤣
Without this factor, Carlson ranks 116th, among current NHL defenseman.😁
His “highest-in-NHL”, THC intake ranking, helps propel him to his current standing, at #6!!😆


At seasons end, in 2020, the criteria for best D-man ranking will allow THC% to count for 30% of total calculated score. This will easily elevate Carlsons ranking to #1.


The NHL, anticipating Carlson to be the Norris trophy recipient, will then vote to change the trophy’s name!!


Thusly, our beloved, yet lackadaisical, defenseman, will be the recipient of the NHL’s, newly named, best defenseman award!!......The “Norris/Chyme-bud” Trophy!! 🏆😂😂


Finally. his acceptance speech will include thanking the Caps organization for investing in, and creating a new piece of workout equipment, at practice, specifically designed for him, that allowed him to blossom into the defenseman that helped him to win the award!!....
A cardio-elliptical machine, with a new TokeMaster/Inhaler attachment!!!😆🤪🤣😂


You go get ‘em, Carly!!!!!


Rush















Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: ArJunaZ on Thursday August 22, 2019, 11:55:53 PM Eastern

LOL, Alta!
We all know that for Carlson to get that ranking, they’ve simply revamped the criteria!
One of the new applied factors is THC%, per liter of blood! It counts as 15% of the total ranking score for defenseman now!🤣🤣
Without this factor, Carlson ranks 116th, among current NHL defenseman.😁
His “highest-in-NHL”, THC intake ranking, helps propel him to his current standing, at #6!!😆


At seasons end, in 2020, the criteria for best D-man ranking will allow THC% to count for 30% of total calculated score. This will easily elevate Carlsons ranking to #1.


The NHL, anticipating Carlson to be the Norris trophy recipient, will then vote to change the trophy’s name!!


Thusly, our beloved, yet lackadaisical, defenseman, will be the recipient of the NHL’s, newly named, best defenseman award!!......The “Norris/Chyme-bud” Trophy!! 🏆😂😂


Finally. his acceptance speech will include thanking the Caps organization for investing in, and creating a new piece of workout equipment, at practice, specifically designed for him, that allowed him to blossom into the defenseman that helped him to win the award!!....
A cardio-elliptical machine, with a new TokeMaster/Inhaler attachment!!!😆🤪🤣😂


You go get ‘em, Carly!!!!!


Rush

LOL!

You need to find a way to include "Lemmon 714" in that trophy name somewhere.

Here's a potential NHL trophy version of the famous downer.

 :snicker:

(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0240/9829/products/Lemmon_714_Morale_Patch_large.jpg?v=1512506269)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: KitFisto on Friday August 23, 2019, 08:37:51 AM Eastern
Kuzy tested positive for coke internationally lol.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Friday August 23, 2019, 10:51:11 PM Eastern
Kuzy tested positive for coke internationally lol.


Call me when he tests positive for strong 200 foot play
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Saturday August 24, 2019, 12:33:11 AM Eastern

Call me when he tests positive for strong 200 foot play


LMAO!🤣😂
Good one, Zero!
Thanks for the Friday night chuckle!


Rush
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Thursday August 29, 2019, 12:14:57 PM Eastern
camp should be starting any day now but I can’t find any information on it. The first preseason game is September 16, and the Caps start the regular season October 2 in St. Louis for another Cup banner raising
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Friday August 30, 2019, 03:21:20 PM Eastern
most guys are in town and skating....


https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/08/30/alex-ovechkin-returns-to-dc-takes-part-in-informal-practice-with-capitals/#more-335204 (https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/08/30/alex-ovechkin-returns-to-dc-takes-part-in-informal-practice-with-capitals/#more-335204)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Friday August 30, 2019, 05:14:51 PM Eastern
most guys are in town and skating....


https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/08/30/alex-ovechkin-returns-to-dc-takes-part-in-informal-practice-with-capitals/#more-335204 (https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2019/08/30/alex-ovechkin-returns-to-dc-takes-part-in-informal-practice-with-capitals/#more-335204)
Or skiing in Kuzys case
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Friday August 30, 2019, 05:45:22 PM Eastern
Or skiing in Kuzys case


as long as he’s staying in shape, skiing takes some effort, especially at the places he can afford to go
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Saturday August 31, 2019, 12:02:41 AM Eastern
True, Alta.
Especially cross country skiing!
Kuzy’s being in good athletic shape has been a given.
His effort level, however.....has been questionable at times. Many times.


I believe his former cross country skiing workout agenda, went something like this, during the offseason, somewhere in a forest, in the Russian countryside.


1. Ski 5 kilometers...
2. Take short break...(due to boredom)...
3. Snort 2 lines on nearby stump, for motivation!
4. Repeat steps 1-3, until end of workout, every day! 🤣😂🤣,(or until busted by drug test)!


Get ya some help, Kuzy! Be open to it!
Then return whole!
Then let yourself shine again, boy, and don’t look back!!


Rush







Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Tuesday September 03, 2019, 08:38:27 PM Eastern
True, Alta.
Especially cross country skiing!
Kuzy’s being in good athletic shape has been a given.
His effort level, however.....has been questionable at times. Many times.


I believe his former cross country skiing workout agenda, went something like this, during the offseason, somewhere in a forest, in the Russian countryside.


1. Ski 5 kilometers...
2. Take short break...(due to boredom)...
3. Snort 2 lines on nearby stump, for motivation!
4. Repeat steps 1-3, until end of workout, every day! 🤣😂🤣,(or until busted by drug test)!


Get ya some help, Kuzy! Be open to it!
Then return whole!
Then let yourself shine again, boy, and don’t look back!!


Rush
Heh Kuzys a light weight 🤣
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Wednesday September 04, 2019, 12:51:31 AM Eastern
Heh Kuzys a light weight 🤣


LMFAO!🤣😂
DC, tellin’ the truth, like it IS!!👍


Rush



Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Thursday September 05, 2019, 01:04:00 PM Eastern
our prayers have been answered!!!!!....


https://sports.yahoo.com/report-pierre-mc-guire-removed-from-nb-cs-top-nhl-broadcast-crew-212256963.html (https://sports.yahoo.com/report-pierre-mc-guire-removed-from-nb-cs-top-nhl-broadcast-crew-212256963.html)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Thursday September 05, 2019, 03:57:12 PM Eastern
our prayers have been answered!!!!!....


https://sports.yahoo.com/report-pierre-mc-guire-removed-from-nb-cs-top-nhl-broadcast-crew-212256963.html (https://sports.yahoo.com/report-pierre-mc-guire-removed-from-nb-cs-top-nhl-broadcast-crew-212256963.html)
WHOOOO HOOOO!!
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Ozzies09tc on Thursday September 05, 2019, 05:42:33 PM Eastern
WHOOOO HOOOO!!


It's going to be weird hearing a national broadcaster with knowledge of NHL players outside of Crosby. This should be refreshing for the entire sport!
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Thursday September 05, 2019, 07:24:18 PM Eastern
Cindy was heard to throw a tantrum and tore up a few of her Barbies
 :snicker:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Ozzies09tc on Friday September 06, 2019, 06:42:30 PM Eastern
The comments under the article and attached to the original tweet shows how very unliked Pierre's announcing was
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Friday September 06, 2019, 08:10:27 PM Eastern
The comments under the article and attached to the original tweet shows how very unliked Pierre's announcing was
🤣. They had to realize how hated he was.  Hell the ratings have been dropping for years. 
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Friday September 06, 2019, 08:22:14 PM Eastern
Will we finally be able to hear what Pierre's voice sounds like without Crosby's dick in his mouth?
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Friday September 06, 2019, 11:58:04 PM Eastern
Will we finally be able to hear what Pierre's voice sounds like without Crosby's dick in his mouth?


doubtful
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Wednesday September 11, 2019, 07:08:52 PM Eastern
2019-2020 preview
https://youtu.be/qwOYZvvbU20 (https://youtu.be/qwOYZvvbU20)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Wednesday September 18, 2019, 09:29:14 AM Eastern
https://youtu.be/nfxAxNLpiyE (https://youtu.be/nfxAxNLpiyE)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Surreylily on Friday September 20, 2019, 10:01:59 PM Eastern
Thanks for posting those DC. 8)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: zerofox on Sunday September 22, 2019, 11:43:16 AM Eastern
Haven't been watching the pre season games but I've read that Kuzy has been abysmal, both offensively and defensively. I think it just makes resigning Backy even more important...

I would go with Backy over Holts any day of the week if we were crunched salary cap wise.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Sunday September 22, 2019, 07:11:21 PM Eastern
Haven't been watching the pre season games but I've read that Kuzy has been abysmal, both offensively and defensively. I think it just makes resigning Backy even more important...

I would go with Backy over Holts any day of the week if we were crunched salary cap wise.
Well, it should be: “trading Kuzy is more important than signing Backy”
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Monday September 23, 2019, 11:37:29 AM Eastern
I don't know why, because honestly I have always been a Holtby fan, but....
If it came down to one or the other... I would sign Nicky and let the Beast walk.  Big risk there having to rely on Samsonov or Vanecek, but I can't see paying Holtby 10+ mill/year, which is what is going to take to keep him next year...and probably for a long term deal, too.
Caps just no way have the Cap room money, unless they can unload Kuzy or Carlson or Orlov, but I can't really see them doing that.


Nicky does so many things well, and has always been underrated or at least undervalued. 



Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Monday September 23, 2019, 05:43:29 PM Eastern
So the Nats are really pissing me off.  They are doing their best NOT to make the playoffs.






They play the next 5 at home vs the Phillies. 
How Appropriate would it be for Harper to go on a tear and basically knock the Nats out of the playoffs?  8-0


The Nats must be a friggin Washington pro sports team or something.


Sack up Nats!
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Monday September 23, 2019, 09:18:58 PM Eastern
So the Nats are really pissing me off.  They are doing their best NOT to make the playoffs.






They play the next 5 at home vs the Phillies. 
How Appropriate would it be for Harper to go on a tear and basically knock the Nats out of the playoffs?  8-0


The Nats must be a friggin Washington pro sports team or something.


Sack up Nats!


dude, Harper has sucked ever since the Cubs walked him for an entire series three years ago
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Tuesday September 24, 2019, 11:41:24 AM Eastern
I'm not a protagonist for Harper....was just saying that would be fairly typical result for a pro Washington sports team.
Harper did make a great throw to the plate last night.  Nabbed Soto.  (shouldn't have sent him, but it was a great through few could make)


I have not really kept up with Harper this year.  I'm not that big a baseball fan.  I can barely hang with sort of following the Nats.


Skins looked good last night though  :lol:


I didn't even realize they were on.  I was home late and just came across it after my wife had finished watching (and this is the truth)  Beauty and the Beast.  I sat through 20 minutes of that while I was eating dinner.  It was....unwatchable  (I'm still talking about Beauty and the Beast, not the Skins).  The Skins, on the other hand....ALSO unwatchable.  Although I have to say, now I just sit and shake my head and chuckle, whereas, I used to get frustrated and angry.  Now....I just don't care. I watched about 15 minutes of the game, just to watch, but had no emotional stake in it and that was the sum total of all the NFL I watched this week - 15 min.  The Skins always look so good on the big Monday night games :clap:
I thought the ESPN announcers were Gawd Awful though.  Geez, where are they digging these guys up.  I know Ebonics is acceptable in some LA suburb schools, but this is network TV for crying out loud.  Just because you were once an overpaid, under-performing NFL player, does not mean they should hand you a microphone and ask you to comment after every play. (I am making big assumptions based on 15 minutes - I honestly don't know who the crew was)
The NFL is trash.  They let the core values of the players move from hard work, team play and success to hype, trash talk, and entertainment.  It is pathetic.  I am no longer a fan.  I guess I have known that for years.  I don't know how true diehard football fans can watch anymore.  Must be ALOT of beer sold on Sundays now.


C'MON NHL SEASON!!!



Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Tuesday September 24, 2019, 03:52:25 PM Eastern
I’m not a Harper fan, though I was for his first three years. What concerns me is Rendon has the same agent as Harper and that’s not good for DC baseball. Harper deserves to be in Pilly where the fans boo the home team
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Tuesday September 24, 2019, 04:15:55 PM Eastern
The Nationals just eliminated Pilly from the post season!!!!


 :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Tuesday September 24, 2019, 05:17:13 PM Eastern

Sweet.  Go Nats


Hope the Nats hang on to this season.  They have some talent, just can't seem to bring the bullpen together when they need it.  Or the bats....or the starting pitching...


I don't expect to see Rendon back.  Sad, he is outstanding, and I would love to see him stay.

but from the very little I've seen the two sides seem to be really chilly towards each other.  I know it's the agent's game to play that, but I'd rather hear the Nats say..."Yes.  We want him back and will do everything possible to make that happen" and hear Rendon say "Yes.  I want to be back, and we will strive to make that happen.

Mostly you just hear...."we will have to wait and see"

I think someone else can/will pay more for Rendon than the Nats will.
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Tuesday September 24, 2019, 09:25:47 PM Eastern
that’s a grand salami by Turner
 :banana: :banana:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 01:17:17 AM Eastern
I'm not a protagonist for Harper....was just saying that would be fairly typical result for a pro Washington sports team.
Harper did make a great throw to the plate last night.  Nabbed Soto.  (shouldn't have sent him, but it was a great through few could make)


I have not really kept up with Harper this year.  I'm not that big a baseball fan.  I can barely hang with sort of following the Nats.


Skins looked good last night though  :lol:


I didn't even realize they were on.  I was home late and just came across it after my wife had finished watching (and this is the truth)  Beauty and the Beast.  I sat through 20 minutes of that while I was eating dinner.  It was....unwatchable  (I'm still talking about Beauty and the Beast, not the Skins).  The Skins, on the other hand....ALSO unwatchable.  Although I have to say, now I just sit and shake my head and chuckle, whereas, I used to get frustrated and angry.  Now....I just don't care. I watched about 15 minutes of the game, just to watch, but had no emotional stake in it and that was the sum total of all the NFL I watched this week - 15 min.  The Skins always look so good on the big Monday night games :clap:
I thought the ESPN announcers were Gawd Awful though.  Geez, where are they digging these guys up.  I know Ebonics is acceptable in some LA suburb schools, but this is network TV for crying out loud.  Just because you were once an overpaid, under-performing NFL player, does not mean they should hand you a microphone and ask you to comment after every play. (I am making big assumptions based on 15 minutes - I honestly don't know who the crew was)
The NFL is trash.  They let the core values of the players move from hard work, team play and success to hype, trash talk, and entertainment.  It is pathetic.  I am no longer a fan.  I guess I have known that for years.  I don't know how true diehard football fans can watch anymore.  Must be ALOT of beer sold on Sundays now.


C'MON NHL SEASON!!!


Good post Rich!
Heavily agree, especially on the NFL part!
The phenomenon I’m realizing, with my TOTAL attitude change with the NFL/Redskins/etc. is that I’m now, finally, ACTING, on what I’ve been wanting to do, but just couldn’t quite let go of!!
That is, observing the gradual, and slow, progressive, erosion, of the basic fundamentals of NFL football! In other words, REAL NFL FOOTBALL!!


Fundamentals, as in the most basic actions, that without, or in their absence, whittles away the real spirit and truth of solid, sport competition!


Fundamentals, that have been with us, and engrained in the competitive human psyche, since even before Roman times. WHERE ARE TODAYS VERSION OF REAL SPORT GLADIATORS???


Fuck it, I’ll stop here, and prevent another frustrated rant that accomplishes nothing🤣!!


Anyway, I stopped mostly watching last year, and only a minute or two, literally, this year!
The difference is, I feel GOOD about it!! Fuck ‘em! I don’t miss it either!LOL


Now, I just play more music, or golf, too, which has its own frustration to it, but at least its from my own doing!🤣


Baseball, I’m not so sour about. Mostly because I was done with MLB, way back at the last strike!
But I will watch the Nats, occasionally, do pull for them, but nothing even close to heartbreak if they don’t make the playoffs every year.
Hockey is my last sports hope, and even that, you can sort of feel it’s demise, at least as I know it.  At least certainly in some aspects, but I’m still willing to keep my chin up, so far!


LETS GO.CAPS!!


Rush









Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 09:34:37 AM Eastern

Good post Rich!
Heavily agree, especially on the NFL part!
The phenomenon I’m realizing, with my TOTAL attitude change with the NFL/Redskins/etc. is that I’m now, finally, ACTING, on what I’ve been wanting to do, but just couldn’t quite let go of!!
That is, observing the gradual, and slow, progressive, erosion, of the basic fundamentals of NFL football! In other words, REAL NFL FOOTBALL!!


Fundamentals, as in the most basic actions, that without, or in their absence, whittles away the real spirit and truth of solid, sport competition!


Fundamentals, that have been with us, and engrained in the competitive human psyche, since even before Roman times. WHERE ARE TODAYS VERSION OF REAL SPORT GLADIATORS???


Fuck it, I’ll stop here, and prevent another frustrated rant that accomplishes nothing🤣!!


Anyway, I stopped mostly watching last year, and only a minute or two, literally, this year!
The difference is, I feel GOOD about it!! Fuck ‘em! I don’t miss it either!LOL


Now, I just play more music, or golf, too, which has its own frustration to it, but at least its from my own doing!🤣


Baseball, I’m not so sour about. Mostly because I was done with MLB, way back at the last strike!
But I will watch the Nats, occasionally, do pull for them, but nothing even close to heartbreak if they don’t make the playoffs every year.
Hockey is my last sports hope, and even that, you can sort of feel it’s demise, at least as I know it.  At least certainly in some aspects, but I’m still willing to keep my chin up, so far!


LETS GO.CAPS!!


Rush


Yeah, I gave up on the NFL.  I was never a diehard fan, but I was a pretty big skins fan.  I would usually watch them.  Maybe it's just what we did when I was growing up as a family, but now ...it's just not the same game, and there are so many more options now than there were 30-40 years ago.  I haven't really watched football in the last 5-10 years and have given up entirely over the last 3-4. I don't miss it either.  Unless I am actually bored and have nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon, and nobody is around, and I feel like killing some time (which the culmination of these things never happens), I just don't even think about it.  Glad for it.  Honestly, I think I miss the idea of it more than anything else - sit around and relax with family on a Sunday to watch our team.  I may have watched maybe 10 games in the last 5 seasons and that includes playoffs and super bowls.  I probably couldn't even name 10 current Skins players.  Actually, more like 5.  I try not to be a bitter old guy about it, but that's how it makes me feel - like a grumpy old man.
Pretty much feel the same about the direction of most things these days.  Every time I start to get angry or heated about a subject, I think...."man, I must be getting old", but the reality is...things really have taken a turn for the worse.  I can't listen to the news or watch tv without shaking my head and thinking....where have we gone
I have always been, and always will be a "substance over image" kind of guy, yet that is the opposite of what most things are today.  Nobody actually gives a crap about the truth or doing the right thing, only the appearance of it.  Politics, media, music, movie stars, pro athletes, etc, etc. As long as you look good, everything is okay.  Well...that is not going to lead our culture and our country to success.  Well, I said "nobody" but that's not accurate....mostly


I know my dead relatives would absolutely cringe at today's culture.  My uncle, who was born around 1920, lived through hard times;  depression era, served in WW2, learned, worked and lived a long 96 years.  He was one of my favorite people to talk to.  He was a man of character, with values, and a work ethic.  He made a life for himself and his family through hard work and hard times.  Lived a full life that was HARD, and was all the better for it.  I can't imagine what he would think of today's NFL and His country, which he proudly fought for, all the other shenanigans that go on in politics and today's culture and so on....


Sorry, but I have digressed into my "grumpy old man" again.  :angry:


And I AM NOT THAT OLD.  I'm only 52.  Not old enough to be a grumpy old man, so I guess I am a grumpy middle aged man.
(Yes, if you do the math, my Uncle was much too old, but my father is 78 and he was the 8th of 8 children, and was born when his father was 52 and his mother was 46.  (the doctors thought he was a tumor  :lol: [size=78%]) [/size]
He essentially grew up an only child.
My uncle was pretty much my grandfather figure.  My actual grandfather was born in 1890 and my grandmother was born in 1896.  It's crazy to think.  Grandfather died at 82 (throat cancer) but had been a heavy smoker for decades.  Grandmother lived to 97.  All 8 of there children (my aunts and uncles) lived well into there 90's.  Five of them have passed now, all lived to at least 94 years old.  (Well, my dad isn't in his 90's yet.)  The three youngest are now 92, 86, and 78.  (and the 86 year old still drives and plays golf 3-4 times a week.  Although....you REALLY don't want to ride with him.
[/size]
Okay, sorry about the rant and the family history....got carried away in my old man-ness.  It would have sufficed to say...I don't watch the NFL anymore, because it stinks like most other things these days.


I too, am still hanging on for hockey.


Season get here already.  Go Caps!





Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 04:26:38 PM Eastern
this is certainly a good career move....


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2019/09/24/auston-matthews-faces-disorderly-conduct-hearing/2434848001/ (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2019/09/24/auston-matthews-faces-disorderly-conduct-hearing/2434848001/)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 06:57:17 PM Eastern
You guys giving up on football need to check yourself! You're passing up a perfect opportunity to drink during the day!!  :snicker:  If your a Skins fan it's mandatory, so they tell me..  :uh-huh:  Monday night was just the latest installment of the current Allen/Gruden/Manusky shit show.. Nothing to see here, move along.. I CAN'T THO!!!!  :rofl:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 07:25:04 PM Eastern
You guys giving up on football need to check yourself! You're passing up a perfect opportunity to drink during the day!!  :snicker:  If your a Skins fan it's mandatory, so they tell me..  :uh-huh:  Monday night was just the latest installment of the current Allen/Gruden/Manusky shit show.. Nothing to see here, move along.. I CAN'T THO!!!!  :rofl:


The Skins will be a shit show until danny boy sells the team, the shit show will then focus on the league itself
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Surreylily on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 09:04:21 PM Eastern
Are these secret hockey teams that I haven'nt heard aout?
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 09:06:07 PM Eastern
Are these secret hockey tems that I haven'nt heard aout?


nonmetric football  :wackysmile:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Surreylily on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 09:11:23 PM Eastern
 :huh:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Surreylily on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 09:12:52 PM Eastern
e've got a game on ronight  though, right?
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Surreylily on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 09:13:56 PM Eastern
 ::) Oef!  My typing hasn'tmprove.h good gri
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Surreylily on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 09:14:46 PM Eastern
 :(
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 09:19:48 PM Eastern
e've got a game on ronight  though, right?


yep, preseason game #4 of 6
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 10:44:48 PM Eastern

Yeah, I gave up on the NFL.  I was never a diehard fan, but I was a pretty big skins fan.  I would usually watch them.  Maybe it's just what we did when I was growing up as a family, but now ...it's just not the same game, and there are so many more options now than there were 30-40 years ago.  I haven't really watched football in the last 5-10 years and have given up entirely over the last 3-4. I don't miss it either.  Unless I am actually bored and have nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon, and nobody is around, and I feel like killing some time (which the culmination of these things never happens), I just don't even think about it.  Glad for it.  Honestly, I think I miss the idea of it more than anything else - sit around and relax with family on a Sunday to watch our team.  I may have watched maybe 10 games in the last 5 seasons and that includes playoffs and super bowls.  I probably couldn't even name 10 current Skins players.  Actually, more like 5.  I try not to be a bitter old guy about it, but that's how it makes me feel - like a grumpy old man.
Pretty much feel the same about the direction of most things these days.  Every time I start to get angry or heated about a subject, I think...."man, I must be getting old", but the reality is...things really have taken a turn for the worse.  I can't listen to the news or watch tv without shaking my head and thinking....where have we gone
I have always been, and always will be a "substance over image" kind of guy, yet that is the opposite of what most things are today.  Nobody actually gives a crap about the truth or doing the right thing, only the appearance of it.  Politics, media, music, movie stars, pro athletes, etc, etc. As long as you look good, everything is okay.  Well...that is not going to lead our culture and our country to success.  Well, I said "nobody" but that's not accurate....mostly


I know my dead relatives would absolutely cringe at today's culture.  My uncle, who was born around 1920, lived through hard times;  depression era, served in WW2, learned, worked and lived a long 96 years.  He was one of my favorite people to talk to.  He was a man of character, with values, and a work ethic.  He made a life for himself and his family through hard work and hard times.  Lived a full life that was HARD, and was all the better for it.  I can't imagine what he would think of today's NFL and His country, which he proudly fought for, all the other shenanigans that go on in politics and today's culture and so on....


Sorry, but I have digressed into my "grumpy old man" again.  :angry:


And I AM NOT THAT OLD.  I'm only 52.  Not old enough to be a grumpy old man, so I guess I am a grumpy middle aged man.
(Yes, if you do the math, my Uncle was much too old, but my father is 78 and he was the 8th of 8 children, and was born when his father was 52 and his mother was 46.  (the doctors thought he was a tumor  :lol: [size=78%]) [/size]
He essentially grew up an only child.
My uncle was pretty much my grandfather figure.  My actual grandfather was born in 1890 and my grandmother was born in 1896.  It's crazy to think.  Grandfather died at 82 (throat cancer) but had been a heavy smoker for decades.  Grandmother lived to 97.  All 8 of there children (my aunts and uncles) lived well into there 90's.  Five of them have passed now, all lived to at least 94 years old.  (Well, my dad isn't in his 90's yet.)  The three youngest are now 92, 86, and 78.  (and the 86 year old still drives and plays golf 3-4 times a week.  Although....you REALLY don't want to ride with him.

Okay, sorry about the rant and the family history....got carried away in my old man-ness.  It would have sufficed to say...I don't watch the NFL anymore, because it stinks like most other things these days.


I too, am still hanging on for hockey.


Season get here already.  Go Caps!


Well said again, Rich.
I share so many similar feelings with you, in that post! LOL
I’ve got you by just a few years. Just turned 60 a little over a week ago.
 I also have to take breaks from the news, in order to retain my sanity!
 Big agree with you, on substance over the superficial thing.
If one cares to be observant, you can see it in almost every facet of life.  It’s a real shame!
 
Anyway, trudging right along with ya, buddy!!👍


Rush
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Wednesday September 25, 2019, 11:08:48 PM Eastern
You guys giving up on football need to check yourself! You're passing up a perfect opportunity to drink during the day!!  :snicker:  If your a Skins fan it's mandatory, so they tell me..  :uh-huh:  Monday night was just the latest installment of the current Allen/Gruden/Manusky shit show.. Nothing to see here, move along.. I CAN'T THO!!!!  :rofl:


LMFAO!!
Hey Mick! How ya been?
I found moving on from the skins, and NFL, to ACTUALLY do it, was a long and difficult process.
In my mind, I kept holding on, hoping and waiting for it to come back. and it doesn’t. Then, you hold on a little longer for the next season, and you realize that letting go of NFL football.....NFL FOOTBALL, I said....means that “THEY” WIN. (On a deeper level, it means I “LOSE”, in standing up for the aspects of life I thought mattered! NFL football of yesteryear, played a big part in shaping many of the honorable attitudes of life, for me!........OK, enough of the serious stuff! Sorry!


Anyway, on a lighter note, I’m happy to report that I’ve given up on the NFL....BUT...
Who, the hell, said anything about giving up some good Sunday drinking??🤣😂🤣😂


DC’s been by on a Sunday or two, and we’ve had NO PROBLEM!!🤣😂


Good to hear from ya, Mick!


Rush

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Thursday September 26, 2019, 07:42:26 AM Eastern

LMFAO!!
Hey Mick! How ya been?
I found moving on from the skins, and NFL, to ACTUALLY do it, was a long and difficult process.
In my mind, I kept holding on, hoping and waiting for it to come back. and it doesn’t. Then, you hold on a little longer for the next season, and you realize that letting go of NFL football.....NFL FOOTBALL, I said....means that “THEY” WIN. (On a deeper level, it means I “LOSE”, in standing up for the aspects of life I thought mattered! NFL football of yesteryear, played a big part in shaping many of the honorable attitudes of life, for me!........OK, enough of the serious stuff! Sorry!


Anyway, on a lighter note, I’m happy to report that I’ve given up on the NFL....BUT...
Who, the hell, said anything about giving up some good Sunday drinking??🤣😂🤣😂


DC’s been by on a Sunday or two, and we’ve had NO PROBLEM!!🤣😂


Good to hear from ya, Mick!


Rush
Damn right we didn’t!! 🤠
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Thursday September 26, 2019, 08:40:57 PM Eastern
Nationals just took 5 in a row from Pilly. Bryce deserves what he’s gonna get from the fans up there
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Friday September 27, 2019, 09:58:02 AM Eastern

LMFAO!!
Hey Mick! How ya been?
I found moving on from the skins, and NFL, to ACTUALLY do it, was a long and difficult process.


Hey Puck! Doin pretty good.. Lookin forward to some hockey! Unfortunately I can't move on from the Skins.. Ingrained at birth.  :-\ :rofl:  At least I no longer give em' any of my money.. Still have to watch though..  :O= Hope you're doin' well! We should be back in the swing here in a couple more days!! Go Caps!!  :uh-huh:


Rich, "Grumpy old man" is a frame of mind.. Just embrace it!!  :P
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Saturday September 28, 2019, 10:37:04 PM Eastern

Hey Puck! Doin pretty good.. Lookin forward to some hockey! Unfortunately I can't move on from the Skins.. Ingrained at birth.  :-\ :rofl:  At least I no longer give em' any of my money.. Still have to watch though..  :O= Hope you're doin' well! We should be back in the swing here in a couple more days!! Go Caps!!  :uh-huh:


Rich, "Grumpy old man" is a frame of mind.. Just embrace it!!  :P


Totally understand how deeply embedded those feelings can be, brother!
It’s my hope that NFL football will turn around one day, if they get enough fan pressure, or whatever else it would take to get there! No that optimistic that it’s anytime real soon, though!


Yeah man, lookin forward to hockey, for real! Glad it’s upon us.
We’ll be here postin’ with ya, buddy!


Rush

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: PUCKNRUSH on Tuesday October 01, 2019, 11:53:08 AM Eastern

Yeah, I gave up on the NFL.  I was never a diehard fan, but I was a pretty big skins fan.  I would usually watch them.  Maybe it's just what we did when I was growing up as a family, but now ...it's just not the same game, and there are so many more options now than there were 30-40 years ago.  I haven't really watched football in the last 5-10 years and have given up entirely over the last 3-4. I don't miss it either.  Unless I am actually bored and have nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon, and nobody is around, and I feel like killing some time (which the culmination of these things never happens), I just don't even think about it.  Glad for it.  Honestly, I think I miss the idea of it more than anything else - sit around and relax with family on a Sunday to watch our team.  I may have watched maybe 10 games in the last 5 seasons and that includes playoffs and super bowls.  I probably couldn't even name 10 current Skins players.  Actually, more like 5.  I try not to be a bitter old guy about it, but that's how it makes me feel - like a grumpy old man.
Pretty much feel the same about the direction of most things these days.  Every time I start to get angry or heated about a subject, I think...."man, I must be getting old", but the reality is...things really have taken a turn for the worse.  I can't listen to the news or watch tv without shaking my head and thinking....where have we gone
I have always been, and always will be a "substance over image" kind of guy, yet that is the opposite of what most things are today.  Nobody actually gives a crap about the truth or doing the right thing, only the appearance of it.  Politics, media, music, movie stars, pro athletes, etc, etc. As long as you look good, everything is okay.  Well...that is not going to lead our culture and our country to success.  Well, I said "nobody" but that's not accurate....mostly


I know my dead relatives would absolutely cringe at today's culture.  My uncle, who was born around 1920, lived through hard times;  depression era, served in WW2, learned, worked and lived a long 96 years.  He was one of my favorite people to talk to.  He was a man of character, with values, and a work ethic.  He made a life for himself and his family through hard work and hard times.  Lived a full life that was HARD, and was all the better for it.  I can't imagine what he would think of today's NFL and His country, which he proudly fought for, all the other shenanigans that go on in politics and today's culture and so on....


Sorry, but I have digressed into my "grumpy old man" again.  :angry:


And I AM NOT THAT OLD.  I'm only 52.  Not old enough to be a grumpy old man, so I guess I am a grumpy middle aged man.
(Yes, if you do the math, my Uncle was much too old, but my father is 78 and he was the 8th of 8 children, and was born when his father was 52 and his mother was 46.  (the doctors thought he was a tumor  :lol: [size=78%]) [/size]
He essentially grew up an only child.
My uncle was pretty much my grandfather figure.  My actual grandfather was born in 1890 and my grandmother was born in 1896.  It's crazy to think.  Grandfather died at 82 (throat cancer) but had been a heavy smoker for decades.  Grandmother lived to 97.  All 8 of there children (my aunts and uncles) lived well into there 90's.  Five of them have passed now, all lived to at least 94 years old.  (Well, my dad isn't in his 90's yet.)  The three youngest are now 92, 86, and 78.  (and the 86 year old still drives and plays golf 3-4 times a week.  Although....you REALLY don't want to ride with him.

Okay, sorry about the rant and the family history....got carried away in my old man-ness.  It would have sufficed to say...I don't watch the NFL anymore, because it stinks like most other things these days.


I too, am still hanging on for hockey.


Season get here already.  Go Caps!


My late 40’s, thru early fifties, was the time when I felt I was at my “grumpiest”, so far!
It was hard to tell how much of the world was truly getting more sour, versus how much my age was affecting my overall perspective. Probably a lot of both! LOL!


Over the last 4-5 yrs, for some unknown reason, I’ve started trying to be more intentional in navigating the route through general life! I just seem to filter out more negative stuff, and welcome more positive stuff! You could say I’ve grown a bit more selective with what I choose to deal with on a daily basis.
Not trying to depict a fairytale type of peace here, at all! Lord knows, there’s plenty of endless shit still out there, that can almost drive you to a “Texas Tower”, moment!  But don’t really know why the change in the last few years is happening.
Maybe I’m a tiny bit better at lettin go of some of the crap sandwiches that life tries to serve you from time to time! LOL!


Seems like you’ve got some pretty serious longevity, in the DNA of your family tree, Rich!
That’s cool, I think!
Now it’s just a matter of strapping that seat belt on for the rest of the RIDE!!!


Rush



Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: Mickstix on Wednesday October 02, 2019, 12:15:17 PM Eastern
How bout those Nats!! 1st game I watched all season.. Was about to wash my hands of it after the 1st inning, but stuck with it.. Got goose bumps in the bottom of the 8th.. Bad ass!! Hope they can handle the Dodgers..  :hearts:
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Wednesday October 02, 2019, 03:55:20 PM Eastern
How bout those Nats!! 1st game I watched all season.. Was about to wash my hands of it after the 1st inning, but stuck with it.. Got goose bumps in the bottom of the 8th.. Bad ass!! Hope they can handle the Dodgers..  :hearts:


I can't believe I missed it.  I was working late, but definitely home by the 8th.  Totally didn't even realize it was on.  I was watching the Caps vs Canes game from Sunday  :huh:


Go Nats.  Love me some Soto.  That kid is something else.  Stras has looked pretty damn good this year also.  And Rendon, and so on ......

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday October 02, 2019, 05:43:23 PM Eastern
I haven't seen a good option since the MLB shut down its boards, but I'm ok with it if you guys want to start a dedicated Nats thread for the playoffs, unless you know of a better place to discuss it
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: DC_1908 on Wednesday October 02, 2019, 06:02:35 PM Eastern
I haven't seen a good option since the MLB shut down its boards, but I'm ok with it if you guys want to start a dedicated Nats thread for the playoffs, unless you know of a better place to discuss it
Hell ya!  Go for it!
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday October 02, 2019, 06:36:52 PM Eastern
Hell ya!  Go for it!


Nats game 1 is tomorrow at the Dodgers. I guess I’ll make something for it tomorrow
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: ArJunaZ on Wednesday October 02, 2019, 06:41:48 PM Eastern
MAybe we should rename the board WashingtonFanForum and have a Nats section. :uh-huh:
  To hell with the Deadskins though.  :snicker:

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/03/67/be036714a743251334c5e88da423c3ff.jpg)
 
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Wednesday October 02, 2019, 06:46:49 PM Eastern
MAybe we should rename the board WashingtonFanForum and have a Nats section. :uh-huh:
  To hell with the Deadskins though.  :snicker:


naw, it’s just the playoffs, and I don’t want to open the door for a football or metric football section, and no way in hell Im doing a Bullets thread
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Thursday October 03, 2019, 08:34:46 PM Eastern
no one claimed Copely, he goes to Hershey...


https://novacapsfans.com/2019/10/03/capitals-pheonix-copley-clears-waivers-gets-assigned-to-ahl-hershey/#more-207126 (https://novacapsfans.com/2019/10/03/capitals-pheonix-copley-clears-waivers-gets-assigned-to-ahl-hershey/#more-207126)
Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: richkrt99 on Thursday October 03, 2019, 09:03:51 PM Eastern
So the Caps are currently $6.18m UNDER the cap with Kuzy and Kempney out.
Bringing back Kuzy ($7.8m) puts us over by $1.62m.  Drop one of the other C's will drop a max of 1.05m if its Stepho, leaving Caps still about .5m over the cap.  (more if its Boyd or Dowd)


Not sure what they plan when Kempney is ready.  That's another 2.5m.  It's likely Fever or Lewy, or Ziggy....all at about .7m which throws us another 1.8m over


How far can we be over without some sort of penalty?

Title: Re: Off Season
Post by: alta on Thursday October 03, 2019, 09:15:42 PM Eastern
I don’t think they have the same rules as baseball, pretty sure they can’t be over the cap at all. I still don’t like that contract they gave 74