Comments on: Bruins beat Caps 4-1: Mortifying

By: Armchair GM: Fiddling with the Roster

Armchair GM: Fiddling with the Roster — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 05:32:22 +0000

[...] hat trick and Tomas Fleischmann’s OTGWGFTW capped off a miserable stint for the team. Two deflating losses to the Bruins provide an excellent case study in the Caps’ problems: aside from a soaring PK [...]

By: Caps Scoring Chances thru Oct 24, 2010

Caps Scoring Chances thru Oct 24, 2010 — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:12:22 +0000

[...] a week. We saw the PK streak come to an end at 25, the Caps roster looks like a scene from M*A*S*H and even the owner called the team average. Then [...]

By: over_head (rob)

over_head (rob) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:26:42 +0000

@Rob Depends on the situation and how aggressive they want to be on the puck I suppose. I wish I understood what Bruce asks them to do defensively, but I do not. I do know that they do not want people taking shots from the slot while they are unmolested. I would have to watch the game again and pay more attention. The breakout does seem weak, but to me that is because the Caps seem to depend too often on the stretch pass, when that is not available they look a little lost to me. Even if the wings are deep they *should* be able to get the puck up the ice, it just might require a little skating from the defense. All that being said I am not hockey systems expert, so I could be way off.

As a fan I know what they are doing does not look like it is working. I see lots of gliding and not enough hard work.

By: Ian Oland

Ian Oland — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:03:01 +0000

I propose two things. Put Fehr on the first line with Ovi, and dump Knuble to the second line with Semin and PERREAULT. Crazy, right?

By: 28ISGREAT

28ISGREAT — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:56:03 +0000

Backstrom & Knuble.

Under normal circumstances, only one of these guys deserves to be on the 1st line.

Under current circumstances, neither do.

By: charlie

charlie — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:30:56 +0000

center spot is looking weak, all four levels. yikes!

By: Rob

Rob — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:18:52 +0000

@Sean – well the last 2 games that could have had as much to do with Green being out since thats where the majority of our issues are…we are a transtion and PP team thats it…we are not going to beat you 5 on 5 playing 1/2 ice….team has never been that way since Ovie got here…if Gordo is our cog, and there are 5 guys in Hershey that could replace him…we are in trouble

@Overheard – I can’t believe the coach WANTS the wings down in the Defensive corners helping out struggling D men, they don’t have a choice…hence why the puck stays in and stifles ANY transtion…makes it easier to clog the neutral zone too…the centers have been horrible in that regard.

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:10:55 +0000

@Salvatore

Let’s be friends.

By: over_head (rob)

over_head (rob) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:41:01 +0000

If I compared the Caps play to any metal, it would be Meshugga. Everyone playing to a different time signature. It works for OK for the music, but not so well on the ice.

I have a hard time being critical of the Caps defensive positioning (wings to high, wings to low etc) because I do not fully understand what Bruce is asking them to do. And it is really difficult on TV, from the close up view, to tell exactly what is happening away from the puck. I can guess and apply what most coaches ask player to do, but it is just that, a guess. I can say this, three people staring at the guy with the puck behind the net with their backs turned to the rest of the ice is not a good defensive strategy . The Caps in general, wings, centers, defense, were beat in one on one battles too often. They were lazy IMO. And, IMO, the forward this year have been lazy on the back check far too often. It has left the defense in a bad spot many times.

I am not too worried about it for the most part. But, there is one thing bothering me. Teams are doing this year exactly what Montreal did in the playoffs. That is they clogging up the neutral zone and forcing the Caps to be patient. The Caps are not good at being patient. They have not adjusted to this yet, and I figured they would have after the playoff exit last year. I will give them time, but if BB is not asking them to adjust he is not doing his job. Another problem is being patient also includes working hard on both ends of the ice and frankly the Caps are not getting it done. This is not a hot goaltender problem, it is a failure to adjust to other teams strategy and a failure to work hard enough to win individual battles. Defense is mostly about effort and hard work, not seeing either consistently.

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:22:36 +0000

Cannibal Corpse – Evisceration Plague

Gut the nightly roster.