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Caps '11-'12 Thread [Dennis Wideman to Calgary for a 5th etc.]

Sticksboi05

By Sticksboi05
in The Tailgate

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HBnotBlades

HBnotBlades

Posted
Posted

Ummm, I think Leonsis is right. Nobody on the message boards is a professional talent evaluator. Just look at the thread that was bumped in the stadium back from when we drafted Perry Riley, nearly everyone in the thread is raging about how Bruce Campbell was available and we missed him. Fans generally overreact to the information that they have, and they're always working with less complete information than the people making the decisions.

Further, didn't we just finish watching a Kings team win the cup from a #8 seed. In this age of parody, the way to win a championship seems to revolve around making the playoffs consistently, having a defense that can shut teams down in the playoffs, having a goalie capable of stealing a game or two per series, and having opportunistic scoring. You could pretty easily argue we have at least three of those right now, with the scoring being a bit inconsistent. It's currently a 'make the playoffs and roll the dice' league.

Overall, the team is still very young and with most players till on the upside of their careers. Two years from now we could have another influx of elite young offensive talent with Kuznetsov and Forsberg. When I look at the roster, I think the team could easily have another 6-8 years of being competitive as our players develop and mature.

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endzone_dave

endzone_dave

Posted
Posted
Ummm, I think Leonsis is right. Nobody on the message boards is a professional talent evaluator. Just look at the thread that was bumped in the stadium back from when we drafted Perry Riley, nearly everyone in the thread is raging about how Bruce Campbell was available and we missed him. Fans generally overreact to the information that they have, and they're always working with less complete information than the people making the decisions.

Further, didn't we just finish watching a Kings team win the cup from a #8 seed. In this age of parody, the way to win a championship seems to revolve around making the playoffs consistently, having a defense that can shut teams down in the playoffs, having a goalie capable of stealing a game or two per series, and having opportunistic scoring. You could pretty easily argue we have at least three of those right now, with the scoring being a bit inconsistent. It's currently a 'make the playoffs and roll the dice' league.

Overall, the team is still very young and with most players till on the upside of their careers. Two years from now we could have another influx of elite young offensive talent with Kuznetsov and Forsberg. When I look at the roster, I think the team could easily have another 6-8 years of being competitive as our players develop and mature.

We all can keep hoping the Ovechkin, Green, Backstrom (not Semin now) team wins a Cup and that those guys will keep getting better and better (which isn't happening).

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HBnotBlades

HBnotBlades

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We all can keep hoping the Ovechkin, Green, Backstrom (not Semin now) team wins a Cup and that those guys will keep getting better and better (which isn't happening).

I'm not talking about those guys, I think they've reached their peak. Green could certainly be better than he has been over the last few years (simply playing would be a start), but I doubt we see anything more statistically from Ovechkin and Backstrom.

Alzner and Carlson are an absolutely amazing pair considering their age. They're 22 and 23 and have already played big time playoff minutes as a shutdown pair. That's nearly unheard of. Orlov looks like he could be a hell of a player. Holtby has the talent and demeanor to be an all-star caliber goaltender. Johansson seems to get a ton of crap from fans, but we forget that he just turned 21 during the season. He's still growing and is already a 40 point player... At 21!

Even looking at our top line, Ovechkin, Brouwer, and Backstrom are 26, 26, and 24 respectively. We might not get much more from them statistically, but they have another 8-10 years of being top 6 players and veteran leaders. We're going into a season with at least 7 regular players under 24 and 13 under 27. This is still a really young team. The window is not closing.

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herrmag

herrmag

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^^^Of the "big 3" players you mentioned above, why did you include Backstrom? You really think he's peaked? I wholeheartedly disagree with you on that, and I think Backstrom showed last year that he's still developing into a leader on the ice, and learning how to use physicality as an asset rather than relying solely on finesse.

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HBnotBlades

HBnotBlades

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^^^Of the "big 3" players you mentioned above, why did you include Backstrom? You really think he's peaked? I wholeheartedly disagree with you on that, and I think Backstrom showed last year that he's still developing into a leader on the ice, and learning how to use physicality as an asset rather than relying solely on finesse.

I agree with you. I meant he's likely reached his statistical peak, I tried to clarify that in the last paragraph. I'm not not too confident that he'll reach 100+ points again, but I do think he's definitely getting better as an all around player. He's much stronger on the puck, tougher on the boards, and more sound defensively than he was during his 101 point season. Backstrom, like OV, has probably hit his statistical peak, but that is often different than a "playing winning hockey" peak.

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pjfootballer

pjfootballer

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Posted

Anyone still want to compete? Add SE Division banners in the rafters?

Or do you want to win a cup? Prove it Caps. Win a cup.

I've been down this road before (Competing) in the mid 80s and late 90s. Being competitive is worthless if you don't win a cup.

Win a cup and I'll never say a negative word again.

Just win a Cup.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Popeman38

Popeman38

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http://twitter.com/WaltonCaps/statuses/23801895098058752

Have never heard Ron Weber before in my life

That is the voice that taught me hockey. I learned what offsides was, icing, two-line pass, interference, hooking, boarding, roughing, fighting, instigating.....I had listened to hundreds of Caps games on my AM/FM clock radio before I had ever watched a game on TV. In learning the game on the radio and then transitioning to TV, I think it really helped me understand the game. Adding moving pictures was a bonus. I watched games on WDCA-20 with the volume off and WMAL on the radio so I could both watch and listen. I was angry when they let Ron Weber go. But the Caps went to a SCF the next year, so the anger subsided a bit. But I have missed that voice. I will admit that I listened to his last game and shed a tear when he signed off for the last time.

Thanks you Ron Weber, for helping me fall in love with the game of hockey. And Brave, this is so much better than any news on the labor front. I felt like a kid again listening to that call.

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More Complete

More Complete

Posted
Posted

Interesting

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capitals-insider/post/michal-neuvirth-alex-ovechkin-isnt-what-he-used-to-be/2012/08/21/9aebc9d2-eb95-11e1-a80b-9f898562d010_blog.html

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin “isn’t what he used to be,” teammate Michal Neuvirth says in a surprisingly candid interview that also touches on the goalie competition, new Coach Adam Oates and more.

“He isn’t what he used to be, that’s for sure,” the Czech netminder told iSportz.cz, as translated by Russian Machine Never Breaks. “And if a team like ours wants to have a chance in Stanley Cup, we need Ovi to be the best.”

Neuvirth didn't stop there, discussing ex-teammate Alexander Semin — “He didn’t have the best work ethic” — and Oates’s hiring — it’s good “because it means Dale Hunter isn’t staying.”

No, please, tell us how you really feel. Hurry over to RMNB for the full interview.

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ixcuincle

ixcuincle

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Posted

It's very sad that I had no idea who Weber was until 2009 / 2010, almost a decade after he left. I still haven't heard him yet, I don't have the time. I have a few of his calls saved on this computer, on mp3 format (including the final call). I will try to make time to listen to those excerpts

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BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93

BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93

Posted
Posted
Interesting

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capitals-insider/post/michal-neuvirth-alex-ovechkin-isnt-what-he-used-to-be/2012/08/21/9aebc9d2-eb95-11e1-a80b-9f898562d010_blog.html

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin “isn’t what he used to be,” teammate Michal Neuvirth says in a surprisingly candid interview that also touches on the goalie competition, new Coach Adam Oates and more.

“He isn’t what he used to be, that’s for sure,” the Czech netminder told iSportz.cz, as translated by Russian Machine Never Breaks. “And if a team like ours wants to have a chance in Stanley Cup, we need Ovi to be the best.”

Neuvirth didn't stop there, discussing ex-teammate Alexander Semin — “He didn’t have the best work ethic” — and Oates’s hiring — it’s good “because it means Dale Hunter isn’t staying.”

No, please, tell us how you really feel. Hurry over to RMNB for the full interview.

And didn't he say Holtby was his "weakest" competition so far??

Neuvy isn't gonna stand for the BS anymore!! he's speaking out! lol

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  • 2 weeks later...
pjfootballer

pjfootballer

Posted
Posted

Just a damn shame. I feel like we just went through this. It doesn't feel like it's been, what, 8 years? I'd like to see them sign a 15 year deal this time. Greed is ruining this country. Out and outright greed. We used to barely have any sports work stoppages, now they happen ever 3 years to one of the major sports. This country makes me sick with their greed.

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heyholetsgogrant

heyholetsgogrant

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Posted
http://twitter.com/SWhyno/statuses/246629927527530497

Too bad the NHL will lock out Sunday. :ols:

That's an overpay for someone who really hasn't done that much, Teddy must be banking on the players taking a pay cut in the next CBA.

Alex Ovechkin talks lockout, KHL

“

If the league (NHL) continues to insist on their (demands), then it will take a full year. That's because we are not going to cave in. Then I will spend the entire season in the KHL. It's an absolute reality.

”

-- Alex Ovechkin, to Sovetsky Sport

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8393660/washington-capitals-alexander-ovechkin-says-lockout-take-full-year

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