| barbogast |
01-15-2016 12:33 PM |
Re: The NHL Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by fonzz41
(Post 16250847)
I've been meaning to tell you, I watched a chunk of their game against the Canucks (first time I've really watched them this year), and they looked fantastic. Balanced contributions from all lines in terms of guys doing their job, good play in the neutral zone, defense moved the puck well (need to be a little tougher in front of the net though) and their breakout was flawless.
Probably the thing I liked most is that Trotz seems to have found a system in which the team plays well, but the stars are allowed to shine. Besides Ovechkin (who did look good in terms of all-around play. I saw one pass of his that gave me a serious boner), I really noticed Backstrom, Kuznetsov, and Oshie. And that's good. I mean, some claim that in a team with a good system, you shouldn't even notice the stars, but I would contend that a good system ALLOWS the stars to be noticed and do what they do best, while still being a part of that system. It was a lot of fun to watch. Ovie-Backstrom-Oshie seems to click well, as we thought they would.
All in all, the Caps seem poised to make some noise. And again, I'm not talking about their W-L record or their past failures. Anyone can talk about that. I'm talking about the product I saw on the ice for that game. If that's consistently how they're playing (something I wouldn't doubt on a Trotz-coached team), they could have a deep run this year.
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To expand on my previous response, all of this is why I'm so nervous about the playoffs this year. Anyone who really watches a game of theirs will understand what I mean when I say: this is the year they are actually built to win the Cup. All the pieces are clearly there, both on a tangible basis and on an intangible one too. Roster wise, there isn't anything to dislike really. Two legit lethal scoring lines. Teams truly cannot focus on shutting down 8-19-77 because Kuznetsov will absolutely burn you no matter who is playing wing for him. Like I said, they're proving to be very strong defensively without even having their top 2 in the lineup. Can you imagine what life will be like when John Carlson comes back? Good lord. Two great checking lines that can score as well. Jason Chimera and Tom Wilson have been very strong recently. And obviously, Holtby's season cannot be overstated enough. He's on pace to record one of the greatest seasons of goaltending ever.
Then there's the intangible stuff. The way they play for each other, and really truly give a fuck in a way I've not seen from this team before. The chemistry that developed almost instantly between Ovechkin and Oshie, or Kuznetsov and Williams. The talk the right talk. Braden Holtby got asked "how do you feel about the possibility of setting a record for single season wins?" His response: "none of that stuff matters if we get bounced early." Stuff like that.
Basically, this team really should win the Cup this time. In 2010 when they got bounced by the Habs there was noticeable deficiencies, especially in goal and on defense. They relied solely on the ability to score 5-7 goals per game. Then they ran into a freakishly hot goalie and couldn't handle it.
There are no deficiencies this year. This team is built correctly and have proven all season that they can be successful no matter what the situation in the game is. Good team that they blow a lead against? No problem. Go down 3 early? No problem. Play against weaker competition? No problem. The pieces are really all there. Brian McLellan and Barry Trotz have turned this team into a monster.
There's just that big ugly playoff choking thing. They gotta shake that. I'm nervous that they cannot. We thought we couldn't take the Caps seriously before? If they get bounced in round one or two this year, yikes. Especially considering how weak the East has been this year by comparison. They can't choke this time. Any respect they have is gone. And I don't really care about being respected by the rest of the league. I'm just nervous how it affects this franchise going forward.
I'm really just ready for the playoffs. I don't wanna do three more months of season. I wanna see what this team's really all about. And they deserve a better fate this year. They've earned it. But we'll see.
End of Caps novel, we can continue on with our lives now
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