Look out! Here comes star player Troy Brouwer! Man, if they could get some help to compliment his raw skill, Washington would be a decent team. You could really center a franchise around a guy like that.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Toyota Star Track
Look out! Here comes star player Troy Brouwer! Man, if they could get some help to compliment his raw skill, Washington would be a decent team. You could really center a franchise around a guy like that.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
He said it a few days ago, but I've been writing about it ever since.
Butch Goring during the Isles/Canes game on Monday:
"Matt Moulson is five years older than John Tavares, but they've known each other since they were 13 years old."
Hmmm...
Do you think on Tavares' 13th birthday he said, "Holy shit, you're Matt Moulson!?"
Moulson shook his head.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
"A PALTRY OFFENSIVE SHOWING BY ALEX OVECHKIN!"
Having already doubled his projected goal total for the '13 season, expect a staggering influx of endorsement dollars for Alex Ovechkin from the likes of Nike, Adidas, and K-Y Yours & Mine lubricant.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
50 Shades of Butthurt
With this shortened season (and our perpetual hockey boners) set to commence this coming weekend, the blogosphere is full of luscious new reading material to peruse and ridicule. Within this vibrant garden of premium journalism is an ever-expanding patch of predictions, including varieties such as team standings, point leaders, and the oh-so-coveted Cup champion. Since these written predictions are always wrong, this opens the gate for another gardener to water his or her blog until a dainty pansy of an article has blossomed. Thanks for giving me some feed, Wysh!
Coming up, the TSN top 50 for 2013, and a few critiques …
So, this is TSN's top 50 for the 2013 season -- this particular season we're about to begin, that is. This list appears to be providing who those at TSN believe will be the top 50 players for THIS COMING SEASON, likely based on players' current abilities (rather than career output... sorry, Hejduk), their potential for success with their respective teams, and perhaps a little bit of personal bias... GASP!
Since providing our lovely reader(s) with TSN's top 50 list was easier than anticipated (who knew copy-paste could actually work? I'm genuinely marveled.), here it is, in all of its flawless and objective glory:
That's a respectable list! The only significant changes I would make would be to drop Richards and Keith off of this list (not far off, though), send Kessel a little higher ("half way down, guys"), and bring Brad Doty into the early-20s. Other than that, the movement would be minimal. What do you think, Daddy-G?
Bobby Ryan isn't better than any of these players?
Sure, he has better hands than Dustin Brown and a better shot than Pekka Rinne, but look at the roster surrounding him in Anaheim -- it shouldn't surprise (m)any that his assist totals were down last season. Adding Souray, Allen, and Winnik to the roster isn't a guarantee for top-gear offense as one may believe. Ryan certainly has the pedigree to make this list, but I agree with TSN's decision to keep him off of it this season.
Can we go back to the days when Henrik Sedin was clearly seen as the better Sedin? In 2010-11, he was ranked sixth while Daniel was No. 18. Last year, the two were ranked sequentially, and it happened again this year.
No, you idiot. Henrik was ranked higher heading into the '10-'11 season due to Daniel's injury the previous season. Daniel finished ten points ahead of Henrik in '10-'11, while Henrik finished 14 points ahead of Daniel last season. A sequential ranking seems appropriate right now, although they appear to be missing their less attractive, more productive triplet in these rankings... AGAIN.
There’s probably an alternate universe in which Erik Karlsson is a more complete, accomplished and consistent player than Zdeno Chara. We imagine it’s always raining Skittles and cars drive people there, too.
There (potentially) is! It's called 2023! Of course Chara is the more established and well-rounded defenseman of the two, and it's silly of Wysh to even give the impression that the alternative is possible (or that anyone outside of Ottawa or my basement thinks this is possible) at this point. Zdeno is 35 this year, which means he will regress this season. Or, it means that he'll put up 50 points in 48 games while throwing 100+ hits. OR, it means that he's retiring tomorrow and becoming fully invested in his nude modeling passion. We don't know! That's the fun part!
What we do know, however, is that Karlsson had quite a breakout last season, worthy enough to surpass Chara for the Norris Trophy. Is it THAT much of a stretch to think that Karlsson may be able to step his game up this season? Perhaps, but the potential is there for him to do so, where it's more likely for Chara to maintain his current output or to begin trending downward. Regardless, they're listed sequentially within the top 15, and Wysh wouldn't have said a damn thing if their positions were swapped on this list. It's not as if TSN posted this as, "Erik Karlsson: NUMBA ONE GO CANADA FUK YEH! Zdeno Chara: DED LAST LOL U SUKK!" Just unbunch those loins, man.
The Phoenix Coyotes do not exist, and if they do, then Shane Doan and Keith Yandle Mike Smith and Oliver Ekman-Larsson are all products of Dave Tippett’s system and not part of the top 50.
The Coyotes do, in fact, exist, but the rest of that statement is pretty accurate. As good of players as these four may or may not be, Dave Tippett's defensive strategy is well-executed and has provided efficient results throughout his coaching history. In fact, between the six years he coached in Dallas and the three he has spent in Phoenix, his teams have only finished below 7th in Goals Against Average twice. Offensive declines from Doan and Yandle probably factored into their lesser rankings, as well. Mike Smith's fantastic numbers could have earned him a spot on this list, but you just can't fit that many players into such a tight spot (unless you're from Brazzers or RedTube).
All due respect to the run Dustin Brown had on the Kings’ most productive offensive line, but where the [expletive] is David Backes on this list?
Uh... he's clearly not on this list. Glad I was here to clarify that for you.
Sorry Dan Girardi, but being the best defensive defenseman in hockey isn’t good enough. NEEDZ MOAR POINTZ.
Just as being the best fighter in the league isn't good enough for Alex Semin. TSN, I know you don't usually incorporate defensive defensemen into your yearly top 50, but It Would Be Cooler If You Did. I'd probably place Ryan McDonagh higher up than Girardi, anyway (but not above Scott Gomez).
So we can reward Jordan Staal’s potential as a player who emerged from the Sid/Geno shadow and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' potential as a sophomore player, but Gabe Landeskog has, what, hit his ceiling?
No, but Gabe is surrounded by players who underperformed last season and despite Colorado's offseason acquisition of Parenteau, they are still flying very low under the radar. The Oilers are laden with prized prospects and top draft picks while Carolina has added two significant top six forwards to an already competitive squad. Forgive them (and 80% of the other teams in the league) for keeping the spotlight off of Denver.
Finally, please put Loui Eriksson on these lists. Every time you don’t, the Underrated Monster grows stronger and more ravenous …
Actually, he'll probably just put up around 16 goals and 26 assists, which is about the same per-game pace he has kept over the past three seasons. He would replace Mike Richards on my list, while I'd replace Duncan Keith with either Patrick Sharp or Mike Smith, but it's all trivial at this point.
The point is: FOUR DAYS! HOCKEY'S BACK!
Coming up, the TSN top 50 for 2013, and a few critiques …
So, this is TSN's top 50 for the 2013 season -- this particular season we're about to begin, that is. This list appears to be providing who those at TSN believe will be the top 50 players for THIS COMING SEASON, likely based on players' current abilities (rather than career output... sorry, Hejduk), their potential for success with their respective teams, and perhaps a little bit of personal bias... GASP!
Since providing our lovely reader(s) with TSN's top 50 list was easier than anticipated (who knew copy-paste could actually work? I'm genuinely marveled.), here it is, in all of its flawless and objective glory:
| 1. Sidney Crosby | 26. Ryan Suter |
| 2. Evgeni Malkin | 27. Pekka Rinne |
| 3. Claude Giroux | 28. Alex Pietrangelo |
| 4. Steven Stamkos | 29. Kris Letang |
| 5. Pavel Datsyuk | 30. Martin St. Louis |
| 6. Jonathan Toews | 31. Tyler Seguin |
| 7. Shea Weber | 32. Marian Hossa |
| 8. Daniel Sedin | 33. Nicklas Backstrom |
| 9. Henrik Sedin | 34. Ryan Getzlaf |
| 10. Anze Kopitar | 35. Patrice Bergeron |
| 11. Erik Karlsson | 36. James Neal |
| 12. Zdeno Chara | 37. Jarome Iginla |
| 13. Zach Parise | 38. Patrick Kane |
| 14. Alex Ovechkin | 39. Jamie Benn |
| 15. Henrik Lundqvist | 40. Joe Thornton |
| 16. Jonathan Quick | 41. Logan Couture |
| 17. Drew Doughty | 42. Brad Richards |
| 18. Ilya Kovalchuk | 43. Dustin Brown |
| 19. Corey Perry | 44. Mike Richards |
| 20. John Tavares | 45. Marian Gaborik |
| 21. Eric Staal | 46. Jordan Staal |
| 22. Henrik Zetterberg | 47. Phil Kessel |
| 23. Jason Spezza | 48. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins |
| 24. Rick Nash | 49. Duncan Keith |
| 25. Jordan Eberle | 50. Taylor Hall |
That's a respectable list! The only significant changes I would make would be to drop Richards and Keith off of this list (not far off, though), send Kessel a little higher ("half way down, guys"), and bring Brad Doty into the early-20s. Other than that, the movement would be minimal. What do you think, Daddy-G?
Bobby Ryan isn't better than any of these players?
Sure, he has better hands than Dustin Brown and a better shot than Pekka Rinne, but look at the roster surrounding him in Anaheim -- it shouldn't surprise (m)any that his assist totals were down last season. Adding Souray, Allen, and Winnik to the roster isn't a guarantee for top-gear offense as one may believe. Ryan certainly has the pedigree to make this list, but I agree with TSN's decision to keep him off of it this season.
Can we go back to the days when Henrik Sedin was clearly seen as the better Sedin? In 2010-11, he was ranked sixth while Daniel was No. 18. Last year, the two were ranked sequentially, and it happened again this year.
No, you idiot. Henrik was ranked higher heading into the '10-'11 season due to Daniel's injury the previous season. Daniel finished ten points ahead of Henrik in '10-'11, while Henrik finished 14 points ahead of Daniel last season. A sequential ranking seems appropriate right now, although they appear to be missing their less attractive, more productive triplet in these rankings... AGAIN.
There’s probably an alternate universe in which Erik Karlsson is a more complete, accomplished and consistent player than Zdeno Chara. We imagine it’s always raining Skittles and cars drive people there, too.
There (potentially) is! It's called 2023! Of course Chara is the more established and well-rounded defenseman of the two, and it's silly of Wysh to even give the impression that the alternative is possible (or that anyone outside of Ottawa or my basement thinks this is possible) at this point. Zdeno is 35 this year, which means he will regress this season. Or, it means that he'll put up 50 points in 48 games while throwing 100+ hits. OR, it means that he's retiring tomorrow and becoming fully invested in his nude modeling passion. We don't know! That's the fun part!
What we do know, however, is that Karlsson had quite a breakout last season, worthy enough to surpass Chara for the Norris Trophy. Is it THAT much of a stretch to think that Karlsson may be able to step his game up this season? Perhaps, but the potential is there for him to do so, where it's more likely for Chara to maintain his current output or to begin trending downward. Regardless, they're listed sequentially within the top 15, and Wysh wouldn't have said a damn thing if their positions were swapped on this list. It's not as if TSN posted this as, "Erik Karlsson: NUMBA ONE GO CANADA FUK YEH! Zdeno Chara: DED LAST LOL U SUKK!" Just unbunch those loins, man.
The Phoenix Coyotes do not exist, and if they do, then Shane Doan and Keith Yandle Mike Smith and Oliver Ekman-Larsson are all products of Dave Tippett’s system and not part of the top 50.
The Coyotes do, in fact, exist, but the rest of that statement is pretty accurate. As good of players as these four may or may not be, Dave Tippett's defensive strategy is well-executed and has provided efficient results throughout his coaching history. In fact, between the six years he coached in Dallas and the three he has spent in Phoenix, his teams have only finished below 7th in Goals Against Average twice. Offensive declines from Doan and Yandle probably factored into their lesser rankings, as well. Mike Smith's fantastic numbers could have earned him a spot on this list, but you just can't fit that many players into such a tight spot (unless you're from Brazzers or RedTube).
All due respect to the run Dustin Brown had on the Kings’ most productive offensive line, but where the [expletive] is David Backes on this list?
Uh... he's clearly not on this list. Glad I was here to clarify that for you.
Sorry Dan Girardi, but being the best defensive defenseman in hockey isn’t good enough. NEEDZ MOAR POINTZ.
Just as being the best fighter in the league isn't good enough for Alex Semin. TSN, I know you don't usually incorporate defensive defensemen into your yearly top 50, but It Would Be Cooler If You Did. I'd probably place Ryan McDonagh higher up than Girardi, anyway (but not above Scott Gomez).
So we can reward Jordan Staal’s potential as a player who emerged from the Sid/Geno shadow and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' potential as a sophomore player, but Gabe Landeskog has, what, hit his ceiling?
No, but Gabe is surrounded by players who underperformed last season and despite Colorado's offseason acquisition of Parenteau, they are still flying very low under the radar. The Oilers are laden with prized prospects and top draft picks while Carolina has added two significant top six forwards to an already competitive squad. Forgive them (and 80% of the other teams in the league) for keeping the spotlight off of Denver.
Finally, please put Loui Eriksson on these lists. Every time you don’t, the Underrated Monster grows stronger and more ravenous …
Actually, he'll probably just put up around 16 goals and 26 assists, which is about the same per-game pace he has kept over the past three seasons. He would replace Mike Richards on my list, while I'd replace Duncan Keith with either Patrick Sharp or Mike Smith, but it's all trivial at this point.
The point is: FOUR DAYS! HOCKEY'S BACK!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
I'm Wide Awake, It's Boring
YAWWWN
I’m awake. And I’m happier than a Sheahan in a Teletubby costume store (or more accurately, a Sheahan who can’t complain because he played great), because HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK! HOCKEY’S BACK!
To be fair, the NHL is back; “hockey” never went away. Any Canadian man or woman or beast will remind you that the minor leagues is where the “real” players are, who play with “heart” and “hustle” and “aren’t” “spoiled” “by the” greed “of” whiny “players” and “Gary ‘Butt’man.” "I’M KEEPING MY HOCKEY RELATED REVENUE IN MY RECTUM."
Ok, good for you. I’m going to fill a barrel with dead fish and then fire a rocket launcher at it by going over to Bleacher Report to see if I can find somet - found it.
It’s TITLED:
5 Bold Predictions for the San Jose Sharks
With a title like that, I am ready for some bizarre-ass shit. Tommy Wingels for Art Ross. Ryane Clowe for “Girls Choice for Brother” in the team yearbook. Douglas Murray for handsome. I’m ready, SO BRING ON THE BOLD.
1. Antti Niemi Will Shine in Net.
OW! MY EYES! TOO BOLD!
Goalie Antti Niemi has already won a Stanley Cup, back in 2010 with the Chicago Blackhawks.
San Jose has a deep and talented defense with Dan Boyle, Douglas Murray, Brent Burns, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Brad Stuart, Jason Demers and Justin Braun all available. They provide a good mix of youth and experience and play-makers and positional players.
I know not every goalie who was “won a Stanley Cup” is awesome, but it’s not like Niemi has been BAD or is unproven as far as goaltenders go. He went .915/2.42 last year in 68 games. Sure, he’ll “shine” or play pretty decent. Plus, he's got good defensemen, but that doesn't matter. Whatever, that’s one not-really-bold-at-all statement. A bold start, Brad Kurtzberg!
Boring 1, Anquan Boldin 0.
2. Logan Couture Will Take His Game to the Next Level
Logan Couture is 23 and has already enjoyed back-to-back 30-goal seasons for the Sharks.
During the lockout, the London, Ontario, native has stayed sharp by playing in Switzerland, where he is averaging a point per game.
Very impressive. Lots of recognizable point-per-game talent in that Swiss League. This guy is someone I think I didn’t forget. This guy sure has a bright future in the NHL. Maybe he will take his game to the next level. This guy is a Jew. So that's interest and relevant. Did I cherry-pick a bit? Never, but don’t go and check to see if I’m ruining it by looking at the others.
Look for the young Couture to have another stellar season and even to take his production to the next level. He is already in game shape, has immense talent and still hasn't reached his prime.
Oh, I’ll be looking. Logan Couture is a very good player. He was also taken 9th overall in his draft. To say he might even reach another level! isn’t ground-breaking. It’s not even ground-pushing-and-shoving. It’s just ground-walking in slippers on cement.
For those of you scoring at home, that’s Boldness 0, Boredom 2. Maybe he picks up the boldness with the next one.
3. Martin Havlat Will Not Stay Healthy All Season
HOLY FUCK BRAD KURTZBERG THIS SHIT IS SO BOLD. Blogger won’t let me put the text of the prediction in a bolded font in fear of the consequences. When I put this prediction on my spare ribs, THEY TASTE AWESOME. THAT IS HOW BOLD THIS IS. I have to stop reading this. You can’t keep up the break-neck pace on these insane predictions, Brad.
“Havlat gets bad hurts and stuff.” Ugh. Can you think of any one thing you could say about the Sharks that would be LESS bold? I'll try:
Things to say about the Sharks that are not as bold as predicting Martin Havlat will get hurt:
1. Joe Thornton will choke in the playoffs.
2. Patrick Marleau will choke in the playoffs.
3. Douglas Murray is hideous and barely human.
4. the cotton gin
5.....
So I could think of four. That's not enough to write for Bleacher Report. Guess I'm stuck blogging for free in my hockey coach's basement.
Martin Havlat only played in 39 games last season for the Sharks. When he did play, he was disappointing, producing only seven goals and 27 points, well below expectations.
WELL below? He obviously played hurt, too, and his pace put him on par with Joe Pavelski and 5th on the team. Not to mention, he averaged 3 minutes fewer per game than Pavelski, Thornton and Marleau. He also had the lowest shot percentage of his career by a mile. That will improve. He’s like, the unluckiest guy in the league.
I know we are all a bunch of Marty lackeys around here, but why do writers hate him so much? Did he kick their puppies? Did he fart without saying doorknob? Did he bone their wives? Actually, yeah, he probably boned their wives.
That’s 0fer 3 on the boldness. And man, this is the opposite of bold.
4. Either Patrick Marleau or Joe Thornton Will Not Be with the Sharks Next Year
Ok, sure. This is a bold prediction. It’s also stupid. The Sharks will have to clear some cap space because the salary cap is dropping thanks to how those silly owners just can't control them crazy selves. They’ll also have over $6 million in cap space cleared without having to move Thornton or Marleau since Ryane Clowe and Michal Handzus ($2.5 mil for him?! What?!) will be UFAs.
They could see how the team is doing at the deadline in 2014 and then move their expiring contracts. They’ll still be under 35. I know this is a BOLD prediction, but why would San Jose do this?
The Sharks have a lot of money invested in two players: Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton. They are both 33. Both of them are considered leaders on this team, but many critics both inside and outside the organization question their leadership abilities.
Joe will be sitting tub-side with a fork and knife, waiting to eat a tub-full of leadership squat.
5. Larry Robinson Will Be the Head Coach of the Sharks by Next Season
One thing about Robinson: He knows how to win. As a player with Montreal and Los Angeles, he won six Stanley Cups and never failed to reach the postseason in 20 NHL seasons.
He has also won three Stanley Cups as a coach (head or assistant) or scout.
That is some expert scouting. Larry Robinson knows how to scout a Cup.
"Do you see that? In the distance? Hiding in the plains of the Serengeti?"
No, Larry, what is it?!
"That is it."
"That's the Stanley Cup."
And he’s never lost anything: chess, keys, chutes and ladders, BurgerTime, a coin flip. No pennies in between Larry Robinson’s couch cushions. And when he watches LOST, he can’t.
Also, check out that Cup team he head coached. They were sure crummy before he took over for 8 games. How about those 4 amazing, winnerized seasons in LA? Nothing about those eh?
Also also, since he’s such a winning winner who wins all the winning wins, shouldn’t having him as an assistant coach be enough? Or is San Jose just that big a sack of sad sack losers?
Also also also, this isn’t that bold either. The Sharks are a team that has high expectations. If they aren’t met, they will fire the coach because you can’t fire players and then hey why not hire the guy with the Cup win and stuff. That always works.
Anyway, hopefully I’m back for a while. I missed you, lover.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Like a locked out Bruin...
I'm out of my hibernation. Expect some more from us (well, me) real, real, real soon. Hockey's back, all-right!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
"We'll run you down, look motherfucker, this is our team"
The 2012-13 NHL season is set to begin on October 11, yet, here we are, nine days from what we can assume will be an official declaration of another dreadful lockout. Oh, well! The following article discusses the Washington Capitals and which of their roster players should be considered "untouchable."
Nicklas Backstrom
Backstrom, 24, is signed through the 2019-2020 season and is going to be Washington’s first line center for quite a long time. He has been playing in Washington since the 2007-2008 season when he immediately made an impact. Backstrom totaled 14 goals and 15 assists in his rookie season with the Capitals, including four goals and two assists in seven playoff games.
Why, yes, Nicklas Backstrom was a finalist for the Calder Trophy after finishing ninth in rookie scoring. I don't know about you guys, but I think Aaron Voros was snubbed.
Please, please, check your statistics before posting any article highlighting said statistics. 40 points is quite the difference. By the way, do you guys think Stamkos will hit 100 goals again next season? Wait, lockout... damn it.
This past season, Backstrom battled through injuries posting a solid 44 points in only 42 games. He looks to regain his scoring touch and stay healthy in the upcoming season and will be a key figure for the Capitals in the many years to come.
Wait for it...
He is locked in with Washington for a long time and should never be moved. He still has room to improve and is one of the best two way forwards in the entire NHL. He should enter the season as the number one season(sic) alongside Alex Ovechkin and another winger, possibly Troy Brouwer.
...BOOM! NEVER be moved, ever? There are so many factors that could make such a commitment a foolish one. I'd like to make my ultimate point, but I'll leave it for near the end of this article. Let's continue.
Brooks Laich
Laich, 29, enters 2012-2013 campaign in his second season since signing a long term deal to stay in Washington. The Capitals’ fan favorite signed a six year, 27 million contract before the 2011-2012 season keeping him in Washington through the 2016-2017 season. He holds a limited no trade clause through the 2014-2015 season, meaning Laich can list five teams before the beginning of the season he would deny a trade to.
In other words, Columbus, Columbus, Columbus, Columbus, and Calgary. And for fuck's sake, it should be, "...to which he would deny a trade." This article may not be as bad content-wise in relation to some of the articles we've buried in the past, but all of these little errors are really irritating.
A trade is almost out of the question however, the Capitals lack scoring and wouldn’t want to move a player in their long term plans and most importantly one of their team leaders. Laich has achieved four straight forty point seasons while bringing solid defensive play down the middle.
This season should will be one where Laich must provide guidance to the younger players while looking to provide offense following the departure of Alexander Semin.
Like most of the team, Laich's points per game has trended significantly downward since 2010. This season, Mike Ribeiro is expected to take over the 2nd-line center position, Marcus Johansson will be pushing for top-six minutes after finishing with a respectable 46 points last year, and Wojtek Wolski is added competition for that final top-six spot. It appears that Laich is only going to be further cemented into his role as a defensive forward. I'll be surprised to see him hit .5 PPG this season.
Laich provides solid fore-check play at the third line center position, also contributing to the Capitals penalty kill. He’s a core player and his contributions on and off the ice have been very valuable to the Washington Capitals and should continue for the future.
I will agree that Brooks is currently a very important player on this Capitals team, but things are beginning to look cloudy. $4.5 million per year is quite a bit of money to throw at your third line center, and the Caps are developing some very intriguing prospects who could be NHL ready by next season. I just don't see him finishing out this contract in a Capitals uniform, whether that means he's traded after this season or three years from now.
Mike Green
Mike Green has fought through injury the past two seasons and looks to rebound in the 2012-2013 campaign. He resigned with the Capitals this offseason, inking for three years earning him around six million per season.
Think of all the prosthetics he could/should buy!
His health is a key concern heading into the regular season and he looks to be ready to go. Green has the ability to return as the top offensive defense-man in the NHL, but his numbers will be determined by Adam Oates strategy going into this season. He will likely be paired with Roman Hamrlik on the first defensive pairing and will also spend time at the point on Washington’s first power play unit.
If Oates' strategy is to pair him with Roman Hamrlik, I wouldn't expect a return to the top. Green's numbers will rely on if his body allows him to play NHL hockey for a whole season. His talent is still there, but after missing 83 games over the past two seasons, he's going to need quite some time to get anywhere close to his former levels of ability and consistency. With a full, healthy season in 2012-13, I'd expect him to put up between 10-13 goals and around 40 points.
John Carlson
Carlson, 22, plays a very similar game to Green and could eventually put up numbers like Green did in his best years. Carlson was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2008 NHL entry draft and will be entering his third full season in Washington this fall. He will play alongside his long time defense partner, Karl Alzner on the second pairing.
You didn't screw anything up here. I'm almost proud of you.
Carlson will also spend time on the second power play unit, looking to add to his offensive production. Like the offensive minded Green, Carlson needs to polish his defensive game. He posted great numbers in the 2011-2012 season, registering 7 goals and 30 assists along with an outstanding plus 21 under Bruce Boudreau.
Carlson put up 37 points and a plus 21 during the 22 games Boudreau was behind the Washington bench last season? Damn, this kid is ELECTRIC! Just like that Tigers game on Sunday -- right, Dacque?
Last season, Carlon’s(sic) numbers clearly regressed. The right handed defense-man posted 9 goals and 23 assists, but struggled defensively posting a minus 15. Dale Hunter’s system had a big impact on Carlon’s(sic) numbers, but Carlson needs to become better defensively like his partner, Karl Alzner. He is currently a restricted free agent and still is not close to a deal.
Wow, Carlon had a terrible season, and he was invisible throughout the playoffs. They should trade him for necessary cap space and so he doesn't further degrade Carlson's defensive game.
Seriously, man, did you even proofread your own article? These mistakes aren't that covert.
Braden Holtby
Holtby, 22, stepped into the spotlight in Washington’s playoff run last year and posted phenomenal numbers. The confident Capitals net-minder registered seven wins in fourteen playoff games including a 1.95 goals against average along with a .935 save percentage.
Confident, indeed.
He looks to take over the starting role in goal moving forward in the nation’s capital, battling Michal Neuvirth to become the franchise goalie. The young tandem will share the starts in goal, but Holtby will likely receive the majority of the playing time between the pipes. Holtby will become a restricted free agent next off season and Washington should look to lock him up long term.
Semyon Varlamov went through this situation, and look how that ended. This isn't to say that Holtby won't be a better goaltender than Varlamov, but it's far too early to tell. It's easy to forget that this kid has only played 35 NHL games thus far. Doesn't that make a long-term deal sort of a risky proposal?
If he gets on a roll at the beginning of the season, Washington should extend their fourth round pick from the 2008 NHL entry draft for at least three years, earning Holtby in the range of 3-4 million per season. He’s a player he could easily receive an offer sheet from a team looking to add young talent and Washington needs to avoid this at all costs.
They really don't need to jump the gun on this kid so quickly. If he plays that well this season, then that could be an acceptable contract offer. In the event that a team presents an offer sheet for him, Washington would be fine. They have the financial flexibility to match an offer sheet, but even if they don't choose to do so, the compensatory draft picks should be an acceptable return. After all, the first-rounder they received in the Varlamov trade got them this kid...
Filip Forsberg
Fosberg(sic), 18, was selected by Washington with the eleventh pick of this year’s NHL entry draft and could become a big piece in making the Capitals a cup favorite once again. He’s a young forward with high offensive skill and could potentially put up 30 goals per year consistently when he makes an impact in Washington. He’s a future first line forward and a potential power play specialist and will be an important member of the Capitals core moving forward.
I hope he does it all while wearing the number 21, too. Another reason for you to get traded next year, Brooks!
Forsberg will spend the upcomingg(sic) season in Sweden before playing in North America in the 2013-2014 season. He could spend time in Hershey or Washington during the 2013-2014 campaign, but it will all depend on Capitals management and if there’s room for him in a top six forward role.
I believe it would be better for the Capitals to ease him into the North American game, but Washington is in dire need of offensive scoring threats. Although a few years away, Washington is surely keeping tabs on their future star.
This is the one section of this article with which I can fully agree, and I should also say, "no shit." There is a ton of hype surrounding this kid and Washington should have no need to rush his arrival into the NHL. Much like any top prospect, though, there shouldn't be much thought about trading him, as his risk/reward level is just too low/high.
Where’s Ovechkin?
You might be asking yourself, isn’t Alex Ovechkin untouchable? In my opinion, he’s not. He holds a cap hit close to ten million per season through the 2020-2021 season and isn’t getting any younger. Capitals fans have seen a decrease in Ovechkin’s scoring numbers since the 2007-2008 regular season and Ovechkin posted only 65 points last season, largely due to a slow start.
What looks like a decrease in scoring numbers between 2007-08 and 2009-10 was actually an increase in points per game each season (1.37 in '08, 1.39 in '09, and 1.51 in '10), so disregard that, please. As we've talked about in previous rants, Washington has veered away from the run-and-gun, pass-it-to-Ovie-then-pick-up-your-jaw style of play from those years. Ice time has also become an important factor. Last season, he averaged just over 19 minutes last season, which is down from over 21 minutes the year before, and 23 minutes two seasons before that. If you want Ovechkin to be the one to provide all of your offense, give him more time with which to work.
His no-trade clause kicks in at the start of the 2014-2015 season and he could potentially draw interest from a smaller market team in need of reaching the cap floor and attempting to sell tickets. One team could possibly be the New York Islanders. A team like the Islanders could trade multiple first round picks and young players such as Michael Grabner and Ryan Strome.
The Islanders are certainly in a great financial situation to take on one of the biggest contracts in the league. They'll probably just have to stop paying the custodial staff for the next nine seasons.
If Ovechkin were to ever be traded, it would likely be to a Western Conference team capable of spending toward the cap ceiling. What about Ovechkin for Couture and Pavelski? Or perhaps Ovechkin and a top prospect for Kane and Sharp? Seems more plausible for a team looking to be a cup contender for as long as they so possibly can.
While the NHL season may be in doubt, one thing is certain, none of these players should be moved by the Washington Capitals anytime soon.
Oh, so this includes Ovechkin, now? MAKE UP YOUR MIND, AND I'LL MAKE UP MINE.
The point I wanted to make in the Backstrom section is that no matter how great a player is and how much of a sure-thing they seem to be, there is always room for misfortune and the franchise should be prepared for that. If Backstrom suffers another serious injury, how much confidence could Washington really have in building their franchise around him? Will you be saying the same thing about Holtby if he can't keep the number one spot this season? How many more chances does Green actually deserve? As a team that considers themselves a cup contender, there are some big question marks on this roster. Whether it means actually keeping and extending all of the aforementioned players, or trading them for an entirely new roster, the Capitals will do what's necessary to ice a championship team. Regardless, the idea of an "untouchable" player seems unintelligent.
Nicklas Backstrom
Backstrom, 24, is signed through the 2019-2020 season and is going to be Washington’s first line center for quite a long time. He has been playing in Washington since the 2007-2008 season when he immediately made an impact. Backstrom totaled 14 goals and 15 assists in his rookie season with the Capitals, including four goals and two assists in seven playoff games.
Why, yes, Nicklas Backstrom was a finalist for the Calder Trophy after finishing ninth in rookie scoring. I don't know about you guys, but I think Aaron Voros was snubbed.
Please, please, check your statistics before posting any article highlighting said statistics. 40 points is quite the difference. By the way, do you guys think Stamkos will hit 100 goals again next season? Wait, lockout... damn it.
This past season, Backstrom battled through injuries posting a solid 44 points in only 42 games. He looks to regain his scoring touch and stay healthy in the upcoming season and will be a key figure for the Capitals in the many years to come.
Wait for it...
He is locked in with Washington for a long time and should never be moved. He still has room to improve and is one of the best two way forwards in the entire NHL. He should enter the season as the number one season(sic) alongside Alex Ovechkin and another winger, possibly Troy Brouwer.
...BOOM! NEVER be moved, ever? There are so many factors that could make such a commitment a foolish one. I'd like to make my ultimate point, but I'll leave it for near the end of this article. Let's continue.
Brooks Laich
Laich, 29, enters 2012-2013 campaign in his second season since signing a long term deal to stay in Washington. The Capitals’ fan favorite signed a six year, 27 million contract before the 2011-2012 season keeping him in Washington through the 2016-2017 season. He holds a limited no trade clause through the 2014-2015 season, meaning Laich can list five teams before the beginning of the season he would deny a trade to.
In other words, Columbus, Columbus, Columbus, Columbus, and Calgary. And for fuck's sake, it should be, "...to which he would deny a trade." This article may not be as bad content-wise in relation to some of the articles we've buried in the past, but all of these little errors are really irritating.
A trade is almost out of the question however, the Capitals lack scoring and wouldn’t want to move a player in their long term plans and most importantly one of their team leaders. Laich has achieved four straight forty point seasons while bringing solid defensive play down the middle.
This season should will be one where Laich must provide guidance to the younger players while looking to provide offense following the departure of Alexander Semin.
Like most of the team, Laich's points per game has trended significantly downward since 2010. This season, Mike Ribeiro is expected to take over the 2nd-line center position, Marcus Johansson will be pushing for top-six minutes after finishing with a respectable 46 points last year, and Wojtek Wolski is added competition for that final top-six spot. It appears that Laich is only going to be further cemented into his role as a defensive forward. I'll be surprised to see him hit .5 PPG this season.
Laich provides solid fore-check play at the third line center position, also contributing to the Capitals penalty kill. He’s a core player and his contributions on and off the ice have been very valuable to the Washington Capitals and should continue for the future.
I will agree that Brooks is currently a very important player on this Capitals team, but things are beginning to look cloudy. $4.5 million per year is quite a bit of money to throw at your third line center, and the Caps are developing some very intriguing prospects who could be NHL ready by next season. I just don't see him finishing out this contract in a Capitals uniform, whether that means he's traded after this season or three years from now.
Mike Green
Mike Green has fought through injury the past two seasons and looks to rebound in the 2012-2013 campaign. He resigned with the Capitals this offseason, inking for three years earning him around six million per season.
Think of all the prosthetics he could/should buy!
His health is a key concern heading into the regular season and he looks to be ready to go. Green has the ability to return as the top offensive defense-man in the NHL, but his numbers will be determined by Adam Oates strategy going into this season. He will likely be paired with Roman Hamrlik on the first defensive pairing and will also spend time at the point on Washington’s first power play unit.
If Oates' strategy is to pair him with Roman Hamrlik, I wouldn't expect a return to the top. Green's numbers will rely on if his body allows him to play NHL hockey for a whole season. His talent is still there, but after missing 83 games over the past two seasons, he's going to need quite some time to get anywhere close to his former levels of ability and consistency. With a full, healthy season in 2012-13, I'd expect him to put up between 10-13 goals and around 40 points.
John Carlson
Carlson, 22, plays a very similar game to Green and could eventually put up numbers like Green did in his best years. Carlson was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2008 NHL entry draft and will be entering his third full season in Washington this fall. He will play alongside his long time defense partner, Karl Alzner on the second pairing.
You didn't screw anything up here. I'm almost proud of you.
Carlson will also spend time on the second power play unit, looking to add to his offensive production. Like the offensive minded Green, Carlson needs to polish his defensive game. He posted great numbers in the 2011-2012 season, registering 7 goals and 30 assists along with an outstanding plus 21 under Bruce Boudreau.
Carlson put up 37 points and a plus 21 during the 22 games Boudreau was behind the Washington bench last season? Damn, this kid is ELECTRIC! Just like that Tigers game on Sunday -- right, Dacque?
Last season, Carlon’s(sic) numbers clearly regressed. The right handed defense-man posted 9 goals and 23 assists, but struggled defensively posting a minus 15. Dale Hunter’s system had a big impact on Carlon’s(sic) numbers, but Carlson needs to become better defensively like his partner, Karl Alzner. He is currently a restricted free agent and still is not close to a deal.
Wow, Carlon had a terrible season, and he was invisible throughout the playoffs. They should trade him for necessary cap space and so he doesn't further degrade Carlson's defensive game.
Seriously, man, did you even proofread your own article? These mistakes aren't that covert.
Braden Holtby
Holtby, 22, stepped into the spotlight in Washington’s playoff run last year and posted phenomenal numbers. The confident Capitals net-minder registered seven wins in fourteen playoff games including a 1.95 goals against average along with a .935 save percentage.
Confident, indeed.
He looks to take over the starting role in goal moving forward in the nation’s capital, battling Michal Neuvirth to become the franchise goalie. The young tandem will share the starts in goal, but Holtby will likely receive the majority of the playing time between the pipes. Holtby will become a restricted free agent next off season and Washington should look to lock him up long term.
Semyon Varlamov went through this situation, and look how that ended. This isn't to say that Holtby won't be a better goaltender than Varlamov, but it's far too early to tell. It's easy to forget that this kid has only played 35 NHL games thus far. Doesn't that make a long-term deal sort of a risky proposal?
If he gets on a roll at the beginning of the season, Washington should extend their fourth round pick from the 2008 NHL entry draft for at least three years, earning Holtby in the range of 3-4 million per season. He’s a player he could easily receive an offer sheet from a team looking to add young talent and Washington needs to avoid this at all costs.
They really don't need to jump the gun on this kid so quickly. If he plays that well this season, then that could be an acceptable contract offer. In the event that a team presents an offer sheet for him, Washington would be fine. They have the financial flexibility to match an offer sheet, but even if they don't choose to do so, the compensatory draft picks should be an acceptable return. After all, the first-rounder they received in the Varlamov trade got them this kid...
Filip Forsberg
Fosberg(sic), 18, was selected by Washington with the eleventh pick of this year’s NHL entry draft and could become a big piece in making the Capitals a cup favorite once again. He’s a young forward with high offensive skill and could potentially put up 30 goals per year consistently when he makes an impact in Washington. He’s a future first line forward and a potential power play specialist and will be an important member of the Capitals core moving forward.
I hope he does it all while wearing the number 21, too. Another reason for you to get traded next year, Brooks!
Forsberg will spend the upcomingg(sic) season in Sweden before playing in North America in the 2013-2014 season. He could spend time in Hershey or Washington during the 2013-2014 campaign, but it will all depend on Capitals management and if there’s room for him in a top six forward role.
I believe it would be better for the Capitals to ease him into the North American game, but Washington is in dire need of offensive scoring threats. Although a few years away, Washington is surely keeping tabs on their future star.
This is the one section of this article with which I can fully agree, and I should also say, "no shit." There is a ton of hype surrounding this kid and Washington should have no need to rush his arrival into the NHL. Much like any top prospect, though, there shouldn't be much thought about trading him, as his risk/reward level is just too low/high.
Where’s Ovechkin?
You might be asking yourself, isn’t Alex Ovechkin untouchable? In my opinion, he’s not. He holds a cap hit close to ten million per season through the 2020-2021 season and isn’t getting any younger. Capitals fans have seen a decrease in Ovechkin’s scoring numbers since the 2007-2008 regular season and Ovechkin posted only 65 points last season, largely due to a slow start.
What looks like a decrease in scoring numbers between 2007-08 and 2009-10 was actually an increase in points per game each season (1.37 in '08, 1.39 in '09, and 1.51 in '10), so disregard that, please. As we've talked about in previous rants, Washington has veered away from the run-and-gun, pass-it-to-Ovie-then-pick-up-your-jaw style of play from those years. Ice time has also become an important factor. Last season, he averaged just over 19 minutes last season, which is down from over 21 minutes the year before, and 23 minutes two seasons before that. If you want Ovechkin to be the one to provide all of your offense, give him more time with which to work.
His no-trade clause kicks in at the start of the 2014-2015 season and he could potentially draw interest from a smaller market team in need of reaching the cap floor and attempting to sell tickets. One team could possibly be the New York Islanders. A team like the Islanders could trade multiple first round picks and young players such as Michael Grabner and Ryan Strome.
The Islanders are certainly in a great financial situation to take on one of the biggest contracts in the league. They'll probably just have to stop paying the custodial staff for the next nine seasons.
If Ovechkin were to ever be traded, it would likely be to a Western Conference team capable of spending toward the cap ceiling. What about Ovechkin for Couture and Pavelski? Or perhaps Ovechkin and a top prospect for Kane and Sharp? Seems more plausible for a team looking to be a cup contender for as long as they so possibly can.
While the NHL season may be in doubt, one thing is certain, none of these players should be moved by the Washington Capitals anytime soon.
Oh, so this includes Ovechkin, now? MAKE UP YOUR MIND, AND I'LL MAKE UP MINE.
The point I wanted to make in the Backstrom section is that no matter how great a player is and how much of a sure-thing they seem to be, there is always room for misfortune and the franchise should be prepared for that. If Backstrom suffers another serious injury, how much confidence could Washington really have in building their franchise around him? Will you be saying the same thing about Holtby if he can't keep the number one spot this season? How many more chances does Green actually deserve? As a team that considers themselves a cup contender, there are some big question marks on this roster. Whether it means actually keeping and extending all of the aforementioned players, or trading them for an entirely new roster, the Capitals will do what's necessary to ice a championship team. Regardless, the idea of an "untouchable" player seems unintelligent.
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