Author Topic: 2021-22 Washington Capitals  (Read 11239 times)

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Offline imref

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #475: May 14, 2022, 12:41:49 AM »
It will be interesting to see if management thinks it’s rebuild time. The core is getting old.

Online Natsinpwc

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #476: May 14, 2022, 07:21:24 AM »
It will be interesting to see if management thinks it’s rebuild time. The core is getting old.
After many second round exits Ted made a pact with the devil; a Cup in exchange for subsequent first round exist. 

They have a conundrum because they need to keep Ovi while he chases the record.  Also we know from the Wizards that Ted does not want to rebuild.  I could see them missing the playoffs next year. The Over the Hill Gang.  Ages:

Backstrom 34
Dowd 31
Eller 33
Hagelin 33
Ovi 36
Oshie 35
Hathaway 30
Carlson 32
Jensen/Schultz 31
Orlov/TVR 30

Online 1995hoo

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #477: May 14, 2022, 12:15:00 PM »
The thing that is Caps-esque is losing to a franchise that hadn’t won a playoff series since 1996. Yes, the Panthers were favored, and quite rightly so. Doesn’t change that it still fits the Caps' history.

I’m on the West Coast and only saw portions of each game this week. Each time, I got back to the hotel and turned on the games and things went south. I should have blown off the games and taken the cable car somewhere for dinner instead.


Offline Slateman

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #479: May 15, 2022, 04:24:07 PM »
Now is where we find out that everyone was actually hurt

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #480: May 16, 2022, 11:17:08 AM »
I did not think that it was possible to break Willy.  He must have had like a broken back and his entrails hanging out. 

Offline UMDNats

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #481: May 16, 2022, 12:40:29 PM »
The Caps just made the playoffs and took the presidents trophy winner to 6 games (and you could argue gave the series away) despite one of the worst goaltender situations in the league, their #1 RW (and arguably #2 most vital player) hurt and a season in which just about everyone, even ovy, got injured and missed time. at one point we had the hershey bears out there and were still winning.

every year the same people come out to tell us the caps are done only to watch ovy score 50 and the caps to make the playoffs in a tough division. i doubt this core can make a deep run again but counting them out is hilarious to me. they just played their best playoff series since 2018. really need mcmichael to take a step next year as that would solve lots of issues.

Online Natsinpwc

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #482: May 16, 2022, 04:43:18 PM »
The Caps just made the playoffs and took the presidents trophy winner to 6 games (and you could argue gave the series away) despite one of the worst goaltender situations in the league, their #1 RW (and arguably #2 most vital player) hurt and a season in which just about everyone, even ovy, got injured and missed time. at one point we had the hershey bears out there and were still winning.

every year the same people come out to tell us the caps are done only to watch ovy score 50 and the caps to make the playoffs in a tough division. i doubt this core can make a deep run again but counting them out is hilarious to me. they just played their best playoff series since 2018. really need mcmichael to take a step next year as that would solve lots of issues.
Oh Ovie will score 50. And Oshie looks good. Buy the others are slipping. And no clear number one goalie as you note. So the fall will come. And soon.

Online Natsinpwc

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #483: May 16, 2022, 04:44:23 PM »
Now is where we find out that everyone was actually hurt
Unlike the other teams that are all totally healthy at this time of year.

Offline UMDNats

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #484: May 16, 2022, 04:46:45 PM »
Oh Ovie will score 50. And Oshie looks good. Buy the others are slipping. And no clear number one goalie as you note. So the fall will come. And soon.

Kuznetsov was great this year, Wilson was the best he's ever been, Carlson was fine (until the playoffs) and may need to be sheltered more, Mantha looked good around his injury, Fehervary was good before he wore down. Orlov still has it, Jensen and TVR are reliable, I think the doom and gloom like this team is a bottom-feeder is silly. Lots of positives on the team this year and even when we played with an AHL lineup + Ovechkin we were competitive. Coaching staff is rock solid.

Lapierre, McMichael, even AFJ, Protas, etc. look like contributors sooner rather than later and a lot is riding on getting young replacements for Eller, Hagelin, Schultz, etc.

The rebuild will happen eventually but no reason to worry about it until it actually happens. People have said the Caps are done for almost 10 years now.

Offline UMDNats

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #485: May 16, 2022, 04:48:31 PM »
Unlike the other teams that are all totally healthy at this time of year.

How many teams did just fine with their #1 RW and #1 PK'er out? The Penguins going 7 with NYR is a testament to their roster construction but not sure anyone else lost their stud during game one. Imagine Tampa losing Stamkos or Carolina losing Jarvis/Ahoe/etc.

The other injuries like Oshie or Ovechkin are on par with what most teams face but not many teams compete with the #1 overall seed in the league down one of the 5 best overall players (probably #3 behind 8 and 92).

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #486: May 16, 2022, 04:51:36 PM »
Dowd and Hathaway had great years as well IMO
Kuznetsov was great this year, Wilson was the best he's ever been, Carlson was fine (until the playoffs) and may need to be sheltered more, Mantha looked good around his injury, Fehervary was good before he wore down. Orlov still has it, Jensen and TVR are reliable, I think the doom and gloom like this team is a bottom-feeder is silly. Lots of positives on the team this year and even when we played with an AHL lineup + Ovechkin we were competitive. Coaching staff is rock solid.

Lapierre, McMichael, even AFJ, Protas, etc. look like contributors sooner rather than later and a lot is riding on getting young replacements for Eller, Hagelin, Schultz, etc.

The rebuild will happen eventually but no reason to worry about it until it actually happens. People have said the Caps are done for almost 10 years now.

Online Natsinpwc

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #487: May 16, 2022, 08:17:40 PM »
How many teams did just fine with their #1 RW and #1 PK'er out? The Penguins going 7 with NYR is a testament to their roster construction but not sure anyone else lost their stud during game one. Imagine Tampa losing Stamkos or Carolina losing Jarvis/Ahoe/etc.

The other injuries like Oshie or Ovechkin are on par with what most teams face but not many teams compete with the #1 overall seed in the league down one of the 5 best overall players (probably #3 behind 8 and 92).
Well Pittsburgh lost its top two goalies and then the best player in the world for a couple of games.

Even if you assume guys can still play well and stay healthy going forward the most obvious problem is goaltending. No easy solution for that.

Offline Slateman

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #488: May 26, 2022, 07:45:15 AM »
Wilson tore his ACL

Offline welch

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #489: May 27, 2022, 08:09:37 PM »
Wilson tore his ACL

And with Wilson, the Caps would have swept Florida, or merely clobbered them 4 games to 1.

Backstrom is in question, because he has that bad hip. Maybe he has another surgery and then rehabs for months, or maybe he retires. He seems certain not to play another season as he has the last couple: just train, and suffer, and play through the pain.
 
Tarik Al Bashir in The Athletic lists the players he thinks are locks to say, likely but maybes, likely goners.

- We pretty much know that the Caps want Ovie, Oshie, Kuzy, Orly, Feheravary, and a few others. Carlson as well. TvR is good and inexpensive. McMichael is young and fast. Snively inexpensive, local, effective, and was signed after his wrist was hurt.

- Mantha, is a definite maybe, along with Sheary and the 4th line guys

- Shultz, Johanson, Irvin, and that guy they collected at the deadline are likely to be set free.

- TEB suggested either one of the young goalies, to be paired with a veteran.

I'll have to go back to look at the details.

Online Natsinpwc

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #490: May 27, 2022, 08:19:16 PM »
The Caps are basically stuck with the same aging roster. No one would trade for the veterans.  If Tom Wilson is your number one line right wing you are in’s own trouble in what is now a high scoring league.

Other than letting one of the young goalies go and having a veteran backup. Their goaltending was about the worst in the league. However Ted will be happy to pack the fans in to watch Ovie chase #99 the next few years.

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Offline UMDNats

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #492: June 20, 2022, 11:38:05 AM »
Backstrom is done. Sad, but for the team it's a great opportunity. We have almost $20 million in cap space now.

I think Bobrovksy is our opening night netminder, we make a splash FA signing (or maybe big trade but not sure who we could deal) and have our biggest team shakeup since 2018.

Online Natsinpwc

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #493: July 11, 2022, 09:02:35 PM »
Ok. So Vanacek traded and Samsonov let go to free agency.  Rumors of Darcy Keumper. Sure he just won the Cup but is not very good.

Offline Slateman

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #494: July 11, 2022, 09:46:31 PM »
But neither are Samsonov and Vanacek

Online Natsinpwc

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #495: July 11, 2022, 10:07:26 PM »
But they are cheaper. And they need Keumper and probably another veteran backup. I guess Lavy really hated those two.

Offline Slateman

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Re: 2021-22 Washington Capitals
« Reply #496: July 13, 2022, 07:23:37 PM »
Spent a lot of money on goaltending this offseason. I really dont feel like goaltending was what was keeping this team back.