Post-Series Talk: New York Rangers defeat the Washington Capitals 4-0

[FultonReed]

The series in a nutshell.

no f***ing way? when the hell was that taken hahaha

 

[Hivemind]

The series in a nutshell.

The most surprising thing about this picture is that somebody owns a Sean Avery jersey.

 

[eco's bones]

the "my team who didnt make it would have done better than the caps" talk is hilarious. Yes the caps are flawed and really on the down swing in need of a rebuild but some of you all are ridiculous. The caps lost 7 of 11 to make the playoffs. That means that every other team that didnt make it to getting feasted on by the rangers is absolutely pathetic and needs to take a long look in the mirror, Not the caps fault those other 3 teams sucked most of the season.

The wings going 8-15 from Feb 29th to Apr 16th ended their season and also means they sucked when it mattered.

The penguins going 7-16 from Feb 9th to Mar 24th ended their season, sure they won 5 or so at the end but that doesnt make up for how truly awful they were for a lot of the season. and they will likely be a bubble team/miss the playoffs again next year with an aging core that only goes as far as Crosby can absolutely carry them.

The flyers going 9-19 from feb 15th to Apr 16th including 2-9 to close out the season ended their season and truly the most pathetic of the bunch.

The caps have admitted they are in rebuilding mode the last two seasons selling off. All 3 of these teams are either supposed to be up and coming or believe they still have a chance with their core.

One thing going in the Capitals favor is they have a number of young players they can build something around. Getting several of them playoff experience right now should be beneficial in the transition to the post-Ovechkin stage that is on the horizon. Hanging on to top end draft picks and using those picks well will be very important in the next few years.....and Leonard looks like he's going to be a stud.

 

[bobholly39]

I would have liked to see Ovechkin do a bit better for potentially one last playoff appearance, but oh well....Washington is simply not a good team. I think either of Pittsburgh or Detroit would have fared better vs Rangers in round 1. Very impressive that Capitals made it though, good on them for qualifying, but this was never close.

As for Rangers....honestly, it feels as though they didn't even have to try that hard. Not sure if this bodes well because it means they can still channel another level, or if it bodes bad because this won't cut it in round 2 against a stronger opponent but, either way, a sweep is great.

 

[eco's bones]

The devils are an easy, easy team to play against. There's a reason they've had tons of high draft picks, are lottery regulars, have been a lottery team so f***ing often that they've won the lottery four times. And despite all that they have 2 PO appearances in the past decade. The devils don't deserve to be mentioned in the Stanley Cup Playoffs forums.

For whatever reason the Rangers couldn't solve Akira Schmid in the playoffs last year.....and this year his confidence went in the toilet and overall the Devils goaltending helped very much to sink them.

Also moving out both Severson and Graves was really not smart and compound that with Hamilton's early season ending injury and their defense was a mess the rest of the way. Luke Hughes and Nemec should be really good defensemen in the future but expecting Hughes to be a No. 1 and Nemec to be a top 4 this year so early in their careers was just a recipe for disaster. Up front right now they're too much like an all star team than is really good for them. Losing McLeod took away their best bottom 6 player and they don't have enough guys who fit into those unappreciated roles that win games. Jack Hughes is a truly great player already but he's also a one track pony........only really good at offense and not much else. Bratt seems the same to me. Meier seemed somewhat lost offensively until the last month or so but he's another one that if he's not scoring he's not doing much.

Pretty much for me it comes down to that objectively I didn't like the way their 23-24 team was constructed and the kinds of injuries they had and the removal of McLeod from their roster only exacerbated all the worst things about it. Teams just can't get away with outtalenting other teams. There are lots of different elements that go into making a good team and the Devils fell short in check marking a lot of these elements.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Not surprised, I call a sweep as soon as this series was announced. Washington didn't deserve to be in the playoffs, they barely got in.

 

[bobholly39]

Not surprised, I call a sweep as soon as this series was announced. Washington didn't deserve to be in the playoffs, they barely got in.

They definitely deserved to be in playoffs because they fought like hell to make it, and climbed back in standings from way back to lap other teams.

But for the rest - agreed. This wasn't close

 

[Suntouchable13]

They definitely deserved to be in playoffs because they fought like hell to make it, and climbed back in standings from way back to lap other teams.

But for the rest - agreed. This wasn't close

If you’re in after 82 games, you deserve it. Maybe if those other teams deserved it more, they should have won more games down the stretch.

 

[Riseonfire]

Sucks to not see OV and Backstrom (i'm aware he hasn't played) work their magic anymore.

Gotta hope the Isles can somehow claw back against Carolina and we can get a NY-NY series the state has been wanting.

 

[nyrallday]

For whatever reason the Rangers couldn't solve Akira Schmid in the playoffs last year.....and this year his confidence went in the toilet and overall the Devils goaltending helped very much to sink them.

Also moving out both Severson and Graves was really not smart and compound that with Hamilton's early season ending injury and their defense was a mess the rest of the way. Luke Hughes and Nemec should be really good defensemen in the future but expecting Hughes to be a No. 1 and Nemec to be a top 4 this year so early in their careers was just a recipe for disaster. Up front right now they're too much like an all star team than is really good for them. Losing McLeod took away their best bottom 6 player and they don't have enough guys who fit into those unappreciated roles that win games. Jack Hughes is a truly great player already but he's also a one track pony........only really good at offense and not much else. Bratt seems the same to me. Meier seemed somewhat lost offensively until the last month or so but he's another one that if he's not scoring he's not doing much.

Pretty much for me it comes down to that objectively I didn't like the way their 23-24 team was constructed and the kinds of injuries they had and the removal of McLeod from their roster only exacerbated all the worst things about it. Teams just can't get away with outtalenting other teams. There are lots of different elements that go into making a good team and the Devils fell short in check marking a lot of these elements.

Last year was such an embarassment. Getting Kane really messed that team up and Gallant was a moron. We win that series with Laviolette and the Devils showed their true colors in the next round.

 

[max21]

Is making the post season and being punted 4 straight better than missing?

Pittsburgh got swept in 2019 with one whole point from Crosby, you tell us

 

[Caps8112]

And Caps future is worse by them making it to the playoffs to win all of 0 games.
Pens are in a tough position, but Caps situation is not enviable at all.

This is laughable. The pens are in a much worse situation. They also have to hold onto the aging star but they have four of them. Crosby was phenomenal this year but the other 3 were meh at best. The caps got rid of Kuzy. Backstrom sadly wont be able to play again but that also helps start the transition.
The penguins have multiple years left of multiple aging an underperforming players. Crosby must be resigned and sure he will take a team friendly deal but they couldnt get to the playoffs this year. They will likely be a bubble team again next year handcuffed by bad deals.

 

[BLNY]

He might have had 3 points in the series, but at some point very soon that Tom Wilson extension that starts this fall will look very, very bad.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

So Pacioretty wouldn’t waive his NTC on deadline day to go to the Rangers. Ended up with 1 assist in 4 games.

Enjoy the golf course, chump.

 

[Caps8112]

He might have had 3 points in the series, but at some point very soon that Tom Wilson extension that starts this fall will look very, very bad.

agree he may not be what he was or maybe his decline will start but the caps wont be good for 4-5 years minimum if a real rebuild happens. It aint hurting anything having tom wilson with a bunch of kids learning how to play.

 

[Caps8112]

So Pacioretty wouldn’t waive his NTC on deadline day to go to the Rangers. Ended up with 1 assist in 4 games.

Enjoy the golf course, chump.

think he is cooked anyway. rangers dodged one there

 

[nyrallday]

This is laughable. The pens are in a much worse situation. They also have to hold onto the aging star but they have four of them. Crosby was phenomenal this year but the other 3 were meh at best. The caps got rid of Kuzy. Backstrom sadly wont be able to play again but that also helps start the transition.
The penguins have multiple years left of multiple aging an underperforming players. Crosby must be resigned and sure he will take a team friendly deal but they couldnt get to the playoffs this year. They will likely be a bubble team again next year handcuffed by bad deals.

I don't like the Penguins but they won 3 cups with their core, i'm sure their fans don't mind a decade of sucking

 

[AD1066]

Not much to take away from this series. Caps never belonged in the playoffs. Curious to see how the Rangers ramp it up against their next opponent.

 

[BLNY]

agree he may not be what he was or maybe his decline will start but the caps wont be good for 4-5 years minimum if a real rebuild happens. It aint hurting anything having tom wilson with a bunch of kids learning how to play.

Fair.

 

[NoVaCapsFan]

So Pacioretty wouldn’t waive his NTC on deadline day to go to the Rangers. Ended up with 1 assist in 4 games.

Enjoy the golf course, chump.

He wasn’t very good and won’t be missed by our fan base. Sadly we will have a cap hit next year on his incentives. Would he have improved this Ranger team? Who would sit to fit him in?

 

[BLNY]

think he is cooked anyway. rangers dodged one there

Definitely. The two Achilles injuries have all but ended his career.

 

[D Wakaluk]

Holy shit Team Ovechkin looked bad. Was like a turd on skates. It's not even the fact that he is old and slow now, he did not give a one single shit the whole series.

GG

 

[zappa4ever]

fairly amusing how so many non-Caps fans are...

slightly less than gracious in victory, lol
never change, interwebz

 

[Misery74]

For those worrying about the Caps future, don’t.

Lapierre looks great. Alexeyev looks great. McMichael looks like a 3c at worst. Ryan Leonard on the horizon.

We haven’t gone all in for a long time. We’ve kept our picks and they are starting to pan out. We also have the 17th pick this year.

Also, starting this Summer, our cap space is seriously freeing up.

Future is bright.

 

[Caps8112]

I don't like the Penguins but they won 3 cups with their core, i'm sure their fans don't mind a decade of sucking

didnt argue that part. multiple cups is the goal but Pens fan saying the pens future is brighter now and I disagree but that franchise has always been fortunate in the draft so well see.