Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2021-22 Season Part 7: Off-season Edition

[AlexBrovechkin8]

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[895]

Both GMBM and Lavi should be fired but probably only Lavi will.

I don't think GMBM gets fired because he's basically carrying out Leonsis's vision. Leonsis strikes me as a sentimental guy and I have to assume he forced GMBM to give Backstrom whatever he wanted to get him to stay. He also just wants Ovechkin to get the record and doesnt care about winning another cup. Regular season Ovechkin goals is enough for him.

So this off-season Lavi gets fired, and a few small tweaks are made and we try again.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Aside from that 7-0-1 stretch in March they've largely waffled between average, bad, and terrible since the end of November. This is more likely than not who they are. Had it not been for that stretch in March where they banked points there's probably a coin flip chance that they miss the playoffs entirely, and there's a non-trivial chance with their schedule the rest of the way that they'll be sweating qualifying until the last days of the season.

Vitek has rewarded BMac's claims leading up to the deadline that he's earned the right to lead them into the playoffs by having his carriage turn back into a pumpkin. It's not all his fault but he has been straight up awful. He's given up three or more goals in his eight of his last ten starts and has had a save percentage over .900 for only three of those ten games. His last two starts have been sub .800. Your goalie has to make saves and he's not making nearly enough.

The core of the team looks gross with the clown parade being led by Backstrom and Carlson. They've been ass. Backstrom's "effort" last night on that second goal was beer league quality and frankly embarrassing for a player of his quality.

At this point, barring a stunning turnaround, they'll be done in five games in the first round and then the real conversations can begin. No way they can just run it back given the last five months of evidence that they're in real decline along with four straight first round losses, of which in the latter three they haven't (or won't) even be competitive in them.

 

[Langway]

 

[Misery74]

Aside from that 7-0-1 stretch in March they've largely waffled between average, bad, and terrible since the end of November. This is more likely than not who they are. Had it not been for that stretch in March where they banked points there's probably a coin flip chance that they miss the playoffs entirely, and there's a non-trivial chance with their schedule the rest of the way that they'll be sweating qualifying until the last days of the season.

Vitek has rewarded BMac's claims leading up to the deadline that he's earned the right to lead them into the playoffs by having his carriage turn back into a pumpkin. It's not all his fault but he has been straight up awful. He's given up three or more goals in his eight of his last ten starts and has had a save percentage over .900 for only three of those ten games. His last two starts have been sub .800. Your goalie has to make saves and he's not making nearly enough.

The core of the team looks gross with the clown parade being led by Backstrom and Carlson. They've been ass. Backstrom's "effort" last night on that second goal was beer league quality and frankly embarrassing for a player of his quality.

At this point, barring a stunning turnaround, they'll be done in five games in the first round and then the real conversations can begin. No way they can just run it back given the last five months of evidence that they're in real decline along with four straight first round losses, of which in the latter three they haven't (or won't) even be competitive in them.

Agree on all fronts. Next year gone (at a minimum):

- Coaching Staff
- Eller
- Sammy
- Hagelin
- All UFA (Schultz, MaJo, Larsson)

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I think we’re being pretty tough on Larsson. That was his first game back after an injury which required surgery and rehab. Fans of the two teams he previously played on have said how much they like him as a player so I’m definitely going to give him a run of games before trying to formulate an opinion.

 

[Langway]

But unless he plays center for them there's likely too much existing overlap anyway between either Hagelin or AJF. He could replace Eller for less but then that's likely short of what's needed.

When you have such a widespread mess it's the coach that ends up biting the bullet. To the extent Laviloette shapes the agenda you don't get the sense there's much connection between the staff and players. We hear a lot about how tight the players are off the ice but where's the ongoing dialogue and running assessment between the staff and leadership group? Between the leadership group and everyone else? Where's the discipline? There's only token discipline for those currently sitting that have yet to amass enough experience to sufficiently Veteran. Most of the time you're just getting the same two dollar steak quotes from the staff in-game so it makes you wonder whether it's all just getting tuned out. Communication, detail, discipline...all lacking much too often for a team that knows better and are apparently basically deluded believing they can get away with playing the sort of style they did when they were actually good.

 

[twabby]

Yeah Larsson gets another few games. He’s also replacing AJF and while I like what AJF has brought he’s not really expected to be a producer. Not that Larsson should be more than a rental necessarily, but people trashing him after last night’s game had me scratching my head. It takes time for people to become friends with people.

Johansson is different because he’s had 5 games now, is familiar with many of his teammates, has had several unimpressive years in a row, and is replacing a player who has made a good offensive impact and is expected to make a bigger impact next year and going forward.

Ultimately replacing Eller, Hagelin, and these UFAs are all fringe moves. A good goalie would help but unless they are trading for a top 5 guy like Hellebuyck they are going to have unpredictable results.

 

[Capitals40]

Caps organization only hope of getting out of this Geritol lineup is if players start retiring in the next year or two. Otherwise, it will be years of decline until the team bottoms out. There is no way out. Ted will not rebuild as long as Ovie is here. The vets have very little value anyway. It would cost the team retained salaries, draft picks and prospects to trade any of them.

I sold my soul for the Caps to win a Stanley Cup. I told God they could finish in last place the rest of my life if they won a Cup. Im good with everything. We won a Cup!

 

[Monsterrain]

We could have told gmbm mojo stinks before the deadline

 

[twabby]

Meanwhile, Brett Kulak is fitting in very well in Edmonton so far. And at 50% retained all he cost was a second round pick, a seventh round pick, and a nothing roster player in return.

If GMBM was set on looking at value adds to make a decent sized impact Kulak was a guy he should have keyed in on rather than a guy like Mojo.

 

[Misery74]

We could have told gmbm mojo stinks before the deadline

This acquisition spells out the whole sorry state of affairs.

We seem rudderless at this point.

 

[Langway]

Kulak would be a hot mess here so it doesn't really matter.

 

[twabby]

Kulak would be a hot mess here so it doesn't really matter.

I mean, maybe? But maybe not?

Not like Edmonton has been a bastion of defensive stability this year or any year in recent memory. As JFresh mentioned Kulak has been paired with Barrie and they have been excellent together so far. No reason to think Kulak couldn’t have done well beside Carlson, aside from just blind pessimism I guess. Kulak’s numbers certainly impressed over recent seasons.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Kulak would be a hot mess here so it doesn't really matter.

Why would Kulak have been a hot mess here but alright in Edmonton? They're not exactly a pillar of stability.

 

[895]

GMBM is a Stalinist who would have liquidated the kulaks.

 

[pman25]

If we’re replacing rookies, we should have traded for Kulak to sit Fehervary instead of trading for Johansson to sit McMichael.

The moves either way were unlikely to get us out of round 1 but it’s also clear that we can’t rely on management or coaching to assess this team. Fehervary has been bad for a while now and he continues to have the full faith of the coaching staff. Which is fine by me, I don’t mind the strategy. But that same mindset is not extended to CMM, who was maybe the only player showing a pulse recently.

 

[Langway]

Why would Kulak have been a hot mess here but alright in Edmonton? They're not exactly a pillar of stability.

They've got the horses at the top end to keep it all on track, though. No doubt about that. Everything else becomes a lot easier to sort out in turn with fairly minimal competence.

They've averaged 4.5 goals over the past month!

 

[twabby]

No McMichael is going to make me something something.

 

[Corby78]

what is so frustrating to me, is that both these goalies that we had some level of hope for have both crapped the bed every time they get handed the reins. Its frustrating to me both from the coaching standpoint, because I don't see a pattern of development there, and from a goalie standpoint, as if they can't handle a couple starts vs non-conference teams, how will they be able to handle playoff games.

I'm fully expecting to get swept, Florida/Carolina will have a field day with us.

 

[Corby78]

No McMichael is going to make me something something.

Or AJF. The two kids it was at least fun to watch develop, and have hope for.

 

[twabby]

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Both GMBM and Lavi should be fired but probably only Lavi will.

I don't think GMBM gets fired because he's basically carrying out Leonsis's vision. Leonsis strikes me as a sentimental guy and I have to assume he forced GMBM to give Backstrom whatever he wanted to get him to stay. He also just wants Ovechkin to get the record and doesnt care about winning another cup. Regular season Ovechkin goals is enough for him.

So this off-season Lavi gets fired, and a few small tweaks are made and we try again.

I think it’s unfair to say Ted doesn‘t care about another Cup, but you only can scratch off a bucket list item once in your life….

He’s always been about building this team as a consistent playoff qualifier….Building the business as an entity that’s not operating with massive peaks and valleys both on and off the ice.

Absolutely I think the Backstrom deal was all about loyalty. He showed them loyalty with his 10 year deal he outperformed, so I think that was a gentleman’s agreement somewhere.

I could see a change from Lavi with another 1st round flameout. I also think we’d see slightly more than small tweaks in that scenario….

Goalie, top-6/middle-6 forward, top-4 D change…..some mixture in there…

 

[Misery74]

No McMichael is going to make me something something.

Getting rid of this asshole will be the silver lining in losing in 5 games.

 

[McVechkin]

think they have what it takes to fire another coach? I hate blaming coaches so much.. but this just seems so obvious