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2016-17 NHL season running thread

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Cosmo, Oct 10, 2016.

  1. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    What he did was a love tap -- the whole thing sounded worse than it actually looked. But they have to give him 10 days, if not more, in my opinion. The officials need to know that the league has their back. You can't even mess around with that. What he did was just unacceptable.
     
    ChrisLong and JC like this.
  2. MTM

    MTM Well-Known Member

  3. So I discovered a dirty little secret this morning:

    Zdeno Chara can't dunk.

    I'm covering the Pelicans-Mavericks game tonight so I was at the AAC for the Pelicans' morning shootaround. Turns out the Bruins had already set up shop in the hockey visitors locker room in advance of tomorrow morning's (11:30 a.m. faceoff) game against the Stars, and the players were coming in for a "dress and drive," as their equipment guy put it -- getting into their gear at the arena, then getting on a bus for practice at a nearby rink.

    The players started trickling in just as the Pels were leaving the court. Chara was one of the early ones, and while he was waiting around, he wandered onto the court, grabbed a ball and started shooting along with a member of the support staff (a trainer, maybe?). My first question was obvious -- I mean, the guy's 6-9: Can you dunk it? Some other players/staffers were sitting around watching, and a couple started encouraging him to throw one down.

    After a few minutes of shooting (as well as showing off a couple of decent inside moves and sinking a short left-handed hook) , he took a shot at it. Looked like he almost had the height, but flat-out missed. His second attempt wasn't even close. He was way short and got rejected badly by the rim. One of the players* sitting near where I was standing laughed and said, "We don't really train for jumping in hockey. If you're jumping you've probably got a problem." Chara said, "It's harder than it looks," though in fairness, he actually said that after shooting an air ball from 3.

    *Edit: I had no idea who it was at the time, but watching the game today, I can now say with a rather high degree of confidence it was Kevan Miller.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2017
    Liut and Vombatus like this.
  4. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    So for months I have had story after story fitting Kevin Shattenkirk for a Rangers jersey. ... and the Caps won the sweepstakes! From the stories, it sounds like the St. Louis GM was trying to create a bidding war between Washington, Rangers and Pittsburgh and the Rangers and Penguins held tight. Washington gave up a 1st round pick this year and a 2nd rounder next, a "B" prospect in Zach Sanford and a "D" prospect in Brad Malone.

    I think it is a good trade. He's likely to only be a rental (and I suspect actually going to NY after the season), so it is a lot to give up, but this has been a sellers market. At least he is a clear upgrade, unlike some of the players that have been moved. The Rangers can use a right side defenseman, but the other names being floated aren't game changers. I hope they stand pat. ... and start rotating in Adam Clendening more for Dan Girardi and Kevin Klein.

    The Ben Bishop trade to LA was a wild one. Couldn't have seen that coming even from a mile away, although it kind of makes sense when you think about it with him becoming an unrestricted free agent and Jonathan Quick being a wildcard right now.
     
  5. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Washington also got its future backup goalie back in Copley, though he's never struck me as anything great. But for a team with a closing window, this was a good deal. And why would you suspect he's going to be in NY after the season? Has he said anything to make people believe that's what he wants?

    Dan Steinberg had a great tweet yesterday, that in DC he's going to be known as Shattenkurt - a famous former DC QB used to always refer to Cousins as Kurt instead of Kirk
     
  6. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    He grew up in New Rochelle, rooting for the Rangers. On his twitter bio he describes himself as "New Yorker at heart."
     
  7. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    BTW, I think it was the right trade for Washington also. This is their time. They need to go for it.
     
  8. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Well, shit. I knew he was from U.S. Maybe he'll take Kevin Durant's lead and decide he doesn't want to play at home!

    The picks are the big losses, I don't think either of the players the Caps gave up were big factors. Curious what current D man takes a seat to make room. I also wonder if he plays tonight at the Garden. Saw the game last Sunday with my son where the Rangers won 2-1. Wish I could be there tonight
     
  9. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Maybe. He is exactly what the Rangers are missing and he wants to be in NY. And the Rangers have the cap room. Which is why I fully expect he will be playing for the Islanders or Devils next year.

    It's a money game. And he is going to get a lot of money -- $6.5 or $7 million a year for a long-term deal. So you can't say for sure where he will end up yet.

    Tonight should be a good game.
     
  10. Cosmo

    Cosmo Well-Known Member

    Honestly, I don't think the price was big at all. That first-round pick will be No. 31. The second round pick next year, who knows? Even before this trade, this was a Cup or bust year in D.C. So yes, you have to go for it. And as good as Washington has been defensively this year, the Caps are one injury away from being average on that end, as recent nicks to Niskanen have shown.

    Carlson has been fantastic.

    Alzner has lost a step, which is why I don't want Washington overpaying for him in the offseason. If you look at the CF% of all Capitals' D men, Alzner is the worst. I don't count Chorney, who has only played 17 games. His expected plus/minus is -5.3. For comparison's sake, Niskanen is at +3.5 and Orpik (!) is at +7.2, second best on the team overall. Alzner has blocked more shots than anyone on the team by far, so that's a big positive for him.

    Orlov has made a huge leap this year, but I won't trust him in the playoffs until I see it.

    Orpik is Orpik. He's big. He's physical. And teams like the Rangers and Penguins will skate circles around him because he's so damn slow. Third pairing D with hopefully limited ice time come April, contract be damned.

    Nate Schmidt has been a pretty pleasant surprise, and his speed should come into play in the playoffs.

    Niskanen was 100 percent worth the money Washington paid.

    I'd envision a scenario where Carlson and Alzner stay together; Shattenkirk and Niskanen work together; and Orlov teams with Schmidt or Orpik. Schmidt will probably be the one that sits, but that's fine, because the Orpik/Orlov pairing has been surprisingly effective. I'm not in that dressing room, but my sense is that Schmidt is a lot less surly than Orpik and will handle being a scratch much better than Brooks. But I can also see Trotz playing matchups in the postseason and sitting guys depending on the opponent. If Orlov is overmatched like last year, he'll wear a suit.

    It's probably going to be a year or two before Samsonov comes over from Russia, so that's why the need at AHL1 G was so pressing, because the other guys haven't been very good. Washington didn't have to give up Vrana or Bowey, so this isn't another Forsberg situation. Sanford is a nice player but his ceiling is a second-line wing, and that's being generous.

    Yes, this should be a fun game tonight. That Nashville game was the classic schedule loss, just like the Carolina game in November was. Nice back-to-backs in different time zones. Only two more back-to-backs left for the Caps (at MIN-COL in March, at TOR-vs. NYR in April).
     
  11. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    NYR weren't willing to overpay, knowing they will have a shot at Shattenkirk July 1.
     
  12. Cosmo

    Cosmo Well-Known Member

    Should add that the need for a top AHL netminder is because Washington feels pretty certain it is going to lose Grubauer in the expansion draft. Need someone close to NHL ready to spell Holtby in 17-18.
     
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