Should the Caps be worried about the Penguins? I can't tell if they are really that great or if the Rangers are playing that bad?
yes they should be worried, they never get it done, and with a season like they had, all the pressure is on them. ill be rooting hard for them, i hate the flightless ant arctic waterfowl more than any other organization
Yeah, I was thinking that too. The Penguins haven't been this good since their 09 Cup win. The Caps are the better team, but will have all the pressure and history against them. Have a feeling that will go 7 if it happens. Of course they need to finish off the Flyers first. I hope the Rangers can somehow come back like they did in 2014 but seems unlikely with their last 2 performances.
I disagree. I think the Penguins are playing good hockey, but the appearance is being elevated by how poorly the Rangers are playing.
I think you should be worried. Sullivan's defensive system makes it really hard to get good offense against them, even if their defense isn't that talented besides Letang on its own. Their secondary forwards work really hard and have a lot of speed, and then they have those offensive forwards like Crosby, Malkin and Kessel who are some of the best offensive players in the league. Letang's offense also helps. I don't think they are much more talented than they've been in recent seasons, but they have a coach and system that can mask their overall lack of depth beyond their best few players. It works really well for them. Everyone works really hard defensively, and then they let their special offensive players run the game offensively. They won't be able to match Washington's overall depth, but it probably won't matter. It also hasn't helped us that Malkin and Crosby have both have very good series. McDonagh, Girardi and Staal have shut those two down over the years, but our defense isn't as good as it was in the past. There's not as much stability.
Sadly, I agree. There has been too many mistakes by this organization. This obsession with Wingers while ignoring the center position ultimately lead to this teams destruction.
By blow it up, I hope its more than just replacing Nash, Girardi and Staal with Buchnevich, McIlrath and Skjei. This team became good to begin with partly because those three were really good hockey players. I don't think getting a few younger players with better contracts who add a different element would make us a contending team again. We would need to adequately replace Nash, Girardi and Staal of two or three years ago, something I don't believe those pieces can do right now. If we are to blow it up, it should also be Lundqvist, Klein, Yandle. Tank for a few years, get some high draft picks, get some good picks and prospects from a few trades, and then be ready to try to win again with the players left. Even if we got rid of Nash, Girardi and Staal in the offseason, all I think that would do was put us in the position we are now at this point next season. Probably a playoff team, but a flawed one without much chance to win the Stanley Cup.
I want Nash, Girardi, Staals gone...Problem is these guys have NMC and these guys have families all growing in NY. Would they want to get up and leave? No. Gorton has work to do...The fact that 2 expansions are coming and we probably can't list these guys totally sucks...I hope one of them are open to moving to Vegas, and maybe the Staal is open to being traded to where one of his brother is at. Nash has the most value...We should resign Yandle, and get some center...I wish we could trade with Edmonton for Ryan Nugent Hopkins. I can't see us ever moving Lundqvist, he is a lifer bro. I LOVE Klein too... Boyle, Glass...get lost. Our coach needs to stop being stubborn. Honestly, I really like ULF Samuelsson. He may get a head coaching gig this off season
Lets be real too...We don't scare anyone. Stanley Cup contenders bring the feeling of fear into you...We are a bunch of above average players that have NO ELITE PLAYMAKING ability other then our goaltender. Nash has totally let this franchise down.
I want to keep Lundqvist, Kreider, Lindberg, Skjei, Mcilrath, MeDonough, Dom Moore, Both Staals, and Mats Zuccarello. As far as I am concernd, ever single other play can go.
Eric Staal needs to take a massive pay cut if he wants to stay here. I like him too, but he is not the same guy he was
Lady Byng Nash. While the "1940" chant's a thing of the past, it's now quietly creeping up on 22 years..
Brassard is at best a second-line center. He can be easily replaced for less money. Ditto Klein - he is at best a second line defenseman. The issue is that the rest of the defense has been so piss-poor, he looks much better than that. Take a look at Yandle's contract. You think he is worth that money?
NMC's can be moved, and have been before. They are basically healthy scratching Girardi at this point, Staal's playing the lowest minutes of his career since his rookie year and Nash is having the worst season of his career. I think the writing is on the wall that they are considering moving these players, and I think these players would rather leave now with some dignity than be forced out the door. Also, I really don't think the solution is to trade anyone who's deemed a problem, and keep everyone else. Klein, Yandle and especially Hank are players I'd like to keep, but the fans and management can't be lying to themselves. Swapping out two or three players and adding two or three others won't make us a team capable of winning the Stanley Cup, unless we are adding Crosby and Doughty. This team needs to be rebuilt, and I don't see the point of keeping older good players with value through a rebuild. You are lying to yourself if you think this team is one or two moves from winning the Stanley Cup. The moves were already made, this team was really good for a few years but not good enough to win the Stanley Cup. We got close three of four years.
Fucking sucks, Lundqvist turning into a Eddie Giacomin for us. A great player who never gets his ring
Don't quit, don't ever give up, let's deliver the pain to these primadonna mother fuckers...one game at a time...LGR!
