Now that the Game 7 loss has morphed from disbelief to a low throbbing pain, my thoughts are mostly off the past and onto the future.  FWIW, I am not one of those who are screaming for the Caps to trade anyone and everyone not wearing 8 or 19.  In fact, I think there are very few trades that would be better than simply letting these players live with the painful lesson of this post season and having them be stronger and the more focused for it.

That being said, I think there is one trade worth considering that is realistically doable and arguably beneficial for both teams:  Semin for Iginla.

Why would this make sense for Calgary?

Iginla wants out or is at least open to the idea of being moved; the Fames have cap problems; and they ranked 16th in goals scored in the regular season.  The Flames had only 3 players score more than 20 goals last year (one of whom, Hagman, played 55 games with Toronto) and no one scored more than Iginla’s 32.  Since scoring 50 goals in 2007-2008, Iginla scored 35 in 2008-2009 and 32 in 2009-2010.  Iginla’s goal production, it would seem, is on the decline.  Semin, on the other hand, scored 26 goals in 2007-2008, 34 in 2008-2009 and 40 this year.  Semin's goal production, it would seem, is on the rise. The Flames missed the playoffs because they couldn’t score goals in the regular season and Semin’s 40 goals are $1M cheaper than Iginla’s 32.  When looking at Iginla’s declining goal production; his $7M salary for the next 2 years; the Flames cap problems; and Iginla’s unhappiness- this is a move the Flames should consider.  Making the playoffs, not winning the Stanley Cup, is a more realistic goal for next year’s Flames and Semin significantly increases the likelihood that Flames make the post season.

Why would this make sense for the Caps?

Because the Caps, especially Ovie, need every intangible that Iginla brings far more than they need the extra 10 or 15 regular season goals they’ll likely give up.  And because everyone on this team needs to understand that, unless your number is 8 or 19, no one is safe. 

Most would agree that this series was lost in the first 10 minutes of Game 5.  There have been many reasons offered as to why the Caps came out as they did, but to my eye (and this is no great insight) the Caps’ performance indicated a team expecting to win rather than playing to win.  And it betrayed an immaturity that convinced me that this team was never going to win the Cup this year, even if it did somehow make it past the Habs.

Some of the Game 5 debacle is on the coaching staff for sure.  But, as Captain, I think Ovie had an independent obligation to get his team ready to play and to let them know that anyone half-assing it would answer to him.  I don’t if he has that in him yet, if he has matured to that point.  Again, this is not unusual for young Captains- the Pens got Guerin for Crosby, the Flyers got Pronger for Richards.  Both of those guys seem to have taken their Captains under their wing and have made them better players as well as leaders.  There is no one currently on the Caps team that can fill that role for Ovie- and I think he needs it.

Iginla is all of Guerin and Pronger and more.  Plus, Iginla may be one of the few guys who can legitimately talk to Ovie about some of his (Ovie’s) own shortcomings.  BB is either unwilling or unable to modify Ovie’s behavior in any meaningful way, with the clearest example being that no one seems to control Ovie’s shift length other than Ovie.  Further, Ovie still tends to revert to individual play when the chips are down and to try to do too much himself.  These are things we have been commenting about for some time, but they don’t seem to be getting any better.  Iginla might be one of the few people on the planet who can sit Ovie down and to whom Ovie might listen, if only because of whom Iginla is and what he has been through.

Iginla is also a big, smiling personality whose star power compares favorably to Ovie.  Iginla can take some of the media pressure off Ovie and let him escape that obligation, if only for a little while.  And while Friedman may have been surprised to learn that Ovie has been shaken by the public’s change in opinion of him, I am not.  Ovie wears his heart on his sleeve and every time he would say that he didn’t care about the criticism he was taking, I sensed it was eating him up inside.  There is no denying it- some of the joy is gone from his play and he seems more concerned with avoiding any mistake that might lead to more criticism than he is with just playing the game.  Ovie could really use the support of an older star player whom he respects and who can speak meaningfully to him about how to handle to ebbs and flows of public opinion.  Iginla is likely that guy.

The only issue with Iginla is his contract.  He has 2 years left at $7M a year, which is not a problem this year if he and Semin swap teams but it might be the following year.  But, by the same token, Semin needs to be re-signed the following year as well, so it might not be that much of a problem after all.

I am not for wholesale changes and I don’t believe (for example) that this team needs the “crease clearing defenseman” that many commentators do.  I think BB’s style is ideal for these players and can indeed bring championships.  My old signature used to be “if it ain’t broke, don’t break it” and that is a good lesson in life.  This team is not broken and any move to “fix” it might do more harm than good.  Iginla for Semin, though, is one trade I could get behind.

I realize I am quite likely in a minority of one but I am starting to get agitated that Nyls can't even get a game in the preseason.  It smacks of retribution and mean spiritedness as well as making little to no strategic sense IMO.

Nyls might not be (and is quite likely not) your first choice to start in the regular season but if 19 or 9 (or god forbid both) get hurt it'd be nice if Nyls' last competitive game was not in April.  And isn't now the time to at least experiment with him so you can see if he is any better than last year or if he and Knuble actually have any chemistry or to experiment again with him on the wing to see if that works any better?

Anybody think the Caps need to see more of Laing to know what skill set he brings because there is still some uncertainty?  Anybody think there is a realistic chance that Perreault, Wilson or Sugden are in the running to make the team out of Camp?

And how can you trade him/loan him/whatever if the last impression anyone has of him is from 6 months ago?  Are the Caps really concerned about a further decrease in his value?

And do you think other players around the league are not paying attention to this and wondering to themselves if redemption is just not part of the Capitals lexicon?

I am hardpressed to think of any legitimate reason why Nyls is not being given at least the chance to show that he is not the player he was last year.  If Giroux is extended that privilege (and extended and extended) why not Nyls?

I think there is no more pressing question for the Caps this season that what to do with Nyls and his cap hit- far more pressing than any lingering questions regarding Osala or A. Gordon.  I will be the first stand up and say Nyls sucks if- when given a chance- he performs like last year.  But if Omsk is no longer an option (assuming it ever was), then there are only two options- find some way to make his cap hit count for something positive or entice another team to take him.

Not playing him at all, even in the preseason- no, make that especially in the preseason- accomplishes neither of those goals and therefore seems like the most counterproductive option available.  

Someone straighten me out because this smells like more than a purely hockey decision.  And if so, that really sucks. Nyls may not be your favorite player but he deserves better than that.

Unleash the dogs of war and let the bashing begin.

Round one is in the books with the teams playing to a 4-3, Group C coming out on top of Group B.  Vogs etc all have their excellent breakdowns but here are my thoughts, for what they are worth.

The first 10 minutes of each period were fairly subdued but by the last 10 minutes the juices were flowing.

BMo- As Laich said, BMo is a very shifty player and I think he will fit right into this system.  He has great vision, better acceleration than I would have thought given his age and injuries, and makes very quick- and creative- decisions with the puck.  I know there are some who would prefer BMo centering Ovi but he and Semin really had it going on today.  They had great understanding all day and had Semin been more focused he would have had 2 or 3.  That was a great combination- very very encouraging.  BMo had one particularly nice saucer pass to Semin in traffic that was a sight to behold.  Semin didn't finish and ran over Neuvy but it was a beautiful play.  BMo did get beaten regularly by Stecks in the dot- but then again who doesn't?

Aucoin > Bourque.  If there is only one spot available and it comes down to Keith or Chris, Aucoin would be my choice.  He is a little bigger and stronger on the puck, skates just as well, has a longer reach and just plays a more complete game.  I had these same thoughts when I saw Aucoin at the end of last year, especially in the game against the Thrashers.  I know the Rats have Bourque 7 spots ahead of Aucoin on The List but that is a mistake IMO.  If I can only have one, I choose Aucoin.

Angus (or BabyGus or whatever we're calling him- have we decided on a nickname?) was better than he has been and even scored a goal.  He looked ready for Hershey, which is an improvement.

Green looked like Green should look.  'Nuff said.

Breuss is just a dick on the ice (in a good way) and I hope to see him in a Caps uniform in the future.  He seems incapable of playing at half speed or in scrimmage mode and was hitting anyone he could.  He kept his feet moving, drew a penalty and bounced right up after Cassavant almost decapitated him with a hard elbow to the head.  The Caps really should sign him up.

And last but not least was Circles.  While I am sure that Jeff George also looked good during practice, Nyls was good today I thought.  I could tell that he has bulked up but he seemed quicker than I remember.  He had made some very nice passes, was creative and seemed engaged. He also had some moments where he was not all there but so did most of the Vets.  Shwedy and I just disagree. I saw today the skills that got him that contract.

But he is such an odd guy.  During the first intermission, the team was in the locker room talking to the coach and Nyls was still sitting on the bench all by himself and occasionally talking to one of the trainers.  I know his rep is that he is distant and aloof but that was just odd. 

I'll be there tomorrow if anyone wants to meet up.

Today I was back at Development Camp but only for the skating drills in the morning.  Peerless has done a great job recapping both the scrimmage and the morning sessions but here, for what it's worth, are my 2 cents.

Group A started off by warming up with some puck work (Group B did not) and even in this relaxed setting,  Perreault showed that he can put the puck where ever he wants to.  He must have banged 7-10 pucks right off the posts in the upper left and right hand corners.  The kid has got some skills.

First off, it is remarkable to me how much better some skaters are than others, even at this level.  This was never more apparent than with Group A, where Breuss, Broda Perreault and Sean Backman stood out from the rest, with Breuss drawing the most attention.  Breuss skates like he plays- with alot of aggression and explosiveness.  He has a compact style, powerful legs and has great edge work, which allowed him to shine in all 4 drills.

The first drill had the nets placed almost against the endboards, with just enough space for the players to slip through.  The players started at the far blue line with the boards on their right, skated toward the adjusted net, came out the other side and then were timed between the blue lines.  The drill rewarded those who could carry the most speed through the corner and Breuss appeared to be the best (as Peerless points out, the times are not revealed so all I have are my observations), followed by Broda, Perreault and Backman.  Broda is also powerful with Perreault and Backman getting good results with their graceful stride.  Finley did better than I expected but was the only one to lose an edge in this drill.

The second drill had the skaters skate from blue line to blue line from a dead stop.  Again,  Breuss, Broda Perreault and Backman all excelled, with Breuss getting up to speed the quickest.

The third drill had the players skating around cones placed in an S formation.  The first cone was to the players left, requiring a turn to the right with a left footed crossover and the second cone required a left  turn with a right footed crossover.  I mention the crossovers because I was surprised to see that not all the players were able to crossover with both feet.

The last drill was a mini suicide with the players starting at the blue line, going to the red, back to the blue, and then to the far blue line.

Again, Breuss, Broda Perreault and Backman all excelled, with Breuss getting up to speed the quickest.

In addition to these 4, Flemming and Mitchell stood out.  They were not quite as fast as as the other 4 but they were fast.  Flemming again stood out to me because the kid never stops trying even when he is clearly exhausted.  Same with Breuss.  Flemming and Breuss have the best combination of talent and work ethic in Group A and I have yet to see either one of them half-ass a drill or even part of a drill.  What comes through is neither of these guys look they will ever take a shift off. 

Finley did OK but was not particularly good or bad.  The rest just kind of blended in.

While the talent level in Group A is fairly well defined, such is not the case in Group B.  Except for some of the invitees, the Group B players are much closer in talent.  Having said that, Eakin is the best skater, followed in no particular order by Carlson, Kugreyshev, SDR, Orlov and Bouchard.

Eakin is just so graceful and has such quick feet that he excelled at the drills.  It's hard to say what his compete level is because he makes it look easy. 

Carlson showed that he is the overall better skater than Orlov in these drills but not by much. 

As someone else wrote about Bouchard, his effort shows that he really wants to stick.  He went flat out in every drill and worked very hard, as did SDR.  Kugreyshev is just fast. 

I wrote in an earlier Post that Mestery is like Sarge.  I'd like to amend that to say that Mestery is a better skater.  He is more fluid and more coordinated and controlled.  (full disclosure- I am huge Sarge fan). 

Baby Gus was again average.  He did well but not great- probably in the top 3rd.  Of more concern to me is his attitude and ice presence.  Maybe it is just me but he just doesn't seem to be competing and I usually feel like he could have done better if he had just given it a better effort.

Patrick Wey needs some work.  He has a very upright skating style and doesn't look all that comfortable in his stride. 

Godfrey is also a study in contrasts.  He seemed to be very fast in a straight line but not so great at corners.  In Group B he stood out for how he skated through the 1st and 3rd  drills.  He was one of the skaters who couldn't/didn't crossover and, as a result, he lost a lot of speed because he just couldn't carry it through the corners. 

Finally, my boy Testwuide did well.  He is a big guy and is no Eakin but he hung right in there. 

At this point I feel safe in saying that Breuss and Flemming would kill someone-anyone- to make the team.  They never stop trying even when it no longer matters.  Bouchard, Backman and SDR are of the same ilk.  I wish I could say the same about Baby Gus.

I'll be there all day tomorrow for the drills and the scrimmage if anyone else is going.








 

One of the advantages of working for yourself is being able to take the day off to watch hockey in July.  I went to both the morning and afternoon sessions and here, for what it is worth, are my observations- in no particular order-of who stood out.

Perreault is small and quick and skates like the wind.  As Peerless noted, he was opposite Finley for most of the early morning one-on-one sessions.  Peerless thought Finely held his own but I tend to disagree.  More than a few times Perreault got wide on Finley and simply skated around him.  Had Finley been able to plant him into the boards once or twice (as he seemed to desperately want to) it might have been a different story.   But as hitting seemed to be verboten (except for Flemming, see below), it wasn't much of a contest.  Perreault has a quick release and very good hands and clearly has a ton on physical skill.  What stood out to me is that his compete level was inconsistent.  He seemed to play as if he has already made the team and skates with an arrogance that is not quite deserved.  If he can get his head straight, he might be dangerous.  Needs to compete harder.  

Sean Backman impressed with his hockey sense, positioning and compete level.  He is just so small that he'll probably never make it but he went balls to the wall every shift and often out competed guys much bigger than himself.  I really like this guy but he likely has no chance.

Brett Flemming was very good positionally, competes hard and definitely plays with an attitude.  He was the only guy using his body at all- until BB told him to calm down.  He came to play and show he belongs.

Finley was just not that impressive, once I got past his size.  He is easily beaten by speed and showed no ability to recover.  Bottom line, if you can get past him it's over.  He had a few nice poke checks but all on guys with average speed.

Joel Broda showed flashes of offensive ability but was inconsistent.

Garrett Mitchell- very good compete level. Tried hard everytime he was given a chance.

Carlson- what can you say?  Strong, fast, great compete level, good positioning, great outlet passes.  Of some interest is that he dominated Bouchard in the one on one drills

Orlov- Is the real deal.  He was paired with Carlson and (I thought) was just as good.  I read that BB thinks Carlson stood out and he did- but so did Orlov.  He is just as good a skater, is a better stickhandler and has a great shot- really quick, hard and well placed.  I thought he did the 2-1 drills as well as/better than Carlson though Carlson's outlet passes were generally better.  In my mind, these two were light years of the other D-men.  Very impressive.  

Baby Gus-  BB thought he did well but I'm not so sure.  He clearly has a ton of talent but he seemed disinterested at points and, like Perreault, often played as if he had already made the squad.  I'm sure I don't know what I'm talking about but I expected more than I got or than he gave.  Orlov dominated him on the one on ones.

Kugreyshev- did well.  Good/great skater, works hard, good instincts, good hands.  Could be the real deal.  He was paired with Eakin and Cassavant.

If ever there were a study in contrasts, it would be Eakin and Cassavant.  Eakin is as fast as Cassavant is slow.  Eakin was the best skater out there and worked very hard.  I was impressed with his game.  He worked well with Kugreyshev.

Cassavant is a project, plain and simple.  His skating is as bad as advertised and he needs to spend as much time as he can with a power skating instructor.  He was never really in the play with Kugreyshev and Eakin- he just couldn't catch up.

SDR- was very average.  He competes like a fiend and finished the suicides first and in pretty good form but that was about it.  Had I not known who he was, I might not have noticed him at all.

Eric Mestery- reminds me of Sarge in all the good and bad ways.

All that being said, one guy who really stood out was JP Testwuide.  Who?  I later discovered he is an invitee from the Denver Pioneers.  Almost everything he shot went in- slap shots, wrist shots, backhands, wrap arounds, everything.  He was always in the right place, skated very well and was the best of his group in the suicides.  He played in college as a defenseman but he was on the wing today.  Very impressive.  This may have been a flash in the pan but he was a stand out today.  

There's more but those are the highlights.  It was a great day.

As the trade deadline approaches and the calls for a Nylander trade become more intense, the question on my mind is whether he is truly a bad player or just a bad cap hit.  Put another way, if Nylander were a $1M cap hit rather than a $5M cap hit, would the Caps still be better off trading Nylander- the player as opposed to the cap hit- for a goalie, a D-Man, or a bag of pucks, assuming the Caps would not receive a forward in return? Because this Caps’ season is ultimately going to be judged during a time when salary cap considerations and player roster numbers no longer matter- and that time is fast approaching- should Nyls be a part of the playoff run and if so to what degree?  Can the Caps field a noticeably better 4 line rotation with him scratched and if so what would it look like?

Even with Feds fading, this is the best I can come up with for playoff lines without Nyls:

8-19-25

28-91-21

14-39-16

56/83/87-15-10

I’m not sure this better.  Thoughts?

According to LeBrun, Bouwmeester has turned down a multi-year deal with the Panthers at $6.5M per and the Panthers are exploring trades with, among others, NJ and Philly.  So the question is: should the Caps be in the mix and if so at what price? And does the analysis change if getting Bouwmeester will also prevent another Eastern Conference playoff team from getting him?

As a starting point, JP's boy in the Litterbox insists that Semin must be part  of any deal to get Bouwmeester.  That is too rich for my blood but there are certainly other options depending on how much of the future the Caps are willing to mortgage.  My sense is that the Caps should stay out of it, even if Philly or NJ get him in the short term, because FLA will want too much.  But what about a combination of Osala and CBo?  How about any of the other forwards at Hershey?  How much is too much?