Boudreau needs to go

[sTyLnK]

The Caps threw everything at Halak, but that guy just played out of his mind. Of course though when a team loses, it's always the coaches fault right?

 

[Eddie_Shack]

^^ This guy knows what's up.

Oh and Shack, Boudreau criticizes his own players plenty. He's just a says what's on his mind kind of guy. I think too much is made of how a coach deals with the media and who they are as an actual COACH of the team. I don't know, personally, I like a guy who will tell a player he isn't playing well, but will defend his guys against the jackals of the 24/7 news cycle.

Hey, I only see the guy in the OCCASIONAL post game interview. I wasn't impressed, but 10 minutes of post game interview a year doesn't give me the right to send him down the river now, does it?

 

[smo5039]

This is the type of post that belongs back in the swamp.

A team that wins the ice by a large margin in the last two games didn't choke, they just didn't win. Outplaying a team and not getting a victory happens often enough in hockey that even a casual fan should recognize it, but apparently thats not the case here.

I never ever said the team choked... I said Brucey boy choked. His team was far and away superior than the Habs. They were given 3 chances to win and couldn't get it done. How many times did the announcers say that the life was taken out of the Caps since they couldn't beat Halak. He went with what worked in the regular season, and the Habs did a great job at shutting that down. Boudreau didn't change a thing.

 

[Dacks]

I hate Boudreau, but that doesn't really have anything to do with whether or not he's the right coach for the Caps. I think Darkstone has a point regarding Therrien; just because a coach has gotten your franchise going, doesn't mean he's the guy to take them all the way.

Next season will be make it or break it for Boudreau. If things start off poorly, which I doubt, he might go. Otherwise, I think he gets one more chance in the playoffs. Doesn't have to win it all, but needs to win a round, probably two, and even if they lose it has to be in commendable fashion.

GMGM will also take some heat if he doesn't shake this team up in some way. Signing Backstrom is the number one priority; finding a way to make Green / Semin work or getting rid of one / both of them is probably priority number two.

 

[Gooch1034]

I dont think hes should be tossed. like Caps Revenge said in the thread he made earlier in the evening.....The Habs just beat them basically. Game 7 reminded me of the Sens/Pens game 6 a little. Blocked shots was a HUGE factor in both games. Boudreau has done more with that team than most coaches could dream of doing and a few tweaks here and there could put them over the top....Stallone Style! I think they over achieved in the regular season in a way and wouldnt be suprised to see them as the top contender for the cup next pre season.(prediction wise)

 

[Comeds]

I'd probably fire him. Though I guess looking at his regular season record and recent strides taken I might rethink it and give him another year.

I dont agree with the reason/blame for the loss is being attributed all to Halak, Halak was great and if he wasn't the Canadiens wouldn't have won, but I don't think the Capitals ever really got going in the series. Part of that does reflect on the coach IMO.

 

[Jimmy_the_Tongue]

Fuck yeah! What a fucking choker! Only took over a team in complete disarray and turned them into contenders within a half of a season. Made the playoffs and lost in overtime in game seven to a team that lost to the Eastern Conference champs. Next year won division again and lost in epic seven game series to eventual Cup champs. Next year have record setting season and lose a 7 game series to a goalie who STANDS ON HIS FUCKING HEAD!!! You can talk about the Caps talent all you want. It's the same team that didn't start utilizing that talent until Boudreau arrived!

So do you think he should be fired or not?....don't beat around the bush

 

[elocomotive]

...but I don't think the Capitals ever really got going in the series. Part of that does reflect on the coach IMO.

17 goals in 3 games from games 2-4 isn't getting it going? No offense to the Habs (Habs response - "none taken, we're playing this weekend, have fun on the golf course"), but the Caps' kicked the sh** out of them in games 6 & 7. They had TONS of shots and not softies from weak angles - open shots in the slot, traffic in front, scrums in the crease, rebounds, big slappers we score on all the time. Some of it was not executing on finishing (I'm looking at you Alex Semin), but most of it was Halak. If they had played lousy, I'd almost feel better. But they didn't. They played great, they couldn't score, and that's hockey.

This series was three things...
(1) Halak
(2) No execution on the power play (again partly Halak)
(3) Dumb and untimely penalties by the Caps - mostly Green and Semin

 

[Caps Revenge]

I never ever said the team choked... I said Brucey boy choked. His team was far and away superior than the Habs. They were given 3 chances to win and couldn't get it done. How many times did the announcers say that the life was taken out of the Caps since they couldn't beat Halak. He went with what worked in the regular season, and the Habs did a great job at shutting that down. Boudreau didn't change a thing.

You are right Smo. Brucey boy didn't change anything. Clearly, he should have told the Caps to sit back on their heels and quit attacking as continuous pressure and dominating puck control are rarely a recipe for winning. Better yet, maybe he should have started Price...

 

[loki604]

Okay, if Boudreau is such a great coach, why, in GAME SEVEN, when they had the matchups was OV/Backstrom still out there with Gill/Gorges quite a bit?

I would say the reasons the Caps lost are as follows: 1) Halak 2) Coaching 3) The disappearing act of Semin/Green

 

[loki604]

Not to mention, some of your grinders, who were having far better games than the likes of Semin have so little ice time. I know 'your best players have to be your best players', but a lot of them simply weren't. The Caps sustained a lot of pressure AND worked behind the net (where you should be working when facing such a hot goalie) when the grinders were on for much of the time. By the middle/end of the 2nd, my top two lines would have been something like this:

Ov-Laich-Fehr/Knuble
Chimera-Backstrom-Walker

Sit Semin's ass on the bench permanently. You can deal with his issues later, but at that moment goals were needed.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

Not to mention, some of your grinders, who were having far better games than the likes of Semin have so little ice time. I know 'your best players have to be your best players', but a lot of them simply weren't. The Caps sustained a lot of pressure AND worked behind the net (where you should be working when facing such a hot goalie) when the grinders were on for much of the time. By the middle/end of the 2nd, my top two lines would have been something like this:

Ov-Laich-Fehr/Knuble
Chimera-Backstrom-Walker

Sit Semin's ass on the bench permanently. You can deal with his issues later, but at that moment goals were needed.

OT: I like the direction your blog is going. I just read it for the first time, it looks to be quite epic.

 

[loki604]

OT: I like the direction your blog is going. I just read it for the first time, it looks to be quite epic.

Thanks. I have to edit yesterday's entry and add more, but by the time I got home from watching the game, I was so drunk that that was all I could muster. I was pleased to wake up this morning and find no spelling errors.

 

[smo5039]

You are right Smo. Brucey boy didn't change anything. Clearly, he should have told the Caps to sit back on their heels and quit attacking as continuous pressure and dominating puck control are rarely a recipe for winning. Better yet, maybe he should have started Price...

Once again, Continuous pressure and dominating puck control was done by the Caps players. There were several times in the series where his top guns looked uninspired and almost looked like they knew they couldn't lose this series no matter what because they knew they were better than the Habs.

That sir, falls on the coach. I watched every game, and thats what I saw.

 

[Urkie]

I just think the Caps play too much of a regular season style of game in the playoffs to have success.

You look around at all the other teams in the playoffs and every team but the Caps plays a structured defensive system and they stick to their system. When I watch the Caps play, they just play wide open hockey at all times pretty much and it leads to a lot of defensive breakdowns.

Caps fans might disagree with me but I feel they do need to bring in a coach who will get them to protect their own end first because if they do that then they'll be unstoppable. They can score with the best of them so if they can limit the goals scored against them then....

 

[loki604]

I just think the Caps play too much of a regular season style of game in the playoffs to have success.

You look around at all the other teams in the playoffs and every team but the Caps plays a structured defensive system and they stick to their system. When I watch the Caps play, they just play wide open hockey at all times pretty much and it leads to a lot of defensive breakdowns.

Caps fans might disagree with me but I feel they do need to bring in a coach who will get them to protect their own end first because if they do that then they'll be unstoppable. They can score with the best of them so if they can limit the goals scored against them then....

And they didn't adjust their offense at all. They should have been physically punishing the Habs. They are so much bigger; you dump and chase and hit to win battles along the boards. Then create from behind the net. BB should have adjusted; instead he said "What can you do? We're playing a hot goalie."

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I think he should go ... He either couldnt instill or inspire his team to play a defensive system ... imo he gives his offensive players too much rope and they take full advantage of it.

TSN showing iso on Ovechkin on the final goal just about says it all ... out on the ice for over a minute and when the puck is turned over and going towards his own end instead of backchecking hard he stops at centre ice along the boards, essentially cherry picking and waiting for the puck in transition ... bad form!!!

Id like to see what Rick Tocchet could do with the Caps. He may bet on his team or end up beating someone down so that could be fun

 

[D-sizzle]

I'm not going to act like I know if he's the right coach for the Caps or not, that's not for me or anyone else to decide except the Caps organization.

What I do know is that everyone from the Caps shares some blame in this situation. Even the coach.

Good coaches get fired all the time in hockey and sometimes for no real reason other than a change. The Devils pretty much fire their coach every year just before the playoffs and they've had some really good ones. Budreau is a good coach and is well liked by his players, but he still might get fired.

 

[Comeds]

17 goals in 3 games from games 2-4 isn't getting it going? No offense to the Habs (Habs response - "none taken, we're playing this weekend, have fun on the golf course"), but the Caps' kicked the sh** out of them in games 6 & 7. They had TONS of shots and not softies from weak angles - open shots in the slot, traffic in front, scrums in the crease, rebounds, big slappers we score on all the time. Some of it was not executing on finishing (I'm looking at you Alex Semin), but most of it was Halak. If they had played lousy, I'd almost feel better. But they didn't. They played great, they couldn't score, and that's hockey.

This series was three things...
(1) Halak
(2) No execution on the power play (again partly Halak)
(3) Dumb and untimely penalties by the Caps - mostly Green and Semin

At times they looked great, late in game 2 through game 4 they were really good.
No biggie, I am just not going to agree with the notion that the Capitals played great and just ran into a hot goalie.

 

[Urkie]

At times they looked great, late in game 2 through game 4 they were really good.
No biggie, I am just not going to agree with the notion that the Capitals played great and just ran into a hot goalie.

I agree, saying they lost just because of a hot goalie is like saying "we don't need to change anything."

Are there any Caps fans that really believe that? McPhee needs to make a few changes and one of them may be bringing in a new coach. All I know is that no team has ever won a cup playing the style of hockey the Caps play. There's a myth the Oilers played the way the Caps do now but that's not true at all. They could play defense, they could shut down other teams and they could play a grinding style of hockey. That's what the Caps need to do.