Game #1,000 for Mike Knuble GNT | Blues @ Caps | 12.20.11

[ritari330]

BTW Eloco, they showed the whole Knuble pre-game stuff on CSN, pretty neat

 

[elocomotive]

Send that vid to every GM in the league!

Along with a letter...

Dear NHL GM,
We have a situation in Washington that we can tolerate no longer. Alex Ovechkin's ego is huge and fragile. The talent that Alex Semin possesses simply poses too much of a threat to him and we can no longer keep Semin on the team - it' simply making Ovechkin (or "that other Alex" as we call him) too jealous. And Ovechkin sells tickets b/c frankly we all know these DC fans know dick about hockey.

Ovechkin sees what a great two-way player Semin is. He sees Semin's leadership and toughness with all the PIMs he acquires. Much like Dale Hunter a generation before, Alex Semin is destined to join the 3,000 PIMs and 1,000 points club. We simply can't have that happen on OV's watch.

Please send your overly generous offers to the Capitals at once. Preferably, a mid-20s budding talent, a solid defenseman and several first round picks. If you twist my arm, I might even let go of Roman Hamrlik or Jeff Schultz.

Sincerely, GMGM

 

[elocomotive]

BTW Eloco, they showed the whole Knuble pre-game stuff on CSN, pretty neat

Oh cool! They sometimes do and sometimes don't. The only bad thing - it almost felt like a retirement ceremony. haha.

It was also MoJo's 100th NHL game. They had a banner ceremony for it that probably wasn't on TV.

 

[ritari330]

no, but they said it on the post game that it was his 100th

 

[ritari330]

Also, Hamrlik has played MUCH better since he came back, still probably #7 when green is healthy, but a whole hell of a lot better

 

[elocomotive]

Just a trend note as well...

-Defense is looking steadily better (though Schultz/Hamrlik had their moments tonight, what a dreadful combo and I have a name for them - Slow and Slower)
-More than just playing better defense (forward and blue liners alike), they are transitioning to offense MUCH better, cleaner zone exits, a few stretch passes tonight
-The more I see Orlov, the more I like the guy - so many talents on both sides of the puck

 

[elocomotive]

It'd be really nice to see this team with Wideman and Green BOTH healthy. Hopefully we get to see it soon... and for awhile!!

Bedtime! Later, and GO CAPS!!

 

[ritari330]

part of the problem with Hamrlik/Schultz and even Erskine is that they can't play man to man very well like Dale wants them to. But about halfway through the 2nd, there are really only 2 pairings playing the majority of the time

 

[ritari330]

It'd be really nice to see this team with Wideman and Green BOTH healthy. Hopefully we get to see it soon... and for awhile!!

11 games since wideman got dealt here...

 

[elocomotive]

part of the problem with Hamrlik/Schultz and even Erskine is that they can't play man to man very well like Dale wants them to. But about halfway through the 2nd, there are really only 2 pairings playing the majority of the time

Yeah, that's true. If Green's back, it will only mean one of them out there, which is fine (who knew Orlov would basically be a top 6 lock so quick). And I don't think individually they are awful, but together, it's not the best combo.

Who do you think they pair Orlov with when Green comes back? And who is your top 6 right now if you had to pick?

I'll check back and see tomorrow. Peace.

 

[ritari330]

I'd go:

Carlsner
Orlov-Green
Erskine-Wideman

Schultz is going to get traded. They can't just have 8 D-men on the roster regularly. Hamrlik wouldn't get traded because he's older, and Erskine I think wouldn't get as much as Schultz would and I think he's gotten a tad faster. Remember that article I showed you pre-season about protecting green? Having a guy who can retrieve the puck? Yeah, well it'd be risky, but Orlov's* the best match for Green except for Alzner but he's staying with Carly. So yeah, Carlsner as the shutodown pair, Orlov-Green as almost the two-way pair, and then Erskine-Wideman as your more traditional 1 Offensive 1 Defensive.

* This is all assuming Orlov plays this way for the foreseeable future. I get the sense that he has more offensive skills than he is showing, but he is almost being told to play like Carlson was when he first came up. Learn the defensive side first and then work your way into the offensive side. He's done a little more pinching and breakout type stuff, but when I saw him at Dev. Camp, he was in a lot more rushes and played a lot more offensively minded. It seems like they've told him to not have that offensive mindset and just concentrate on D. Just my $.02.

If that were to change, then my pairings might change.

 

[elocomotive]

I largely agree with you, Rit. The only thing I wonder is if they'll give Hamrlik-Green another shot. Those two were very solid together and Hamrlik has not been the same since. To put it in perspective...

7 games with Green...
+2, 3.1 blocked shots per game

21 games since Green left...
-11, 1.5 blocked shots per game

Hamrlik started out really well. In his first half dozen games I remember thinking, this kind of blocking/physical presence is great and something we needed. Then it's gone south. I don't know if it's that he just clicked well with Green (they did have great chemistry from the get go), if he has a lingering injury, if he just had a hot start and he's not the player we thought he was, or if Hunter's system may not match up well with his skill set.

But I'd like to see them give that combo another shot.

 

[ritari330]

Yeah, I'd be willing to give that another shot

 

[elocomotive]

Yeah, I'd be willing to give that another shot

Excellent! I'll fax our instructions over to Hunter/GMGM immediately.