The Capitals need help at Center.

[DaBoltsNIsles]

With Marcus Johansson & Mathieu Perrault as their 2nd & 3rd line centers I really don't see the Caps having a prayer against the likes of Philly or Pittsburgh come playoff time. I think this is the biggest reason they've gone to the trap & have had some problems scoring goals.

Obviously they're going to make a trade or two at or before the deadline to fix this probem right?

 

[Urkie]

Yeah, that could be exactly why they're having problems.

One guy that I know really well that might help them would be Mike Fisher. The Caps would have to give up quite a bit to get him though.

Kovalev might also be a possiblity as you brought up in the other thread. Yeah, he's not a center but he might fit in well on the Caps.

 

[pixburgher66]

With Marcus Johansson & Mathieu Perrault as their 2nd & 3rd line centers I really don't see the Caps having a prayer against the likes of Philly or Pittsburgh come playoff time. I think this is the biggest reason they've gone to the trap & have had some problems scoring goals.

Obviously they're going to make a trade or two at or before the deadline to fix this probem right?

Of all the years for them to finally make some real noise on deadline day, this year is probably the most likely. In the past few seasons they've already been on cruise control by this point in the season and I sincerely think that McPhee has thought they were set for the postseason, but with their recent struggles (blessings in disguise I tell ya, adversity that is) I think he's almost forced into making moves.

 

[trev0914]

hudler for semin

 

[elocomotive]

For me, getting healthy is more of a concern right now than adding people.

Johnanson has been great and is getting better all the time. He's a very strong defensive player and moves players off the puck well. He has naturally great vision and has been steadily improving on the offensive end. He's even had some time with the 1st unit in recent games with Backstrom going back to 2nd line center. However, Semin being out has hurt the 2nd and 3rd lines more than any move we make. Fehr being out hasn't helped either. We've had quite a few AHL guys regularly in the 3rd and 4th lines and essentially have played with 2 checking lines for a while now.

As to Perreault, I'm a big fan of the guy (that's why I got his jersey), but I'm not sure the team is. I could see the possibility of the team making a move for a center and I'd put it at about 40/60 right now. They would likely then move the new addition to 2nd line center, put MoJo on 3rd line center, and Backstrom on the top unit.

In the salary cap era, every team is going to have their weakness. I think a move could be in order, but this can be a dangerous team with what we have now. And with so many young guys in the lineup, we should only improve next year.

We don't match up as well with Philly this year (a team we have owned the last couple years) because they have developed the secondary scoring we had in spades last year. But the games with them have all been tight. As to Pittsburgh, their lack of wingers is a bigger issue than our depth at center, and it's shown when we've played them.

On the plus side, we've become one of the best defensive teams in the league and our PK is excellent - pretty strong considered the collective experience of our 3 young netminders. Since the 7-0 shellacking by the Rangers, we've given up only 1.79 goals per game. We don't need to score like last year to be successful.

The defensive change is NOT a result of the lower-scoring production, but part of a year-long effort to improve the way we prove defense. Some of this has been the "system," but the addition of Hannan and the maturity of our defenseman and forwards has been part of the improvement as well.

All that said, the big guns - OV, Backstrom, Knuble, Laich, and Semin - have been cold this year. The talent to be a big scoring power is there and the power play woes have been the biggest difference between last year and this. Those guys have to step up and execute on the PP. If we were, we'd have 30 more goals right now and we'd be the best team in hockey. They have to step up the PP.

Could use another center? Maybe. Need one? No.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

Arnott may be a steal for someone unless we have a miracle before the deadline lol

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

For me, getting healthy is more of a concern right now than adding people.

Johnanson has been great and is getting better all the time. He's a very strong defensive player and moves players off the puck well. He has naturally great vision and has been steadily improving on the offensive end. He's even had some time with the 1st unit in recent games with Backstrom going back to 2nd line center. However, Semin being out has hurt the 2nd and 3rd lines more than any move we make. Fehr being out hasn't helped either. We've had quite a few AHL guys regularly in the 3rd and 4th lines and essentially have played with 2 checking lines for a while now.

As to Perreault, I'm a big fan of the guy (that's why I got his jersey), but I'm not sure the team is. I could see the possibility of the team making a move for a center and I'd put it at about 40/60 right now. They would likely then move the new addition to 2nd line center, put MoJo on 3rd line center, and Backstrom on the top unit.

In the salary cap era, every team is going to have their weakness. I think a move could be in order, but this can be a dangerous team with what we have now. And with so many young guys in the lineup, we should only improve next year.

We don't match up as well with Philly this year (a team we have owned the last couple years) because they have developed the secondary scoring we had in spades last year. But the games with them have all been tight. As to Pittsburgh, their lack of wingers is a bigger issue than our depth at center, and it's shown when we've played them.

On the plus side, we've become one of the best defensive teams in the league and our PK is excellent - pretty strong considered the collective experience of our 3 young netminders. Since the 7-0 shellacking by the Rangers, we've given up only 1.79 goals per game. We don't need to score like last year to be successful.

The defensive change is NOT a result of the lower-scoring production, but part of a year-long effort to improve the way we prove defense. Some of this has been the "system," but the addition of Hannan and the maturity of our defenseman and forwards has been part of the improvement as well.

All that said, the big guns - OV, Backstrom, Knuble, Laich, and Semin - have been cold this year. The talent to be a big scoring power is there and the power play woes have been the biggest difference between last year and this. Those guys have to step up and execute on the PP. If we were, we'd have 30 more goals right now and we'd be the best team in hockey. They have to step up the PP.

Could use another center? Maybe. Need one? No.

If you honestly believe your team is going to win the Cup with two rookies as your 2nd & 3rd line centers I wish you luck. It ain't happening.

Like Clarkson said Arnott would be a nice addition to the Caps lineup. There will be others available & the Capitals have one of the deepest farm systems in the league. It also helps that Leonsis has said McPhee will be given whatever he needs to win.

 

[elocomotive]

If you honestly believe your team is going to win the Cup with two rookies as your 2nd & 3rd line centers I wish you luck. It ain't happening.

Like Clarkson said Arnott would be a nice addition to the Caps lineup. There will be others available & the Capitals have one of the deepest farm systems in the league. It also helps that Leonsis has said McPhee will be given whatever he needs to win.

Where did I say we are going to win the Cup?

This is about what we could add, what the short- and long-term price would be, and what the cost/benefits are.

Arnott's points per game are barely beyond what MoJo and Perreault are adding to the offense, so I don't see how he helps us that much when our weakness is on the offensive end. And what do we have to give up to get him? Arnott certainly would only be a rental for one year, he is old now, and I don't see him as adding much beyond the current guys we have.

 

[loki604]

For me, getting healthy is more of a concern right now than adding people.

Johnanson has been great and is getting better all the time. He's a very strong defensive player and moves players off the puck well. He has naturally great vision and has been steadily improving on the offensive end. He's even had some time with the 1st unit in recent games with Backstrom going back to 2nd line center. However, Semin being out has hurt the 2nd and 3rd lines more than any move we make. Fehr being out hasn't helped either. We've had quite a few AHL guys regularly in the 3rd and 4th lines and essentially have played with 2 checking lines for a while now.

As to Perreault, I'm a big fan of the guy (that's why I got his jersey), but I'm not sure the team is. I could see the possibility of the team making a move for a center and I'd put it at about 40/60 right now. They would likely then move the new addition to 2nd line center, put MoJo on 3rd line center, and Backstrom on the top unit.

In the salary cap era, every team is going to have their weakness. I think a move could be in order, but this can be a dangerous team with what we have now. And with so many young guys in the lineup, we should only improve next year.

We don't match up as well with Philly this year (a team we have owned the last couple years) because they have developed the secondary scoring we had in spades last year. But the games with them have all been tight. As to Pittsburgh, their lack of wingers is a bigger issue than our depth at center, and it's shown when we've played them.

On the plus side, we've become one of the best defensive teams in the league and our PK is excellent - pretty strong considered the collective experience of our 3 young netminders. Since the 7-0 shellacking by the Rangers, we've given up only 1.79 goals per game. We don't need to score like last year to be successful.

The defensive change is NOT a result of the lower-scoring production, but part of a year-long effort to improve the way we prove defense. Some of this has been the "system," but the addition of Hannan and the maturity of our defenseman and forwards has been part of the improvement as well.

All that said, the big guns - OV, Backstrom, Knuble, Laich, and Semin - have been cold this year. The talent to be a big scoring power is there and the power play woes have been the biggest difference between last year and this. Those guys have to step up and execute on the PP. If we were, we'd have 30 more goals right now and we'd be the best team in hockey. They have to step up the PP.

Could use another center? Maybe. Need one? No.

Really?

Pens - 7th in GPG 3.02
Caps - 18th in GPG 2.71.

And we've played you twice and we're 1-1. One being outside in the rain. A win is a win is a win, but I wouldn't use that game (or a two game sample size really) to make general statements about who has a more glaring weakness come playoff time.

 

[h X c Chris]

Well right now the Penguins are lacking Centers too

 

[loki604]

Well right now the Penguins are lacking Centers too

Are you saying Mark Letestu isn't The Next One?

 

[h X c Chris]

He might be the next one...on the IR list!

 

[elocomotive]

Really?

Pens - 7th in GPG 3.02
Caps - 18th in GPG 2.71.

And we've played you twice and we're 1-1. One being outside in the rain. A win is a win is a win, but I wouldn't use that game (or a two game sample size really) to make general statements about who has a more glaring weakness come playoff time.

This season and last you guys have beaten us once... in a shootout. We've won the other 5 games. We've won 5 straight in Pittsburgh. I'm not using one game - I'm using the trend in the series between the two teams. I respect the Pens a ton, but we do match up well with you guys, and matchups is what someone was talking about above.

 

[loki604]

Why don't you go back one more year?

 

[elocomotive]

Why don't you go back one more year?

Because the teams are pretty different two years back, whereas one year back they're almost the same.

I guess you're making a not-so-subtle shot at the playoff series. The fact is that the team that wins the season series is likely to win any postseason meeting as well. You won that time, I'd love to test the theory out further.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Because the teams are pretty different two years back, whereas one year back they're almost the same.

I guess you're making a not-so-subtle shot at the playoff series. The fact is that the team that wins the season series is likely to win any postseason meeting as well. You won that time, I'd love to test the theory out further.

In addition, it is not like that playoff series was one sided. In actuality, Washington outplayed the Pens in 5 of the 7 games, palyed them even in one and got dominated in the other. A win is a win, as you say, but the Caps dictated that series in many ways. Both of your overtime winners came off our boys sticks. Game 7 was utter domination, granted, but the other 6, well....you have the cup so, I will let you use that to block the view of how it went.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Also, in regards to the post, a guy like Arnott would be a fantastic fit. I would be much more concerned if the Caps were playing well offensively right now and struggling to keep pucks out of the net. I have much more faith in the Offense coming around in April than the defense. Carlson and Alzner are as good of a shut down pair as we have had in Washington in a while. Green has emerged as a MUCH better defensive player, likely due to the comfort he feels with Hannan, and Schultz is back where he probably belongs as a third pairing guy with Poti or Erskine. Another defenseman would not hurt, or a vet goalie, but I do not want any big changes really other than a physical, vet center, like...well Arnott.

The offense is likely to come around....



...unless we run into....

who we all know was one of these:

 

[ritari330]

In addition, it is not like that playoff series was one sided. In actuality, Washington outplayed the Pens in 5 of the 7 games, palyed them even in one and got dominated in the other. A win is a win, as you say, but the Caps dictated that series in many ways. Both of your overtime winners came off our boys sticks. Game 7 was utter domination, granted, but the other 6, well....you have the cup so, I will let you use that to block the view of how it went.

I'd disagree with that. We sucked on defense and Varly kept us in. Go back and watch the series. I know I did and Our D was horrible. If we had the D we had now, and the series played out like that, we could've won the cup that year. my point is, we let varly out to dry in that series a bunch. So I'd say it was more so that the pens outplayed the caps in 4 of the 7, the caps outplayed the pens in 2 and one was pretty darn even. JMO

 

[evolver115]

This season and last you guys have beaten us once... in a shootout. We've won the other 5 games. We've won 5 straight in Pittsburgh. I'm not using one game - I'm using the trend in the series between the two teams. I respect the Pens a ton, but we do match up well with you guys, and matchups is what someone was talking about above.

The Penguins have changed quite a bit since 2009-2010, particularly on the blue-line. The defense has three full-time players who were not there before. And two of the three who were there before are playing much more meaningful minutes, and are also much more effective than last year.

You can trump up that stat line from the year past to paint a pretty picture of 5 straight wins, but the scenery changes a little with a salary cap from year to year.

A stat that supports my point is Goals Against / Per Game. Pit finished the 2009-10 season at 20th overall with 2.87. Through 50 games this season, they currently ranked 2nd overall with 2.24

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

The Penguins have changed quite a bit since 2009-2010, particularly on the blue-line. The defense has three full-time players who were not there before. And two of the three who were there before are playing much more meaningful minutes, and are also much more effective than last year.

You can trump up that stat line from the year past to paint a pretty picture of 5 straight wins, but the scenery changes a little with a salary cap from year to year.

A stat that supports my point is Goals Against / Per Game. Pit finished the 2009-10 season at 20th overall with 2.87. Through 50 games this season, they currently ranked 2nd overall with 2.24

Not really, it is still snowy, gray and cold as shit here.....