“Around The Boards” – Issue Three

Welcome back to yet another installment of KOL’s “Around The Boards” blogger roundtable. For our first regular season edition, we talk to three members of the Caps blogosphere and get their opinions on the Capitals’ start to the season.

But first, our panelists.

Reed Albers (Caps Kremlin)

Rob Yunich (Storming The Crease)

Erika Schnure (Ravings Of A Rink Rebel)

Let’s start with the players. Which Caps regular that you thought would have an immediate impact has yet to impress/live up to expectations?

Albers: Mike Knuble. One goal and one assist and minus three isn’t what I expected of a first line player eight games into the season. Last year the Caps and Knuble immediately clicked together like Lego bricks, but this year it’s not there — yet. He’s been great on the penalty kill, but Knuble’s performances on offense have left much to be desired.

Yunich: Nicklas Backstrom. He hasn’t really rekindled his touch from last year. Yes, it’s early and it’s taken him a while to get going in many of his professional campaigns. But with a huge new deal, increased leadership responsibilities, and the assurance of playing on the same line as Alex Ovechkin for the next 10 seasons, one would expect more than four points in eight games. That’s not to say Ovechkin isn’t to blame; he’s the leader of the team and he’s not looking like himself. There’s time, but the blueprint is there for many more questions than answers to this point.

Schnure: I’ve been really surprised by Nicklas Backstrom’s lack of production.  Considering his 101-point season last year, he should be doing more.  Only 4 points this year and a -3?  I’m wondering what’s going on.

Continuing with the player theme, let’s move onto Marcus Johansson, who is suffering from a nagging hip injury that has forced him out of a few games. His promotion and Mathieu Perreault’s subsequent demotion to Hershey at the end of training camp has had mixed reception. With Perreault’s great performance against Atlanta Saturday in mind, who would you prefer? Should Perreault replace Johansson has the third line center on the Washington Capitals? Or is Johansson just experiencing the ups and downs of a rookie?

Albers: I’d prefer to have both on the team. Keep both centers up, move Fleischmann to the wing and figure out who to keep on the fourth line and who to ship away. OK, so maybe that logic works in NHL 11, but both players deserve to be here and if it’s possible, they should both be playing in the NHL. If we had to keep one of them up, you’ve got to stick with Johansson. Sending him to Hershey because a call-up had one good game could be counter-productive. Johansson is ready for the NHL and he’s getting better each game. Time in the AHL won’t help him as much as time in the NHL.

Yunich: There’s no reason why both players can’t be on the team. Tomas Fleischmann is proving more and more that he’s not a regular NHL center and, in my mind, is currently playing his last season with the Caps. At this point, Perreault has got to be the team’s second-line center — especially if he can keep up chemistry with Alex Semin. Too much is done to accommodate Semin, but that’s the subject for another post. In the meantime, it’s great to see Perreault succeed. He works hard on every shift, is extremely fast and gifted and does what he is told. If only more of his teammates emulated that.

Schnure: I think it’s still a little early to be hitting the panic button on Johansson.  Would he benefit from a couple of games in Hershey?  Possibly.  But take a look at first overall pick Taylor Hall – he’s still waiting for his first NHL goal.  On paper, the statistics say that Hall isn’t being very productive (he has one point, an assist), but you look at what people are saying about the Oilers and they say that Hall has been the one of the best players on the ice the last few games.  Johansson has had a couple of those “best player on the ice” games too, statistics just aren’t showing it.  I think he still needs some time to get going.  Nicklas Backstrom did in his rookie season too.

From a team standpoint, what is more surprising to you? The Capitals’ 25-for-25 perfect penalty kill streak or the power play’s struggles?

Albers: You had to imagine that one day the penalty kill would get it together after all it’s troubles last season, so I’d say the power play. I mean when you have Backstrom, Semin, Ovechkin, Knuble/Laich and Green/Carlson on your power play units, you’d have to assume it’s going to be one damn fine unit. Could you really look anyone in the face this summer and say “the Caps power play will only be middle of the pack a month in” and expect them to believe you?

Yunich: The power play’s performance. It amazes me that the team still tries the back-door cut and difficult pass instead of dumping, chasing and working hard. As you can tell, I’m a big fan of blue-collar hockey. That’s not to say the Caps can’t utilize their skill, but they need another organ to help them out more: their hearts. They need to look like they want it, just like they did during the PK streak. For the most part, the PK worked their butts off to kill off 25 straight. If only their power-play compatriots would follow that example.

Schnure: The PK, definitely.  The power play failure is just carry-over from last year’s playoffs.  The Caps had one of the league’s worst PKs last year; so far they’re at #7 and led the league with Florida for some time with 100%.  Who knows where it’s coming from, but let’s hope they keep it going.

To end things from a global perspective, eight games into the season, the Capitals’ record in the standings is 5-3-0. Some might consider that “lucky” since they have yet to play a complete 60-minute game. Based on the way they’ve played throughout those first eight games, what do you think their record should be?

Albers: 5-3-0 actually sounds about right. Three years ago we would have been begging for a win, now that the team has great expectations, suddenly a playoff pace doesn’t cut it anymore. The NHL season is a marathon and starting slow out the gate doesn’t mean you’re going to finish last. The team has five months before the playoffs to sort their issues out. The Caps will learn to play 60 minutes and they will learn to adapt to the defenses that are thrown at them. If we’re saying the team is lucky to be a No. 8 seed come January, then you can color me irate.

Yunich: I’m not one to alter records, but I do think that lucky is a good way to describe what’s transpired so far. The fact that they haven’t come out differently than last year, with all that’s been said, is beyond befuddling. Opposing teams clearly learned their lesson from what Montreal did to the Caps and are using that as a blueprint to slow down the Caps’ offense — especially its power play. Coach Bruce Boudreau likes to preach his system, which in theory is perfect for the Caps’ talent. But when the players just cruise out there, don’t outwork their opponents and think they can skate by on talent alone, then you can’t rely on a system. The way things are headed, GM George McPhee needs to be the one to change his philosophy. And there are two ways to do that: rely more on Hershey guys who will work hard every night, or trade away a superstar to send a message. With so many players in contract years, the latter seems more likely. But you never know with the best poker face among the league’s GMs.

Schnure: Based on how they played against Nashville and the second game against Atlanta, they should be 3-5-0.  They have gotten lucky with Michal Neuvirth’s goaltending and last-minute heroics from guys like Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin.