James Tanner: Forsberg Trade Continues to Haunt Capitals

You know what haunts the caps? Them being the best team running for 10 years now but getting unbelievably unlucky every single playoff season where they still are the best team.

You know what haunts the caps? Them being the best team running for 10 years now but getting unbelievably unlucky every single playoff season where they still are the best team.
- Just5

You are right, they have had some incontrovertible, objectively ridiculous bad luck. But most people would rather just cut right to the easy narrative and say they magically suck in the second round, even though Pittsburgh is in their same division.

Also, when back-up goalies steal a series, that has nothing to do with luck either.

I can imagine that if they would have kept Forsberg other dominoes would not have been falling (they might not have acquired one of Oshie or Shattenkirk) so hard to say if that really would have given them a better shot this year. Forsberg would have been a great franchise forward for years to come though.

I think you're looking at it wrong, they made a great deal to acquire the pick to select Forsberg and they've had three 100+ point seasons since the trade. Including two Presidents Trophies. Not winning the Cup doesn't mean much.

I think you're looking at it wrong, they made a great deal to acquire the pick to select Forsberg and they've had three 100+ point seasons since the trade. Including two Presidents Trophies. Not winning the Cup doesn't mean much.
- LeftCoaster

Really enjoyed the AIC selection. One of the better grunge albums if not the best .

And as far as the Erat for Forsberg trade...yeah it was really bad, but at least they didn't sign Leino to a ridiculous contract and trade for Cody Hodgson.

Stay in your lane, Tanner!

I think you're looking at it wrong, they made a great deal to acquire the pick to select Forsberg and they've had three 100+ point seasons since the trade. Including two Presidents Trophies. Not winning the Cup doesn't mean much.
- LeftCoaster

I find this crap so annoying. Obviously everyone wants to win the Cup. But if you even think about it for two seconds, it's ridiculous to rip the Caps when the variance and randomness of the NHL playoff is on display tonight in the Ottawa Senators and the the Penguins.

I think you're looking at it wrong, they made a great deal to acquire the pick to select Forsberg and they've had three 100+ point seasons since the trade. Including two Presidents Trophies. Not winning the Cup doesn't mean much.
- LeftCoaster

I totally agree! I mean, who really needs to have their name engraved on the most treasured trophy in all of professional sports when you can see a team's nylon banner in the rafters exclaiming the highest regular season point total? It just doesn't matter!

At this point, what difference does it make?!

I totally agree! I mean, who really needs to have their name engraved on the most treasured trophy in all of professional sports when you can see a team's nylon banner in the rafters exclaiming the highest regular season point total? It just doesn't matter!

At this point, what difference does it make?!
- blackhawk24

As far as I'm concerned the Caps already won it all.

I totally agree! I mean, who really needs to have their name engraved on the most treasured trophy in all of professional sports when you can see a team's nylon banner in the rafters exclaiming the highest regular season point total? It just doesn't matter!

At this point, what difference does it make?!
- blackhawk24

Its just like playing professional golf and being the best player to not have won a major. Winning the Masters and the British Open probably wasn't very important to Phil Mickelson, he was great without those victories.

I totally agree! I mean, who really needs to have their name engraved on the most treasured trophy in all of professional sports when you can see a team's nylon banner in the rafters exclaiming the highest regular season point total? It just doesn't matter!

At this point, what difference does it make?!
- blackhawk24

I wouldn't say the Stanley Cup is the most treasured trophy in all of professional sports. Maybe top 10 though

You are right, they have had some incontrovertible, objectively ridiculous bad luck. But most people would rather just cut right to the easy narrative and say they magically suck in the second round, even though Pittsburgh is in their same division.

Also, when back-up goalies steal a series, that has nothing to do with luck either.
- james_tanner1

Toronto and their speed gave the Caps fits with 5 OT's necessary to decide the first round series. Fleury is no "average" back up to start with as he could start for most teams. Holtby on the other hand was less than average. He gave up some very opportunistic goals by the Pens and made matters worse than they would have been otherwise. As with Toronto, Trotz once again took too long to make any necessary adjustments thus ultimately costing the Caps the series. To conclude, the Caps were out coached and clearly out played in net. That's not luck.

Also, let's not forget how banged up the Pens were and they still beat a healthier Caps team.

It's too bad NHL teams are so loathe to play young players. No matter how raw Forsberg was in 2013, he would have been better than Erat.
- james_tanner1

It wasn't a matter of him being "raw" or not. He was signed to play in Sweden that year and the Caps saw a window and decided to go for it that year. Forsberg wasn't available to play for them that season.

Yes, it was a bad trade at the time and worse now, but it had nothing to do with the Caps refusing to play a young player.

no matter how many time you say unlucky capitals no one is buying it except for you.

is it so hard to say the not good enough capitals?

It wasn't a matter of him being "raw" or not. He was signed to play in Sweden that year and the Caps saw a window and decided to go for it that year. Forsberg wasn't available to play for them that season.

Yes, it was a bad trade at the time and worse now, but it had nothing to do with the Caps refusing to play a young player.
- jmatchett383

What trade was worse; Forsberg for Erat or Hall for Larsson?

Tanner would have you believe that Hall for Larsson is one of the worst trades of all-time. I'd say Forsberg for Erat is worse.

What trade was worse; Forsberg for Erat or Hall for Larsson?

Tanner would have you believe that Hall for Larsson is one of the worst trades of all-time. I'd say Forsberg for Erat is worse.
- RedDog18

Forsberg for Erat is arguably the worst trade since the lockout. They traded what was essentially a young top-5 non-NHL player for a few months of a 3rd/4th liner. Hall for Larsson will at least have impacts on both of their teams for years to come, and both players filled an area of need by the respective teams. Erat for Forsberg (and 21st pick/Carlson for Eminger) are just terrible asset management in the name of "winning now."

In an ironic twist to the unlucky Capitals

Unlucky is the common refrain here. The Caps are stuck with Ovie and his $9.5M hit, his declining play, and his need to have $15Mm of line mates, which completely skews a lineup. I'm predicting 4 more years of "Bad Luck" . Though the GR8 will get his 15PP goals and maybe 15 others.

Tanners hero: at this point what difference does it make

It's all luck anyway, the Caps are perfect.
No reason to change a thing, it's all random

Didn't the capitals hold some quick press conference to reveal a trade they made and then dropped that?

oh gawd.
Imagine Forsberg on one of the top two lines.

You'd still lose in the 2nd round every year...but wow....so much firepower.

Horrible trade the minute it was made

Forsberg for Erat is arguably the worst trade since the lockout. They traded what was essentially a young top-5 non-NHL player for a few months of a 3rd/4th liner. Hall for Larsson will at least have impacts on both of their teams for years to come, and both players filled an area of need by the respective teams. Erat for Forsberg (and 21st pick/Carlson for Eminger) are just terrible asset management in the name of "winning now."
- jmatchett383

I agree with everything you said.

What trade was worse; Forsberg for Erat or Hall for Larsson?

Tanner would have you believe that Hall for Larsson is one of the worst trades of all-time. I'd say Forsberg for Erat is worse.
- RedDog18

Hall for Larsson was an ok deal for Edmonton.
They needed a quality Dman and had enough firepower.

Toronto and their speed gave the Caps fits with 5 OT's necessary to decide the first round series. Fleury is no "average" back up to start with as he could start for most teams. Holtby on the other hand was less than average. He gave up some very opportunistic goals by the Pens and made matters worse than they would have been otherwise. As with Toronto, Trotz once again took too long to make any necessary adjustments thus ultimately costing the Caps the series. To conclude, the Caps were out coached and clearly out played in net. That's not luck.

Also, let's not forget how banged up the Pens were and they still beat a healthier Caps team.
- Capsnut

I agree with your assessment, but goaltending is the great hockey wheel of fortune - you can only assemble the best guys, and hope they perform. The odds of Holtby being out performed by a way-below-average starting goalie are super low.

They were lucky to get by Toronto in some ways, and I agree Trotz isn't a very good coach.

But realistically, they dominated the Cup Champions - and second best team in the NHL - for six straight games in a series that was preposterous for a second round matchup for the league's regular season champ.

My is and always has been that you have to trust the process and realize that the results can't and won't always be what they should. The Caps should be proud of how they played, and if people want to interpret that as me saying the Stanley Cup doesn't matter, that isn't my problem.

If it hasn't been clear for three years, I am not really affected by things or insults I consider below me, and that is just not good analysis.