The Washington Capitals lost 4-1 yesterday. For the Capitals, it was the usual story: Win if Holtby is on fire, lose if he's not. He was not.
The Caps are 11-10-1 and that is with Holtby playing at a Vezina level. It could be a lot worse. He is literally the only reason the Capitals still have playoff aspirations.
But as much as the GM sandbagged the team with one of the worst off-season in professional sports history, the coach is doing just as badly with his new roster. One could almost think Trotz was past giving a ___ and was really just phoning it in. It's like he saw what happened over the summer and thought 'well, I can't just quit, but.........."
I mean, I know that isn't the case, but it's at least plausible.
Ovechkin, who opened the season with nine goals in four games, is ice-cold. Since his ridiculous binge, he has four goals in 18 games. He doesn't have an even strength point - and neither does his line - in the last six games. In that time he has just a measly two power-play assists.
But the weird thing is that the Coach keeps running out the same lines. Ovechkin, with Kuznetsov and Pelly-Smith. If he's played Ovechkin with Backstrom at even strength all year, I haven't noticed. I don't think he has, which is insane given their history of being the best duo in hockey for the last decade.
You'd think that if Trotz wanted to jump-start his best player, he'd pair them up. But no. Even down to the Flames last night, he didn't do it. Ovechkin and Backstrom saw 22 seconds of accidental ice time together.
So he sits him, which is dumb, but then when he brings him back, he's on a line with Eller and Wilson. I think Eller is great, but if you want to get a guy some points to get him going, I don't know, maybe Ovechkin or Backstrom could be a place to start.
Devente Pelly-Smith? This is what makes me think - even though I'm only joking - that Trotz might actually be trying to get fired. Assuming any line with Ovechkin is the de facto first line, then he's gone 12 straight games with Devonte Pelly-Smith on a line with Ovechkin.
That could be construed as him trolling his general manager.
This is a 46% possession player with six 5v5 points in 22 games. Vrana has more points, is actually talented, and drives possession quite well. I could see one or two games, but twelve? And no points in the last six?
Why no switch? The guy has three points in 12 games riding shotgun with Kuzenetsov and OV and they healthy scratch Vrana, the teams top prospect? It's non-sense.
Whatever the problems with cap space and the roster in general, even giving consideration to a need to balance the roster, is there any reason for two of the top six players to be Pelly-Smith and Chandler Stephenson?
Or what about negating any good that John Carlson does by constantly anchoring him with Brooks Orpik?
Honestly, everything Trotz does is a mystery to me. And it's being hidden- kind of - by Holtby's insane play. No one is really noticing just how bad the Capitals actually are. If you want to find out, wait until Holtby goes cold.
stats from naturalstattrick.com