tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post7582086904562154887..comments2024-01-15T09:53:40.089-05:00Comments on Black Aces: Karlsson's Epic Season Just Got More Epic... Get Serious About "Goon" ... And More Napkin Scribbled Game NotesJeremy Milkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719907099819957578noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post-45260249783726869582012-02-23T00:01:12.519-05:002012-02-23T00:01:12.519-05:00I think that you hit it out of the park on the Cap...I think that you hit it out of the park on the Capitals analysis.<br /><br />This was a team that went from picking first overall in 2004, to winning the President's Trophy within five seasons. They had a player that was voted by his peers as the best in the game, twice. He won the Hart trophy twice as well.<br /><br />They went from a dormant hockey market to a market that was alive and filling the building. NBC regularly picked up their games for national broadcasts. Even Ken Hitchcock was quoted as saying that Ovechkin was worth the price of admission.<br /><br />A winning, exciting hockey team with the best player in the game. That should be every hockey market's dream.<br /><br />The way I see it, all that happened is that they ran into a hot goalie, Jaro Halak. It happens. <br /><br />Every few years, some goalie goes nuts in the playoffs and stops everything. You can't do much about it. It happens.<br /><br />Let's not forget that Halak beat Pittsburgh as well. For some reason, Ted Leonsis announces that they were out coached and next thing you know the President's Trophy winners think that they must make a bunch of changes.<br /><br />I'm not a Caps fan, but I blame management. They messed up. When the Oilers got bounced by the Islanders in the 1983 Finals people said the same things. They said that Oilers were not good enough defensively.<br /><br />Fortunately, the Oilers stuck to their guns and stayed offensive and won the Cup in 1984 against the Islanders. I think that win helped usher in the era of firewagon hockey that was the late 80's and early 90's.<br /><br />A lot of players probably owe their Hall of Fame numbers to the fact that they got to play in that era.<br /><br />The sad thing is that Ovechkin, a guy who has single-handedly grown the market in Washington is getting slapped pretty hard. He's probably a couple of months away from being tagged an "enigma".<br /><br />I have a sneaky suspicion that almost all superstar players are "enigmas". It's just that under good management we never see that side of them.<br /><br />What I'm getting at is that if you put the superstar in a position to succeed by taking advantage of their strengths, you'll get a great player.<br /><br />If you put the superstar in a position that frustrates them to the point of breaking their spirit, well then you label them an enigma (or lacking work ethic) before people start point the finger at you for wrecking the formula that was working.<br /><br />Here's the translation of the Caps body language: "Dale, go back to London."<br /><br />I think these guys will turn it around very quickly if they get a coach like Paul Maclean.<br /><br />Erik Karlsson is a treat to watch. <br /><br />As good as he is, I disagree with the talk of "if he's this good now imagine five years from now".<br /><br />It seems that a lot of the young guys across the league have had an impact very quickly. Every time a young player has had early success, the same type of overly optimistic projections have followed.<br /><br />Ovechkin scored 106 points is rookie year. Imagine how good he'll be in .... He's topped out at 112 poins.<br /><br />Phaneuf got nominated for a Norris his second year. Imagine how good he'll be in ... He's still very good but ...<br /><br />Doughty was on the Olympic team his second year. Imagine how good ... Still good but not some imaginary ideal defenceman.<br /><br />Even Crosby is the best in the game, but it's not like he's winning scoring titles by 50 points like Gretzky.<br /><br />I think that there is so much parity in the game that teams eventually adjust to the great players. They're still great players, but it's tough to be absolutely dominant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com