Is Boudreau's bag of tricks empty?
A great article as usual from Elliotte Friedman though this time I don't agree on everything he said about Bruce Boudreau. I am a huge fan of Bruce Boudreau, he is kind of a legend to me because of Slapshot movie to start with. Maybe that's why for a long time I was sitting on the fence and hoping that Bruce will pull another trick, like "let's play trap" from last year.
This time it feels like his bag of tricks is empty. The team has never excellled in trap system he installed and no wonder, he has never coached it before, he has never played it himself. For a long time I watched how he played musical chairs with goalies and now I can say, it didn't work right. I agree with Varly that playing a lot of games, which number one goalies do, builds confidence, Bruce is not a right track with Vokoun on that. That means another early exit in playoffs.
"Firing Boudreau is craziness. Plus, who are you going to find that's better?" says Friedman. True, there's no one seems to be available now. But it was the same when Hanlon was fired. As life cycle of NHL coaches is teaching us, to be fired is part of a job, even the greatest coaches were fired. Sometimes you've gotta fire a coach just because nothing works otherwise.
If you've read the previous post
Will we get a "vote of confidence" from the owner and/or GM if Caps will lose a couple more games? if so, that's phase #9.then you kind of laugh about this tweet:
The coaches should work with Ovi on video clips where he makes mistakes on defense, I agree, he looks like an amateur player first time in the NHL. I have no clue why he is so bad right now in defense. Give Ovi ice time when short-handed, it will increase his ice time and will give him more practice playing D. Again, trust Ovi, trust your number one goalie, they both deserved it, especially the Great Eight:
Elliot: "Ovechkin generally had his run of the place over the past six seasons and he gave the Capitals a lot in return. There were 300 goals and millions of dollars in ticket sales. Much of that comes from him."
Give Ovi and Vokoun more ice time that builds confidence, or else.
Ovi's stats:
-3, total ice time 19:29, 19 shifts, average 01:01, PP 06:39, short handed 00:08, even 12:42, 8 shots on goal, 1 attempt blocked, 1 missed, 2 hits, 1 faceoff lost
Ovi, Brooks, Knuble and Wideman after the game
Wideman:
"If we won't correct it soon, we'll find ourselfs looking up"




14 comments:
I heard this on NHL Network and read it on Japers' Rink. The Caps are a team without an identity. They needed to get back to basics, and seemed reluctant to do so, or maybe they forgot what the basics are. Basics are not taking penalties in the offensive zone, not giving up goals early or late in periods, not standing around waiting for the play to come to you but rather keep your feet moving and continue to go after the puck... BASICS!
Japers' Rink made a Pink Floyd reference to Ovie: SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND. "Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun? Now there's a look in your eyes like black holes in the sky." Spot on! Ovie is, or was a diamond, now relegated to coal status. Yes, give him MORE ice time to allow him to re-discover his passion and love of the game again. UNLEASH THE OVIE!
As for the rest of the Caps, only the Brooks Laich line stood out in a positive way. The rest of the team deserves a Led Zeppelin reference: DAZED AND CONFUSED
More spot on commentary from Ed Frankovic:
http://wnst.net/wordpress/blog/2011/11/19/onus-on-mcphee-to-correct-caps-issues/
"To me the first order of business for General Manager George McPhee is to sit down with head coach Bruce Boudreau and team captain Alexander Ovechkin to have a “clear the air” meeting because it looks like the entire hockey team is not listening to either one of its’ leaders right now. Boudreau’s constant line shuffling is not getting results and when the team captain is not giving 100% every shift the rest of the guys will start to take them off at some point, too. This team looks rudderless right now and if there is any strife in the locker room or between coaches and players it needs to be worked out, pronto. A Leafs squad that had several AHLers on it made a team some have picked to go to the Stanley Cup Finals look like the 1974-75 Caps. The horrible play on this recent road trip has to be a major concern...
...Overall, there is so much talent on this team that something is clearly wrong. The coaches and players don’t appear to be on the same page. McPhee has put together, on paper, what looks to be the best team he’s had in several years but the sum of the parts is far less than the whole right now. It is his job to find out where the problems are and correct them."
Orlov was at Caps practice today (Sunday).
The Ovechkin family seems to have visitors. Two youngish females were at practice with Ovi's brother, Mikhail. They looked like sisters to me, or maybe all females who show up with the Ovechkins are looking like cookie cutter images of those who came before. Don't know if they are just friends, family, or a relationship in the making. One was speaking fluent English since she was giving hotel intructions over the phone to someone arriving later today.
One left with Mikhail and the other left with Ovi or went to the hotel on her own to meet the person she was talking to on the phone.
I haven't seen Mr. Ovechkin in two weeks. I hope he is ok.
@BobbyG
About the Frankovic you quoted, I remeber when the Caps had a roster of mostly AHL call-ups due to a wave of injuries. They gave other teams hell. AHLers have a lot to fight for since they haven't "made it" yet. Toronto didn't surprise me last night.
This team hasn't even had average luck for over a year. Off to hunt down who ever made a Caps/Ovi voodoo doll.
@O: maybe the blondes are sports psychologists to help Ovie get out of his funk. He had a brunette "fitness trainer" at the Imperia Lounge this past summer, so maybe one or both blondes is in DC to provide Ovie with "inspiration" LOL.
Seriously, the last thing Ovie needs now is more distractions like a "relationship in the making." What he does need is to find a way to enjoy playing again. Playing as in hockey, not playing around. :)
What you say about AHLers is true, they are highly motivated to play extra hard and give other teams fits. I'm not surprised so much that the Caps lost, it's the way they lost. The Caps didn't even compete, didn't seem interested in basic things you learn as a very young hockey player. IMO this kind of disinterest suggests a lack of communication and/or respect between the head coach and the players. And if this is true, it needs to be fixed ASAP.
BTW, I think I have a good idea who made the Caps/Ovie voodoo doll.
I still don't think Ovi should be given PK time. That would be setting him up to fail.
He hasn't had his full playing energy for more than a year, although he looks much better than last year. And last year his playing time wasn't cut like this year.
Ice time isn't the issue or the solution.
Didn't TJ calculate Ovie lost 4lbs. from last year based on the Caps media guide? That isn't a lot of weight, certainly not enough to make a difference in the quality of his playing. Conditioning and fitness are more important, but it was documented he trained this past summer with the brother of his regular trainer. Was this conditioning sufficient, was it specifically targeted toward playing hockey or was it more generic?
If Ovie's conditioning still wasn't what it should have been, regardless of losing only 4lbs. weight, then are we back to square 1 like last year when Ovie said his approach was to get in shape during the season to prepare for the playoffs? I just don't know what to conclude about him and his diminished offensive productivity anymore. :(
O said Mr Ovechkin has not been seen at practice for two weeks. If memory serves correct Whyno tweeted a week or so back that ovi was not made available to the press after practice because he had to take his dad to an appointment. I remember thinking doctor at the time worried that something wrong with dad was the last thing our poor ovi needed on his mind. I do hope everything is ok.
That being said I just don't feel upper management is doing enough to help him. It's easy for the media and everyone to say he needs to reinvent himself, but in truth maybe he just doesn't know how. I do believe that he will make it though this dark period, but I don't think he trusts BB enough to help him.
Last nights game proved to me one thing BB has not just lost his captain he's lost the team. They almost looked like they were trying to fail.
I'll correct myself. The last thing Ovie needs is for his Dad to have medical issues as a distraction. I hope Mr. Ovechkin is doing well, and his absence from practice for 2 weeks is not related to anything serious with his heart. I wish all the best for both father and son.
@Lissa,
Thanks for the info. I don't read other sites much. Let's hope it was just a standard checkup.
Happy to update. I'll have to look back through Twitter to confirm what day this occurred. I check a few sites frequently and follow a few media guys on Twitter trying to keep informed. Been a lot of negative out there lately, but I have faith this can be turned around. I have to say I envy some of you guys that get to go to the practices I live in central PA so its an all day event for me to go down. That being said I hope to make it to at least one this year. Any advice on how things work to make the best of my day out?
Looks like the appointment date was Nov 8.
@Lissa: thanks for your info and update about Ovie's Dad.
I live very far from DC, so I tried to make the most of my time when I visited last month. I went to games and practices with my DC host. On practice days we waited for players to come off the ice and I asked for autographs. I got very lucky! We also waited outside the players' exit at Kettler, and also on the 7th level of the parking garage to ask for autographs. I got very lucky there too!
After practice in Arlington VA, my DC host & I took the Metro into DC to visit a Smithsonian museum. IMO there's no better way to spend an afternoon than that. There are many choices depending on your interests. The DC monuments are open after dark, so it was a must to go to the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and other sites after the museums closed.
B.B need will be out if this team need to play like they know to play they are pr and they know the bussines ,this idiot COACH AND GM need to do the best for the funs not stay toghether ,European players they are moor skils than Canadienand American ,with out them NHL not wiil be were is today,YOU need to look at history of Hocky and you see wath was the best team forevar [USSR] byteh way I am not Russien ,Let alone beby crai d not NHL start with HIM and don"t he represint NHL make the people sik this for one who like to see one good game
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