by Steve Shoup
Caps Changing For The Better
January 4, 2011 in Uncategorized by Steve Shoup
By Guest Blogger Rob Yunich:
The Caps may be known for running and gunning, but they’ve devoted themselves to the ultimate of New Year’s resolutions: defense first and — hark — something resembling a neutral-zone trap. Last summer, not too long after the Montreal Canadiens ended a potential dream season, the team vowed to go about things differently and try to play “playoff hockey” for the entire season.
That sea-change didn’t become apparent right away. The first phase was an improved penalty kill that has become downright lethal lately. The team’s recent run of success has vaulted them to a tie for fifth in the NHL (entering Monday’s games) with an 85.2 success rate — way above the 78.8 percent rate (which ranked 25th) from last season.
In 1997-98, when the team made its only appearance in the Stanley Cup finals, the Caps led the league by killing off 89.2 percent of penalties, also the franchise record. The Caps also led the league in penalty killing in 1990-91 (86 percent) and 1983-84 (86.7 percent). In both of those seasons, the Caps advanced to the second round of the playoffs before losing to a team that made the Stanley Cup finals.
In this past weekend’s Winter Classic, the next phase of the change became evident: the implementation of a very-unsexy neutral-zone trap. In fact, during the game’s final moments, NBC’s Pierre McGuire commented that the Caps had “built a white picket fence in the neutral zone that’s difficult to permeate,” the most definitive sign of the team’s new style.
As the saying goes in other sports, offense sells tickets and defense wins championships. The Caps brass have embraced this new philosophy and most assuredly will continue to make changes before season’s end. After all, as Albert Einstein once remarked about the definition of insanity: “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
The Caps clearly realize that they don’t want to repeat last summer’s misery — or carry Einstein’s label.
*Note: Rob Yunich is founder and editor of the hockey blog Storming the Crease.com. You can read all of Rob’s blogs at http://www.stormingthecrease.com/.
Here’s hoping this change helps to not repeat last summer’s misery! They’re looking good!
I don’t know hockey as well as you but I am a Caps fan. I have been impressed with their penalty killing play, and their defense Saturday night seemed to be pretty solid throughout the game, especially late in the game protecting the lead. My biggest frustration with them last year was their poor power play effort (I realize that they ran into a hot goalie in the playoffs – but still…). From what I’ve seen this year, that seems to have improved but I haven’t looked at the statistics. The fact that it doesn’t appear that they will coast through the division this year may help them once the playoffs begin. Anyway, now that another disappointing Redskins season has finished, I look forward to something positive from a local team this winter & spring!
I see the CAPS as the most talented team in the league, without question. I think the major issue with the Caps is their inability to adapt during a game or a series. They are so talented that Coach Beadreau simply tells them go out there and attack and shoot the puck and crash the net and that is good enough to win most games. The problem is at some point, other teams will find a way to neutralize the star players and change the game, like Montreal did and like Pittsburgh has done in the past. If Beadreau cant figure out how to adapt during the game or during a series other than shouting the F-bomb at them to skate faster and hit harder, his inspirational crap wont have any effect on those young guys. the 24/7 series shed a lot of light on how unintelligent and ill-spoken Beadreau is and how tactical and refined Bylsma is. Of course, Beadreau may still be saved by having this much talent. Not sure who can really beat these guys when they are on.
@ Matt
I couldn’t agree more the Caps might be the most talented team in the NHL but they will go through periods of being one of the most underachieving teams as well. I really don’t see Boudreau being the coach that can lead them to a Stanley Cup. There are times when the Caps look simply unstoppable and there are times where they look average at best. I think their improvements on defense have been the key and they need to keep that focus if they want to really compete in the East, because it just seems that in a series their weaknesses are too easily exploited.