Just read this article on Japers’ Rink. The Caps have two D men on the list. I tend to agree with this listing. What do you think? Also, check out the top forwards list too. It is an interesting analysis. Debate away but be nice and be thoughtful in responses.
We respect our division but our sights as we all know must be set much higher next season. We want to be competitive with the very best teams in the entire league. We now want to be considered legitimate Cup contenders. We are starting to enter our prime now even though our core group is still quite young. A window is opening for our team. We should have a nice run over the next few years. It is time to compete for and win a Cup with this group. To do so takes some patience and some constant improving; adhering to our plan and strategy; and some luck and good health. But it also takes lots of talent and depth in our roster. It is comforting to know that we do have two First Team All-Stars on our team; the reigning MVP on our team; more talented prospects itching to get into the lineup; and a strong core that has played together now for a while and plays a consistent system. This should all serve us well as time goes on.
Even if you do take this Japers post to heart Ted, 3 Atlanta d-men in there with only Gren above them? They are one of the worst teams in the league and the Caps are suppossed to be a Cup contenders. Even if not one of worst in league they are no where near Detroit, Pitt, Philly, Hawks, etc, etc, etc.. According to this article our d doesn’t even stack up to Atlanta?
Schultz shouldn’t be on the list. He has some potential, but I’d take Corvo, Ward, and Meszaros over him in a heartbeat.
Jeff Schultz being the #9 best defenseman in the Southeast Division just shows how weak the defense corps are in the division
Ok, Green is an offensive monster and that alone makes him very valuable and it’s easy to quantify his contributions because they can be measured as points. But Schultz usually plays against the weakest opposing forward lines and although plus/minus is a quantifiable measurement, its validity is often debated. He plays on the penalty kill and isn’t great (you asked commentors to be nice), but that doesn’t show up on his plus/minus.
Really? Okay … Te will tell for Japers
The only issue with the listing is that the point was made, in both the article and the comments, that the SE division is a notoriously weak-D’d division. Green’s world-class, but outside of him, there’s no one else, even on our team. And there’s quite a bit of heated debate with Schultz, as usual, too.
I am very happy to see that Jeff Schultz made the list, and that of course Mike Green is at the top of the list