Ovi week to week, who steps up?

[herrmag]

Who's going to make up for his absence? The obvious answer on offense is Semin, but IMO, it's going to have to be someone on defense. Even when Ovi doesn't score, he attracts so much attention that it allows others to score, particularly on the PP.

I'm going out on a limb and saying that Tom Poti picks up his play and lights a fire under the defense. No more 4-5 goal games. I expect to see some 3-2, 2-1 games. At least I'm hoping so. If Poti doesn't step up, I'll take Brooks as my #2. Hopefully his goal scoring continues. Semin and Backs will continue their ways on the #1 line, but we'll need secondary scoring while Ovi recovers from his groin pull...... :/

[PokerPacker]

Flash already seems to be stepping up since coming back into the lineup.

[RakEm98]

look for greeney and morrison to have big games

[herrmag]

[QUOTE=PokerPacker;6972262]Flash already seems to be stepping up since coming back into the lineup.[/QUOTE]

Good point. Flash as of late has been everything he was expected to be 2 years ago. I think you just destroyed my picks of players that will pick up the slack.

[DCSaints_fan]

Nylander

*ducks*

[PokerPacker]

[QUOTE=herrmag;6972354]Good point. Flash as of late has been everything he was expected to be 2 years ago. I think you just destroyed my picks of players that will pick up the slack.[/QUOTE]

I've given him my confidence many times. Its bound to pan out eventually, right?

Seriously, though, he's got a lot of potential. He showed it last season when he scored 15 goals in the first half of the season. If he continues to improve and learns some consistency, he can be a future 40 goal scorer in the NHL.

Also, now that Flash has showed he's up to NHL speed and is ready to perform as a top-6 forward, we can bring him up to the second line (or first line while Ovie's out) and possibly reunite the LBS line that played so well in the playoffs. I saw Laich-Brads-Stecks skating together in the second half of the Blue Jackets game and they looked like that chemistry was still there was a strong forecheck.

As long as we're talking about guys stepping up, how about that line in general? Brads has been playing beyond expectations so far this year, and Laich has been impressive. Put those two gritty fore-checkers on a line with another gritty forechecker who has a wicked slapshot and you've got a recipe for garbage goals. Lets also not forget that Laich's got a bit of dangle in him as well, so he can make plays happen on the breakout.

[HEavyJumbo85]

Tyler Sloan is literally going to be stepping up. I wonder if they actually make a recall from Hershey. They'll have money to call up A. Gordon, Giroux, Perrault, Bouchard, or Carlson by placing Boyd Gordon on LTIR retroactively. I'd love for Carlson to get a shot because he is excellent and can really bring it from the point on the Powerplay, which Poti can't do anymore thanks to his wonky shoulders, but they probably have enough defensemen already.

[PokerPacker]

[QUOTE=HEavyJumbo85;6972539]Tyler Sloan is literally going to be stepping up. I wonder if they actually make a recall from Hershey. They'll have money to call up A. Gordon, Giroux, Perrault, Bouchard, or Carlson by placing Boyd Gordon on LTIR retroactively. I'd love for Carlson to get a shot because he is excellent and can really bring it from the point on the Powerplay, which Poti can't do anymore thanks to his wonky shoulders, but they probably have enough defensemen already.[/QUOTE]

Well with John Erskine out with a bruised hand and Tyler Sloan playing the wing, you could argue we've got the bare minimum of defensemen.

[HEavyJumbo85]

[QUOTE=PokerPacker;6972541]Well with John Erskine out with a bruised hand and Tyler Sloan playing the wing, you could argue we've got the bare minimum of defensemen.[/QUOTE]


I was just figuring that with Sloan as a capable 7th D that it would be more convenient to call up a forward as opposed to another Dman forcing Sloan to play wing.

[HEavyJumbo85]

Caps have recalled Perrault, Aucoin sent down

http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=504608


Capitals Recall Mathieu Perreault from Hershey, Assign Keith AucoinTuesday, 11.03.2009 / 9:29 AM / News ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have recalled center Mathieu Perreault from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) and assigned center Keith Aucoin to Hershey, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

Perreault, 21, is a second-year pro who stands 5’10”, 174 pounds. The Drummondville, Quebec, native has played in 11 games for Hershey this year and has one goal and six assists, tied for fourth on the team with seven points. He had back-to-back two-point games and was +5 last weekend.

Perreault led Hershey rookies with 50 points in 77 games last year and had two goals and six assists in 21 playoff games as the Bears won the Calder Cup. The sixth-round selection, 177th overall pick in the 2006 Entry Draft, will wear No. 85 with Washington and is eligible to make his NHL debut with the Capitals on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the New Jersey Devils.

Aucoin, 30, returns to Hershey after playing registering one goal and four assists in eight games with the Capitals.

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This move has more to do with Aucoin getting close to the 10 game mark than the Ovechkin thing. If Aucoin played 10 games he would have to clear waivers to go back.

[PokerPacker]

Ah, that makes sense. I was wondering why they'd send Aucoin down with how well he's been playing.