Thursday, December 7, 2017

Tom Wilson, MVP

Well, maybe not season MVP, but certainly last night's MVP.

Wilson notched his second career two goal game (his first being last month against Boston), and his first career four point night against the Blackhawks.  He also defended his captain in a big way from a potentially nasty knee-on-knee (but Russian machine never break).  RMNB had a great write-up.

We have long advocated for increased use of Wilson, to develop him into a complementary power forward, a la Scott Mellanby.  He has been long respected for his physicality, recently for his defensive play.  With a prolonged chance alongside Ovechkin and Backstrom, with whom he has played sporadically in the past, he should develop into a solid banger who can slam home rebounds, tip in shots, and cause mayhem in front of the net.

And as we have seen on numerous occasions, as well as last night, Wilson provides much needed muscle to one of the softer teams in a soft league.

It may have taken longer than expected, but Wilson is earning his draft selection.

Now if only the Caps still had the other guy they drafted that year...

Friday, December 1, 2017

Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oil! Oil! Oil!

Nathan Walker, the first Australian-trained (though Welsh-born) player to make the NHL, who was waived yesterday, was claimed by the Edmonton Oilers.  The Oilers were #3 on the waiver wire.  Iiro Pakarinen was waived to make room for the Thunder from Down Under.

Badly underutilized, Walker became a casualty of Coach Barry Trotz's affinity for low line competition, and replaceable veterans.  Walker was lost in the shuffle, competing for bottom 6 minutes with Brett Connolly, Alex Chiasson, Devante Smith-Pelly, Tyler Graovac, Chandler Stephenson, and Tom Wilson, with only Wilson's name in pen.  When fully healthy, the Capitals have 6 wingers competing for 3 roster spots.

Competition raises the level of play.  It forces players to be tight on their game, for fear of losing their roster spot.  Knowing that nothing is guaranteed demands that each individual takes every shift as their last.

This is good for the team.

This is not good for player development though, something Trotz has struggled with for much of his career (goaltenders aside).

Nathan Walker made the team out of camp, and played in a grand total of 94 minutes split over 7 games.  He needs to play more if he is going to develop.  No one gets better from the press box.

This begs the question:

Why was Tyler Graovac not waived instead?  He is listed as a center, but has taken a total of 3 faceoffs this year, and won 47.5% last year with Minnesota.  He does not penalty kill.  He does not score goals.  He does not hit much, averaging one per game.  He is not an energy guy.  He... does not impact the game in any meaningful way.  He is forgettable and unnoticeable.

Nathan Walker is an energy guy who plays more on the penalty kill.  He is one year younger.  He is smaller, but one cannot help but notice his presence on every shift.  And come on, he is a feel good story.  The additional $25,000 owed to Nathan Walker does not significantly affect the team.  The additional year of his contract does not either.

While not egregious, this was a mistake.  Walker should be on the roster, and Graovac should have been waived instead.