Courtesy: hockeyfutures.com
Some hockey fans in the DMV have already deemed forward Evgeny Kuznetsov a “savior” for the Washington Capitals’ 2013-14 season as a playoff bid remains in jeopardy given their positioning in the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division.
But where does the 21-year-old fit into the roster at this stage of the season?
Here were the lines in Washington’s last contest against the Phoenix Coyotes:
1. Brooks Laich – Nicklas Backstrom – Alexander Ovechkin
2. Dustin Penner – Marcus Johansson – Troy Brouwer
3. Jason Chimera – Eric Fehr – Joel Ward
4. Ryan Stoa – Jay Beagle – Tom Wilson
The Russian native skated at the Kettle Capitals Iceplex early Sunday morning while the rest of the squad was off. It was the first time fans were able to see the 2010 first-round selection in action as head coach Adam Oates and general manager George McPhee were keen observers of his workout. And while it seems likely he could suit up as early as Monday night at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins – the class of the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division at this stage of the season – figuring out where he fits seems to be more of the guessing game.
Washington has been scrambling lines all season long and establishing that consistent chemistry has been tough. Brooks Laich, for example, has been a member of all four lines at one point or another this season. Whether there have been injuries, ineffectiveness or a combination of the two, finding stability among the 12 forwards has been a recurring issue for Oates and the rest of the offensive coaching staff.
So where is the best fit for the young winger who hopes to make the most out of his remaining 17 regular season games in 2014?
In dissecting the lineup and in hearing the news that forward Mikhail Grabovski’s ankle is still bothering him to the point of being listed on injured reserve, it seems like a move to one of the top two lines makes the most sense for the Capitals. They need a goal-scorer and while Kuznetsov is yet to prove he can challenge NHL defenseman and goaltenders, the ability is there to potentially be a co-pilot with captain Alexander Ovechkin in the scoring department.
But what will Oates do in trying to place Kuznetsov in one of those top two lines? Will he even do that?
In looking at the above lines, it would seem to make sense to drop Brooks Laich off of the top line at this stage of the game. Laich is a good two-way forward who does a lot of the dirty work that Ovechkin and Backstrom don’t in front of the net, but Brouwer and Penner are similar, if not better options to take that spot on the top line in order to give the two most-skilled players some physicality at the top. Laich doesn’t possess the athleticism after dealing with several nagging lower-body injuries and it has affected his play in beating out 50-50 pucks in the open ice and along the boards.
This could also mean that Marcus Johansson is becoming a mover and shaker. The Swede has the ability to play wing and center, but struggles in the faceoff circle as he has only won 34.6% of his draws. This may be time to move him back away from the dot and back at wing.
Eric Fehr is one of the most versatile players on the roster and has the ability to play any forward role, including center. Fehr, who was scratched for over a month during the early stages of the season, has earned the reputation of being a hard worker on the Capitals and has garnered more ice time because of it. But he may be falling victim to a guy who has superior offensive talent in Kuznetsov and that may lead to him being bumped around and possibly a fourth line candidate.
Let’s do some role play.
I’m Adam Oates. I have a young prospect who everyone wants to see and is dying to make his NHL debut. I just acquired a brawny forward to add some beef on the offensive side of things and in knowing my defense is lacking, I need all of the offensive support I can get. However, I also know that he is set to face the best team in the East and I [Oates] told the Washington Post that he could see 6-12 minutes of ice time.
Here’s the what my lineup would look like against the Pittsburgh Penguins Monday night (This is pure speculation):
Marcus Johansson – Nicklas Backstrom – Alexander Ovechkin
Dustin Penner – Evgeny Kuznetsov – Troy Brouwer
Jason Chimera – Brooks Laich – Joel Ward
Eric Fehr – Jay Beagle – Tom Wilson
Karl Alzner – John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov – Mike Green
Jack Hillen- Connor Carrick
Jaroslav Halak
These obviously wouldn’t remain in tact as Kuznetsov is not expected to garner the regular amount of ice time as most top line forwards receive, but if they are serious about inserting him into the mix for the rest of this season, put him with the offensive-minded guys, not the grinders.
Lots of eggs in one basket at the top, but it wouldn’t be the first time that combination has been used.
Whatever happens Monday will be awesome for the fans in D.C. as they have been anticipating this for four years. A win against Pittsburgh would be sweet, but seeing No. 92 don the red sweater for the home team may generate enough excitement to propel this team on the playoff fringe over the hump with a little over a month before the Stanley Cup Playoffs commence.
Think this guy wants to play?
Courtesy: russianmachineneverbreaks.com
