As Caps learn new system some new and old truths come to light
By: Turner Sports Desk
With a new coach comes a new system and a learning period. Lucky for the Caps they have enough time and games to get it together. That learning extends not just to the players but the coaches and GM as well. As this process plays out the following truths rise to the surface:
1. Some guys won't buy into the new system
2. Some guys won't fit the system
3. Some guys will do better than you expect
Dale Hunter's new style of play places an emphasis on aggressive forechecking, hitting, positioning and being solid in your own zone. In short, the Caps are going to play the type of hockey that actually wins or at least can beat more than just the NY Rangers in the playoffs.
Certain players are performing well and that continues. The Laich, Chimera and Ward line continues to play well because they are sticking to the basics and they hustle. Meanwhile the Caps two most talented players, Alexander's Ovechkin and Semin continue to struggle.
Ovechkin needs to focus on the basics and relax. He is clearly pressing and the more you press the more the simple things stump you. In hockey speak he is gripping the stick too tight. Alexander Semin is an entirely different story. Semin is a scorer that is not scoring. Unlike Ovechkin, who has a physical element to his game that helps the team even when he is not scoring, Semin has neither elite speed nor enough physicality in his game to create space for himself to make plays.
In fact Semin's game is predicated on time and space that he cannot create on his own or at least anymore. His favorite move to create space is his curl and drag but his opponents figured that out already thus it works far less. That is why former Capital Jason Arnott was such a good fit with Semin because his size-physicality and plain old hockey smarts created space for Semin. Without a consistent physical presence or super speedy player with veteran savvy Semin is $6.7 million dollars of wasted money.
Semin has shown an unwillingness to consistently get to the areas where goal scorers score goals. The other Semin issue is he is a penalty magnet. He uses his stick when he should be moving his feet and the penalty numbers over his career show a TREND and not an anomaly. Semin is proving he is not a good fit for this system/team all by himself. Many believe Semin will get hot all of a sudden and become a super scorer that erases his penalty mistakes by scoring tons of goals. Dream on folks.....dream on. His diminished numbers along with him looking like a fish out of water since Dale arrived is the basis for this conclusion. Semin wasn't producing under Boudreau when the scheme was built around him and Ovechkin. Ovi is adjusting..Semin is not. As I said before Semin is fool's gold because at some point you gotta call a spade a spade even though he is super talented. Talent without production is nothing...
As for the Caps overall don't be surprised if some changes are made. This team has issues with regard to the top two scoring lines not producing enough at regular strength and the power play not producing at all. The defense continues to look shaky as well.