Now that we’re down to the 300…oops, the 23…we can look at the next installment of the preview…
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
-- Romeo and Juliet (II, ii)
A backup goaltender is still a goaltender, and his is a difficult chore. If he gets 20 appearances over a season, that’s about three a month, less than one a week. And he’s got to come in and provide quality minutes. On good teams, he’s got to hold the fort and put up at least a .500 record. As we noted here, regarding backup goalies on playoff teams…
-- None of the ten goalies who played more than 20 games (again, except Denis) had a goal-against of more than 3.00
-- Only two of the ten goalies in this group who played more than 20 games had a save percentage below .900 (Denis and Johan Hedberg).
That is the benchmark that might apply to Brent Johnson this season. If he contributes at least a .500 record, a sub-3.00 GAA and a .900-plus save percentage, the Caps will have strong support toward snaring one of those eight playoff spots.
"The quality of mercy is not strain'd. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes."
-- Merchant of
Caps fans hope that the tender mercies applied by defenseman John Erskine droppeth like a torrent. If the Caps and their fans have a wish, it would be that they blesseth him that gives, and God help him that takes.
"How poor are they that have not patience!”
-- Othello (II, iii)
David Steckel has been nothing if not patient. Drafted at the end of the first round in 2001 by
In camp, he played himself onto a roster spot, the culmination of hard work and patience enough to learn his craft. He projects as a checking forward with faceoff skills and a good work ethic (amply demonstrated), but that 30-goal year in Hershey suggests maybe he can contribute the occasional offense as well. His frame doesn’t necessarily project well into the new NHL, where smaller, shiftier forwards can make like difficult for bigger men (Steckel is 6’5, 215), but his effort can go a long way to compensate for that. In a way, Steckel is a throwback to a time when “plumbers” meant more than guys with wrenches and butt-cracks (my apologies to plumbers…we couldn’t resist). Having been patient enough to work his way up the rungs of the organizational ladder, one would have to bet on Steckel….uh, sticking.
“The dragon wing of night o’erspreads the earth.”
-- Troilus and Cressida (V, viii)
Matt Bradley plays with a certain ferocity that fills the ice. He might not be the most gifted player in terms of skill, but Bradley can make his presence felt in other ways that can contribute to the Caps’ success. He is pretty much the skating embodiment of the term, “energy forward.” He will hit, check, agitate, or fight (if necessary) to make the most of his minutes. Playing with an edge is one of those rough corners that the NHL seems intent on sanding down. Well, Bradley is more sandpaper than something to be sanded.
Don’t skate with your head down…the dragon wing of night might be waiting.
“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.”
Brooks Laich has been all over the score sheet in terms of position. He’s been anywhere from the second to the fourth line, and he’s been at center and on the wing. So what is it? Resemblance aside (and really, it’s kind of creepy), Laich might be a “Chris Clark” in waiting. Not exactly heralded as a youngster (a 193rd overall pick by
Laich has put up workman-like 7-14-21 and 8-10-18 results in his two years in
1 comment:
nice bit about matt bradley. i don't know why so many caps fans are so down on him- he's the kind of heart-and-soul player that every team needs.
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