God mode Fleury

The top six were as good as Pittsburgh's top six, but the bottom six got smoked by a buncha quick little guys up from WBS.

Also, Connolly and Beagle were pointless. Beagle had a great playoff showing the year before, and might bounce back. Connolly is on a pace for a 20 goal regular season. Time to sell high, see if he'll bring back a decent playoff scoring threat to replace Williams.

Also, Shattenkirk was a 4th forward asked to play bottom pair with a physical, terriorial defensive specialist in Brooks Orpik. Shattenkirk is all offense and Orpik is all defense. They did not synergize. This is why it would be a mistake to trade for Mike Green at the deadline, unless it's part of moving out Carlson; Green on the third pair might not work with Orpik any better than Shattenkirk worked with Orpik. They're pretty similar players.

Lastly, Holtby had some weak games and just had to slog through. The Caps aren't a contender until they have a backup goalie their coaches trust to steal a game or two.

It was a rhetorical question my guy

1) They are the unluckiest team in the history of the NHL
2) Fleury played like Holtby and Holtby played like Fleury.

When they lost to Pit last year I remember sitting there staring at the tv thinking what more can they do.

It was a good question. I wasn't the first or the last to try to answer it, even in this one thread.

It's the most important question the Caps have to address at the trade deadline this year, so shrugging it off kind of dismisses the whole intellectual exercise everyone here is playing at.