#1

Posted by Mark Tucker, February 4, 2008 3:35 PM

Love Fehr, but don't know how effective this call-up will be.

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#2

Posted by dmg, February 4, 2008 4:30 PM

Fehr's on line 1; kozlov is centering Semin and Flash

I love this move.

It has become pretty clear that the second line wasn't going to produce offensively the way the team would want with Brooks Laich, Boyd Gordon or David Steckel as the pivot and this move lets the Caps try a more offensively-inclined player at that spot without giving anyone up. Playing Fehr with Backstrom and Ovechkin has the potential to be a very good fit since Fehr is primarily a goal scoring forward, giving Backstrom (a pure playmaker) another option and making the opposition's defense have to focus on someone other than Ovechkin. The timing is also good - getting Fehr back at this point is, in many ways, like making a trade without giving up any players and the Capitals can now asses the impact Fehr can have on the team, while still giving George McPhee time to make a trade for another top six forward if that becomes necessary.

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#3

Posted by Scai, February 4, 2008 4:48 PM

I have my doubts as to whether this move will cure the Caps' offensive woes. 2 goals in 10 games in the AHL and he's expected to help lift the Caps into the playoffs? After almost a year of rehabbing that's putting too much pressure on Eric.

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#4

Posted by OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki), February 4, 2008 4:58 PM

Good analysis dmg, but I have to agree with Scai as well. Hopefully the top line stays the same and Fehr gets re-acclimated to the NHL on the second line. If Fehr shows he's ready (and able) to produce, only then should he get a shot at the top line. Sharing the ice with Ovechkin is a privilege, not a right. :)

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#5

Posted by J.P., February 4, 2008 5:33 PM

As Ken pointed out to me, that makes the top line the OFB line, doesn't it?

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#6

Posted by DC Sports Chick, February 4, 2008 5:36 PM

Nice, J.P. ;-)

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#7

Posted by dmg, February 4, 2008 5:52 PM

OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki),

I agree, but then again Fehr had 21 goals, 19 assists, an 18.33 shooting percentage and was +20 in 40 games with the Bears last year.

Not quite time to call him the savior, but if he's even rehabbed to that point of effectiveness, it's worth a shot in my book. Plus it would go with the Caps whole feel-good thing, right?

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#8

Posted by Gustafsson, February 4, 2008 6:05 PM

JP & Ken,
That hadn't even dawned on me. Fine work.

I hope you didn't jinx the line! ;-)

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#9

Posted by maruk, February 4, 2008 6:17 PM

I think the player to Semin's right is far more important than the player to Backstrom's right. 8 and 19 are known quantities at this point and far more marginal utility can be gained by putting Kozlov on the second line to hopefully wake Semin up.

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#10

Posted by hotdog88gt, February 4, 2008 6:32 PM

Give the guy a shot, I suppose, but his current NHL stats after 25 games doesn't look all that special. He'll be back in Hershey inside a week.

I hope that last sentence does not come true. I hope the thought of returning to Hershey is enough motivation for him.

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#11

Posted by Todd, February 4, 2008 6:33 PM

I like this call-up. I'm not sure if Fehr has anything left to prove at the AHL level.

So then where do you put Chris Clark when he returns?

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#12

Posted by hotdog88gt, February 4, 2008 6:38 PM

Clark has been out so long now you'd think he had groin surgery. Maybe that's next.

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#13

Posted by rebsteve, February 4, 2008 7:11 PM

If the idea is to get more offense from the second line, it wouldn't make sense to put Fehr there, as Kozlov has a much better chance of making that line more productive. Fehr will have the best chance to make it work in the NHL alongside Backstrom and Ovechkin. I think the current plan makes the most sense.

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#14

Posted by dmg, February 4, 2008 8:06 PM

"If the idea is to get more offense from the second line, it wouldn’t make sense to put Fehr there, as Kozlov has a much better chance of making that line more productive. Fehr will have the best chance to make it work in the NHL alongside Backstrom and Ovechkin. I think the current plan makes the most sense."

Plus neither Semin nor Flash nor Fehr plays center

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#15

Posted by Hockey Goalie Adam, February 4, 2008 8:26 PM

I saw Fehr play junior for four years. I really think he and Ovechkin could be a nice fit. For a tall, lankier guy he has deceptive speed and superhuman reach. With the kind of room AO makes out there they could potentially cause fits for other teams. The key is his strength though. I'm sure he's added a lot of muscle since junior, but at the time he needed to add just a bit more power to his game.

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#16

Posted by usiel, February 4, 2008 11:01 PM

Though I suspected the Caps might let Fehr have more time down in Hershey I can only assume that the input they received from Woods & Co. is that he was ready to be brought up.

Really happy for Fehr and for the Capitals that he is finally behind that bizarre injury. He was my favorite prospect till Backstrom came around.

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