[Tom Gulitti] Rasmus Sandin is far from the only one struggling defensively for Capitals, but he’s on a nightmare run when he been on ice for 13 of 16 even-strength goals they’ve allowed in the past four games, including 2 of 3 today. He’s minus-11 during that stretch.
Rasmus Sandin is far from the only one struggling defensively for Capitals, but he's on a nightmare run when he been on ice for 13 of 16 even-strength goals they've allowed in the past four games, including 2 of 3 today.
He's minus-11 during that stretch.
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) March 19, 2023
by NiteOwlI
32 Comments
Rasmus who?
Exit sandman
Bad defence + getting points = Dubas may have traded away a future Norris winner
Bad defensively but gets points. He’ll be a fine replacement for John Carlson when he retires.
He misses Liljegren real bad.
Lol everybody freaked out initially, all they looked at was the points.
I don’t really have a lot of time tbh for point grabbing d men. I think every team needs one, somebody that quarter backs the PP ideally, but especially when they’re a defensive liability, you just cannot have multiples of those guys.
Erik Gustaffson is the 23rd highest scoring D man in the league. He’s not even a regular in this lineup.
I have no doubt Sandin will be a somebody in this league. But there was no room for him to be what he is on this Leafs team. And it wasn’t coming anytime soon. Between Rielly, Brodie, McCabe, Liljegren, you couldn’t just keep Sandin around as a 5th or 6 guy for another 3 or 4 years.
You’ve also still got Niemela, Timmins shows promise, Giordano looks like he still has a year or two as a bottom pairing guy, and Holl exists. It just wasn’t the place for Sandin.
His game isn’t being defensively sound tbh so this is not a shock with how horrendous the Caps D is.
There is a reason Dubas and Co. decided he was not part of the long term future and more specifically someone you can rely upon to play tough playoff minutes where the game becomes much more condensed. Give me McCabe and the first round pick and we’ll move along.
Omg I’m so upset we traded him!
Funny when year after year people are screaming to find a way to be more of a shut down team instead of a full offense team. Then when it happens some are mad that we god rid of a puck moving / offensive Dman. Loved Sandman but it was the right call.
I’m a fan of sandin’s and I really am rooting for him. But I hope this brings some perspective to all the people who were acting like we traded away a bonafide #1 d man who was going to take us to the cup this year if we played him more.
We traded a potential Erik Gustuffson for Erik Gustuffson
The plus/minus stat doesn’t always tell the whole story but it’s pretty hard to ignore those numbers. If you look at the highlights of these last few games you can see that Rasmus really has a problem inside his own blue line. It doesn’t help that they’re playing him in a top two, top four pairing. He’s way out of his element. He’s good with the puck but he’s not very good without it. A few of the goals against have been happening with him caught up ice and not having the foot speed to recover. And a few others have been where he’s given way too much space to the attacker down low.
Some folks seem to think he’ll be a top four, maybe top two D someday. That might happen. But I honestly don’t think he’s a quick enough skater for that kind of responsibility. Not at this point of his career.
Funny, i remember watching his first 4 games with the caps. even though he was putting up numbers he was still getting caved in defensively, losing foot races and getting out muscled, but i was getting downvoted to hell by all the Sandin Stans
Lol you have to look at this trade in like 3 years, micro analyzing every 5 game stretch of this kids career is gonna get exhausting
31 fucking points in 60 games. God damn I miss him
Glad we’re done talking about Sandin, can’t wait to talk about Engvall!
Other leafs fans are looking for an excuse, he’s playing with van Riemsdyk who has been a brutal defensemen all season for them, not only his fault
Trade doesn’t matter. A lot of his points have been secondary assists. He’s abysmal defensively. He was much over rated by the fans here. Lilly is twice the player sandin is right now and sandin wanted more money too. We got what sandin is for half the price plus a first. Move on.
I mean, neither this or his amazing start should be surprising to leafs fan.
Where are all the “Dubas is dumb!”‘ people?
There is some petty commentary here.
He played inconsistent third pairing minutes for the last months with the Leafs and jumps right into 1D minutes on the caps. His partner also isn’t first pairing calibre.
He’s been asked to replace Carlson who is injured. He’s been asked to jump into a new system on a new team with new teammates and a new coach.
If you’re the type of person to look at Lafferty and McCabe and say it’s too early to judge them, then you also have to say it’s too early to judge Sandin in Washington.
He looked good as a sheltered second pairing guy early in the season with consistent minutes, in a system he knows and with better linemates. He’s also very young.
It’s 100% possible he’s Travis Dermott in a few years, but it’s equally possible he’s a solid second pairing, PP specialist. He might even become the offensive half of a top pairing with a really strong defensive partner.
It’s so weird seeing the sub decide to shit on him just because he left and started putting up points with a different opportunity.
I’m rooting for the guy to succeed
Cheers to all the people that were freaking out when he started with the Caps on fire.
Told ya to wait a.few more games…
getting goose alone for him seems like good value but kyle managed to dubas a first out of the deal as well.
amazing trade.
Re aquire him In the off season 😎
I’m a Caps fan, the team isn’t good. That’s a big reason. Today Sandin played almost 25 minutes and led the team in TOI. The Caps have been without Carlson and Orlov and now Jensen. The other D are Fehervary, TVR, and replacement level players in Alexeyev, Carlsson and Irwin
He’s getting a ton of ice time to grow and he’s noticeable, but this stat is a bit cherry picked when he’s been playing a ton and the team sucks
I’ve watched the games. He gets burned a lot. I wonder if he’ll excel one Carlson is back
People who are acting like the Leafs traded away prime Karlsson need to read this.
Because of trades/injuries Sandin is legitimately the best Capitals defenseman right now and is playing a lot of minutes on their top pair.
Is it me, or are we more focused on Sandin now than when he was a leafs.
We don’t need an article or a post everytime he something good or screws up.
Leafs have nothing to brag about with the likes of Holl and Reilly in the lineup. I can’t believe they keep dressing Holl and scratch Gustafson.
1G – 10A – 11P in that same stretch