Loose Caps Are A Feature, Not a Bug

I was very intrigued by Matt Bradley’s comments about Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau and the tone of his team’s locker room: I think our locker room was maybe a little bit too nonchalant, and guys weren’t disciplined the way they should have been. Tarik El-Bashir followed-up on Bradley’s comments and was met with a silence that seemed to agree with the comments. I’m on record as saying Boudreau’s not a very disciplined (nor nuanced) coaching strategist. But I’m not sure that having a disciplined, tense locker room always translates into better on-ice play. I understand Bradley’s point about nonchalance and how that could read as indifference. But how many players crumble in the playoffs because of the pressure of being in the playoffs? How many players compromise their game because they’re too worried about how they’re playing? The fact that players feel loose and comfortable for Boudreau isn’t necessarily a ...