Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXV (Any Given Someday)

[Raikkonen]

No depth for 19/92 other than Bura. Hanzal can play in top-6, but can say Gordon?

Tough to get such a depth, and expensive to boot.

Bura-Gordon-Willy
Chim-Latta-Beagle

Btw, Laich's salary could be interesting for Arizona as it is less than his caphit next year.

 

[PucksInDeep]

No depth for 19/92 other than Bura. Hanzal can play in top-6, but can say Gordon?

Tough to get such a depth, and expensive to boot.

Bura-Gordon-Willy
Chim-Latta-Beagle

Btw, Laich's salary could be interesting for Arizona as it is less than his caphit next year.

We're screwed if Backstrom or Kuzy are out, so I don't think lack of top-6 center depth is an issue.

I'd like Gordon (and it would be great if ARI retains salary)... if we could move Laich then all the better.

If the Penguins decide to start selling I'd be interested in Bonino (or Fehr), though I don't know what the cost would be.

Komarov would be a great bottom-6 addition (if we can move Laich), but I can only imagine what Toronto would want for him, especially when he's scoring right now.

 

[txpd]

Fehr signed a 3 year deal. right? no thanks. Gordon is a face off pk specialist at this point. 4th line and no higher. Bonino is on a new 3 year contract. no.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

The irony here is that the President's Trophy season was one of George's most active trade deadlines ever. Corvo, Belanger, Walker, and Jurcina.

Classic George. More moves than anyone else and every one less impactful than the last. Walker was a solid add but Bruce was too much of an idiot to actually use him.

 

[Chukcha]

actually only 3-headed monsters win the cup. The hawks were unreal lucky to get Vermette at the deadline. 3C has the same importance as 1/2. Brendan Morrison was excellent in this role. Beagle is fine in Steckel's role. If we have a chance to acquire E.Staal or another rental of his calibre we should pursuit him. It's worth to sacrifice some valuable assets for him.

 

[Chukcha]

though i don't know how good is Stamkos for that (3C) role Who would be the better fit at the deadline for the same assets back, Stammer or E.Staal?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

actually only 3-headed monsters win the cup. The hawks were unreal lucky to get Vermette at the deadline. 3C has the same importance as 1/2. Brendan Morrison was excellent in this role. Beagle is fine in Steckel's role. If we have a chance to acquire E.Staal or another rental of his calibre we should pursuit him. It's worth to sacrifice some valuable assets for him.

No, no, no for E. Staal.
He lives by his reputation, he isn't half the player he used to be and carries a $8.25M cap hit. We can't fit him in even if we trade Laich in return.
I'd rather pursue Ladd or even Datsyuk if the Wings are willing to trade him.

 

[895]

I had a dream last night where we traded with Arizona.

To washington

Boyd Gordon

To arizona

2nd round pick
Brooks Laich with 800k retained.
Julianne Hough

 

[Langway]

So, it might be that finding a veteran defenseman that ends up putting one of Schmidt or Orlov in the press box for the playoffs is accepted while finding a veteran center and pushing Beagle down and Latta out would mess with their heads. It could be the reverse.

I just trust that he knows his troops.

This is where the GM/coach relationship matters. They'll certainly have a handle on where to add and what not to touch. They ought to also have a better sense of what's needed all-around.

I have a hard time believing Schmidt would go from top pair to press box in the playoffs and if Orlov is a depth player in their minds then he should probably be traded. I don't think changing anything on the fourth line will mess with their heads (the fourth line's performance has overall been their weakness area to this point). With their recent focus on mental toughness I wonder less about them getting psyched out than new players not integrating quickly. But that's a lot less important if it's just a matter of replacing players on the fourth line or third pair. If they were to upgrade at 3C then ideally it's a very smart two-way center whose instincts would greatly ease the transition.

 

[Chukcha]

No, no, no for E. Staal.
He lives by his reputation, he isn't half the player he used to be and carries a $8.25M cap hit. We can't fit him in even if we trade Laich in return.
I'd rather pursue Ladd or even Datsyuk if the Wings are willing to trade him.

isn't Ladd a winger?
I doubt any team with decent chances to make PO will trade a legit top-9 center.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I had a dream last night where we traded with Arizona.

To washington

Boyd Gordon

To arizona

2nd round pick
Brooks Laich with 800k retained.
Julianne Hough

We don't trade her, sorry. She's the only thing Laich can score

No but seriously, Gordon is just another 4th liner, so I suppose it's a cap move? The Yotes wouldn't do that.

 

[895]

In retrospect, I don't like the dream trade.

 

[Blades of Steel]

I'm afraid to mess with the roster to be honest, but that 4th line could use some help.
Upgrade at 3c over beagle and move him back down to 4c? He's playing legit good hockey, what a freaking soldier beags is and always has been, that's why he's always a coach fav.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

isn't Ladd a winger?
I doubt any team with decent chances to make PO will trade a legit top-9 center.

Ladd is a winger, he gives us another option on the 2nd line in case Johansson disappears.

 

[Blades of Steel]

Also, Orpik's injury has him LTIR and that salary is banked towards the Cap correct? How much as of now do we have? I'm not sure how it works.

explain, please?

Part of me wonders if he's basically good to go if the playoffs were starting now, with the team winning we are just banking more and more salary correct?

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

I'm afraid to mess with the roster to be honest, but that 4th line could use some help.
Upgrade at 3c over beagle and move him back down to 4c? He's playing legit good hockey, what a freaking soldier beags is and always has been, that's why he's always a coach fav.

The thing to balance against existing chemistry is the length of the postseason -something that's never really played a role before.

It can last 28 games and even without injuries that's a slog. Last season Kane, Hossa and Toews combined for 2 goals in 6 games against Tampa. Slumps like that aren't uncommon and they can overlap. That's why they added Vermette -who chipped in 2 GWGs that series.

 

[Midnight Judges]

When your team is on pace to equal the most wins ever in a season and hasn't lost 2 consecutive games (meaning you can take any 7 game stretch from this season and they win that series), do you really want to mess with the roster?

The biggest weakness is 3C, and even then our 3C - while not a prolific scorer - does some good things (58.4% FO wins), is a great team guy, and has a reasonable contract.

GMBM has done a great job. I hope he isn't trigger happy because you never know when 1 move can upset the balance.

 

[g00n]

I'm wary of the "chemistry" thing as the psychology of pro sports is not limited to "here's the correct amount of money to ensure peak performance". On the one hand you expect professionals to understand the business and learn to overcome roster shakeups. On the other hand, getting a team to play like a team often comes from a synergistic bond amongst the players, all of whom are willing to go to the mat for each other.

In column "A" in favor of roster flexibility is an organization like the Patriots in the NFL, but I think they accomplish what they do (legally lol) partly because of their system and partly because it's understood that the team has an expectation of winning to go along with a very, very high chance of doing so, as per a track record.

The Caps don't have that track record yet. Which leads to column "B" and chemistry. But at the same time we've already absorbed several players who were not regulars last year, so who knows.

 

[Ridley Simon]

its not George talk. Same McPhee that took the Huet deal in Kolzig's face and dealt with having 3 goalies down the stretch. Same McPhee that blew up a good team by trading for Linden in Oates face and having his room go to hell in a hand basket overnight.

Its delicate. The right move shows the room that you believe in them and want to support them. The wrong move can say you don't believe in them.

So, it might be that finding a veteran defenseman that ends up putting one of Schmidt or Orlov in the press box for the playoffs is accepted while finding a veteran center and pushing Beagle down and Latta out would mess with their heads. It could be the reverse.

I just trust that he knows his troops.

As for Burt. I think its worth considering what Trotz was doing with both Burt and Kuzy last year around this time and compare that to what Burt is doing now. And where both ended up come playoffs. I don't think the replace Burakovsky til the TDL and only with a rental if they do that.

It is George talk. "We like our team"

George was here for almost 2 decades, so it's pretty easy to find examples of him doing everything. That's what you get over 17 years. For most of it, he exhibited George talk. George talk represents inside the box thinking, and actions. In all facets. He wasn't very original.

As I stated in an earlier post. I trust Trotz and GMBM above any of us, and the whispers in the media is that the Caps are looking. GMBM has been very candid with his moves and goals, so if there is noise, it could easily come from the team itself, as it states. So I think they are looking, and I think it will come well before the TDL.

 

[Ridley Simon]

The irony here is that the President's Trophy season was one of George's most active trade deadlines ever. Corvo, Belanger, Walker, and Jurcina.

George was reactionary. I never saw a plan from him, save Ted's big picture edict in 2002. Even Jagr was Ted. That's what "George Talk" means to me.

George was active at the TDL because he was always reacting to "issues" his team's had. He didn't have the foresight that Brian seems to have. Least, so far.

And that 2010 team had a lot of holes. I'd be shocked if the Caps added 4 players. I think 1, maybe 2. Tops.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Also, Orpik's injury has him LTIR and that salary is banked towards the Cap correct? How much as of now do we have? I'm not sure how it works.

explain, please?

Part of me wonders if he's basically good to go if the playoffs were starting now, with the team winning we are just banking more and more salary correct?

Don't bank LTIR the same as true cap space. LTIR allows you to go over the cap in the amount of the LTIR only. So Orpiks salary (5.75?). Plus any allowable cap space left (100k?).

 

[Chukcha]

When your team is on pace to equal the most wins ever in a season and hasn't lost 2 consecutive games (meaning you can take any 7 game stretch from this season and they win that series), do you really want to mess with the roster?

The biggest weakness is 3C, and even then our 3C - while not a prolific scorer - does some good things (58.4% FO wins), is a great team guy, and has a reasonable contract.

GMBM has done a great job. I hope he isn't trigger happy because you never know when 1 move can upset the balance.

i love Beags, but... probably George in 2009-10 thought the same way: our d-men aren't defensive stalwarts, but do some good things, are great team guys, and are on reasonable contracts

 

[Chukcha]

George was reactionary. I never saw a plan from him, save Ted's big picture edict in 2002. Even Jagr was Ted. That's what "George Talk" means to me.

George was active at the TDL because he was always reacting to "issues" his team's had. He didn't have the foresight that Brian seems to have. Least, so far.

And that 2010 team had a lot of holes. I'd be shocked if the Caps added 4 players. I think 1, maybe 2. Tops.

yeah, he got rid of Kozlov and Fedorov, but Flash centering our 2nd line definitely wasn't a top-6 C. The 21-14-28 line production entirely was based on insane Semin's peak. 40 goals on the 2nd line with Laich and Flash look absolutely crazy nowadays. Probably that's why George added Belanger, but i don't remember were there better options available at the deadline?

 

[artilector]

This talk about ruining bottom-6 chemistry is absurd, IMO. Bottom-6, Carl!
Same bottom-6 that's objectively shaky -- despite, yes, Beagle being a great guy.
Beagle is a soldier who played most of his NHL life on the 4th line, why would he suddenly throw a fit getting demoted there?? Latta? Who cares about Latta?

How many good teams have been screwed by adding a good player late? I would guess -- not many. And we are not talking about adding some "cancer".

In fact, what I mostly hear is that players get excited when their team adds major firepower for a playoff run. Beags probably wants to win the Cup more than secure a 3C role for himself.

Chicago got Vermette and he played a big role in them winning again. Why in the world should the Caps be scared of taking that route? "We like our team" is BS -- instead should just be "We are always looking for moves that significantly improve our team".

Big no on Gordon. This team is Ron F'ing Swanson walking into a diner, and you're suggesting a veggie burger?! Has to be a player that will make an impact, not a guy to plug a hole.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

This talk of the Caps being interested in acquiring a forward, didn't this surface after Jaret Stoll was put on waivers and we heard that along with the Wild another team (speculation the Caps) had put in a claim for him. Stoll would have also been a cheaper version of Boyd Gordon, 3/4 line center good in the dot and on defense. I'm believing some are running with the idea that the Caps are in the hunt for a forward based upon their putting a claim in for Stoll.

I just don't see GMBM messing with the team chemistry right now or even at the TDL unless an injury occurs that requires a transaction. I just remember how the Caps performed right after they traded Clark/Jurcina for Chimera in 2009, the team went into a bit of a dive.