Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXXVIII (It's Working! Let's Fix It.)

[trick9]

Kings fan here. Sutter had Muzzin and Matinez paired together for most of this season, and has recently broke it up pairing Muzzin and Doughty together cos Muzzin is having a difficult year and has been terrible defensively. Don't know why it took so long to break them up, but Muzzin and Martinez (who is still playing on his off wing) just don't work together. At a point we would place bets on how many goals those two would be on the ice for. Martinez is our most offensive defensman, he's one of the top in points in OT. I don't know if Dean would be willing to trade him, but then again we have 5 left hand defensmen and 1 right. Who knows.

That's why i think they'd be an interesting fit. Kings are loaded with LHD's (unless i'm wrong, both Martinez and Muzzin prefer to play on that side) and are looking for scoring. Obviously the trade fit propably isn't there during the season as Kings are likely not looking for futures, but in the summer there might be something to consider from both sides.

 

[Little Psycho]

That's why i think they'd be an interesting fit. Kings are loaded with LHD's (unless i'm wrong, both Martinez and Muzzin prefer to play on that side) and are looking for scoring. Obviously the trade fit propably isn't there during the season as Kings are likely not looking for futures, but in the summer there might be something to consider from both sides.

Doughty is the only true righty. We still haven't replaced the hole that Voynov left. We have a right handed prospect, LaDue, that we are hopeful for. Lombardi is unpredictable, we don't know if he wants to stock up (cupboard is bare) or trade while a lot of our roster players are in their prime. I don't know what to expect, especially since we are really tight on cap space.

 

[RandyHolt]

We like our team.


I think we are set at forward from this summers moves. And maybe more importantly, since those players are weaving well.

Since we always do, I do think we will add a RD. Injuries and inconsistent play struck last loffs, Bowey is on the shelf, and Carlson it seems has been battling an injury all year. Lewington should get a game if he is our secret 8.

The question I have is who gets a call-up if there is an injury in our T6. Vrana is a likely candidate. While I am not a fan of breaking up 2 lines to fill one vacancy, I think Barry will more likely slot a 3rd liner up, and call up Stephenson Sill or Carey. Sanford just seems too green, but is a darkhorse if he starts lighting it up in Hershey. I wonder if Boyd has earned a cup of coffee.

I do hope Barry will give Vrana another chance after the deadline, when we don't need to bank space. He is more a weaver vs a grinder and should do better this time around. I hope Hershey starts weaving.

 

[ovikovy817]

Vrana recalled.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Vrana recalled.

Awwwwwww yeh!!!!!!

Hope he gets in tomorrow. Guessing the flu bug is going around

 

[twabby]

Hopefully that doesn't mean Williams's injury is worse than previously thought. I don't think they are recalling Vrana for him to eat nachos in the press box.

 

[RandyHolt]

Look at that. I didn't know he got recalled, but wanting him to get a 2nd chance in our 5G/G O has been in my mind for a few weeks now.

I will go ahead and predict he scores if he plays.

#freewilly

 

[hockeykicker]

Vrana isn't even rotating through lines. Means he is just an emergency call up and will be going down soon

 

[BobRouse]

Vrana isn't even rotating through lines. Means he is just an emergency call up and will be going down soon

That's good news to me. Means Williams was not "Carlsoned" with the "day to day" injury

 

[hockeykicker]

Apparently there is a just released Russian sourced story that is claiming that kuznetsov was playing last playoffs and early this season with a significant ankle injury. Who knows how true that is

 

[g00n]

Apparently there is a just released Russian sourced story that is claiming that kuznetsov was playing last playoffs and early this season with a significant ankle injury. Who knows how true that is

noted in the kuz thread that trotz denies the report

 

[BobRouse]

Ok potential bad news...am I hearing right that the salary cap for next year is expected to be flat??

If that's the case then there is no way we are signing back Oshie, Williams or Alzner.

Kuznetsov's turn around is raising his contract as is Burakovsky altho both are RFAs. Orlov too. Those 3 will get significant raises.

We will lose one of Beagle, Grubauer or Schmidt I sense.

The team will be significantly altered next year.

At this point the best we could hope for is to squeeze Williams in out of the big 3 UFAs. (altho they are key players there is little chance that contracts to Oshie and Alzner will become anything but poor value)

 

[BobRouse]

Schmidt is fine - but a guy like Shattenkirk is better. I'd do L Johansson + Schmidt for Shattrnkirk all day.

Shattenkirk won't cost that. It would be a 1st and a prospect like Bowey.

Caps won't be trading a dman to add one. They will be adding one.

The question remains whether they will add a "top 4" guy or a "depth" guy.

If its a top 4 guy then Schmidt will be bumped out of the lineup and that would be controversial as he's really established himself on the team.

But if we can get a "top 4" guy that we could slot in the 3rd D pairing and put Schmidt at 7D spot and wouldn't have to give up a blue chip prospect or roster player I'd think they would have to carefully evaluate it.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

We must let go of Winnik, Orpik at least to clear some space.

 

[hockeykicker]

This may sound silly but any chance they claim ribiero off waivers?

 

[BobRouse]

We must let go of Winnik, Orpik at least to clear some space.

Winnik is a UFA and already factored that he'd be gone.

Getting "rid" of Orpik is easier said then done especially with a flat cap.

Even if we get rid of him we'd have to bring in a replacement and paying Alzner big bucks over term will make his contract look worse than Orpiks in a year (Orpiks will expire in a couple years)

Losing our UFA's will amount to 12.7 mil in open cap space. That would be used to sign 4 replacements in addition to giving significant raises to Kuz/Bura/Orlov

 

[Hivemind]

Ribs is on waivers? What? He keeps alternating between terrible seasons and incredible ones.\

e; He still has 25 points in 46 games. Off ice issues again?

e2; Apparently he asked for a trade yesterday. guess this was Nashville's response.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

This may sound silly but any chance they claim ribiero off waivers?

3,5M for a declining skilled player with attitude issues. Our center depth is set, no need to mess with it.
Marchenko on the other hand, we should claim him if we're lucky enough to be in a position to claim him.

 

[BobRouse]

This may sound silly but any chance they claim ribiero off waivers?

Ummmm...NO!

Remember he pretty much scorched Ovechkin on his way out the door a couple months after Ovechkin gave him rave reviews.

Little punk is a backstabber the burns his bridges in addition to not being anything but a 1 dimension 37 year old PP specialist.

 

[Hivemind]

Now that Kuznetsov has emerged and they've acquired Eller, I don't think Ribs is the right fit anymore. But aside of some tabloid journalism that surfaced after he left, his off-ice conduct didn't seem to be an issue while he was in Washington. Obviously his family and emotional life has been in flux during his career, so it always has to be considered. But if they had a need at center or at the half-wall on the powerplay, I would definitely want them considering picking him back up. But right now it's not a fit.

 

[BobRouse]

Now that Kuznetsov has emerged and they've acquired Eller, I don't think Ribs is the right fit anymore. But aside of some tabloid journalism that surfaced after he left, his off-ice conduct didn't seem to be an issue while he was in Washington. Obviously his family and emotional life has been in flux during his career, so it always has to be considered. But if they had a need at center or at the half-wall on the powerplay, I would definitely want them considering picking him back up. But right now it's not a fit.

He completely ripped Ovechkin as being "part of the problem" and how it would be difficult for us to get "rid of him"

Ovechkin had praised him a couple months before and lobbied for him to be resigned!

I recall the first time they met up (I think it was with Nashville a couple years later?) Ovechkin had some choice words for him or so it seemed during the game.

 

[Hivemind]

I don't give a rats ass about a quote to the media a hockey player made several years ago.

 

[Langway]

Ok potential bad news...am I hearing right that the salary cap for next year is expected to be flat??

It's too early to say but it seems to be under the assumption that the players won't invoke the 5% escalator. There's some reason to believe that maybe they won't this time since it would ease escrow withholdings but every year they've done it so as to not stiff pending free agents.

I'm not sure Ribeiro's even a center anymore, at least on any competitive team. He gets overwhelmingly easy zone starts and is softer than ever. He's another player the game is passing by.

 

[895]

He’s part of the problem. He’s got a lot of authority in Washington. That can be harmful.
How many coaches did they have the last couple of years? The coach has to be in control and the players are to be satisfied with playing. It will be difficult to keep [Ovechkin] if the team continues like this. Every team that looks for its top scorer has to take a risk looking for one, but I am not convinced that Washington will dare to [get rid of Ovechkin]. He’s the symbol of their franchise, and the team has done alright since he got there.

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2014/11/14/mike-ribeiro-shreds-capitals-en-francais-ovechkin-is-part-of-the-problem/

Meh. It's not really that bad. I mean he did say the words "Ovechkin is part of the problem" but he doesn't really elaborate or say anything substantial.

Regardless of that, pass on Ribeiro.

 

[g00n]

McPhee will probably snatch him up