Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXXXI -- Will we even care by July 1?

[OV Rocks]

Why trade Carlson instead of Niskanen? Niskanen is older but he's our best all around Defender. He would get a good return.

This team should keep getting younger not older.

Pretty much everything that I say today and tomorrow will be over the top reactionary. This loss hurts the most out of any playoff disappointments. I am sold on the idea of trading one of Niskanen or Carlson. Look at the Penguins they have been to back to back Conference finals with absolute junk on the back end. They won a series while missing two of their top d-men (Letang, Daley) but you wouldn't have noticed because they guys that were in got the puck out of the zone when they needed to, atleast enough in a 7 game series to win 4 of them. The Maple Leafs put up a hell of a fight with an laughing stock of of blue line but still won two games and put 5 games to overtime with it.

The "Best Defense In The League" hasn't really worked out for the Caps. Orlov is dynamic, Schmidt is a great 4/5, and one of Carlson and Niskanen are a great and elite number 2. In today's NHL Orpik is worthless and Alzner is going to be, I feel bad for the team that pays him $5M this offseason.


Game 4 was a back breaker, should've won that game and if they did who knows but I think they win that series.

It will always be tough to beat the Penguins and I said it back in January we don't have the depth to beat them in a 7 game series there is too much talent. They have the best Canadian player, one of the top 3 Russian players, and one of the top 3 American players. That is too much talent to overcome for this roster. Separate those three can account for 45 minutes of ice time in a game, too much talent that the Caps don't have.

You are fooling yourself if you are proud of Lars Eller and his contribution to the 3rd line. He is a 4th line center. In the playoffs he Burakovsky and dragged Ovi down.

Ovi is not the problem with this team. I am giving him a pass for the playoffs because I think that Kadri hit really busted something up pretty bad. I am ready to see him lose some weight and play like a 22 year old again, no care in the world just playing hockey, let everyone else make up for that.

Two more I promise

I am disappointed in Holtby, he really let this team down alot in the playoffs. His play was there for 2 games out of 13, that is unacceptable. I am probably the only one but he would be a hell of a trade chip to play. I trust Grubauer and even more I trust in Samsonov in 3 years. Holtby's return would be easily the most bang for the buck for the team and leave the smallest hole to fill.

Finally Barry Trotz, enjoy your ride back to Nashville I don't want to see him behind the bench ever again. Way to much pressure on the players to adhere to his structure. Under Hunter they focused on defense and it didn't work but there was not this pressure to play his system down to the T. If you are a young guy under Trotz you have no chance. Look at Guentzel, he would still be in the AHL if Trotz was the coach.


Lets end with the one positive.

I love all you Caps fans we have been through hell and still there. Keep the faith and keep supporting this team. They always disappoint in the playoffs but coming from New England watching them makes winters much more bearable. But without all of you guys and gals and all the other Caps fans its just a hockey team. Thank you all for a great season, Cheers to next year.

 

[hockeyfan88]

Be careful what you wish for.

Blowing it up is not even a guarantee anymore with the way the lottery works. Caps should follow the Flyers example and NOT tank/firesale the team. Just get younger trading the expendable core players and getting assets back. Sucking for 5 years straight like the Sabres and Oilers would be miserable.

Also, I would seriously consider changing the drafting philosophy and replacing Ross Mahoney.

Our drafting has not been very good. People must realize how important it is to have players with high hockey IQ and who can play a team game in the playoffs. It is way more important than having raw skill.

 

[OV Rocks]

I want to clarify I am not supporting a blowup, one big trade that doesn't involve Ovi or Nicky, they are my only two untouchables

Actually on Mike and Mike who know absolutely nothing about hockey talked to Melrose who said they should trade Ovi. Mike and Mike asked when the last time a bonafide NHL superstar got traded. That brilliant Melrose said Esposito. Even they think it is foolish to trade Ovi.

 

[Hivemind]

tough loss..i think you should take another crack at it with this same roster next year. If anything add a quality defenseman but dont overreact like my fellow hawks fans are doing right now.

They can't ice the same roster next year. Too many free agents, plus the expansion draft. This was the year.

 

[twabby]

They can't ice the same roster next year. Too many free agents, plus the expansion draft. This was the year.

It was their year in terms of icing the best roster on paper but they have plenty of opportunity to make a contender next season. I think a few smart moves and a new coach could give the team a shot at the Cup next year, even if they probably won't win the Presidents Trophy again.

There's no reason to think they couldn't ice a team similar to the quality of the 2014-15 team, for instance, and they made it just as far as the Capitals did this season. That team had Brouwer in the top 6, Brooks Orpik as a top pairing defenseman, and Beagle and Laich on the third line IIRC.

 

[um]

Getting Rid of Ovechkin and Orpiks Cap will allow us to contend for a few more years.

 

[BPMrules]

A major shake up of the roster can't really hurt, at least with what's left of it once free agency hits. Are we really going to be doing a lot of damage with the team that we have on paper then?

Honestly, I would look at every player on that roster, and what you can get for them. I don't know that anyone should be off the table, save for a handful of the guys. The window is closed, now. If we can't realistically win a cup in the next two years(we can't), start re-tooling. I'd rather miss the playoffs entirely than get bounced in the first round in 6 games. I've seen it enough over the past 30 years I've been watching hockey, the Caps specifically. I don't need to see it again. I'm sure there will be enough talent coming into the league through the draft in the next couple years, that the caps will land someone that's a pretty good hockey player.

Get ready for a slow descent into the pre-Ovechkin years. There's going to be enough turnover already, why not let some more of the kids play. Let's really see what we have down in Hershey. What is it gonna hurt? Maybe Ted can save a few bucks, and try again in a few years, all the money we'll be spending on tickets is gonna have to go somewhere. Hopefully it's not gonna go towards the other team that loses in the second round of the playoffs, the Wiz.

 

[Kuz]

Will be interesting to see what the Caps will do this offseason. They had the best team they have ever had on paper this season and also the best in the league on paper. To bad they where not as good in the ice. The team played decent and most will say they outplayed Pittsburgh.

To bad when the team finally seems to be better than Pens, Holtby are not able to play close to what he have done in recent years in playoffs. He has carried the Caps the last years and won several games for them this year when the team seemed good. Holtby wasnt there. Ovi is no longer what he once was. He is still a very good player, but still far away from what he once was. If we had a team like this around when Ovi was in his prime Caps would probably had a cup.

For the offseason Orpik should be gone. Hes to slow to play a team like Penguins and Toronto. Shattenkirk also showed weakness on defence so I dont really see the appeal in him. Alzner is not longer what he once was. Hopefullt we are able to keep Niskanen, Carlson, Scmidt and Orlov to build around next season.

On offence I dont see any reason to resign Williams unless he takes a major paycut. Hopefully Oshie gets resigned and it will be interesting to see how much Kuznetsov and Burakovsky will get. Beagle who where solid last year wasnt what we needed this year and Eller have not delievered like I had hoped as the Caps 3 C. For 3,5 hes not worth it.

Still the depth killed us. No goals from Eller, Beagle, Winnik and Connoly. While Penguins have 11 different goalscorers among forwards. This Penguins will be good for a long time. They have no cap troubles the next years and with Sheary, Rust and Guentzel taking further steps the next years and Letang back they look pretty unbeatable for the next years.

Kuznetsov really stepped up this year and created a lot. I think he and Oshie really played well the few times they where on the ice together and I think they should be played together next year. Why Kuznetsov didnt get any time on the 1 PP after the play with Backström and Oshie is questionable coaching when Mojo didnt do the job. They should have tried guys with better finishing on the Kuznetsov line because he was creating so much by himself, but especially Mojo hands and finishing were off. Should have tried him with at least one of Ovi and Oshie.

It does not look like we can hope on much impact from the players in Hershey next year. Vrana have not stepped up and does not look ready for a bigger role on the Caps. Bowey with injury trouble this season is also a question mark.

They really need to sit down and look at the team and if they look at it and see that they cant win they better be planning for the future to build up a new team.

 

[Midnight Judges]

If it were me:

1. Fire Trotz. He got out-coached in every single Caps playoff series. He is the primary problem.
2. Keep the roster together to the maximum extent possible. The talent on this team is quite good.
3. Hire a coach with proven playoff success.
4. Get Ovechkin to lose some weight and concentrate on getting his speed back. Have the puck on his stick much more often. Get him back to his old game.

 

[Midnight Judges]

A major shake up of the roster can't really hurt, at least with what's left of it once free agency hits.

Yes it could!

 

[um]

Darryl Sutter is still available right? that would be ideal.

and getting rid of Ovechkin isn't really a MAJOR shakeup anymore, given the way he played this year and how he ended it on the 3rd line as a powerplay specialist.

 

[bur and 666 others]

Need to retool little bit. Get younger and faster for sure. I feel like banging the same door year in and year out will eventually break this door. No need to blow out the core. Yes, we lost and yes it was another embarrassing performance in game 7. Ovie and Holtby under performed big time, but remember when they were only ones who showed up in the past? I'm still hopeful for these two. Will need to get rid off Orpik's contract though. Need to find our own young guns. Look around the league, the league got younger and this playoff is the proof of that. Kudos to Pens finding Geuntzel and other young players who always step up for them. We need to start trusting to our young players as well. This is my issue with Trotz: not trusting them and then trying to relay on them in the playoffs. He needs to go through pain during regular season with young players to have dividends in the playoffs.

what i'm trying to say. There are two scenarios: to retool big time or try to win with the same core one or two more times. I think we need to go the second way. Anyway the first scenario will be in near future as Ovi and Backy will decline, forcing it now won't give us any dividents and gain. Maximum we will get good complimentary players, but there will be no one who they can compliment as I don;t trust Kuznetsov and Burakovsky be the main forces. So imho need to stick with the same core and same coaches and try one more time. But, yes, Ovechking needs to be stripped from his captaincy.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Darryl Sutter is still available right? that would be ideal.

and getting rid of Ovechkin isn't really a MAJOR shakeup anymore, given the way he played this year and how he ended it on the 3rd line as a powerplay specialist.

It is a major shakeup, think of what we could do with 9,5 million cap
Space

 

[Coldplay619]

It is a major shakeup, think of what we could do with 9,5 million cap
Space

You're likely not going to get back the full cap space.

 

[bur and 666 others]

It is a major shakeup, think of what we could do with 9,5 million cap
Space

what can you do with this space? we need impactful players and they won't be available and i'm not talking about that nobody will take ovie and his whole contract from our hands

 

[Hivemind]

Just a reminder at what the 2017 free agent class looks like:
http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/the-top-30-unrestricted-free-agents-of-2017

 

[OV Rocks]

Darryl Sutter is still available right? that would be ideal.

and getting rid of Ovechkin isn't really a MAJOR shakeup anymore, given the way he played this year and how he ended it on the 3rd line as a powerplay specialist.

No no no no no to Sutter

Let these boys play. Ovechkin, Backstrom, Kuznetsov, Burakovsky, Carlson, Orlov are all offensive talents. Don't change that let them free and fly. Look at the Predators with Lavy, man I wish we got him over Trotz

 

[EroCaps]

Why trade Carlson instead of Niskanen? Niskanen is older but he's our best all around Defender. He would get a good return.

This team should keep getting younger not older.

Carlson is one of like three guys they need to keep.

He's clutch.

 

[EroCaps]

No no no no no to Sutter

Let these boys play. Ovechkin, Backstrom, Kuznetsov, Burakovsky, Carlson, Orlov are all offensive talents. Don't change that let them free and fly. Look at the Predators with Lavy, man I wish we got him over Trotz

Dude. No.

 

[kogeh]

would re-sign winnik if hes willing to take a paycut to 1-1.5mil (decent enough 4th liner great on pk)
would re-sign jdubs for 2-2.5mil max if he wants it
have to re-sign oshie no question
trade that 2nd rounder we saved from stl to vegas to take orpik
try to trade eller and sign gagner for 3rd line
let alzner walk
fire trotz

 

[OV Rocks]

Dude. No.

Why?

Have you watched Nashville play? They are loose, playing to their strengths which is a loaded offense and a get the puck and go defense

 

[kogeh]

Why?

Have you watched Nashville play? They are loose, playing to their strengths which is a loaded offense and a get the puck and go defense

they have lavi as a coach and theyre not a loaded offense

 

[twabby]

Carlson is one of like three guys they need to keep.

He's clutch.

Even if he were clutch (was he clutch last night in the ultimate clutch situation?) how can you justify keeping him if he might walk next offseason as a UFA? If he walks or they get a minimal return at the TDL it would be a disaster in terms of asset management.

Carlson needs to have a deal in place this offseason that is team-friendly, otherwise he's the one player I think needs to be traded because he is almost surely an attractive option to many teams that could return significant, younger pieces in return. His cap-hit is team-friendly for 2017-18 so I imagine many teams would be interested.

 

[um]

It is a major shakeup, think of what we could do with 9,5 million cap
Space

I'd imagine we'd get some Cap back, a possible scenario is a trade with Vegas to get a top 6/9 forward + top 4 defensemen.

And with the maybe 3 million leftover we can use to resign Oshie and/or Williams.

 

[ReggietheSavage15]

Makes no sense to keep Ovechkin here in DC. This year was it. That window is officially closed. He's making 9.5mil to be a one-dimensional (PP) specialist. That money would be better allocated elsewhere. Finding a trade partner could be tricky, but I wouldn't rule it out.