Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) -- 2018-19 We Are The Champions Edition - Pt. 1

[Ridley Simon]

This is a good point to bring up. That age 20-23 bracket has 5 potential NHL guys: Bowey, Djoos, Siegenthaler, Johansen, Hobbs. At some point, some of them will have to be moved. Might be the best way to build some forward depth in the system.

Bowey and Djoos cannot play in Hershey next year (wont clear waivers). So the imminent decision is those 2. Obv Kempny and Orpik returning would mean 5 d-men for the Caps. Locked and loaded. I cannot see Djoos not being #6. It's possible he could get dealt, but I see Bowey as much more likely. He's on the outside looking in, on this scenario.

And to your point....Siegs, LuJo, and Hobbs are all top 4 in Hershey. I'm not sure who else is there. But they will come calling soon.

To this end, I wouldnt sign any other D for longer that 2 years. Orpik would be 1 yr, IMO.

 

[HunterSThompson]

DuClair from all reports has all the tools but no tool box, three teams have seen it now, pass.

Orpik whittles toolboxes out of drift wood all the time. Just needs the vet min.

 

[Sam Spade]

No disrespect to "Batya" but why do people want Orpik back? This is a business, he was statistically one of the worst Dmen in the NHL last year, the entire NHL, I don't get it.

I love what he did in the playoffs, I never hated his contract because I understand how important leadership is, GMBM makes this incredible move to get out from the contract, when most of us thought a buyout would be necessary, Orpik did his job and now it's time to move on.

I'm 100% down with the coaching thing, but playing, no way, the league is too fast, especially the Metro.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

No disrespect to "Batya" but why do people want Orpik back? This is a business, he was statistically one of the worst Dmen in the NHL last year, the entire NHL, I don't get it.

I love what he did in the playoffs, I never hated his contract because I understand how important leadership is, GMBM makes this incredible move to get out from the contract, when most of us thought a buyout would be necessary, Orpik did his job and now it's time to move on.

I'm 100% down with the coaching thing, but playing, no way, the league is too fast, especially the Metro.

Because statistics only tell part of the story. Patrick O'Sullivan said something really telling the other day, that sometimes, in the midst of this advanced stat era, we forget that players are human. I'd bet that Orpik's presence off the ice had a significant impact on the on-ice performance of many Capitals, notably Kuznetsov.

 

[Calicaps]

GMBM straight up said he would look at bringing 44 back for cheap after a buyout. He didn’t move Orpik because he didn’t want the player. He moved him because he needed the cash. BMac thinks Orpik still has value to this team. I trust his instincts.

To point to his RS performance and then say you appreciate what he did in the playoffs sounds like damning with faint praise. He played the last 2.5 minutes of the Cup clinching game. He may not be top 4 anymore, but he is core.

 

[895]

Anthony Duclair now a UFA after Chicago didn't QO him.

While I don't think the Caps need to be dumpster diving, signing him would be a low risk/medium reward type of move, like DSP and Kempny were.

 

[Sam Spade]

Because statistics only tell part of the story. Patrick O'Sullivan said something really telling the other day, that sometimes, in the midst of this advanced stat era, we forget that players are human. I'd bet that Orpik's presence off the ice had a significant impact on the on-ice performance of many Capitals, notably Kuznetsov.

Ok and that's fine, and I agree about his locker room influence, but if they bring him back at more than a million per they are idiots. Not when they have plenty of kids in Hershey who have been doing the work, developed the correct way, and deserve a shot.

They won the Cup, his influence will never be the same.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Ok and that's fine, and I agree about his locker room influence, but if they bring him back at more than a million per they are idiots. Not when they have plenty of kids in Hershey who have been doing the work, developed the correct way, and deserve a shot.

They won the Cup, his influence will never be the same.

I'd rather have the kids learning from Orpik than not. I wouldn't give him a multiyear deal at his age, but going over $1M isn't going to keep you from making any other significant moves.

 

[Hivemind]

You've always liked Rieder. Or maybe that was @Hivemind or @twabby . Or maybe it was just all of you

I'm definitely on the Rieder bandwagon. He'd be a great addition, especially if we lose some of the other PKers like Chiasson or Beagle.

 

[Langway]

Not when they have plenty of kids in Hershey who have been doing the work, developed the correct way, and deserve a shot.

They won the Cup, his influence will never be the same.

It's a nice sentiment to just want to run with Hershey players but there are none capable of replacing Orpik or Beagle on the PK. They have fringe NHL talent down there that can maybe play survival minutes but there's no one exactly knocking the door down to be an NHLer. I wouldn't go over $1.5M for Orpik or $2M for Beagle but they still very much bring something to the table that can't be replaced internally.

 

[artilector]

If Kempny extends, maybe the Caps should wait 'till the deadline to get another vet for the bottom pair? The idea being -- get maximum playing time for the younger D men.

Orlov-Niskanen
Djoos-Carlson
Kempny-Bowey

Should easily hold the fort, and it will become more clear what to do with Bowey.

On the other hand, I guess, if the cap space is there, signing a cheap vet for 1 year (who's willing to sit if necessary) won't hurt. But then it should be a RH guy, as insurance if Bowey tanks, no?

 

[Corby78]

I still kinda like the idea of Orpik for around a mil with the intent on playing him around 41 games. More PT for younger guys, still get the leadership in the locker room/practice, and he saves his body for the playoffs if we need.

 

[Sam Spade]

It's a nice sentiment to just want to run with Hershey players but there are none capable of replacing Orpik or Beagle on the PK. They have fringe NHL talent down there that can maybe play survival minutes but there's no one exactly knocking the door down to be an NHLer. I wouldn't go over $1.5M for Orpik or $2M for Beagle but they still very much bring something to the table that can't be replaced internally.

PK'ers are a dime a dozen. Caps have Wilson, Stephenson, Eller, if Boyd stays up he kills penalties. All four of the top Dmen kill penalties and you work with another one to get decent at it.

p.s. Caps PK was middle of the pack both in the regular and post season.

 

[HunterSThompson]

If Kempny extends, maybe the Caps should wait 'till the deadline to get another vet for the bottom pair? The idea being -- get maximum playing time for the younger D men.

Orlov-Niskanen
Djoos-Carlson
Kempny-Bowey

Should easily hold the fort, and it will become more clear what to do with Bowey.

On the other hand, I guess, if the cap space is there, signing a cheap vet for 1 year (who's willing to sit if necessary) won't hurt. But then it should be a RH guy, as insurance if Bowey tanks, no?

I am not totally against this idea. The biggest thing to replace with respect to Orpik (besides intangibles) would be his PK spot. He is their number 1 left handed PK defenseman. Orlov plays decently there now, Kempny didn't play there unless one of Orpik or Orlov was the one in the box. So, one of Kempny or Djoos will have to fill that void or it will need to come from elsewhere. So, a left-handed defenseman capable of playing big PK minutes is needed.

Carlson and Niskanen are entrenched on the right side for PK and we have already seen guys like Djoos and Jerebak play the right side for extended periods of time at 5on5 and be fine. Doubt they go RHD.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Now that the "what do you do if Carlson doesn't extend?" situation is no longer valid, the next query is: what do you do if Kempny doesn't extend?

I'm thinking Ian Cole. Reasonably good skater, good enough puck mover, still only 29, and two Cup runs of playoff experience.

John Moore was previously mentioned. His skating is elite, but not sure I like the hockey sense enough to be paired with 74.

I didn't see him at all this year, but does Hamhuis have anything left? Might not be a bad 1 year option.

Jack Johnson might be a potentially homerun cheapish option. Not sure how much of a pay cut he'll take, but the downswing in production surely hits him on the market.

Reirden factor - Kempny will resign!

 

[Langway]

if Boyd stays up he kills penalties.

Non-sense. They didn't even let Walker kill penalties and he had a longer resume of it.

Citing last year's statistics doesn't prove your point. They would be worse without them. I could see bumping up the roles of Eller & Kempny but these aren't just rotational PKers. They were their very most trusted ones. They could get replacements in UFA but the answer isn't there at the AHL level.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Ok and that's fine, and I agree about his locker room influence, but if they bring him back at more than a million per they are idiots. Not when they have plenty of kids in Hershey who have been doing the work, developed the correct way, and deserve a shot.

They won the Cup, his influence will never be the same.

1.5m for a year would make a LOT of sense (makes his contract whole again), and I'm betting/guessing that was the gameplan all along. I would even wager that GMBM and Orpik set the whole thing up.

If Orpik isnt re-signed by mid-week (tomorrow?), then perhaps I am wrong. We will see.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Indeed. Bowey will have to clear waivers, which is why I mainly put him in that category of maybe being an asset to move.

Anthony Duclair reportedly won't get a QO from Chicago. More of a project than Rieder, though.

They couldn't move Duclair at the draft for a pick(s)? He was a 20 goal scorer 3 years ago.

 

[Sam Spade]

Please dear god tell me he will be there:

 

[Hivemind]

PK'ers are a dime a dozen. Caps have Wilson, Stephenson, Eller, if Boyd stays up he kills penalties. All four of the top Dmen kill penalties and you work with another one to get decent at it.

p.s. Caps PK was middle of the pack both in the regular and post season.

Boyd isn't a penalty killer.

 

[Sam Spade]

Boyd isn't a penalty killer.

So teach him to be one, like you did Wilson, that is what coaches are for right?
There is a reason that it's mostly plugs that do it, cause it ain't that difficult.

 

[Ridley Simon]

PK'ers are a dime a dozen. Caps have Wilson, Stephenson, Eller, if Boyd stays up he kills penalties. All four of the top Dmen kill penalties and you work with another one to get decent at it.

p.s. Caps PK was middle of the pack both in the regular and post season.

Thats not genuine. They are not a dime a dozen.

And Lambert is gone (PK coach), so we will see what that changes.

I want Beagle back, so this clouds my thinking....I've been a big Beagle honk for years. He routinely looks really really good in the playoffs (again this year), and his ability to move up to 3C in a pinch is huge. He's also akin to Orpik in the "well thought of" ranks within the team.

Caps dont need to blow anything up, even something as small as the 4th line, the PK, and the bottom pair.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

So teach him to be one, like you did Wilson, that is what coaches are for right?
There is a reason that it's mostly plugs that do it, cause it ain't that difficult.

Also teach him to be an elite faceoff guy. That'll fill the Beagle void.

This roster management thing is a lark. Just teach random prospects to perform key roles whether they're good at them or not. Easy peasy.

 

[Hivemind]

So teach him to be one, like you did Wilson, that is what coaches are for right?

Travis Boyd is a completely different type of player than Wilson. He doesn't have the same burst of skating, and is obviously much smaller. Boyd is much more of a playmaker than he is a heart and hustle guy.

He's also probably not much more than a fringe NHLer in general.

 

[Sam Spade]

They cannot come back with the exact same roster, that is all.

Losing Beagle, Chaisson, potentially DSP, and Orpik will not hurt this team. It is what made this team last season, turnover.

Also Beagle is criminally overrated here, love the guy but holy cow. If he will sign for 2 mil for 2 years bring him back, if he wants a penny more in years or dollars you have to let him walk.