Speculation: Caps Roster General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2022-23 Season Part 3: Drop the puck!

[Rayquaza64]

we’ll probably have the stereotypical depth forward/depth defenseman acquisition gmbm tdl

 

[Langway]

Not that they need to be kneejerk but they've got to allow leeway to adjust as events unfold rather than just leaving all restructuring considerations until the off-season. Jensen/Orlov are more solution than problem. Same with Sheary with the exception of how heavily he's used at times given defensive/size limitations. Upgrading over essentially Eller/Brown/Hathaway/Johansson/Milano/TVR doesn't effectively accomplish enough (even if they have all of 19's cap space to use elsewhere). A new coach could help give them a different spin but that probably doesn't go far enough.

From here on out qualifying for the playoffs in itself may be a challenge...certainly on this current course. Their fundamentals aren't sound enough to comfortably place them in that bracket any longer. And there's not enough developing to substantially elevate them as time does its thing in the other direction. Maybe if the PP was top 5 you'd still believe enough to consider them formidable. Otherwise what's their niche? That's got to be it really. That and having just enough discipline and structure to get results. Without that they don't have A Thing. Ovechkin, some talent and some depth in itself is not gunna do it at this stage.

As-is their best hope is probably the Islanders fading and then injuries hitting someone. And even if they were to get a bit younger and more fluid in the off-season I'm not sure it accomplishes enough given what appear to be some eroding core parts. Even with Dumoulin & Letang fading a bit I think you still would have to put PIT's IQ in higher esteem as far as baseline reliability. Other teams are younger, pacier and developing. Without much of a formulated niche beyond what they've done in the past and a certain amount of vet depth there's not enough substance to count on them. The days of just being generically deep and experienced are probably over as a positively distinguishing differentiator. They need impact and I'm not sure that's a puzzle they'll solve in short order.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

we’ll probably have the stereotypical depth forward/depth defenseman acquisition gmbm tdl

If we see that, I’m afraid GMBM is disconnected from reality.

I would love to see a big deal…A D and F coming in, and I’m hoping that is early, not TDL.

 

[Rayquaza64]

If we see that, I’m afraid GMBM is disconnected from reality.

I would love to see a big deal…A D and F coming in, and I’m hoping that is early, not TDL.

if we’re working on a big deal id hope to see it by the end of next month/early january otherwise its probably too late

 

[YippieKaey]

I think you’ll see that this summer. What they’re likely not going to do is, tear it down early.

Yeah you might be right, unfortunately

 

[Brian23]

I would love to see a big deal…A D and F coming in, and I’m hoping that is early, not TDL.

For who...Who is changing the fortunes of this team this year?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

For who...Who is changing the fortunes of this team this year?

Just takes a dance partner….but not my job to find them!

 

[YippieKaey]

For who...Who is changing the fortunes of this team this year?

In the best of worlds we might be able to nab Erik Karlsson and Bo Horvat. But i doubt either want's to go here and even if so, im not sure that would get us into the playoffs and it certainly wouldn't get us far in the playoffs.

 

[hb13xchamps]

Karlsson seems like a big risk at this point. Add an aging player with a huge salary that has had more bad (for his salary and expected production) years than good years recently.

 

[Langway]

I think Erik Karlsson makes a hell of a lot of sense as an impact play, though it's hard to do significant in-season planning around a $9.2M elephant in the room. They're going to want to keep that space free in order to activate 19, right? Or will they be so desperate to make the playoffs they instead are forced to bank on him as a playoffs-only contributor? What if they don't qualify and can't properly assess him? No, more likely they keep that space open and that may end up defining the season.

There's a non-zero chance a healthy Wilson/Orlov/Oshie are force-multipliers that particularly help elevate the games of Kuznetsov & Carlson as their overall skill level and familiarity improves. But it's hard to bank on good health down the stretch. And I'm not sure full health really does enough to mask the deficiencies in 74/92's games. Not without offsetting deadly offensive production.

Karlsson isn't without its risks given that it may spell the end of Jensen in DC. I guess they could instead explore a Carlson trade in the off-season, an intriguing bit of flexibility that could achieve multiple objectives. At the right price and given how much they like D to activate it's something they should have healthy interest in given his current level of play. Many may be too scared away by the term remaining, even if SJS retains a good $3M or so, but the Caps tend to operate without much regard for that. Why stop now? So, yeah, they probably should be among the teams willing to bite that bullet at around $8.5M.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Hell to the no on Karlsson. Yuck. We already have one Carlson too many on this team.

 

[Brian23]

Just takes a dance partner….but not my job to find them!

...what...? I don't know how you can say "do something" without actually even having something you want them to do...

In the best of worlds we might be able to nab Erik Karlsson and Bo Horvat. But i doubt either want's to go here and even if so, im not sure that would get us into the playoffs and it certainly wouldn't get us far in the playoffs.

Horvat would be fine as a center pickup, but he's not suddenly making this team into a contender. He's someone I'd much rather target in the offseason and hope he hits free agency. Karlsson might be enough to get them into the playoffs if his form holds, but I want nothing to do with paying a 32 year old 11.5 million for the next 5 years and even less what it'd take to acquire him.

 

[Rayquaza64]

I feel like if we really wanted an impact forward Brock Boeser would probably be the best, somewhat realistically avaliable option, although his price would be very steep he would be very beneficial for the forward core. As for defense that is a bit more tricky (maybe see if Seattle is willing to part with Vince Dunn? He seems like a good option)

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

...what...? I don't know how you can say "do something" without actually even having something you want them to do...


Horvat would be fine as a center pickup, but he's not suddenly making this team into a contender. He's someone I'd much rather target in the offseason and hope he hits free agency. Karlsson might be enough to get them into the playoffs if his form holds, but I want nothing to do with paying a 32 year old 11.5 million for the next 5 years and even less what it'd take to acquire him.

I clearly stated the objective….”a D and F”….middling acquisitions need not apply.

It’s foolish and arrogant to pretend like I really know who is available.

I happen to not believe that only those who are leaked in rumors are available. If GMBM isn’t more creative and aggressive than that, we really are screwed and it’s time for a change.

 

[Rayquaza64]

It might be time for a change anyways.... most creative thing he's done since 2018 is drastically overpay for mantha

 

[Rayquaza64]

If Alexiev gets waived, that‘s BM openly acknowledging he stinks at drafting. I’d be shocked.

Matt Irwin and Erik Gustafsson getting sweaters during injuries over two first round draft pick LHD either shows that the organization values veteran experience way too much or that he sucks at drafting even without sending him down

 

[Neil Racki]

No Caps game tonight?

Just kinda assumed thered be one.

Good ... having one of those days were the you that wakes up in the morning makes a contract with the you that comes home from work .. that the coming home you will immediately go upstairs, into comfy clothes then bed.

After walking the dog.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It might be time for a change anyways.... most creative thing he's done since 2018 is drastically overpay for mantha

He got rid of Panik!

 

[Langway]

Hell to the no on Karlsson. Yuck. We already have one Carlson too many on this team.

Only Edmonton's big duo has more points than him so far this season. No one has more 5v5 points. For a team that struggles mightily in that phase, it's at least worth considering. For a franchise that likes their shortcuts to keep things on the rails it's probably the most convenient upgrade they can make (even if that, say, costs them Mantha going the other way or elsewhere in the process).

If Karlsson were to go to Detroit instead that might be enough to dent their chances further. It would be a big cap chunk to commit and not without risk but that's also exactly the sort of gamble you'd expect from an aging team in their situation.

 

[Rayquaza64]

He got rid of Panik!

what a move! truly inspiring trading a first, a second, a shit contract, and the first player he ever selected that he made room for to extend by trading another young scoring forward, in exchange for an older slower arguable upgrade and dumping said shit contract

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Matt Irwin and Erik Gustafsson getting sweaters during injuries over two first round draft pick LHD either shows that the organization values veteran experience way too much or that he sucks at drafting even without sending him down

sadly I think it’s the drafting issue….they aren’t that good. (Lujo hurt BTW). Still….Irwin is a head scratcher….he was invisible mostly last year….this year he’s stood out…..in the way you don’t want a 7 to.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

what a move! truly inspiring trading a first, a second, a shit contract, and the first player he ever selected that he made room for to extend by trading another young scoring forward, in exchange for an older slower arguable upgrade and dumping said shit contract

Checkmate! He’s playing 7d chess!

 

[Rayquaza64]

Checkmate! He’s playing 7d chess!

I hope he shows the rest of us the fourth fifth sixth and 7th dimensions soon

 

[StrikingDistance]

Only Edmonton's big duo has more points than him so far this season. No one has more 5v5 points. For a team that struggles mightily in that phase, it's at least worth considering. For a franchise that likes their shortcuts to keep things on the rails it's probably the most convenient upgrade they can make (even if that, say, costs them Mantha going the other way or elsewhere in the process).

If Karlsson were to go to Detroit instead that might be enough to dent their chances further. It would be a big cap chunk to commit and not without risk but that's also exactly the sort of gamble you'd expect from an aging team in their situation.

That's great. Glad he's having a good year. He hasn't been past 10Gs since 2016. Hasn't played more than 56 games since 2017. We already have too much $$ tied up in old people. I thought the majority of this board was hoping for a Caps youth movement? This team has a lot of problems...I don't think adding a 9mil aging offensive-minded Dman is the answer. Give me the ghost of Orpik. A crease-clearing monster who'd rather send someone to the dentist than give up a goal to some dork like RNH.

 

[Rayquaza64]

Users did want a youth movement but it is very clear the team does not want a massive youth movement, and this is probably the last year if even that the team has to make a last shot at doing anything in the playoffs, so its now or never for this squad if they are going all in this would be the year. I just hope it becomes more clear whether they need to commit to going all in or need to potentially start a re-tool and they go in either direction instead of just hanging on in limbo not going for development for the future but also not being good enough to do anything besides maybe potentially squeak into the playoffs and get shit on by the 1 seed