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

[Jags]

Trade Eller, replace him with an upgrade, not a downgrade. Why is that forbidden?

It's not forbidden, we just can't afford it. The explanation couldn't be any simpler.

Why do we have to force guys in who are not ready/not better options? Nobody seems to be able to explain that.

How does a guy that's not ready get ready? How often does a prospect arrive in the NHL fully cooked? This is why we've sucked at this in the last decade. Time and continuity, tale as old as time. Put them where they belong in the lineup and give them time to work it out. One guy isn't going to sink your team. The notion that the difference between Eller and one of the kids equals the difference between winning and losing is bananas.

You want to wait till next year and at this point that makes the most sense. But all we're doing is kicking that can down the road. The transition period for that prospect is going to be the same whether it's now or later.

Eller isn't the point. The point is that this has been a recurring problem for a long time that's cost us players and money we didn't have to spare.

So let's take it back to Irwin so you can't skip the point again. Explain to me the virtue of starting Irwin when we have so many D spots in flux this year, not enough cap room to keep all of them, and a number of prospects to evaluate that can't possibly be meaningfully worse than that clown.

Nobody seems to be able to explain that...

 

[DWGie26]

So let's take it back to Irwin so you can't skip the point again. Explain to me the virtue of starting Irwin when we have so many D spots in flux this year, not enough cap room to keep all of them, and a number of prospects to evaluate that can't possibly be meaningfully worse than that clown.

Nobody seems to be able to explain that...

That is because we all agree that Alexyev should be starting and not Irwin. There is nothing to explain or defend. Haha.

But i do think Eller vs McMichael does translate to wins and loses. It was a weird run for McMichael with COVID and getting to play in the AHL and then forced into the NHL too early because of injuries. There is a very long list of players that were sent to NHL and it derailed their careers because they weren’t ready and then could never recover. Fortunately we could get McMichael back to Hershey where he can develop In a more meaningful way.

Lastly, it’s fun to play GM and say I’d trade this guy or that guy. Realitiy is it is not that easy. If it was then we would see a lot more hockey trades. We don’t. The majority of trades are deadline deals for picks. Only a handful of hockey trades with big names moving outside of deadline.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Hagelin won't help.

Hagelin ain't coming back no time soon and probably never again in a caps jersey. ESPN writers have no idea what's even going on in DC.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It's not forbidden, we just can't afford it. The explanation couldn't be any simpler.



How does a guy that's not ready get ready? How often does a prospect arrive in the NHL fully cooked? This is why we've sucked at this in the last decade. Time and continuity, tale as old as time. Put them where they belong in the lineup and give them time to work it out. One guy isn't going to sink your team. The notion that the difference between Eller and one of the kids equals the difference between winning and losing is bananas.

You want to wait till next year and at this point that makes the most sense. But all we're doing is kicking that can down the road. The transition period for that prospect is going to be the same whether it's now or later.

Eller isn't the point. The point is that this has been a recurring problem for a long time that's cost us players and money we didn't have to spare.

So let's take it back to Irwin so you can't skip the point again. Explain to me the virtue of starting Irwin when we have so many D spots in flux this year, not enough cap room to keep all of them, and a number of prospects to evaluate that can't possibly be meaningfully worse than that clown.

Nobody seems to be able to explain that...

I literally said I would start AA assuming he’s healthy and up to speed. Do you know for sure he’s 100% ready to go?

Also a minute ago your major selling point to trading Eller was to “reinvest“ his salary, now you’re saying we can’t afford it and we’re just downgrading a meaningful roster spot for no meaningful reason other than to rush a prospect into duty when the coaching staff doesn’t seem to want to.

I think it makes total sense to reassess and rework the team this off-season unless there is a smart upgrade to be made sooner.

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

Has this been shared yet?

 

[Ridley Simon]

If capfriendly is accurate (big IF), I’m not sure how they would’ve brought back Nick and Tom IF John C hadn’t been hurt. They numbers don’t jive.

IF that’s accurate, then unless someone else with a big cap number gets hurt — how does JC74 come back IF NB19 and TW43 are healthy?

 

[Ridley Simon]

Has this been shared yet?

That’s GOLD.

 

[DWGie26]

If capfriendly is accurate (big IF), I’m not sure how they would’ve brought back Nick and Tom IF John C hadn’t been hurt. They numbers don’t jive.

IF that’s accurate, then unless someone else with a big cap number gets hurt — how does JC74 come back IF NB19 and TW43 are healthy?

There were a few posts about this. Probably would have been 20 or 21 person roster. Also, Backstrom wouldn’t have counted 9.2M. It would be prorated based on the number of games played. The longer he is on LTIR the less he costs (although you can’t bank LTIR). In short, it would have been painful to work it out and we might have need to sit him for longer to make the numbers work.

Purely from a Cap perspective, the JC74 injury helps lessen the navigation required and as soon as Backstrom comes off, you would think Carlson will go on. This will afford us to have a couple of months look at Backstrom before the trade deadline and possibly allow us to move Eller at deadline but i still don’t think we would do that. Going to run that contract out.

 

[Rayquaza64]

If capfriendly is accurate (big IF), I’m not sure how they would’ve brought back Nick and Tom IF John C hadn’t been hurt. They numbers don’t jive.

IF that’s accurate, then unless someone else with a big cap number gets hurt — how does JC74 come back IF NB19 and TW43 are healthy?

There are a few ways:
1. Trade a player with a sizable cap hit (eller, mantha most discussed)
2. Send down NAK, Protas, Snively, and one of AA/Irwin(it works with either. Alternatively, they could send down both extra dmen and kept one of the forwards up), which is probably the option they would have gone with

This lineup fits nicely under the cap (although realistically they send AA through waivers and keep irwin up)

 

[Ridley Simon]

There are a few ways:
1. Trade a player with a sizable cap hit (eller, mantha most discussed)
2. Send down NAK, Protas, Snively, and one of AA/Irwin(it works with either. Alternatively, they could send down both extra dmen and kept one of the forwards up), which is probably the option they would have gone with

View attachment 629207
This lineup fits nicely under the cap (although realistically they send AA through waivers and keep irwin up)

Ok then. I’ve been nicely tutored on this. I honestly had no clue that Tom and Nick’s salaries wouldn’t be full boat.

I will take y’all’s word for it, and I appreciate the info fellas (@Rayquaza64 and @DWGie26 )

 

[Hivemind]

Hagelin ain't coming back no time soon and probably never again in a caps jersey. ESPN writers have no idea what's even going on in DC.

He did just start skating again. So... yikes

 

[DWGie26]

Ok then. I’ve been nicely tutored on this. I honestly had no clue that Tom and Nick’s salaries wouldn’t be full boat.

I will take y’all’s word for it, and I appreciate the info fellas (@Rayquaza64 and @DWGie26 )

Only Backstrom because he was on LTIR and his Cap hit didn’t count. But Wilson was on IR and his Cap hit has still been in play all season.

 

[Calicaps]

I literally said I would start AA assuming he’s healthy and up to speed. Do you know for sure he’s 100% ready to go?

Also a minute ago your major selling point to trading Eller was to “reinvest“ his salary, now you’re saying we can’t afford it and we’re just downgrading a meaningful roster spot for no meaningful reason other than to rush a prospect into duty when the coaching staff doesn’t seem to want to.

I think it makes total sense to reassess and rework the team this off-season unless there is a smart upgrade to be made sooner.

An important related fact here is that until we got Eller, 3C was a black hole into which many promising seasons fell. I realize he's not the same player, but throwing him aside for a lesser player is not a recipe for success as our own history clearly shows. You either upgrade the position or dance with the (decent) one that brung ya.

 

[Hivemind]

They have Nic Dowd as the "emergency" 3C option, even if all other options fail. Dowd has been playing at a capable 3C level this year, and if they wanted I bet they could plug Dowd in at 3C with Protas/whoever in at a 4C and not skip a beat. And, obviously, the preferable path would to be someone like CMM or Lapierre to jump right into the 3C role and live up to potential.

Obviously with the team rolling there's no rush to shake things up right now. But there will be slumps again. And when those slumps hit, that's when it'll make sense to try the youth again (instead of slumping/injured vets).

 

[Jags]

Also a minute ago your major selling point to trading Eller was to “reinvest“ his salary, now you’re saying we can’t afford it

This feels like explaining astrophysics to a pineapple. Let's try it another way...

 

[YippieKaey]

He did just start skating again. So... yikes

You don't miss the good ole days of Hagelin having a breakaway per game but still scoring -4 goals last year?

 

[Jags]

You don't miss the good ole days of Hagelin having a breakaway per game but still scoring -4 goals last year?

Reminds me of that receiver in The Replacements that was the fastest guy alive but couldn't catch to save his life.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Guess this conversation is over.

 

[Hivemind]

This feels like explaining astrophysics to a pineapple. Let's try it another way...

This is the highest effort shitpost in the history of this forum, and I applaud you for it.

 

[Random schmoe]

It's worth pointing out too that per Capfriendly the Caps currently have a full 23 man active roster (14F, 7D, 2G) without Wilson and Backstrom. They'll need to clear 2 spots to activate those guys.

Barring another injury they'll have to put one guy on waivers or trade them. Assuming those two spots are forwards, obvious candidates are Protas (waivers exempt), Snively, NAK.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Has this been shared yet?

Good 'ol Ovi...always scoring on and off the ice.

Savage.

 

[hockeykicker]

What I'm hearing about injury timelines for Backstrom, Wilson, Carlson, Oshie

The Capitals' injury situation has been dire this season but is about to get better, especially up front.

theathletic.com

tarik says carlson will be out months, hopes to be back before playoffs

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

It's worth pointing out too that per Capfriendly the Caps currently have a full 23 man active roster (14F, 7D, 2G) without Wilson and Backstrom. They'll need to clear 2 spots to activate those guys.

Barring another injury they'll have to put one guy on waivers or trade them. Assuming those two spots are forwards, obvious candidates are Protas (waivers exempt), Snively, NAK.

I think you put NAK on waivers and you trade Eller to open up the #3C slot for Nick.

I just simulated it, and everything fits cap wise.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I think you put NAK on waivers and you trade Eller to open up the #3C slot for Nick.

I just simulated it, and everything fits cap wise.
View attachment 629293

In theory, sure. But the realities of Backstrom’s situation, will prevent that. At least initially.

There’s so much cloudy about his future, and what he will actually be able to do. Remembering that no one has ever successfully regained their form after this type of surgery, has to weigh on their decision.

Trade Eller and then Backs can’t really play….then you’re stuck w CMcM or Protas as 3c. Or a promoted Dowd and diluted 4th line.

I don’t think they take that chance this year. At least not right off the bat. Nor should they, IMO.

Protas gets sent down, as will NAK/Snively….with either hopefully clearing. We will see.