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Speculation: Caps Roster General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines/etc) | 2023-24 Regular Season Edition

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I don't know how this will go down, but would I be right in thinking this team is slightly overachieving this season? We don't seem really have a single star level forward at or near the peak of their career right now. Our 'stars' are either old, hurt/crocked (or both) or stop a little short of what you'd call a star. The team looks being carried somewhat by good depth. In some cases, very good depth - looking at you Protas/McMichael - but still, depth players. We don't have many players with big trade value, nor what you'd really call an absolute gold chip yute coming up. It's difficult to see a way out of the predicament without trading picks+good depth for a genuine star or two which we probably don't want to do given our position. I think the coach is doing a pretty decent job. Or have I got this totally arse end up?
 
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philip said:
I don't know how this will go down, but would I be right in thinking this team is slightly overachieving this season? We don't seem really have a single star level forward at or near the peak of their career right now. Our 'stars' are either old, hurt/crocked (or both) or stop a little short of what you'd call a star. The team looks being carried somewhat by good depth. In some cases, very good depth - looking at you Protas/McMichael - but still, depth players. We don't have many players with big trade value, nor what you'd really call an absolute gold chip yute coming up. It's difficult to see a way out of the predicament without trading picks+good depth for a genuine star or two which we probably don't want to do given our position. I think the coach is doing a pretty decent job. Or have I got this totally arse end up?
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I think they're kind of lucky to be in the position they're in. They have the 26th best goal differential in the league and the 27th best expected goal share at 5v5, yet they are 19th in the NHL in standings points percentage.

That's not to say Carbery has done a bad job. The roster is a bottom 10 roster in the NHL and expecting a playoff team was somewhat unrealistic. But I also wouldn't say he's overachieved.

I think the team needs a significant rehaul. I don't think they should be passive like last offseason. They need to commit to a direction and aggressively pursue that direction without trying to have it both ways. Now that Backstrom is gone and Kuznetsov is no longer a consideration for the big club they don't have the same constraints they did last offseason. Either aggressively retool or aggressively sell off and commence the rebuild.
 
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NYR Viper said:
Hey guys, has Pacioretty played any RW with you guys?
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Yea some. He’s a LW but he flips to the right side. He and Milano have flipped LW/RW I believe. He also had a spell with Ovechkin on the top line, so he played RW then.

But you know he’s a left shot and has played LW most of this career
 
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pman25 said:
Yea some. He’s a LW but he flips to the right side. He and Milano have flipped LW/RW I believe. He also had a spell with Ovechkin on the top line, so he played RW then.

But you know he’s a left shot and has played LW most of this career
Click to expand...

How has he looked on the RW?

The Rangers probably will be looking for a RW to play with Kreider and Zibanejad moving forward. I would imagine the cost on Pacioretty would be pretty low and the Caps may be looking to sell?
 


A top ten pick still within reach. If they're truly committed to the future there's no better route to adding a quality piece to build around. Sell and then sell some more if the market aligns.
 
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Langway said:


A top ten pick still within reach. If they're truly committed to the future there's no better route to adding a quality piece to build around. Sell and then sell some more if the market aligns.
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I hope so. There are some RHDs that look like top pairing guys in the top 10 of this draft. The caps need one to thread that needle.
 
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Amazing that I can only see two Caps on today’s roster

in this photo from just six years ago.

1709610298585.jpeg
 
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Spamming the forum today.

Shortlisting options for FA/trade for next season!

2C , semi-realistic?
Duchene UFA (expensive 2 year deal in the range of 7-8?)
Stephenson UFA (hi Chandler, wanna come back? 3-4 year deal somewhere above 5 propably?)
Mittelstadt RFA, trade (goalie+dowd+a pick get it done?)
2C , dreaming..
Mercer, Pinto, Lundell, K. Johson

W , potential top/middle-six cheap to get, easy to get rid of;
Duclair UFA (can score goals)
Drouin UFA (throw him a one-year, see what happens)
Domi UFA (the classic journeyman who you trade at the TDL)
Tarasenko UFA (a bit more expensive than the guys above, but also better)
W , proven and would require some sort of commitment to get
Toffoli UFA
Bertuzzi UFA
Teravainen UFA
W , trade options
Kaliyev RFA , trade (no idea what Kings would be looking for..)
Schmaltz trade (hockey trade)
Garland trade (something around Jensen for Garland makes sense?)
Kakko RFA, trade (hockey trade)
Holtz trade (goalie++?)
W , uh why not just lets throw s*** on the wall
Laine trade (straight up for Kuzy, lol)
Huberdeau (Kuzy+Flames sends us a haul of picks including atleast one 1st..)

D , short term top/middle pairing help
Gustafsson UFA
Gostisbehere UFA
Dumba UFA
D , short term bottom pairing help
Hakanpaa UFA (yea yea a Finn..)
Ryan Lindgren UFA (brother man)
Dillon UFA (always liked Dilly Dong)
D , dreaming..
Byram trade (Jensen, maybe retained+Dowd@50+2nd+??)
 
2C , semi-realistic?
Not a need, IMO. Strome/McMichael/Lapierre are options. I'd look to move Strome in a hockey trade. Caps need a 1C, and if they're interested in a Strome-ian reclamation project, Lindholm is the guy

W
Leonard. I think he's a top-6 winger right away

If we go UFA, Reinhart (as much as the contract year burst makes me nervous) Marchessault, Tarasenko, or Guentzel

W , uh why not just lets throw s*** on the wall
Laine trade (straight up for Kuzy, lol) - Hell no, Caps don't need a locker room cancer.
Huberdeau (Kuzy+Flames sends us a haul of picks including atleast one 1st..) - Even bigger NO. If he had a short-term deal, I wouldn't mind giving it a look, but that's currently the worst contract in the league.

D , short term top/middle pairing help
Dumba UFA - Yes please.

D , short term bottom pairing help

Don't pay enough attention to know these types of guys, but they're so fungible.

D , dreaming..
Byram trade (Jensen, maybe retained+Dowd@50+2nd+??) - No chance

We're back to the early Ovechkin-era, hardest-to-get team needs - 1C, 1D, goal scorers.
 
Roshi said:
Spamming the forum today.

Shortlisting options for FA/trade for next season!

2C , semi-realistic?
Duchene UFA (expensive 2 year deal in the range of 7-8?)
Stephenson UFA (hi Chandler, wanna come back? 3-4 year deal somewhere above 5 propably?)
Mittelstadt RFA, trade (goalie+dowd+a pick get it done?)
2C , dreaming..
Mercer, Pinto, Lundell, K. Johson

W , potential top/middle-six cheap to get, easy to get rid of;
Duclair UFA (can score goals)
Drouin UFA (throw him a one-year, see what happens)
Domi UFA (the classic journeyman who you trade at the TDL)
Tarasenko UFA (a bit more expensive than the guys above, but also better)
W , proven and would require some sort of commitment to get
Toffoli UFA
Bertuzzi UFA
Teravainen UFA
W , trade options
Kaliyev RFA , trade (no idea what Kings would be looking for..)
Schmaltz trade (hockey trade)
Garland trade (something around Jensen for Garland makes sense?)
Kakko RFA, trade (hockey trade)
Holtz trade (goalie++?)
W , uh why not just lets throw s*** on the wall
Laine trade (straight up for Kuzy, lol)
Huberdeau (Kuzy+Flames sends us a haul of picks including atleast one 1st..)

D , short term top/middle pairing help
Gustafsson UFA
Gostisbehere UFA
Dumba UFA
D , short term bottom pairing help
Hakanpaa UFA (yea yea a Finn..)
Ryan Lindgren UFA (brother man)
Dillon UFA (always liked Dilly Dong)
D , dreaming..
Byram trade (Jensen, maybe retained+Dowd@50+2nd+??)
Click to expand...
Don't want to bring in players that'll block the utes from having an opportunity and pathway with the mother club.

No need to spend to the cap, leave some cap room and go dumpster diving via the waiver list etc. come September.

BMAC did well with the FA signings on the cheap of Strome, Milano and NAK. Continue with that formula.

The old analogy of turning an aircraft carrier 180 degrees is in play here. It's going to take time and some high draft picks to get the Capitals back to being competitive and yes, that will occur after Ovechkin has retired.
 
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NobodyBeatsTheWiz said:
2C , semi-realistic?
Not a need, IMO. Strome/McMichael/Lapierre are options. I'd look to move Strome in a hockey trade. Caps need a 1C, and if they're interested in a Strome-ian reclamation project, Lindholm is the guy

W
Leonard. I think he's a top-6 winger right away

If we go UFA, Reinhart (as much as the contract year burst makes me nervous) Marchessault, Tarasenko, or Guentzel

W , uh why not just lets throw s*** on the wall
Laine trade (straight up for Kuzy, lol) - Hell no, Caps don't need a locker room cancer.
Huberdeau (Kuzy+Flames sends us a haul of picks including atleast one 1st..) - Even bigger NO. If he had a short-term deal, I wouldn't mind giving it a look, but that's currently the worst contract in the league.

D , short term top/middle pairing help
Dumba UFA - Yes please.

D , short term bottom pairing help

Don't pay enough attention to know these types of guys, but they're so fungible.

D , dreaming..
Byram trade (Jensen, maybe retained+Dowd@50+2nd+??) - No chance

We're back to the early Ovechkin-era, hardest-to-get team needs - 1C, 1D, goal scorers.
Click to expand...

I dont think guys like Reinhart, Guentzel or March signs with us and thats why i left them out. They will have their phone ringing, we dont much to attract them, besides money.

Fully know how terrible Huberdeaus contract is. But in a world where we are looking to be competitive 2 years and then go on a rebuild it gets a little interesting. Obviously he would come with atleast one 1st and decent sweeteners while shedding some short term cap from our side too. If he could be even a 70 point playmaking wing for Ovie, it helps now. Then couple years of bottom feeding where the cap doesnt matter, and off to the robidas-island when we start getting better again.

But yeah, thats a lot of and way too many ifs :)

I think we do need a top line center for Ovie. He needs to have a playmaker. Strome is ”straight to goal” kind of player and not sure what CMM and Lappy exactly are but what they are not is your common top line playmaking centers. Signing a short term guy like Duchene helps us now and doesnt necessarily entirely block anyone out. I think CMM/Lapierre are fine, but not yet real 2Cs for next season.

And theres no need to rush and bank for Leonard for next year. If he makes the jump and takes a spot from camp, great. Doesnt mean we shouldnt look to sign a proven short term guy meanwhile. And for the right guy, term isnt that much of a problem eiher. Oshie, Ovie and Milano are on the outs when our guys are getting ready to take bigger roles.
 
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