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

[JayBeagleFanAccount]

i’ve really been impressed with 24 and 74 these playoffs.

 

[Hivemind]

Reminder that it's possible to like a coach and also have criticisms about particular aspects of their coaching.

 

[Brian23]

Reminder that it's possible to like a coach and also have criticisms about particular aspects of their coaching.

Having major criticisms after 1 year of him having the team completely overachieve is pretty dumb though.

Even with his rejuvenated second half, the power play is completely dead because obvious useless on the left side. I feel like my only real complaint with Carbs this year has been as usage of Paciorety. Beyond that I think he was bleeding the rock as best he could.

 

[Misery74]

1c - 29
2c - 17
3c - 24
4c - 21

Adding another asset.

Fire Laughlin.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I wonder what a package of Dowd and Jensen can return. They are close friends and both have low cap hits. I would def pull the trigger on shipping them out in the offseason/deadline.

 

[Hivemind]

I wonder what a package of Dowd and Jensen can return. They are close friends and both have low cap hits. I would def pull the trigger on shipping them out in the offseason/deadline.

They missed the golden opportunity for Dowd at the trade deadline, and all three of their 2023-24 retention slots are used so they can't retain on Dowd at a draft time trade. They would have to wait until free agency to trade Dowd with retention, which is the situation where he warrants the most value.

 

[895]

A pretty successful season all things considered. Would I have preferred a 1st overall pick instead? Sure but it's not like that was gonna happen.

Trim some fat, get some guys to help Ovechkin across the finish line this offseason.

 

[CapsSkins]

Some hints that Oshie might be headed for LTIRetirement?

If so, we're going to have oodles of cap space to shop for some flashier pieces to complement the young core and 8/74 hanging on for a few more years.

 

[DWGie26]

I wonder what a package of Dowd and Jensen can return. They are close friends and both have low cap hits. I would def pull the trigger on shipping them out in the offseason/deadline.

I am glad they kept Dowd. We need a vet center who can win faceoffs. He is more valuable to us.

I wonder what a package of Dowd and Jensen can return. They are close friends and both have low cap hits. I would def pull the trigger on shipping them out in the offseason/deadline.

This would be a good way to do it. If you can find a dance partner.

 

[trick9]

Players to target:

Trades:

Cole Perfetti - healthy-scratched... a lot. Jensen + <> Perfetti?
Barrett Hayton - Buy-low candidate? Utah is going to look to get better. Jensen <> Hayton?
Nick Schmaltz - There's been some rumours that he's been available few times over the years. I doubt it but he'd be interesting fit.
Jordan Kyrou - Things haven't always gone so smoothly in STL. Available if they rebuild?
Travis Konecny - UFA in 2025. Could he be available?
Martin Necas - RFA. Could he be available if Canes don't want to pay him?
Joel Farabee - Available? Price?
Shane Wright - Are they happy with him? I doubt he's available but worth a call.
Kirill Marchenko - RFA. Available? There's been some rumours about that.
Tanner Jeannot - Available for a trade? Buy-low candidate.

Shea Theodore - UFA in 2025. Could he be available?
Jakob Chychrun - Available. He does have 10-team no-trade list. Would he come and re-sign here?

UFA's:

Dakota Joshua - UFA. Tom Wilson -lite. He's going to get paid though.
William Carrier - Brilliant 4th line player that can play on the 3rd line. UFA.
Teuvo Teravainen - UFA. Really good playmaker, could help us.

Matt Roy - UFA. Jensen replacement if he's traded? Upgrade.
Alexandre Carrier - UFA. Jensen replacement if he's traded? Upgrade.
Oliver Kylington - UFA. Reclamation project?


Players i think GMBM might target:

Sam Reinhart - Scoring. He'll be too expensive, most likely.
Jonathan Marchessault - Scoring. I don't think he'd come here.
Elias Lindholm - I don't like it but i do expect us to make a run at him. That contract is going to be brutal.
Tyler Toffoli - UFA, slightly underwhelming in WPG. Term?
Yakov Trenin - UFA. Again, i think GMBM looks to add physicality.
Jake DeBrusk - UFA. Scoring.
Warren Foegele - UFA. Physicality and scoring.
Chandler Stephenson - Speed and defensive game. Familiarity. Think he'd get more term elsewhere.

Brendan Dillon - Not really one for my liking but GMBM is going to look to add physicality after these series. UFA.
Nikita Zadorov - UFA. Same reasons as Dillon.
Vincent Desharnais - UFA. Same reasons as above.
Joel Edmundson - UFA. Please, not again.
Kurtis MacDermid - UFA. Same reasons.
Jarred Tinordi - UFA. ^. I hope i'm wrong here.

 

[Hivemind]

Travis Konecny - UFA in 2025. Could he be available?

I think Morgan Frost is the more likely Flyers forward to be traded. He and Torts clearly aren't on the same page, and a lot in Philly just kinda assume that Frost will be gone this off-season. RFA in 2025.

Frost is an intriguing trade candidate. With only a $2.1M cap hit, his trade price is not going to be cheap. Some regression in his boxcar stats this year, but his underlying numbers actually got better, although more of his point production happened on the powerplay as compared to his previously 5v5 driven numbers. Offensively minded center that has put up 2C numbers a couple years in a row. The big question mark is if he can take that next step and become a true 1C, or if he stays in that 2C role can he round out his game and become more of a match-up center. I think he's a player a lot of teams could and should be looking at, but I'd be afraid he would just give the Capitals a 4th different flavor of 2C, rather than filling their 1C vacancy.

 

[trick9]

I think Morgan Frost is the more likely Flyers forward to be traded. He and Torts clearly aren't on the same page, and a lot in Philly just kinda assume that Frost will be gone this off-season. RFA in 2025.

Frost is an intriguing trade candidate. With only a $2.1M cap hit, his trade price is not going to be cheap. Some regression in his boxcar stats this year, but his underlying numbers actually got better, although more of his point production happened on the powerplay as compared to his previously 5v5 driven numbers. Offensively minded center that has put up 2C numbers a couple years in a row. The big question mark is if he can take that next step and become a true 1C, or if he stays in that 2C role can he round out his game and become more of a match-up center. I think he's a player a lot of teams could and should be looking at, but I'd be afraid he would just give the Capitals a 4th different flavor of 2C, rather than filling their 1C vacancy.

That's kind of why i left him out, to be honest. Intriguing option for sure, but i think as-is he's propably very close to McMichael-Protas territory. In a best-case scenario Lapierre steps in and becomes that 1C that we desperately need but they need to fill that spot somehow. Strome will likely be either a good 2C or very good 3C going forward but he's an offensive player too. I'd be wary of acquiring another offensive center right now given how they are build down the middle. If he had clear 1C potential then it'd definitely be worth the shot but they can't be built down the middle with just offensive guys. Hayton is there too as a bit of a long-shot but from what i saw this season he was doing really well in a more defensive role this season. It's just that it came with lack of production. But he does have some tools to work with.

Still it's not a bad shout. Doesn't really fit their long-term plan right now, but if he is really cheap then you can always take a flier and adjust down the road, by trading Strome, for example, if Frost pans out.

 

[Hivemind]

That's kind of why i left him out, to be honest. Intriguing option for sure, but i think as-is he's propably very close to McMichael-Protas territory. In a best-case scenario Lapierre steps in and becomes that 1C that we desperately need but they need to fill that spot somehow. Strome will likely be either a good 2C or very good 3C going forward but he's an offensive player too. I'd be wary of acquiring another offensive center right now given how they are build down the middle. If he had clear 1C potential then it'd definitely be worth the shot but they can't be built down the middle with just offensive guys. Hayton is there too as a bit of a long-shot but from what i saw this season he was doing really well in a more defensive role this season. It's just that it came with lack of production. But he does have some tools to work with.

Still it's not a bad shout. Doesn't really fit their long-term plan right now, but if he is really cheap then you can always take a flier and adjust down the road, by trading Strome, for example, if Frost pans out.

The other option is to be more aggressive with their young centers in the short term. The "safe" plan is to be patient and see how Lapierre and McMichael pan out (and to a lesser extent Protas), but there's also the option of exploring using these guys to find assets to find different organizational fits (in terms of position, upside, and developmental timeline). They slow cooked McMichael, so I get the appeal of trying to reap the benefits as he transitions into becoming an NHL regular. But if there's a buyer and an opportunity to convert him into more value (or a better organizational fit), they should absolutely explore it. And if one of those centers is moved out in a trade like that, it does open the door to someone like Frost.

This logic also applies to areas other than center, and particularly Fehervary.

 

[John Price]

 

[Misery74]

?-29-?
63-17-15
8-24-43
47-21-77

We need at least one goal scorer for the top line. The other spot I guess you hold for Leonard.

 

[pman25]

I say run it back with these centers, get major upgrades for a top 6 wing or two. Shake up the D by moving out one of TVR or Jensen, or both. They seemingly have value as RD and should return something…ok

Keep Kuemper or trade him, I think we’re mostly fine with our goalies. We can’t score. Get guys who can score!

Be aggressive in doing so. Big contracts and trading #17 should be on the table

 

[Hivemind]

I almost forgot - Fire Scott Murray.

 

[trick9]

The other option is to be more aggressive with their young centers in the short term. The "safe" plan is to be patient and see how Lapierre and McMichael pan out (and to a lesser extent Protas), but there's also the option of exploring using these guys to find assets to find different organizational fits (in terms of position, upside, and developmental timeline). They slow cooked McMichael, so I get the appeal of trying to reap the benefits as he transitions into becoming an NHL regular. But if there's a buyer and an opportunity to convert him into more value (or a better organizational fit), they should absolutely explore it. And if one of those centers is moved out in a trade like that, it does open the door to someone like Frost.

This logic also applies to areas other than center, and particularly Fehervary.

This should be the summer that they fully go quality over quantity. It doesn't mean to aggressively look to trade McMichael and others they've slow cooked in but more so that if there is a trade out there that gives them an upgrade, they should look to pursue it. Nobody other than Leonard or Ovechkin should be off the table. I'd list Carlson there too but with him it's really up to him if he wants to stay or not. They do have a lot of draft capital already and now it's time to make it to use. I'd get some more by moving out Jensen and Dowd who don't really fit our time-line well but still should bring back decent return.

With that said they should figure out a time-line in which they are looking to fully go for it again. It's a process and it will take them time to get right back there amongst the elite teams given the lack of elite talent right now. So if you are looking to be fully back amongst the elite, you may not want to look at players aged ~29-32 right now, but younger.

They've done a brilliant job re-tooling. Spots in the middle of our line-up are filled by young players and have some more coming up, but you only have so many spots available in the line-up. Now it's time to do the rebuilding part and build the main part of the roster. 1C and 1D should be the priorities here. Starting goalie for the future is important too but they should first see what Stevenson has to bring. 1C is definitely the hardest part. Elite 1C's aged 30 or under are very rarely available and cost a lot. But that along with FA is the only way to acquire one, and those players rarely become free agents. Cap wise they are already prepared for that if one of the C's shake loose in 2025. Give Lapierre (and McMichael) all the chances next season to show they have what it takes to become that 1C which will most likely result in one of them grabbing that spot, or us drafting very early in 2025. Let's hope they can move up and draft D or C this summer and then the another next summer. They should look to move those 2nd rounders they have in the next few drafts to move up in the draft rather than stay at 17 picking in the winger territory. If they somehow manage to trade for 1C or 1D, even better. But like i said, those players likely aren't available.

 

[msrulo]

We have some rebuilding to do...

 

[Nice]

This team lacks play drivers in the worst way. Lapierre was probably the closest thing we had to one. The effort was there, build off that into next season and nail the draft

 

[tycoonheart]

They desperately need a couple of top 6 wingers. I think you roll into next season with Lappy, Strome and CMM as your top 3 Cs. I don't know what happened to Dowd after he came back from his injury but he wasn't the same player. Maybe he is playing hurt. But if there is a trade to be made with Dowd, and the return is decent, I'd do it. Slot in Protas as 4C.

I actually really like NAK and think we should bring him back. There is a little dumb in him every now and then but I think it's something you can live with.

 

[Misery74]

Cristall should get a 10 game tryout.

 

[Langway]

The Morgan Frosts of the world aren't worth considering IMO. They need resuscitation and established, consistent talents...not speculative fliers or token younger additions that don't move the needle. Go big or don't bother. Use those depth spots for Bears.

I don't like their center mix much competitively. Lapierre could turn into something but their top three need to be harder to play against. I think McMichael, if not traded, ought to be moved to the wing. Protas is the better, stouter fit IMO. That's the player to develop longer-term between the two at the greater position of value. Dowd ought to be moved. Alexeyev should be 3LD. They need headliners and consistently involved talent that can supply a significant injection of attacking confidence and creativity.

 

[Langway]

32 Thoughts pod touches on Caps interest in goal-scoring (no names mentioned), potentially dealing Kuemper and Oshie LTIRement(?) around the 43 minute mark. Apparently Oshie lingered on the ice after the game, leading some to believe he's at least contemplating the idea.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

24/25 Roster
Ovechkin - Lapierre - (will eventually be filled by Leonard)
Miroshnichenko - Strome - Wilson
Milano - McMichael - (Oshie -unless he retires)/Hershey - Cristall could play LW and Milano moves to RW)
Malenstyn - Protas (or Dowd if not moved) - ?
Sgarbossa/Hershey

Fehervary - Carlson
Sandin - Jensen
AA - TVR
Iorio

Kuemper/Lindgren



Moving forward, like the play of AA and Fever. I'm not high on Sandin though. Alan May towards the end of last season (not long after the trade) referred to him as a 5/6 defenseman. JC will retire a Capital. TVR/Jensen, you can move one of them.

As far as the forwards go, Lapierre looks good. I'd give McMichael some more time. I know folks like Protas's size but he seems to have Chimera hands. If you could only cross-pollinate him with Sonny Milano that would be one hell of a player, his size and Milano's hands.

Opportunities for some Hershey players to make the jump.

Clay Stephenson is waiting in the wings, one of the goalies needs to go.