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

[Brian23]

He was given a poor roster, devoid of elite offensive talent. He coached it to appropriate results. Nothing special either way.

I'm sorry, but I don't know what fantasy world you're living in if you don't think what Carbery did was impressive this year. The team wasn't just devoid of elite offensive talent, they have basically no offensive talent. Most of what they have are potential guys, and a lot of those guys just hit the "sophomore wall".

The fact he got a team like this to the playoffs, and a hot finish (which is what they were post the all star break), let alone not being a top 5 draft pick is a huge gold star.

 

[CapsSkins]

If the B's finish off the Leafs, I might be interested in trading for Marner. He's got one year left before hitting FA, Carbery knows him well, he's 26, and might benefit for a change of scenery away from the insanity that is the Toronto market.

Toronto is not going to move Matthews or Nylander and they know they won't get much back for a 34 year old John Tavares. There may also be mutual interest in him re-signing at a lower cap hit. If anyone is likely to move, I think it's Marner.

We need goal scorers and his talent there is clear. He was over a point per game in the playoffs each of the past two years (2022 & 2023) and could really use a different situation.

 

[dreadpirateroberts]

If the B's finish off the Leafs, I might be interested in trading for Marner. He's got one year left before hitting FA, Carbery knows him well, he's 26, and might benefit for a change of scenery away from the insanity that is the Toronto market.

Toronto is not going to move Matthews or Nylander and they know they won't get much back for a 34 year old John Tavares. There may also be mutual interest in him re-signing at a lower cap hit. If anyone is likely to move, I think it's Marner.

We need goal scorers and his talent there is clear. He was over a point per game in the playoffs each of the past two years (2022 & 2023) and could really use a different situation.

I’d wonder what a trade package might look like. Could they ask for Leonard?

 

[twabby]

I’d wonder what a trade package might look like. Could they ask for Leonard?

I'd offer Wilson as the centerpiece and I think that'd be close. Maybe a small add from Washington. Maybe straight up gets it done. Toronto is going to panic and are going to want a 180 from Marner.

I wouldn't offer Leonard.

 

[Brian23]

There's no way they'd trade away Wilson, but yeah I'd do that trade in a heartbeat. I figure they're more likely to see something like CMM, Jensen/TVR, B Prospect, and draft picks if they were looking for a trade like that.

 

[bacchist]

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.

That "rejuvenated second half" was essentially just Ovechkin's shooting percentage going from 6% to 18.2%. Not much more to it than that.

I like Carbery, but we were one of the worst teams offensively, and only managed to squeak into the playoffs due to winning a bunch of one goal games with stellar goaltending and lame turtling.

Whatever we manage to do over the off-season is not likely to change the entire complexion of the team, so I imagine we'll be back to playing to not lose. I guess we'll see if everyone still feels the same way this time next year.

 

[Chokingdogs]

If the B's finish off the Leafs, I might be interested in trading for Marner. He's got one year left before hitting FA, Carbery knows him well, he's 26, and might benefit for a change of scenery away from the insanity that is the Toronto market.

Toronto is not going to move Matthews or Nylander and they know they won't get much back for a 34 year old John Tavares. There may also be mutual interest in him re-signing at a lower cap hit. If anyone is likely to move, I think it's Marner.

We need goal scorers and his talent there is clear. He was over a point per game in the playoffs each of the past two years (2022 & 2023) and could really use a different situation.

Oh good lord, is that fraud Tavares a ufa this summer?

 

[CapsSkins]

I’d wonder what a trade package might look like. Could they ask for Leonard?

Leonard for 1 year of Marner does not make sense for our side side. Much as @twabby would like to send Wilson, the organization is not going to move him. And especially if we aren't asking for significant retention, the price should be a bit more manageable.

 

[Brian23]

I like Carbery, but we were one of the worst teams offensively,

Kinda just skipping over that "no offensive talent" part their to put the blame on Carbery.

He, systemically, has a fine offensive game-plan. I'd even lean towards great, but nothing is making a lineup of Ovi, Oshie, Pacioretty, and Carlson suddenly moving like it's 2012 again.

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

Friedman said the Caps will try to move Kuemper, even if difficult.

 

[bacchist]

Kinda just skipping over that "no offensive talent" part their to put the blame on Carbery.

He, systemically, has a fine offensive game-plan. I'd even lean towards great, but nothing is making a lineup of Ovi, Oshie, Pacioretty, and Carlson suddenly moving like it's 2012 again.

What's great about it? If he truly had some great system, they'd show some ability to play above their heads. They'd be more than the sum of their parts. But they're just not. Occasionally somebody makes a heroic individual effort like Lappy did last night, but for the most part they can't get pucks on net and score goals. They were 15% less effective than last year's team, which nobody was happy with.

I'm open to hearing the other side, but I watched them all year and I didn't see many hints of a great offensive system.

 

[CapsSkins]

Oh good lord, is that fraud Tavares a ufa this summer?

Next summer. Pajama Watch returns July 2025.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Friedman said the Caps will try to move Kuemper, even if difficult.

I was in the right direction once again. I might be one of the first to seriously mention it. For those who want to take credit when Kuemper was just signed or after his first season with us, I don't think that counts.

 

[Cush]

Wait, Tavares is almost 34? Man.....

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Can Shervaughn30 meet scott murray?

 

[SherVaughn30]

Friedman said the Caps will try to move Kuemper, even if difficult.

If Ted retains similar to like he did with Kuzy, for sure their will be some teams interested. 50% retained and we get a 3rd round pick back in return.

 

[usiel]

Might be nice to move a couple of those 3rds to get back into the second with a second pick.. Though admittedly I can't remember that chance to hit on a player for each round and the difference between 2nd and 3rd round.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Can Shervaughn30 meet scott murray?

Why?

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Mantha on nacho duty tonight. Getting a 2nd for him is a very nice.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Why?

Goalie Strategy

 

[SherVaughn30]

Goalie Strategy

My words to him would not be nice. In fact my first words out of my mouth to him, "Hey Scott, how do you like being that Fraud goalie coach that never learned a thing from Mitch Korn?" Murray got an easy pass because he was partly involved with Holtby/Grubauer when we the Caps won the Cup. Now, he gets another pass because he was Spencer Carbery's goalie coach for the Hershey Bears at the time. Scott Murray has become the new Forsythe cockroach that you can't k*ll!

Mantha on nacho duty tonight. Getting a 2nd for him is a very nice.

We all knew. BMac did his old buddy McPhee a favor, but was sneaky as well getting a 2nd rounder for him. Mantha, does not deliver much in the playoffs other than some random assists.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

 

[DWGie26]

GMBM has a couple of paths he could go down:

1. Add a major piece or two (UFA, RFA, trade). With $10M in Cap space there are a lot of options to add 1-3 pieces

2. Hockey trades and signings - really a significant overhaul. By brining in 2-4 new people and moving 1-3 out. This is much harder because you are juggling a lot of simultaneous or serial moves which can be risky.

I suspect Caps have a long list of potential targets for both routes. GMBM will be very active in conversations but we won’t hear about much of it.

Regardless of what we end of seeing, one thing is for sure. The options this year are much different than they have been in a long time for GMBM. Probably back to when he went out and got both Orpik and Niskanen. I want to see big, decisive moves again this year.

 

[g00n]

What's great about it? If he truly had some great system, they'd show some ability to play above their heads. They'd be more than the sum of their parts. But they're just not. Occasionally somebody makes a heroic individual effort like Lappy did last night, but for the most part they can't get pucks on net and score goals. They were 15% less effective than last year's team, which nobody was happy with.

I'm open to hearing the other side, but I watched them all year and I didn't see many hints of a great offensive system.

Carbery's job was not to create an exciting, entertaining offense just to make certain fans happy. His job was to get this team back to the playoffs. He did that.

And he did it with a roster that was worse than the roster Lavi had--a roster that did NOT make the playoffs the previous season.

On top of that, we see that Lavi's maligned coaching/system was actually top notch when applied to a better roster in NY.

So Carbery did what the coach of the top team in the league COULDN'T do, with a worse roster to boot.

Plus, it wasn't just worse, it was weak up the middle which is usually death for any hockey team (missing top 2 centers, inexperience at the position, Dowd injured).

If the offense sputters with a better roster in the next few seasons, we should look at Carbery and ask why. But right now the key takeaway is he took this MASH unit over the line when nobody expected they could make it, including his own GM based on the TDL selling, and that's impressive.

 

[Kuz]

The team beat expectations for the year. Several of the youngsters did well in a playoff series against the East 1st seed. Like Carbery mentioned with Ovi several of the other vet's looked like they where out of gas after the playoff push. Would rather have those games than a åick 2-3 spots up in the draft.

Would have liked to win a couple of games as the team was good enough on the ice to get some games from NYR. Espescially 5v5. Pretty much lost the last 3 games on special teams.

Actually had 4-3 in goals for Caps 5v5 in the last 3 games.

NYR on special teams:
6 PPG (1 ENG)
2 SHG

But 8 against on special teams in the last 3 are way to much.