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

[um]

Aside from Saros, though, what goalies are available that would be better than Darcy? Boston is not going to trade Ullmark within the division and Markstrom has a full-NMC and may not want to stay in Canada bc of media & taxes.

I'm sure TOR will take a swing at Saros, but otherwise it's slim pickings out there. Maybe we can retain some on Kuemper to sweeten the deal. Darcy is nevertheless a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender who could mentor Woll.

I don't think Toronto views Kuemper as an upgrade to Woll or Samsonov. Even if he is the only option, he's still a shit option.

But maybe you're right, perhaps they'll ask for Kuemper at 50%?

 

[Hivemind]

If we can't pry Draisaitl out of Edmonton, I'd take a one-year $11M gamble on it, especially if we send Kuemper's $5M back the other way as part of the deal.

We can't. It's not worth speculating. Draisatl isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[twabby]

31 other teams would want Wilson on their team. I know you're down on the player but it's clear this organization has been grooming him to be Captain after Ovie retires - including to the point where Ovie straight up said he was "probably a future captain" in his breakdown day press conference. The org is not going to move him.

BMac talked about having all that draft capital to be able to use in the trade market. I'd imagine TOR is no different. And by taking $11M off their books, we're also implicitly giving them the asset of cap space to use in the open market and/or to re-sign guys like Domi.

They need middle 6 guys, D and G. We can solve for at least two of those between Kuemper and Mikey/Protas, plus give them a high pick and potentially more. That's a fair deal IMO.

I keep thinking back to how they wanted to make a trade last offseason and then didn't because prices were too high or whatever.

They have to give to get, and with the current state of the team I don't think giving away significant draft capital is the correct move at this time. And I certainly wouldn't give up Protas over Wilson.

 

[Holtbyisms]

I'm 100% against trading our 1st rounder. That's how this mediocre team stays mediocre long term. Trading 1st round picks get you Sandin caliber players...he's a borderline 2nd pair guy. 3rd pairing on a contender.

 

[CapsSkins]

I keep thinking back to how they wanted to make a trade last offseason and then didn't because prices were too high or whatever.

They have to give to get, and with the current state of the team I don't think giving away significant draft capital is the correct move at this time. And I certainly wouldn't give up Protas over Wilson.

It's fine to have preferences, but we need to be realistic about the parameters of what's within reason. By that I mean, we could come up with John Carlson trade scenarios all day but we know the org is not going to move him so why bother?

Ovechkin, Carlson, and Wilson are untouchable. Everyone else has a price. And yes, you gotta give to get. But you're not giving up Protas for Wilson, you're giving him up for Marner.

 

[Misery74]

He's almost a PPG in his career in the postseason.

11G + 38A = 49P in 54 playoff games.

11 goals in 54 games, one series win. What is that, like 1.5 goals per series?

$11.5m? No thanks.

 

[CapsSkins]

11 goals in 54 games, one series win. What is that, like 1.5 goals per series?

$11.5m? No thanks.

Putting *series wins* on the shoulders of one individual player is fundamentally unserious.

Obviously you'd like to see more goal scoring but the past couple years he's been at 5G in 18 GP, which is nothing to sneeze at. Especially for a team that just had one lone multiple goal scorer in the playoffs, which was Martin Fehervary at a whopping 2.

40G/100P talents don't grow on trees and don't become available unless there's some issue or they need a change of scenery. Yes Sam Reinhart is hitting UFA, but there's some question marks there and I feel like Zito will re-sign him anyway: Florida is a great team, they can do an 8 year deal, and there's no state income tax in Florida.

Draisaitl is probably not going to be available despite all my manifesting. So either you roll the dice on a player like Marner or set your sights a little lower and try to grab a couple Strome-caliber guys.

It's quite possible, too, that Carbery doesn't think Marner has the right stuff mentally and says no thanks. I honestly have no idea. But I do think he fits the profile of a talented player who could benefit immensely from a change of scenery, and I imagine the Core Four have to be broken up if they lose to Boston again.

 

[twabby]

It's fine to have preferences, but we need to be realistic about the parameters of what's within reason. By that I mean, we could come up with John Carlson trade scenarios all day but we know the org is not going to move him so why bother?

Ovechkin, Carlson, and Wilson are untouchable. Everyone else has a price. And yes, you gotta give to get. But you're not giving up Protas for Wilson, you're giving him up for Marner.

While I'd certainly give Protas up for an extended Marner, I don't know that Toronto will value him enough to really make a deal work. Wilson is likely more valuable to them, at least based on my impression of their teambuilding strategy.

I feel like Washington can't have it both ways. They can't get impact players while also retooling with youth while also not dealing so-called untouchable players. Something has to give. From the press conference it sounds like they are going to put draft picks into play which I think is 100% the wrong move for a team that probably needs to restock the cupboard.

 

[g00n]

Can we just have a recurring "Twabby's Offseason Let's Trade Tom Wilson" thread?

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

The fun of the offseason. Fantasies of players we will never get...

 

[usiel]

Wouldn't be an automatic no for a potential Wilson trade for me. Wilson is one of the players that the peak teams gunning for a SC would probably kill for. At this point looking for more of a re-tool than a full to the studs rebuild after AO is done I'd want to consider what that would bring.

 

[Empty Goal Net]

Carbs has now had a full season of actually coaching TW on the ice, after two seasons of watching him in a handful of games outside his then-current team's division. He has a good sense of Willie and how he fits into Carbs' vision. I hope BMac at least considers the HC's input regarding Willie and his value to the team, both as a roster player and as a potential trade chip. imo, "future captain" only means he's worth more in a swap, not a blood-sworn permanent embrace.

 

[HeyMattyB]

Hard lols.

Charlie Lindgren turns down Team USA World Championship invite for turkey hunting

 

[um]

I do know that if Wilson was traded the Caps would be scrambling to replace him, and we'd probably have to overpay for whoever that replacement is, and that replacement wouldn't be nearly as effective as Wilson. Look at what Tampa traded for Jeannot.

I agree that Wilson is probably untouchable. He get's heavy praise from management, coaches and teammates. If Wilson is traded it better be for someone special.

 

[Hivemind]

Hard lols.

Charlie Lindgren turns down Team USA World Championship invite for turkey hunting

On one hand, pretty bummed that he turned down a gig to play for the US national team (even if its the IIHF WC).

On the other hand, is there anything more MURICAN than turning it down to shoot turkeys?

 

[895]

Why do we need Tom Wilson? We are not contenders.

It's very obvious that our priority 1) is to get Ovechkin the goals record, and 2) build for the future.

Winning a cup, making the playoffs, etc are all secondary goals.

Any Wilson trade that helps with priorities 1 or 2 should be entertained.

 

[CapsSkins]

While I'd certainly give Protas up for an extended Marner, I don't know that Toronto will value him enough to really make a deal work. Wilson is likely more valuable to them, at least based on my impression of their teambuilding strategy.

I feel like Washington can't have it both ways. They can't get impact players while also retooling with youth while also not dealing so-called untouchable players. Something has to give. From the press conference it sounds like they are going to put draft picks into play which I think is 100% the wrong move for a team that probably needs to restock the cupboard.

If hypothetically we're talking about Marner, trading a young player + picks for him is fine because he himself is young and would instantly become part of the new core for the next ~10 years.

Right now you can look ahead and pencil in a tentative top-9 of:

Leonard-Lapierre-Miroshnichenko
Protas-Strome-Wilson
Milano-McMichael-XXX (Cristall maybe?)
Malenstyn-XX-XX

Protas + picks + Kuemper for Marner puts you at:

Leonard-Lapierre-Marner
XX (Cristall?)-Strome-Miroshnichenko
Milano-McMichael-Wilson
Malenstyn-XX-XX

On the back-end we have Fever, Sandin, Alexeyev, and perhaps Iorio with a need to find a couple RHD. We'll have FA and rising cap space to sign guys as well, particularly while our younger core is still cost-controlled.

I don't feel like it would be a big mistake to spend draft capital right now if we're getting a top-end, impact, younger player coming back the other way.

 

[Brian23]

I keep thinking back to how they wanted to make a trade last offseason and then didn't because prices were too high or whatever.

The other thing were those "prices" needed to basically be cap neutral. So they were going to have to be shuffling back either bad contracts, or spending big to offload lesser quality players cap hits.

That shouldn't be an issue this offseason.

 

[Hivemind]

11 goals in 54 games, one series win. What is that, like 1.5 goals per series?

$11.5m? No thanks.

TJ Oshie's career playoff stats before Washington acquired him:
30GP, 5G, 4A, 9P - 1 series win

He had more than doubled his career playoff stats after his first playoffs with the Capitals

 

[Misery74]

TJ Oshie's career playoff stats before Washington acquired him:
30GP, 5G, 4A, 9P - 1 series win

He had more than doubled his career playoff stats after his first playoffs with the Capitals

He wasn’t $11.5m.

Money is really all this is about.

 

[Hivemind]

He wasn’t $11.5m.

Money is really all this is about.

If it's just about money, why are you mentioning his playoff stats?

The Capitals have $15M (Backstrom LTIR) to $20M (Backstrom and Oshie LTIR) to play with, and only 2 UFAs and 2 RFAs to backfill. They have the space to fit Marner's salary in, especially given that salary will almost certainly be heading back Toronto's direction (they aren't going to want a pure futures deal for Marner).

 

[CapsSkins]

He wasn’t $11.5m.

Money is really all this is about.

His cap hit as % of cap was about half of Marner's (6% vs. 13%). He had also only hit 20 goals once and topped out at 60 points whereas Marner is a consistent 20 goal scorer, multiple 30 goal scorer and has approached 100 points in multiple seasons.

They're not really the same caliber of player from a production standpoint as much as I love Osh.

But again, I will caveat that I have no idea what's going on between the ears with Mitch.

 

[Chokingdogs]

Why do we need Tom Wilson? We are not contenders.

It's very obvious that our priority 1) is to get Ovechkin the goals record, and 2) build for the future.

Winning a cup, making the playoffs, etc are all secondary goals.

Any Wilson trade that helps with priorities 1 or 2 should be entertained.

Because the org likes him. He’s been around the block. Ovi, oshie, backstrom and Carlson all probably gone in next two seasons. The org likes him.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Hard lols.

Charlie Lindgren turns down Team USA World Championship invite for turkey hunting

I knew Lindgren would be one of my favorite Caps and he proved it.

I love this thread because it's fun to hear about Draisaitl and the Caps. Too bad it won't be reality .

 

[IafrateOvie34]

TJ Oshie's career playoff stats before Washington acquired him:
30GP, 5G, 4A, 9P - 1 series win

He had more than doubled his career playoff stats after his first playoffs with the Capitals

True. Two different types of players and I'll take Oshie player types over any Marner types every time.