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

[Langway]

Yes please.

Eh. He's still relatively young and probably could be acquired for cheap (some of those extra picks probably). But he's not going to add to their pace much and hardly seems able to stay healthy. Could be a classic buy low opportunity but the AAV is an issue for an iffy fit winger. You'd think CBJ will want a straight dump rather than taking back money or retaining...and I'm not sure he's The Guy to target.

 

[The Instigator]

Eh. He's still relatively young and probably could be acquired for cheap (some of those extra picks probably). But he's not going to add to their pace much and hardly seems able to stay healthy. Could be a classic buy low opportunity but the AAV is an issue for an iffy fit winger. You'd think CBJ will want a straight dump rather than taking back money or retaining...and I'm not sure he's The Guy to target.

I think you've pretty much nailed it but I really wouldn't be all that worried about his AAV at this point where the Caps are. It's only two years, he's 26 years old, and when he's played he has generally been very good (on Columbus).

I do like the options with him especially on the power play. He would be a good fit to reduce some of Ovi's load. Obviously I'm not at all interested if they're asking for something ridiculous in value back, but we are in a stage where we could afford to take some risks if we wanted to.

Also as an aside I would love to see the team's pace pick up, but I think that's more of a long term / from the ground up sort of thing. I don't think injecting a couple speedy players is going to work very much magic.

 

[Langway]

I don't think injecting a couple speedy players is going to work very much magic.

Maybe not exponentially given sheer limitations but it should still be a priority. They need skill but also simple nuts and bolts forechecking ability on a more technical level. Laine isn't the most polished off the puck. Another talent like that can help with the other pieces in place creating and stabilizing via two-way play but I'm not sure they're fundamentally strong enough up the middle to figure this is the right piece. Again, it could be a nice buy-low opportunity and the term remaining isn't terrible. But I'd at least not make him a top priority initially given the various concerns. If that means they lose out on a fire sale item...so be it.

 

[usiel]

For me there are three priorities for the Capitals this off season.... Speed, speed, quickness.

 

[Caps8112]

saw in the trade section the devils are looking for a goalie for the 10th overall pick. Charlie? I like Charlie but his stock is pretty high right now I would guess and this team is going nowhere fast regardless of FAs. Is this draft decent? Worth blowing up next season before it begins?

 

[Kuz]

saw in the trade section the devils are looking for a goalie for the 10th overall pick. Charlie? I like Charlie but his stock is pretty high right now I would guess and this team is going nowhere fast regardless of FAs. Is this draft decent? Worth blowing up next season before it begins?

Lindgren has only had one good season and is 31 in december. So if they can get value for him he should be tradeable. NJD probably want Ullmark or someone like him who have had solid numbers for several years now.

Who knows with goalies. Kuemper might be the better goalie again next year like he was in 22/23, but I believe Lindgren will be better. Lindgren doesnt fit that well with our timeframe so they should get value if they can.

Would probably have to add Lindgren with something else like our own 1st round or something else.

 

[trick9]

Lindgren for #10 would be a slam-dunk take-it-and-run deal, but no way that's on the table. I think #10 might be on the table for Ullmark, perhaps? Markstrom? I don't know.

Hard to see the Devils being interested in Lindgren. Think they want a slam-dunk starting goalie that's done it for years. Relying on Lindgren with Allen sort of doesn't make sense. You'd have to give up assets and if they want to give someone (not proven) a chance there is always the option to give it to Kahkonen rather than Lindgren. I highly doubt they want to take that route again given how it went year ago. Heads will roll if it fails again.

If someone gives up a 1st rounder for Lindgren i'd take it. Goalies are voodoo and there is almost as good of a chance that Kuemper rebounds as it is for Lindgren to have another great year like that.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

For me there are three priorities for the Capitals this off season.... Speed, speed, quickness.

They need talent in the worst way. Speed is nice but they need guys that can create offense and put pucks into the net. The lower your talent level is the smaller your margin for error which is why the Caps won close games and got blown out in losses — they had to be structurally superior every night and if a few bounces didn’t go their way they didn’t have the horses to keep up.

If speed, speed, and quickness also comes with a cannon of a shot or an ability to create offense for his teammates then yes, all things equal you’d rather have a faster player than a slower one but speed with third line talent gives you Jason Chimera. No offense to the Ice Cheetah, of course, but he’s not the player the Caps need in their top six.

 

[Calicaps]

They need talent in the worst way. Speed is nice but they need guys that can create offense and put pucks into the net. The lower your talent level is the smaller your margin for error which is why the Caps won close games and got blown out in losses — they had to be structurally superior every night and if a few bounces didn’t go their way they didn’t have the horses to keep up.

If speed, speed, and quickness also comes with a cannon of a shot or an ability to create offense for his teammates then yes, all things equal you’d rather have a faster player than a slower one but speed with third line talent gives you Jason Chimera. No offense to the Ice Cheetah, of course, but he’s not the player the Caps need in their top six.

all of this.

 

[Marshall]

That Caps have worked their phones for several years trying to trade two talented but enigmatic players.

Bringing another talented but enigmatic player in?

No. No thank you.

 

[Carlzner]

I got lambasted earlier this year for pointing out Ovi hasn't ever really cared, or prepared, about his fitness like a modern athlete should. He could have probably been so far past where he's currently at, physically, if he'd taken it serious during his career.

Just imagine how much more dominant he could have been if he'd done so.

Meh. It’s a core tenet of his personality.

It’s fun to wonder how his career may have panned out if he has more of a work ethic, but the personality aspect is part of what makes Ovi Ovi. He probably doesn’t play with that recklessness that made him the most entertaining player in the league for years.

The man fulfilled his promise and brought us a cup. I wouldn’t change a thing

 

[Ridley Simon]

For me there are three priorities for the Capitals this off season.... Speed, speed, quickness.

How about shooting/scoring? I mean, speed kills and all, but….

 

[Rayquaza64]

We need to play faster but we also need the skill. Carl Hagelin had all the speed in the world, but I don't think we want any Hagelin's in our lineup right now....

 

[Ridley Simon]

That Caps have worked their phones for several years trying to trade two talented but enigmatic players.

Bringing another talented but enigmatic player in?

No. No thank you.

Well, we got boofed by of them (Kuznetsov), and we got good value - all things considered - for the other one (Mantha).

So Laine at 2yrs left doesn’t worry me. Like at all.

AS LONG AS — we don’t pay premium assets for him. Hell, at 8.7m a year, we should GET assets for him. He’s a Kuz contact.

I’d pay a random 3rd (this year??) for him at half price?

 

[ovikovy817]

3rd from the left looks familiar….what are the two soccer player’s names?


And for those who were hoping to see a rededicated Ovechkin, getting his aging body into top shape….I think we can forget that lol…..(there’s actually time, he could do a lot in 8 weeks, so we’ll see).

His name is Anton Shunin. Goalkeeper of Dinamo Moscow

 

[Hivemind]

We need to play faster but we also need the skill. Carl Hagelin had all the speed in the world, but I don't think we want any Hagelin's in our lineup right now....

Capitals need guys who Play Fast, not necessarily those who Skate Fast.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Hendrix Lapierre wants to win in Hershey — and then never go back — The Washington Post

“He understands that he’s still a young guy, but he’s one of our leaders,” Hershey Bears Coach Todd Nelson said of Lapierre.

apple.news

 

[895]

I don’t see how anyone can say hard no on Laine without knowing the price. Most likely it’s a no but might as well kick the tires?

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Would Laine clear waivers like Kuz? He plays almost just like Ovie so Im not sure where we would put him they both sit in the office on the PP.

 

[OV Rocks]

If Laine is available for cheap, you gotta go get him. There is nobody in the organization that is under 27 that can score 50 goals, Carberry could get him on track, Go get him.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Easy to say from a sheer talent injection standpoint, hell Redwings fans probably felt the same about Vrana, but this dude might flake out and be gone at any moment…

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Laine seems closer to Jeff Skinner then a 50 goal scorer

 

[OV Rocks]

Laine seems closer to Jeff Skinner then a 50 goal scorer

FWIW Skinner would've been 3rd on the Caps team in goals this past season.

Untuck your shirt from your underwear why would you not want to add a 40+ goal scorer? Cause he likes video games and hasn't wanted to play in Winnipeg or Columbus. It is impossible to add high end talent, so if we have to add the talent that has warts and try to clean it up lets do it.

Caps fans are so frustrating 33% of us want to add talent and try to make another run (the smart 33% btw), 33% of us want to tank and begin the rebuild (I disagree but at least appreciate your vision), then another 33% don't know what shoe goes on what foot and are just content to be middling nose picking losers (these are the presidential Caps fans...if you know what I mean I like you).

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

So a guy that quit on 2 teams and only touched 40 goals his second season and been in decline since. Lots of red flags for a 8.7 mill player

 

[twabby]

I'd take a flyer on a 50% retained Laine if it means moving Ovechkin to the bumper position or some other less exposed position on the power play.

But Laine isn't likely to be a big needle mover on a team that is still desperate for playmakers.