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

[Misery74]

Pining you hopes on a UFA, that will probably end up staying, is a poor strategy. We are bidding against everyone.

On another note, how f***ing good is Jimi?

29

 

[Serial_Derecho]

Pining you hopes on a UFA, that will probably end up staying, is a poor strategy. We are bidding against everyone.

On another note, how f***ing good is Jimi?

29

Cant remember a recent prospect that looks as clutch as he does. IMO, he's full time in the Caps lineup next season unless he goes full on DSP-mode and parties to hard over the summer.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Top 3 AHL playoff scorers: Lappy, Frank, Snively, with Miro as #7.
Last year, Protas, McMichael, and Malenstyn were key cogs for Hershey's championship.
Where are the mea culpas from the many hockey know-it-alls who, for the last 5 years, have been braying about how the Caps have a shit prospect pool.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Top 3 AHL playoff scorers: Lappy, Frank, Snively, with Miro as #7.
Last year, Protas, McMichael, and Malenstyn were key cogs for Hershey's championship.
Where are the mea culpas from the many hockey know-it-alls who, for the last 5 years, have been braying about how the Caps have a shit prospect pool.

3 years ago things looked pretty damn grim. It was warranted. Now we’re more middle of the pack….

 

[Cappy76]

The fact that Hendrix and Miro dropped due to injury/health concerns really did give us top 10 talents with later draft picks. Could be that they don't actually have to completely bottom out to aquire that talent everyone is saying we need to tank for.

Adding 2 3rd overall players also could pay dividends long term. Looking back since 2015:

15 3rd overall Strome
16 3rd overall Dubois
20 Lappy who was considered a higher end prospect dropped to us at 22
22 Miro who was considered a higher end prospect dropped to us at 20
23 8th overall Leonard.

That's arguably 5 top 10 picks since 2015

 

[Calicaps]

Pining you hopes on a UFA, that will probably end up staying, is a poor strategy. We are bidding against everyone.

On another note, how f***ing good is Jimi?

29

What a performance last night. Still some work to do to really translate that dominance to the next level, but yeah, the ceiling is very high.

 

[Misery74]

The fact that Hendrix and Miro dropped due to injury/health concerns really did give us top 10 talents with later draft picks. Could be that they don't actually have to completely bottom out to aquire that talent everyone is saying we need to tank for.

Adding 2 3rd overall players also could pay dividends long term. Looking back since 2015:

15 3rd overall Strome
16 3rd overall Dubois
20 Lappy who was considered a higher end prospect dropped to us at 22
22 Miro who was considered a higher end prospect dropped to us at 20
23 8th overall Leonard.

That's arguably 5 top 10 picks since 2015

Yeah, it’s fair to say Leonard did drop to us too.

I feel like we may have actually bottomed out already.

 

[pman25]

Ovie-Strome-XXX
Miro-PLD-Protas
Milano-Lapi/CMM-Wilson
Malenstyn-Dowd-XXX

Trade the odd man out between CMM and Lapi as part of a package for a 1RW, or if the 1RW comes via free agency package them with Jensen or TVR for a D upgrade. If they really wanna keep the buy-low on rough contracts thing going, try Ottawa about Chabot.

Unless I missed something, I think that’s a little too optimistic for Miro. Not opposed but I’d sooner just pencil in Lapierre or CMM. If Miro forces his way into the conversation come training camp, sweet but not riding on that assumption for the offseason

 

[um]

Until PLD blossoms!

That’d be something. BMGM haters would be in shambles.

 

[um]

I am going to assume Oshie is a no go

8-17-43
24-80-XXX (Gueutzel here would be amazing)
15-29-61
47-26-21

Would actually be really good

I’d really love to get Guentzel to offset PLDs… relaxed style of play, let’s call it. A line of Guentzel-PLD-Wilson could have lots of potential.

 

[Todd Lazarchick]

That’d be something. BMGM haters would be in shambles.

Not one bit. I’d love to be wrong.

 

[MileHighCapsFan]

Our focus needs to be on Dee now. Fine with forwards. Fine with goaltending (for now). We need a legit 2RD. I’d prefer to move Jensen but it may have to be TVR. I”d move McMichael with Dee for right guy. 2RD is the whole to fill.

The draft has some pretty solid options within reach. Some of these kids might be ready in 2-3 years, so short term (Hershey?) replacements until then.

Top 3 AHL playoff scorers: Lappy, Frank, Snively, with Miro as #7.
Last year, Protas, McMichael, and Malenstyn were key cogs for Hershey's championship.
Where are the mea culpas from the many hockey know-it-alls who, for the last 5 years, have been braying about how the Caps have a shit prospect pool.

To be fair... none of those guys are Top 50 (much less Top 20) NHL prospects. They will fill holes, but not seats.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

The draft has some pretty solid options within reach. Some of these kids might be ready in 2-3 years, so short term (Hershey?) replacements until then.


To be fair... none of those guys are Top 50 (much less Top 20) NHL prospects. They will fill holes, but not seats.

Hershey’s ticket prices right now would disagree about them not filling seats

 

[MileHighCapsFan]

Hershey’s ticket prices right now would disagree about them not filling seats

We have no Fantilli, Stutzle, Makar, Pettersson level NHL prospects. Leonard is close in the next tier and the only 1. Hershey seats are different than the NHL All-Star game. Those folks aren't paying to see those graduates listed.

 

[Block]

Unless I missed something, I think that’s a little too optimistic for Miro. Not opposed but I’d sooner just pencil in Lapierre or CMM. If Miro forces his way into the conversation come training camp, sweet but not riding on that assumption for the offseason

I can't imagine Protas playing ahead of Wilson either.

We have no Fantilli, Stutzle, Makar, Pettersson level NHL prospects. Leonard is close in the next tier and the only 1. Hershey seats are different than the NHL All-Star game. Those folks aren't paying to see those graduates listed.

Yeah, Leonard is our best prospect and I see him as a 1st liner on a decent team but probably not a star (hope I'm wrong), but who else is in that class?

 

[Hivemind]

Joe Snively is 28 years old. He's not going to be anything more than a fringe NHL player. Anyone trying to claim Hershey's success is a barometer of future Washington success shouldn't be including him.

Along the same lines, Ethen Frank is 26 and couldn't beat out guys like Sgarbossa, Aube-Kubel, or Phillips for roster spots, either out of camp or when the Capitals were banged up. Heck, the Caps called up Snively and Dube for cups of coffee and not Frank. His skating speed at least gives him one NHL-grade tool, so there's an off-chance he could get a few years in the NHL as a depth/energy forward, but it's far from guaranteed and he's not going to be the kind of primary offensive player in the NHL that he is in the AHL. See countless other undersized forwards among Bears alumni who couldn't translate their point production to the NHL ranks (Bourque, Aucoin, Matte, etc).

I love the Bears, I love this run they're on. Lapierre, in particular, is showing a ton of potential. But there's not a ton of NHL impact on that team, particularly at forward. Miro and Lapi are likely the only two career NHL forwards among the bunch, and if we're lucky Iorio and HHA can join them on the back-end. There's an outside shot that Rybinski or Trineyev could continue developing well and end up as a 3rd/4th liner, but that's still a couple years down the road and Trineyev in particular hasn't really been one of the play-drivers in these playoffs.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Joe Snively is 28 years old. He's not going to be anything more than a fringe NHL player. Anyone trying to claim Hershey's success is a barometer of future Washington success shouldn't be including him.

Along the same lines, Ethen Frank is 26 and couldn't beat out guys like Sgarbossa, Aube-Kubel, or Phillips for roster spots, either out of camp or when the Capitals were banged up. Heck, the Caps called up Snively and Dube for cups of coffee and not Frank. His skating speed at least gives him one NHL-grade tool, so there's an off-chance he could get a few years in the NHL as a depth/energy forward, but it's far from guaranteed and he's not going to be the kind of primary offensive player in the NHL that he is in the AHL. See countless other undersized forwards among Bears alumni who couldn't translate their point production to the NHL ranks (Bourque, Aucoin, Matte, etc).

I love the Bears, I love this run they're on. Lapierre, in particular, is showing a ton of potential. But there's not a ton of NHL impact on that team, particularly at forward. Miro and Lapi are likely the only two career NHL forwards among the bunch, and if we're lucky Iorio and HHA can join them on the back-end. There's an outside shot that Rybinski or Trineyev could continue developing well and end up as a 3rd/4th liner, but that's still a couple years down the road and Trineyev in particular hasn't really been one of the play-drivers in these playoffs.

Who kicked your dog? Just coming out blasting Frank? has anyone asked for him to be on the roster next season?

For how I view Hershey players fitting in next season.
Lappy moves to wing and is 1st line. Hopefully not with Ovie
Miro another season in the minors and spot call ups
CMM I would make him 3C and think he will be great there
Protas I like on line 3 or 4 wing and playing center when needed.

On D I think we have 1 open spot for a bunch of NHL ready guys. We really need to trade Jensen and TVR or risk losing them for an expiring FA.

 

[Hivemind]

Who kicked your dog? Just coming out blasting Frank? has anyone asked for him to be on the roster next season?

Scroll up in this thread a bit, and you'll see someone who lists both him and Snively as an attempt to dunk on other posters and claim the Capitals prospect pool is better than reported.

There's nothing wrong with being a career AHL forward. It's still a far far better level of hockey than any of us will ever play. It's a great end result for undrafted players like Frank and Snively.

 

[marcel snapshot]

Scroll up in this thread a bit, and you'll see someone who lists both him and Snively as an attempt to dunk on other posters and claim the Capitals prospect pool is better than reported.

There's nothing wrong with being a career AHL forward. It's still a far far better level of hockey than any of us will ever play. It's a great end result for undrafted players like Frank and Snively.

No intention to dump on posters - virtually every article in the last 5 years or so ranking NHL prospect pools or assessing the Caps future by guys that were paid to know had the Caps ranked in the bottom 10. That’s what I was aiming at.

Again and again you see this (dare I say it) hive mind among hockey writers where they all reach the same conclusion about a player, a team, an organization, a team’s prospect pool - and reinforce each other, and nobody ever has to be accountable for the gang mentality being wrong. It’s a happy accident in the case of the Caps prospects, and here’s hoping it’s the same re. PLD.

 

[g00n]

No intention to dump on posters - virtually every article in the last 5 years or so ranking NHL prospect pools or assessing the Caps future by guys that were paid to know had the Caps ranked in the bottom 10. That’s what I was aiming at.

Again and again you see this (dare I say it) hive mind among hockey writers where they all reach the same conclusion about a player, a team, an organization, a team’s prospect pool - and reinforce each other, and nobody ever has to be accountable for the gang mentality being wrong. It’s a happy accident in the case of the Caps prospects, and here’s hoping it’s the same re. PLD.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1449623/2020/02/11/scott-wheelers-2020-nhl-prospect-pool-rankings/

Feb 2020: 29th

The EliteProspects Rinkside 2020-21 Off-Season Prospect Pool Rankings

It’s that time again. More than a year after the debut of the EliteProspects Rinkside prospect pool rankings, we’re bringing the project back and better than ever. This page is...

eprinkside.com

Nov 2020: 24th

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2005045/2020/09/11/pronman-2020-21-nhl-organizational-rankings/

Sept 2020 by the vaunted Pronman: dead last 31st


We all (most of us anyway) remember this. You did not hallucinate it.

 

[g00n]

Even this year, still way down the list for many:

2024 NHL prospect pool rankings: Scott Wheeler's annual countdown

Scott Wheeler's annual deep dive into every NHL team's collection of prospects.

www.nytimes.com

20th.

The NHL’s Best Farm Systems Ranked - 2024-25 Midseason Update - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

Just like the NHL clubs, their prospect pools are all at different stages. This piece will take a look at every NHL farm system ranking.

thehockeywriters.com

18th.

A data-only ranking of every 2023-24 NHL-affiliated prospect and team prospect pools - Sound Of Hockey

As Sound Of Hockey Prospect Week continues, we make a data-only ranking of all NHL-affiliated prospects to see where the Kraken land.

soundofhockey.com

Several "data only" rankings including dead last in "top 100 prospects".

Prospect Pool Rankings - Get the latest from EP

Latest Prospect Pool Rankings news from EP. Explore the latest insights, in-depth analysis, and stories of Prospect Pool Rankings

eprinkside.com

These guys had the balls to rank WAS 14th in 2023.

And so on.

 

[Langway]

Their mid at best ranking remains pretty deserved I think. It's really about lack of quantity and sure things to play above the middle of the lineup beyond one or two players. Their depth is better now than it had been a few years ago but still isn't brimming. For all of the success Hershey is having a lot of it is how that organization is run between Nelson, Helmer and Washington's input. Guys like McIlrath, Vecchione, Huntington, Roe, Limoges and Shepard have been just as instrumental. It's great experience for Lapierre and Miro. But I'm still not sure Miro winds up an NHL top six winger on a more competitive team. His poise in tight spaces and limited windows is good. He's tracking fairly well. But there's still work to be done. Todd Nelson in particular deserves loads of credit. Hard to believe he shouldn't be behind an NHL bench.

Lapierre is a quality prospect along with Leonard. I hesitate to put Cristall too securely in that category given the adjustments he'll need to make. There are no future NHL top four defensemen in the system IMO. Chesley could get there if everything goes right and there's some late pop offensively but I wouldn't bet on that. Stevenson in net flies under the radar compared to more traditional routes but not seeing him in the AHL playoffs beyond mop-up duty and being on the older side keeps him out of the spotlight. If they had a bit more quality in their quantity and some greater variety I'd sooner believe it's been vastly underrated. As-is it remains thin and without vast potential at the top to outweigh the overall thinness

Maybe they're a bit better than most to finesse a somewhat thin system and max out what they've got compared to some. But the pending transitional gap remains problematic. They'll have cap space to take on some unwanted younger players ala PLD. But on the back-end you wonder if they'll be so lucky to find a special talent to build around. Free agency could be a fit for restructuring the blueline but not without hefty investment.

They have some pieces. They'll remain at least in the mix competitively. But they still rely way too much on a 38-year old and it's hard to figure how that changes any time soon. They could make a lot of top 100 picks this year and next to substantially restock and take a lot of swings. But at least for the moment it seems premature to circle the wagons. The task ahead remains pretty vast.

 

[OV Rocks]

Their mid at best ranking remains pretty deserved I think. It's really about lack of quantity and sure things to play above the middle of the lineup beyond one or two players. Their depth is better now than it had been a few years ago but still isn't brimming. For all of the success Hershey is having a lot of it is how that organization is run between Nelson, Helmer and Washington's input. Guys like McIlrath, Vecchione, Huntington, Roe, Limoges and Shepard have been just as instrumental. It's great experience for Lapierre and Miro. But I'm still not sure Miro winds up an NHL top six winger on a more competitive team. His poise in tight spaces and limited windows is good. He's tracking fairly well. But there's still work to be done. Todd Nelson in particular deserves loads of credit. Hard to believe he shouldn't be behind an NHL bench.

Lapierre is a quality prospect along with Leonard. I hesitate to put Cristall too securely in that category given the adjustments he'll need to make. There are no future NHL top four defensemen in the system IMO. Chesley could get there if everything goes right and there's some late pop offensively but I wouldn't bet on that. Stevenson in net flies under the radar compared to more traditional routes but not seeing him in the AHL playoffs beyond mop-up duty and being on the older side keeps him out of the spotlight. If they had a bit more quality in their quantity and some greater variety I'd sooner believe it's been vastly underrated. As-is it remains thin and without vast potential at the top to outweigh the overall thinness

Maybe they're a bit better than most to finesse a somewhat thin system and max out what they've got compared to some. But the pending transitional gap remains problematic. They'll have cap space to take on some unwanted younger players ala PLD. But on the back-end you wonder if they'll be so lucky to find a special talent to build around. Free agency could be a fit for restructuring the blueline but not without hefty investment.

They have some pieces. They'll remain at least in the mix competitively. But they still rely way too much on a 38-year old and it's hard to figure how that changes any time soon. They could make a lot of top 100 picks this year and next to substantially restock and take a lot of swings. But at least for the moment it seems premature to circle the wagons. The task ahead remains pretty vast.

I think the defense comment is a little unfair, we don’t have any stud 1D but I think Sandin is top 4, Alexyev is top 4, and Iorio has top 4 potential. The issue is they are all second pairing left d-men.

 

[Langway]

Sandin & Alexeyev are no longer prospects. Iorio has the length teams like but less so the strength, sense and skill without continued substantial refinement. Could happen but wouldn't bet on it. Alexeyev's development late in the season should have earned him the 3LD spot next season for once. But it would take a lot of runway for him to put it all together and become a second pair guy. Stranger things have happened but, again, not a prospect. Sandin is a fine piece in the right role but will never offer the size most teams want and isn't overaly dynamic overall.

I was looking at what a Bear buyout would look like and I think it should be seriously considered. He's out of the program and it would remove all but less than a quarter of a mill from next year's cap. They tried. If there's no like-minded swap to make I'd quickly move on and put that money to better use elsewhere. Maybe he could bounce back but he didn't do enough to justify dumping TVR and believing they'd upgrade with him at 3RD next season.

Overall big picture the biggest positive is behind the bench. There may be a lot that Carbery can help finesse. But they still need a few more complete leaders that make those around them better. For as skilled a guy as PLD can be when his head is on right for $8.5M it's certainly unclear whether he has that sort of leadership potential. To this point in his career it's been just the opposite more often than not so you wonder if they've come out that far ahead. It's a move. There's his age and size and tools but...this team needs more crafty toolbox players. As-is still a significant limitation when it comes to not just playmaking but elusiveness generally. We're very early in the off-season so perhaps there's much more to come but it does feel like they ought to have at least one more substantial move left in them (if not more) to be confident enough in their ability to scrap for a playoff spot again.

 

[pman25]

I think the defense comment is a little unfair, we don’t have any stud 1D but I think Sandin is top 4, Alexyev is top 4, and Iorio has top 4 potential. The issue is they are all second pairing left d-men.

We’re talking purely prospects, Sandin graduated long ago. He’s not being factored in here. How is Alexeyev top 4? He just barely started to claim a 6D spot at the end of last year. He certainly seems capable of replacing Edmundson.

Iorio is just part of the mix in Hershey still. It’s not like he’s really separated himself from the pack yet. Certainly not to where anyone should be calling him Top 4.

We need top D prospects in the worst way. We need top prospects period. Our prospect rankings have been pretty deserved and our AHL runs are powered by a top notch franchise in Hershey not necessarily because we have great talent in the pipeline.