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

[Kalopsia]

If I were truly to hindsight 20/20 it would have been to have signed Chara and then traded for Federov soon there after or at least a few years earlier than they eventually did. But for some reason my gut tells me if they had landed Chara they would have had a greater chance of winning another SC.

Man, imagine the 08-09 Caps with a Chara-Green top pair. That was the year Green hit 30 goals but still came in as the runner up for the Norris behind Chara. That would have been an all-time, historic D pair.

I believe the ask at the time was a 1st + Varlamov + one of Alzner/Carlson IIRC.

I was gonna say I remembered it being Carlson++. Considering Pronger basically fell apart the next year I'm ok with McPhee passing on that one.

 

[um]

Man, imagine the 08-09 Caps with a Chara-Green top pair. That was the year Green hit 30 goals but still came in as the runner up for the Norris behind Chara. That would have been an all-time, historic D pair.


I was gonna say I remembered it being Carlson++. Considering Pronger basically fell apart the next year I'm ok with McPhee passing on that one.

If I recall Pronger got hurt with a puck to the face? It was a freak injury, Pronger wasn't injury prone or anything.

Either one of Chara or Pronger would have been worth it.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Man, imagine the 08-09 Caps with a Chara-Green top pair. That was the year Green hit 30 goals but still came in as the runner up for the Norris behind Chara. That would have been an all-time, historic D pair.


I was gonna say I remembered it being Carlson++. Considering Pronger basically fell apart the next year I'm ok with McPhee passing on that one.

Yes Prongers price was very high. Prongers end was pretty sad. He got the post concussion problems bad.
Alot of these big name defenders traded did not work out for the teams. Shea Webber, Seth Jones, PK Subban. Those contracts kindof put their teams into tank mode.

 

[StrikingDistance]

It's amazing what one poster can do here. Changed the trajectory of all the anti-Willy talk, and for that, I'm grateful.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Looks like Lindholm is looking for 8+ mill in FA. I havent seen us linked to him in any rumors. This is a player Ive wanted us to target for years. I would be interested in giving him that type of contract for 3 years. Im not sure I want him in his age 34+ seasons.
Orlov had to end up taking a 3 year deal after wanting like 6 years from us so I dont think having to settle for a 3 year deal in FA is that far fetched. Btw Canes fans already want to trade Orlov and Kuz lol

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Looks like Lindholm is looking for 8+ mill in FA. I havent seen us linked to him in any rumors. This is a player Ive wanted us to target for years. I would be interested in giving him that type of contract for 3 years. Im not sure I want him in his age 34+ seasons.
Orlov had to end up taking a 3 year deal after wanting like 6 years from us so I dont think having to settle for a 3 year deal in FA is that far fetched. Btw Canes fans already want to trade Orlov and Kuz lol

Orlov and his agent completely misplayed their hand and only got 2 years. I bet Lindholm gets at least 5 years….

 

[tycoonheart]

Also is it on GMBM or Ted that after we won the cup in 2018 that he went cheap and wouldnt pay the coach and left the team to 1st time coach Todd

Still bitter about this.

 

[Brian23]

Still bitter about this.

Why...?

Like, Trotz was cooked here. While they caught lightning in a bottle, Trotz's days were probably numbered when he failed with the 16 and 17 seasons. Hell, I will go on record and say I didn't want him back in 18 (it worked out at least). While the 18 team will live forever, the greatest team the Capitals have ever iced was between one of those two seasons and Trotz had them hit the wall with no adjustments.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Still bitter about this.

About which part? Barry almost being fired 2 or 3 times, mismanaging personnel, and lucking his way into a cup after 3 years of disappointment, or the freshman coach who showed promise but wound up being a complete doofus dud? Or both?

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Lets be real with Trotz. Between 2016-2018 he won 2 presidents trophies and a Stanley cup. Thats as good as 3 year run you can ask out of any coach. We havent sniffed anything like that since he left.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

About which part? Barry almost being fired 2 or 3 times, mismanaging personnel, and lucking his way into a cup after 3 years of disappointment, or the freshman coach who showed promise but wound up being a complete doofus dud? Or both?

You don’t luck your way to a Cup….but yeah, Trotz was a bit lucky not to be fired before 2018….

 

[alphabetical]

Of course no one would be happy. But I could stomach the balls to go for a big move vs the fear of him regressing and continuing to make meddling moves.

I'm all for making moves, but they've got to be the right ones. Because they're retooling, the caps want to be better this year and in 5 years. Reinhart makes the caps better this year, but I don't think a 34 year old reinhart signed at 11.5M$ makes the caps better in 5 years.

The caps are just starting to move on from all of their declining assets - why bring in another one?

 

[StrikingDistance]

You don’t luck your way to a Cup….but yeah, Trotz was a bit lucky not to be fired before 2018….

We sure did. I still recall 2OT vs Cbus. Shot from the point bounces off the shaft of Holt's stick and stays out. He doesn't see it and says so in the postgame that he was lucky it didn't go in. The ride turned in the series after that. I've always said it, and always will: We won the cup despite Barry. No need to debate...will never convince me otherwise. Save those precious keystrokes for GMBM's defense. haha

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

We sure did. I still recall 2OT vs Cbus. Shot from the point bounces off the shaft of Holt's stick and stays out. He doesn't see it and says so in the postgame that he was lucky it didn't go in. The ride turned in the series after that. I've always said it, and always will: We won the cup despite Barry. No need to debate...will never convince me otherwise. Save those precious keystrokes for GMBM's defense. haha

I guess every Cup winner is lucky then…

 

[VaCaps Fan]

This discussion is like if you took a caps fan from the victory parade in 2018 in a Time Machine to 2024 without explanation.

 

[Langway]

UFA Projections: How much money did Canucks’ Elias Lindholm cost himself this year?

Daily Faceoff’s Top 75 free agents lists includes major movement in projected contract values.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

Interesting stuff here on the UFA class. The figures for Guentzel, Lindholm, Montour, Stamkos, Marchessault, Duchene, Domi, Tanev, Perron and Dillon seem just fine. All are 30 or over except for Domi (29), though, and you wonder to what extent they'll hand out term to vets beyond a couple years.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

UFA Projections: How much money did Canucks’ Elias Lindholm cost himself this year?

Daily Faceoff’s Top 75 free agents lists includes major movement in projected contract values.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

Interesting stuff here on the UFA class. The figures for Guentzel, Lindholm, Montour, Stamkos, Marchessault, Duchene, Domi, Tanev, Perron and Dillon seem just fine. All are 30 or over except for Domi (29), though, and you wonder to what extent they'll hand out term to vets beyond a couple years.

If Lindholm is only 6.75x5 and we are getting that Oshie retirement money soon Ill be jumping on this. 5 years is longer then I would want for a 30 year old FA and he could have a bad age 34/35 season.

We would even have room to make another move via trade or FA

 

[Brian23]

I guess every Cup winner is lucky then…

Yes, they are. Some more then others.

 

[Misery74]

UFA Projections: How much money did Canucks’ Elias Lindholm cost himself this year?

Daily Faceoff’s Top 75 free agents lists includes major movement in projected contract values.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

Interesting stuff here on the UFA class. The figures for Guentzel, Lindholm, Montour, Stamkos, Marchessault, Duchene, Domi, Tanev, Perron and Dillon seem just fine. All are 30 or over except for Domi (29), though, and you wonder to what extent they'll hand out term to vets beyond a couple years.

Really great names on that list. Brady Skjei is very tempting. He may get be at the top of my list.

 

[g00n]

Yes, they are. Some more then others.

Yup.

I know there are fancy stats that purport to measure this, but it's really way too subtle to accurately asses.

But yes, I think there's likely a higher-than-average amount of luck that goes into winning a Cup. It's not all luck but there's always enough of it that you don't get bounced by someone else's good luck.

And the old saying about "you create your own luck" is mostly just a slogan because chance is chance and is random by definition, so what we're really talking about there is having enough skill and persistence to create the opportunity for a lucky break to mean something and become noticed.

I cannot prove any of this and possess no spreadsheets.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

They beat the jackets in 4 straight games. That’s not lucky in hockey.
The jackets winning game 1 was horrible bad luck for the caps blowing a lead in the last seconds.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Yes, they are. Some more then others.

I should have said JUST lucky….because that’s what was being implied about Trotz.

….saying “Trotz lucked into a Cup”….is just bs….it’s a lazy take.

Yup.

I know there are fancy stats that purport to measure this, but it's really way too subtle to accurately asses.

But yes, I think there's likely a higher-than-average amount of luck that goes into winning a Cup. It's not all luck but there's always enough of it that you don't get bounced by someone else's good luck.

And the old saying about "you create your own luck" is mostly just a slogan because chance is chance and is random by definition, so what we're really talking about there is having enough skill and persistence to create the opportunity for a lucky break to mean something and become noticed.

I cannot prove any of this and possess no spreadsheets.

The discussion isn’t about fortunate or unfortunate breaks, everyone knows those happen….it was about the disagreeing with statement that Trotz “lucked into a Cup”…

 

[g00n]

The discussion isn’t about fortunate or unfortunate breaks, everyone knows those happen….it was about the disagreeing with statement that Trotz “lucked into a Cup”…

Maybe a little.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Capitals can get a 1st for Dowd without taking back Johansen, simply by retaining on Dowd's contract (which costs a lot less than $4M).

Meyers is not worth a 3rd or 4th. Every team has a couple mid-20s players who could maybe be an NHLer, but haven't stuck for whatever reason. They're a dime-a-dozen commodity. Would you give up a 3rd or 4th for Riley Sutter or Ethen Frank? If the Capitals want Meyers, they can snag him when he's on waivers next season.

Orpik was $5.5M cap hit with a $4.5M salary, not $7M.
Dumping one year of Marc Staal ($5.7 cap hit, $3.2M salary) cost a 2nd.
So maybe you can call RyJo's contract dump a 2nd rather than a 1st. And given how late Colorado's picks are, even that is lukewarm.

Sutter's fifth year in pro hockey but he doesn't turn 25 until the fall. Any chance of him breaking into the Caps' lineup next year or is he likely a career AHL forward?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Sutter's fifth year in pro hockey but he doesn't turn 25 until the fall. Any chance of him breaking into the Caps' lineup next year or is he likely a career AHL forward?

I think he can play in the NHL in a 4th line role.