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

[Hivemind]

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?

There’s a chance that 4th line spots will be up for grabs in training camp, especially if Dowd is traded. And if so, Sutter will probably get a look. Not sure if he has that extra gear to stick in the NHL, however.

 

[twabby]

I still think Lindholm at $6.75M x 5 isn't going to be worth it:

On top of what the typical late 20s/early 30s decline ringing alarm bells for the next suitor, where does he even fit? He's not a 1C, Lapierre and McMichael should be competing for top 6 C spots, and Strome already has a top 6 C spot locked up.

 

[Brian23]

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

wut, he entirely lucked into a cup.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

wut, he entirely lucked into a cup.

Then by that logic so did the whole organization….including Ovechkin, etc…..

I don’t agree. This is too hard to win by just being lucky….

 

[kicksavedave]

"Luck is the residue of hard work". Vince Lombardi

Or

"Good luck is the residue of preparation" Jack Youngblood


Or something similar....

 

[Calicaps]

Trotz didn't luck into a Cup. But he also didn't singe-handedly deliver one, though he behaved after the fact as if he had.

It was a team effort. The guys in the front office, the guys behind the bench, and the guys on the ice all pulled together to make that happen. Because that's what it takes.

And all the critiques of GMBM regularly ignore how Trotz f***ed him over after the Cup run. He had a contract, a raise, and roster ready to repeat. And he threw it all back in their faces because his ego was bruised. And look what happened... neither he nor the organization was able to make another successful run absent the collective dynamic that they had built together.

 

[um]

I don’t think any team is likely to win a cup in a single year, but if you’re elite year after year, like the Trotz era Caps were, you should eventually win.

The Trotz teams from 2015-2018 were the best teams in the Ovie era, by far. We were lucky to get one, but they could have easily had two or more.

Trotz is my GOAT caps coach, and seeing us flame out in the first round while he dragged those shitty ass Isles teams to back to back conference finals hurt the soul. But at least there’s 2018.

 

[kicksavedave]

Trotz didn't luck into a Cup. But he also didn't singe-handedly deliver one, though he behaved after the fact as if he had.

It was a team effort. The guys in the front office, the guys behind the bench, and the guys on the ice all pulled together to make that happen. Because that's what it takes.

And all the critiques of GMBM regularly ignore how Trotz f***ed him over after the Cup run. He had a contract, a raise, and roster ready to repeat. And he threw it all back in their faces because his ego was bruised. And look what happened... neither he nor the organization was able to make another successful run absent the collective dynamic that they had built together.

This, entirely, and nothing further. This should be the final post in the entire discussion of the Barry Trotz era in DC. Fini!

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Will go to my grave saying that Trotz cost this team a Cup more than he won them a Cup. Still have nightmares about him pairing Alzner and Orpik together against the Pens and then getting smoked like they were traffic cones.

Love Barry for all he did here but he was total ass in the playoffs his first three seasons.

 

[StrikingDistance]

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.


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”…

I think any mediocre coach for the Caps that year would have won...and they did. Some luck definitely helped us, opportune scoring, bottom 6 contributing, and Holtby being significantly above average. You replace Barry in the equation and you get the same result imo. You may not agree, that's fine.

All the hand-wringing over him is funny to me, like he was some magical shepherd who led this lost flock of ice capades athletes to the 'promised land'. lol

 

[twabby]

I think moving on from Trotz was justifiable, even if I didn't love it. I think hiring Reirden was the big mistake. He was clearly not ready for the job, and wasn't even able to hold an assistant coaching job with Pittsburgh after his time in DC.

 

[kicksavedave]

I think moving on from Trotz was justifiable, even if I didn't love it. I think hiring Reirden was the big mistake. He was clearly not ready for the job, and wasn't even able to hold an assistant coaching job with Pittsburgh after his time in DC.

Sometimes the resume is correct but the person isn't. The heir apparent isn't always the leader that the departed was. That was the case with Todd.

 

[tycoonheart]

My feeling is that the organization genuinely thought Rierden was the genius behind the defense which was a big part of the cup win. I like GMBM but letting Trotz go for Rierden is an egregious mistake. It's as bad as Jerry letting go of Jimmy Johnson. I also feel that if the organization truly wanted to retain Trotz they could have found a way to do so.

 

[Jags]

And the old saying about "you create your own luck" is mostly just a slogan because chance is chance and is random by definition

Yeah, I think in hockey you have to put yourself in a position to be lucky. You don't "get the bounces" unless you're getting to the center of the ice, establishing net-front presence, and taking shots. The puck won't just magically bounce your way unless you're helping it along by doing the right things.

Trotz or not, we did those things in 2018. There was so much shit going on behind the scenes that year that we'll never know how instrumental any one person was...

 

[Holtbyisms]

I'll say it to my grave, Mitch Korn won us that cup. Holtby was in shambles after a season with Murray, Grubby took his job going into the playoffs. Korn shows back up and boom Holtby back to Vezina from.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Wake me when we stop living in the past and are back to roster reconstruction…..

 

[Rayquaza64]

this offseason arriving and things actually happening can’t happen soon enough

 

[twabby]

Marner near the top.

Hard to overstate how big of a bargain he is going to be for the acquiring team. I hope it's Washington!

 

[McVechkin]

I’m intrigued by marner. He’s definitely a little soft.. but plenty of teams have been successful with that type of player. You just can’t be successful with too many of them. I always go back to Gaborik. Everyone said you couldn’t win with him.. but the kings found the right mix and he was a big piece of one of the cups.

Not saying the caps would be able to make it work. But it’s intriguing. You get him out of that Toronto market and things could def change.

 

[Misery74]

Marner near the top.

Hard to overstate how big of a bargain he is going to be for the acquiring team. I hope it's Washington!

Holy shit. Look at that list. Kuzy, Oshie, Patches.

No thanks to Marner. Whoever signs him at $10m per year, for the next 7-8 years will enter cap hell. We are escaping cap hell.

We need to shop in the bargain bin for 1 more year. Next year should also be all about the kids.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Marner near the top.

Hard to overstate how big of a bargain he is going to be for the acquiring team. I hope it's Washington!

Please elaborate how he’ll be a “bargain” to acquire….

btw….I’m fine adding a talent like him, but “bargain” won’t be part of the equation IMO….his numbers will most assuredly go down here surrounded by less talent.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Holy shit. Look at that list. Kuzy, Oshie, Patches.

No thanks to Marner. Whoever signs him at $10m per year, for the next 7-8 years will enter cap hell. We are escaping cap hell.

We need to shop in the bargain bin for 1 more year. Next year should also be all about the kids.

If we do the bargain bin I would like 1 year deals that we can trade at the deadline. Just dont give NTC like we did for patches

 

[twabby]

Please elaborate how he’ll be a “bargain” to acquire….

btw….I’m fine adding a talent like him, but “bargain” won’t be part of the equation IMO….his numbers will most assuredly go down here surrounded by less talent.

His boxcars will probably go down but his individual impacts aren't likely to.

His value is in the toilet. Toronto is running him out of town. Very few teams can fit in his current $11M cap hit or what an extension will cost. He has a NMC.

If he is traded it's going to be for very little IMO and the Capitals are one of the few teams whose cap structure makes sense to fit him in long-term. Who on the team is due a big raise soon? Ovechkin's contract is off the books in a few years. Same with Backstrom, Oshie, Carlson. None of their prospects aside from maybe Leonard is going to command a monster contract any time in the next 5 years.

Very rarely do star players become available and I'd hate for them the pass up on trying to get one, especially when his particular strength (playmaking) is what Washington needs most.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

His boxcars will probably go down but his individual impacts aren't likely to.

His value is in the toilet. Toronto is running him out of town. Very few teams can fit in his current $11M cap hit or what an extension will cost. He has a NMC.

If he is traded it's going to be for very little IMO and the Capitals are one of the few teams whose cap structure makes sense to fit him in long-term. Who on the team is due a big raise soon? Ovechkin's contract is off the books in a few years. Same with Backstrom, Oshie, Carlson. None of their prospects aside from maybe Leonard is going to command a monster contract any time in the next 5 years.

Very rarely do star players become available and I'd hate for them the pass up on trying to get one, especially when his particular strength (playmaking) is what Washington needs most.

You’re acting like he’ll practically be given away…

I doubt it….but what if in part of the package they want Cristall?

I can’t imagine he will move for less than a 1st + prospect +….

 

[twabby]

You’re acting like he’ll practically be given away…

I doubt it….but what if in part of the package they want Cristall?

I can’t imagine he will move for less than a 1st + prospect +….

Toronto is under a lot of pressure to make a big change so yeah, I think they are going to get fleeced if they make a Marner trade.

I doubt Toronto would want a futures package when their window is now, that's why I think the match is so good from Washington's perspective since they really shouldn't be trading picks/prospects for anyone over 25 years old. Washington does of course however have one particularly valuable trade piece that they should be looking to move that Toronto is probably interested in.