Speculation: Caps Roster General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2023 Off-season

[kicksavedave]

Hershey or DC?

 

[Calicaps]

Hershey or DC?

Is he Hershey-eligible?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Hellllllll yeah….

Is he Hershey-eligible?

Aye….

 

[Kolzilla]

Is he Hershey-eligible?

Yes, he was drafted out of Europe. Doesn't matter if he played in OHL.

 

[pman25]

I don't know how there are enough Hershey spots for all these guys, especially with all the vets around. We still have Phillips, Beck, Snively who certainly aren't locks to make the Caps. Then young guys like Miro, Trineyev, Suzdalev, Hofer...new signings of Limoges and Dube...Frank, Lapierre, Sgarbossa still figure to be top of the lineup players too.

Might be best if Suzdalev goes back to Regina

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

I don't know how there are enough Hershey spots for all these guys, especially with all the vets around. We still have Phillips, Beck, Snively who certainly aren't locks to make the Caps. Then young guys like Miro, Trineyev, Suzdalev, Hofer...new signings of Limoges and Dube...Frank, Lapierre, Sgarbossa still figure to be top of the lineup players too.

Might be best if Suzdalev goes back to Regina

Agree. We have too many really good AHL players but not enough high end prospects ready to make the jump. Makes for a bad mix.

 

[Hivemind]

I'm rooting for a kid to steal Sonny Milano's roster spot, but that's about the only way there will be space for Sudzy in the AHL.

 

[um]

But both of those guys deserved the shot to become the Caps #1 goalie, just neither one of them seized it for us. The moaning about how BMac handled the goalie situation ignores the impossible to predict heart failure by King Lundy, and also ignores that he made the right call to let Holtby go when he did vs committing a big long term deal to him right before he fell off a cliff, competitively.

That things didn't work out perfectly is 100% hindsight. Even good GM's don't get everything right.

Lundqvist was a dumpster dive.

But I mostly agree. With hindsight of course I wish we would have got a real starting goalie, but GMBM took a chance on two young goalies, mostly Samsonov, and it didn't work out. Having a starting goalie on a cheap deal was a risk that made some sense.

 

[YippieKaey]

The longer he goes unsigned, the more I wonder what Morgan Frost would cost. Skill set would be a nice complement to the top 6.

Sign him. I can already hear the puns and stupid nicknames.

 

[Brian23]

NJ benched Vanecek and is actively looking to replace him. They’ve been linked to Gibson and Hellebuyck. He’s fine as a regular season goalie on a strong team but he’s not proven to be a difference maker when it gets tough. Sammy is Sammy. He’s unbelievably good at times and at other times he looks like he’s making up the position as he goes along.

I think Mac made the right call on both of those guys. Neither Vanecek nor Sammy are the right goalie for this team right now.

I still think the Sammy situation was a mistake. Maybe the relationship was soured to the point of not being able too recover it, but I'd much rather have Sammy backing up Darcy then Charlie. Just figure it out, hopefully with a real coach supporting and developing him now.

I thought Vanecek was insanely overrated and was fine with letting him go.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I still think the Sammy situation was a mistake. Maybe the relationship was soured to the point of not being able too recover it, but I'd much rather have Sammy backing up Darcy then Charlie. Just figure it out, hopefully with a real coach supporting and developing him now.

I thought Vanecek was insanely overrated and was fine with letting him go.

Sammy is not getting backup money. Darcy seems like good value if you look at the contracts this season.

 

[Calicaps]

Lundqvist was a dumpster dive.

But I mostly agree. With hindsight of course I wish we would have got a real starting goalie, but GMBM took a chance on two young goalies, mostly Samsonov, and it didn't work out. Having a starting goalie on a cheap deal was a risk that made some sense.

IMO, Lundy was supposed to be more mentor than player. Who knows how Sammy's development arc might've gone with a guy like that helping to guide him all year instead of... checks notes... Kuzy's influence?

 

[Devil Dancer]

I'm rooting for a kid to steal Sonny Milano's roster spot, but that's about the only way there will be space for Sudzy in the AHL.

Ok but not until after Chia Sonny day.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

I still think the Sammy situation was a mistake. Maybe the relationship was soured to the point of not being able too recover it, but I'd much rather have Sammy backing up Darcy then Charlie. Just figure it out, hopefully with a real coach supporting and developing him now.

I thought Vanecek was insanely overrated and was fine with letting him go.

I bet they wanted to keep Sammy but at the end of his last season here he had arbitration rights and they couldn’t afford to go to arbitration with him. When they didn’t qualify him they could have still re-signed him but I imagine he either wasn’t willing to take a discount or wanted a fresh start.

 

[DWGie26]

But both of those guys deserved the shot to become the Caps #1 goalie, just neither one of them seized it for us. The moaning about how BMac handled the goalie situation ignores the impossible to predict heart failure by King Lundy, and also ignores that he made the right call to let Holtby go when he did vs committing a big long term deal to him right before he fell off a cliff, competitively.

That things didn't work out perfectly is 100% hindsight. Even good GM's don't get everything right.

That is why they signed Lundquist. Sammy number one. Lundy competing because that is who he is but likely backup while Sammy grows. Lundy gets hurt. Vanechek up. Problems. If you want to play, you gotta play!

 

[DWGie26]

We really need Miro and Sudz to play in Hershey. But i love this organization makes people earn their spots and don’t just hand them out. Gonna have to beat out Dube and Limoges.

There is a lot of talent and competition. Gonna be some talent sitting in Hershey. And some others going to SC.

 

[usiel]

We really need Miro and Sudz to play in Hershey. But i love this organization makes people earn their spots and don’t just hand them out. Gonna have to beat out Dube and Limoges.

There is a lot of talent and competition. Gonna be some talent sitting in Hershey. And some others going to SC.

Agreed but it also important if at an early stage, especially for international prospects, to be playing at a NHL sized rink. As far as Sudz for sure the eyes will be on if he is really pushing to be on the Hershey roster and forcing considerations during the rookie camp/main camp. Miro I feel like he is probably going to get some other considerations.

 

[trick9]

I don't know how there are enough Hershey spots for all these guys, especially with all the vets around. We still have Phillips, Beck, Snively who certainly aren't locks to make the Caps. Then young guys like Miro, Trineyev, Suzdalev, Hofer...new signings of Limoges and Dube...Frank, Lapierre, Sgarbossa still figure to be top of the lineup players too.

Might be best if Suzdalev goes back to Regina

Disagree.

Capitals roster has not been this weak in years whereas Hershey is the reigning champion. There are several players up with the big club that should need to fight to keep their jobs and i think there are going to be some surprises.

Depth in august is also an smokescreen. It doesn't matter because depth pieces can still be lost in waivers and if your depth is great then that's likely to happen too. Also i don't really feel like we have some extra depth like most here seem to feel but perhaps i'm more skeptical than most to our current roster. I mean if you start listing names, yes there are lots of them, but how many are going to be around the entire season?

TJ Oshie
Nicklas Backstrom
Anthony Mantha
Max Pacioretty (already hurt)
Joel Edmundson

I would be happy if 2 of those 5 surpassed 50 games this season. Nic Dowd underwent surgery in the summer. Feel like there are lots of question marks before we even start playing competitive games.

Even on the AHL-level our depth is very well needed. Miro played less than 40 games last season and his issues are well documented. Johansen has battled injuries for years.

There is a reason why we have so much depth. We'll see how much of that depth survives waivers. I think Suzdalev not going back to Regina is definitely the right situation and he should get some AHL games.

 

[Capitals40]

Disagree.

Capitals roster has not been this weak in years whereas Hershey is the reigning champion. There are several players up with the big club that should need to fight to keep their jobs and i think there are going to be some surprises.

Depth in august is also an smokescreen. It doesn't matter because depth pieces can still be lost in waivers and if your depth is great then that's likely to happen too. Also i don't really feel like we have some extra depth like most here seem to feel but perhaps i'm more skeptical than most to our current roster. I mean if you start listing names, yes there are lots of them, but how many are going to be around the entire season?

TJ Oshie
Nicklas Backstrom
Anthony Mantha
Max Pacioretty (already hurt)
Joel Edmundson

I would be happy if 2 of those 5 surpassed 50 games this season. Nic Dowd underwent surgery in the summer. Feel like there are lots of question marks before we even start playing competitive games.

Even on the AHL-level our depth is very well needed. Miro played less than 40 games last season and his issues are well documented. Johansen has battled injuries for years.

There is a reason why we have so much depth. We'll see how much of that depth survives waivers. I think Suzdalev not going back to Regina is definitely the right situation and he should get some AHL games.

I'm going to say something stupid and negative. I hope Pacioretty does not play 20 games because it will be a $2m cap hit next season. There, I said it. I apologize Max if I hurt your feelings.

 

[twabby]

NHL front-office confidence rankings, 2023: How fans feel about every team

Based on the collective opinion of our well-informed subscribers, here’s how much confidence each team’s front office currently inspires.

theathletic.com

26. Washington Capitals​

Last Year: 19th



“I know nothing can happen until Ovechkin breaks the record. Until then we’re in purgatory, half in but relying on guys who’ve lost a step and not building on the youth.”

“The deadline selloff was encouraging, but the moves made since then reek of a team destined for the mushy middle. They’re doing just enough to pretend like they want to contend for the end of Ovechkin’s career, but they’re on the wild-card bubble at best. Best case scenario, we get to cheer for lottery balls while watching a new goal-scoring record.”

After missing the playoffs last season it seems as though the Capitals are a bit stuck now. There’s a bit too much talent on the roster to fully commit to a rebuild and that’s likely not the goal anyway with Alex Ovechkin chasing the all-time goals record. But this team is also not quite good enough to compete for a playoff spot anymore either. The core is old, incapable and expensive and there aren’t enough young players ready to take over. The newly minted Tom Wilson extension will only add to that going forward.

The Capitals are in a similar spot to where the Sharks were a few seasons ago: at the end of their contention window with a lot of money on the books and not much up-and-coming talent to look forward to. There are going to be a lot of lean years going forward, but with a focus on Ovechkin’s chase for 894 it’s hard to really fault or credit whatever Washington does in the short term. Whether they can be trusted in the long term is the more important question, one the public is much less keen on.

 

[HTFN]

lol what a fat load of horseshit that is

 

[JayBeagleFanAccount]

NHL front-office confidence rankings, 2023: How fans feel about every team

Based on the collective opinion of our well-informed subscribers, here’s how much confidence each team’s front office currently inspires.

theathletic.com

pretty fair. I’d give them Fs in roster building, cap management and vision with Ds in draft/development and trading

 

[Langway]

lol what a fat load of horseshit that is

Really lapping up that Dubas kool aid.

 

[twabby]

There’s a lot of recency bias for sure. Fans always love the new incoming regime even if it hasn’t been earned. I don’t think Pittsburgh should be that high but it’s clear the Hextall -> Dubas transition was positive for them so fans aren’t going to be able to judge Dubas fairly. The Karlsson trade and getting out from Granlund and others was a big win but still much work to be done.

I think the Capitals numerical ratings are fair enough, it’s just that I think other teams should be much lower. Buffalo, Ottawa, Detroit, Chicago, Anaheim, Edmonton, St. Louis, Columbus, and NYR stand out as teams that should probably be at or even below Washington’s level. Maybe a few others. TBD on PIT, PHI, and NSH.

 

[trick9]

I don't really agree that we are in similar spot as Sharks few years ago. Sharks had basically half of their cap locked up for long-term in Karlsson, Burns, Vlasic, Couture and Hertl all locked up for 5+ years with trade protection whereas our core has mostly 1-2 years remaining on their contracts and after 3 years we basically only have Wilson and Strome on the books left. We also didn't do that one final moronic trade that Sharks did years before which cost them the pick that landed one Tim Stutzle.