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

[Roshi]

Interesting question. Obviously, two different teams with different strengths and weaknesses. I think Karlsson is a much better pick up for Pens than he would have been for us. Caps issues are in the top-6, specifically at center. That said, Pens essentially got Karlsson for free. It should have cost them a 1st just to get rid of Granlund. A 2nd to get rid of Petry. How did they get Karlsson out of it?

Still, I don't think Karlsson is what Caps need. Now, if there was a center available of Karlsson's calibre, that would be a different story. As it stands, Caps are most likely headed toward a ~10th place finish in the East. What's the point? After 5 years of without a playoff series win and with the team on a clear downward trend, I'd rather see them pick a direction. This is just more aimless floating. So, for me, it would be NO to Karlsson but YES to the general idea of accepting some risk to meaningfully improve the roster.

Completely agree that EK65 would not have been what we should be looking for, at all.

But i think Pens really wasnt a great fit either. As we have JC, Pens have Letang. EK is a monster, but bit of a just expensive luxury. Imo they should have either targeted a ”DeBrincat” or a same kind of younger and upcoming guy like, say Sandin. And dont get me wrong, i fully appreciate a good old all-in move. Just dont think this was the right one for Pens, or us. It might still pay out though, who knows.

Our equivalent package would have been something like 1st+2nd+Mantha+TvR sorts of.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Letang had a stroke last year. EK is a nice insurance plan if Letang isnt the same player he was pre stroke.

 

[ClevelandCapsfan]

Madison Bowey Signs In KHL

Unrestricted free agent defenseman Madison Bowey appears to be on his way to the KHL next season.

www.prohockeyrumors.com

 

[Corby78]

I will admit I missed on the Bowey projection.

 

[SherVaughn30]

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.

Hunter Shepard, Clay Stevenson(he will be something special for Hershey and who I believe is the next long term #1) and Mitchell Gibson, are the next wave of young Caps goalies. All 3 of them are in better development shape than Copley/Vanecek/Samsonov were. Just wish Hershey's Finish goalie coach would be promoted to the Caps and Scott Murray gets the boot! It just puzzles me that Murray has lasted this long, when his track record for developing goalies is just awful. When Copley, Vanecek and Sammy had their best seasons after leaving the Caps, that tells you how bad the coaching was(Lavi/McCarthy/Murray).

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

What an empty analysis….Sammy and Vanny both play for teams that are light years better…..nope…..that’s Scott Murray holding them back….


Stevenson the future #1? How far away is that?

 

[BallardEra]

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

F this guy. Sounds like a Pens fan. Now do Crosby, Kane, Karlson... f*** do McDavid and Mathews

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Sounds like a certain poster or two fed him his script lol…..

 

[trick9]

Found one Kuznetsov trade attempt floating around. It comes with if's and but's as there is mentioned that the Capitals could be smart to wait until TDL to move Kuznetsov for better value (so basically i assume this offer is contingent on Kuznetsov rebounding).

This was the trade:



Evgeny Kuznetsov (50% retained)



Mason Marchment (3 years left @ 4.5m)
Antonio Stranges
2024 1st round pick (DAL)
2025 3rd round pick (DAL)

Link: Capitals & Stars Could Be Perfect Trade Partners For Kuznetsov

 

[Langway]

Why retain $3.9M in '24-25 only to tack on another $4.5M for that season and next? A third party might be needed. Getting a first round pick back would be nice but it's likely a later one and there's little resulting cap remedy. Less retention and less of a bloated contract coming back would be better, particularly a bloated winger contract at that.

Hopefully Carbery can make a difference and rekindle greater engagement and consistency. Not sure how durable he'll end up being if he does engage more but for the time being they should just try to fully invest their energies in making it work.

 

[trick9]

Why retain $3.9M in '24-25 only to tack on another $4.5M for that season and next? A third party might be needed. Getting a first round pick back would be nice but it's likely a later one and there's little resulting cap remedy. Less retention and less of a bloated contract coming back would be better, particularly a bloated winger contract at that.

Hopefully Carbery can make a difference and rekindle greater engagement and consistency. Not sure how durable he'll end up being if he does engage more but for the time being they should just try to fully invest their energies in making it work.

My thoughts exactly.

First-round pick, 3rd round pick and a solid prospect (ranked #11 in Stars system recently) is an okay return for rebounding Kuznetsov at 50%. I feel like they should do better if he rebounds and is pacing for close to ~70 points again. At below 4 million cap hit he becomes a really good trade piece for a team whose window to win is within the next 2 seasons, and there are plenty of teams like that. That being said if that's all they could get for him, it would still be a deal i would take. But with Marchment in that deal... i don't really like it.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

I personally wouldn’t want Kuzy back on any condition. Guy has had many chances to be consistent and can’t do it. The end to last season where he appeared to be putting damn near zero effort is what did it for me.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I personally wouldn’t want Kuzy back on any condition. Guy has had many chances to be consistent and can’t do it. The end to last season where he appeared to be putting damn near zero effort is what did it for me.

The only condition I would take is the one I fear is in play.….that we are stuck with him.

This is where I want to see the ruthless aggression some have called for more of from PGMBM. As soon as Kuzy shows he’s bounced back in play, I want PGMBM working the phones to move his ass. I’d love it if he came out like gangbusters and put up a hot start……I’d ship him as fast as I could NOT get whored in a trade loss or worse a retention scenario.

 

[Hivemind]

I have no interest in retaining or taking salary back to move Kuzy at this point in time. Earlier in the off-season, clearing cap space could have made sense. But right now it doesn't. Let's see if Carberry can rebuild Kuznetsov's value, then he can be moved as a positive asset at the deadline or next off-season.

 

[g00n]

Kuzy will be traded as a known wantaway so unless he plays incredibly we're not going to get perceived value.

Almost all of this likely depends on how well he gets along with the new coach. Good relationship, he probably stays. Bad relationship, he gets shipped out for whatever the market will bear.

 

[YippieKaey]

Marchment did well and produced like a top 6 forward on the Panthers. He's also a big body and under 30 so that with a 1st round pick is about as much as we can expect for Kuzy at this point, even with retention.

 

[Capitals40]

Can someone explain to me why the Caps traded Marcus Johansson? Caps received a minimal return, a 3rd round draft pick. Minnesota signed him for an affordable $2m x 2 contract. I'm not sure what his contract incentives are. Did he not want to be here? I thought he had a decent year.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Kuzy will be traded as a known wantaway so unless he plays incredibly we're not going to get perceived value.

Almost all of this likely depends on how well he gets along with the new coach. Good relationship, he probably stays. Bad relationship, he gets shipped out for whatever the market will bear.

Good relationship doesn’t necessarily mean good performance unfortunately.

 

[McVechkin]

Can someone explain to me why the Caps traded Marcus Johansson? Caps received a minimal return, a 3rd round draft pick. Minnesota signed him for an affordable $2m x 2 contract. I'm not sure what his contract incentives are. Did he not want to be here? I thought he had a decent year.

Well he was pending ufa and caps weren’t going to make the playoffs. So makes sense to trade him. He’s an ok 3line veteran.. especially on that new contests.. but Caps don’t need that. Need to create opportunities for younger guys.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

I have no interest in retaining or taking salary back to move Kuzy at this point in time. Earlier in the off-season, clearing cap space could have made sense. But right now it doesn't. Let's see if Carberry can rebuild Kuznetsov's value, then he can be moved as a positive asset at the deadline or next off-season.

That’s a lot to ask of a first year NHL HC. Kuzy has stumped some good coaches.

 

[Hivemind]

That’s a lot to ask of a first year NHL HC. Kuzy has stumped some good coaches.

Like who? His four NHL head coaches have been Adam Oates (for 17 games), Barry Trotz, Todd Reirden, and Peter Laviolette. Oates and Reirden weren't great coaches. Trotz got plenty from Kuznetsov, to the tune of 0.9PPG on average after his rookie season and a Conn Smythe-worthy playoff performance en route to the Cup. So we're solely on Peter Laviolette, and Kuzy was clearly not the only player on the Capitals that Lavi wasn't able to maximize (nor is his time in Washington the only time Laviolette has struggled to connect with individual players).

Moreover, Kuzy is a pendulum of a player. There's no guarantee he will bounce back this year, but he hasn't yet had two poor seasons in a row in terms of boxcar stats.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Like who? His four NHL head coaches have been Adam Oates (for 17 games), Barry Trotz, Todd Reirden, and Peter Laviolette. Oates and Reirden weren't great coaches. Trotz got plenty from Kuznetsov, to the tune of 0.9PPG on average after his rookie season and a Conn Smythe-worthy playoff performance en route to the Cup. So we're solely on Peter Laviolette, and Kuzy was clearly not the only player on the Capitals that Lavi wasn't able to maximize (nor is his time in Washington the only time Laviolette has struggled to connect with individual players).

Moreover, Kuzy is a pendulum of a player. There's no guarantee he will bounce back this year, but he hasn't yet had two poor seasons in a row in terms of boxcar stats.

Respectfully, even if Kuzy puts up 70 pts next season, if he plays the way he did last season without the puck, does it even matter?

 

[Hivemind]

Respectfully, even if Kuzy puts up 70 pts next season, if he plays the way he did last season without the puck, does it even matter?

If he's in the midst of a 70 point season, I absolutely believe there would be trade takers for Kuznetsov that would be willing to pay a good price for him, regardless of how he's playing away from the puck.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

If he's in the midst of a 70 point season, I absolutely believe there would be trade takers for Kuznetsov that would be willing to pay a good price for him, regardless of how he's playing away from the puck.

One of the absolute worst defensive players in the league last year. I sure hope you’re right. I feel at this point the league knows what he is and what he isn’t and they aren’t buying.