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

[AZ Caps Fan]

Hey, who won the game?

 

[John Price]

 

[HTFN]

One Munth

 

[twabby]

One Munth

That doesn't bother me nearly as much as the shadows on the ice

 

[usiel]

 

[SherVaughn30]

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?

With Kuemper's 4 years left, they can take their time. I would say in 3 years. In Hershey, Stevenson could challenge Shepard for the #1 job. When Stevenson played 3 games for Hershey this past season, he was dominant. Stevenson has a talent that Shepard will never reach. To put things in perspective, when Stevenson wasn't drafted(he was late bloomer in sense) and became a free agent to sign an entry level contract with an NHL team(at the time there were multiple teams interested in signing him), his choice came down to the Caps and the Rangers. Shesterkin has potentially a Lundqvist type #1 career for the Rangers, so the logical choice I think was why Stevenson chose the Caps, as their path for a long term #1 is unclear after Kuemper's contract expires or if he were to be traded.

 

[Torontonian]

Hey capitals fans, just wondering if you have any foresight on where Pacioretty will be playing in the capitals lineup this year? Top 6 or on the 3rd line?

 

[YippieKaey]

Hey capitals fans, just wondering if you have any foresight on where Pacioretty will be playing in the capitals lineup this year? Top 6 or on the 3rd line?

He'll be LTIR most of the season.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Hey capitals fans, just wondering if you have any foresight on where Pacioretty will be playing in the capitals lineup this year? Top 6 or on the 3rd line?

If/when he plays?

Top 6W for sure

 

[HTFN]

He'll be LTIR most of the season.

I don't know about most of, it sounds like he's not ready for the start but I would expect something like November/December based on how they present it.

Middle 6 is safe. We don't know how the new coach will handle people so it's really hard to say how pedigree will impact decision making. 2W is probably the starting point but if he is more like a 3 I think it will show, although he'll get PP time which should smooth that over a little.

 

[racingmoose]

With Kuemper's 4 years left, they can take their time. I would say in 3 years. In Hershey, Stevenson could challenge Shepard for the #1 job. When Stevenson played 3 games for Hershey this past season, he was dominant. Stevenson has a talent that Shepard will never reach. To put things in perspective, when Stevenson wasn't drafted(he was late bloomer in sense) and became a free agent to sign an entry level contract with an NHL team(at the time there were multiple teams interested in signing him), his choice came down to the Caps and the Rangers. Shesterkin has potentially a Lundqvist type #1 career for the Rangers, so the logical choice I think was why Stevenson chose the Caps, as their path for a long term #1 is unclear after Kuemper's contract expires or if he were to be traded.

Stevenson has some good tools but I don't think he came to Washington due to Kuemper's contract. He signed while Samsonov & Vanacek were the Caps goalies. He was definitely one of the top undrafted goalies that teams were looking at., based on his final season in the BCHL. He has good size and hopefully has corrected the mental aspect of his game which was seen as a concern when he was draft eligible.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I don't know about most of, it sounds like he's not ready for the start but I would expect something like November/December based on how they present it.

Middle 6 is safe. We don't know how the new coach will handle people so it's really hard to say how pedigree will impact decision making. 2W is probably the starting point but if he is more like a 3 I think it will show, although he'll get PP time which should smooth that over a little.

Who PP spot does he take?
Carlson
Ovie
Kuz/NB
Oshie
Wilson

 

[HTFN]

Who PP spot does he take?
Carlson
Ovie
Kuz/NB
Oshie
Wilson

We don't know exactly what the new PP looks like but I'd bet somewhere between injury and reformatting there will be time. If there's a PP2 unit at all he'll be there, but even beyond that Wilson and Oshie play the same role so unless Backstrom and Kuznetsov are both operating full time, Pacioretty can take the low spot and not interfere with the bumper role at all, which is the same role Johansson played as a lefty on the first unit.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Hey capitals fans, just wondering if you have any foresight on where Pacioretty will be playing in the capitals lineup this year? Top 6 or on the 3rd line?

He will be manning the press box most of the season.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

He will be manning the press box most of the season.

What is the o/u people have for number of games before Oshie has his first injury?

That’s just bad juju…

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

That’s just bad juju…

Per the usual, I’m just keeping it real.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Per the usual, I’m just keeping it real.

taking bets on injuries isn't keeping it real IMO.....not that it's unlikely, but I prefer a more positive outlook in life.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

To

taking bets on injuries isn't keeping it real IMO.....not that it's unlikely, but I prefer a more positive outlook in life.

Well, the bet was sarcastic but unfortunately the reality is a lot of these core players are on the wrong side of 35 and are prone to injury. Think positive, think negative, reality is reality,.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I prefer positive…not subconsciously willing it to be before the season even starts.

 

[g00n]

I'm not sure Patch gets PP1 duty when he comes back if the new unit has been working together for months. Unless it stinks, then they may shake things up.

 

[YippieKaey]

To

Well, the bet was sarcastic but unfortunately the reality is a lot of these core players are on the wrong side of 35 and are prone to injury. Think positive, think negative, reality is reality,.

And for a team, thinking negative and planning for the worst is a good idea. Otherwise we end up with the Caps last season.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

And for a team, thinking negative and planning for the worst is a good idea. Otherwise we end up with the Caps last season.

Agreed. Pretending everything is great and is just going to magically work out isn’t a plan. That is a hope.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Agreed. Pretending everything is great and is just going to magically work out isn’t a plan. That is a hope.

That’s not what is being suggested……

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[um]

And for a team, thinking negative and planning for the worst is a good idea. Otherwise we end up with the Caps last season.

I don’t see how this season will be much different. The lineup is still filled with over the hill vets who are injury prone. Although I think Caps have decent playoff chances, if healthy.

And it’s not like the Caps really invested that much into last season. A real disastrous season would have been keeping Orlov and trading their first. Instead they draft Leonard and Cristall and don’t opt to pay get rid of their negative value assets. They did build toward the future last season, as painful as it was.