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

[AlexModvechkin8]

I don't want them shipping out young players either unless it's for a no-brainer upgrade in the Elias Pettersson (good one) tier.

Maybe you're right and McMichael getting top 6 minutes off the bat is best. He certainly seemed at his best in 2021-22 when he was getting consistent minutes at center instead of getting 7 minutes a night on the third line LW next to Lars Eller. I just think in an ideal world he could get consistent 3C minutes and then work is way up into the top 6. Too bad that option isn't really available if Backstrom does come back.

McMichael brings pace especially in the neutral zone which this team desperately needs. He is strong on both sides of the puck. It makes no sense when this roster is begging for legs that they wouldn’t look at a guy who is naturally a center, has improved year over year in Hershey, and has shown well enough when given NHL minutes.

I wanted Eller traded last year and McMichael to be 3C but that didn’t happen obviously. Agree that in an ideal world he’s 3C but that’s as high as Backstrom should be in the lineup so you figure that’s where he’ll slot in. Honestly given how well Dowd played I’d experiment with Dowd at 3C and put Backstrom on the fourth line, maybe at wing, and let Protas take the middle of the ice and do the majority of the skating. Maybe the talk Mac has with Backstrom is telling him that at this point, he sees Backstrom as a bottom line winger and he’s moving forward with other options at center and see how Nick responds. Could be what he meant when he said he needed to make a decision about his career.

 

[twabby]

McMichael brings pace especially in the neutral zone which this team desperately needs. He is strong on both sides of the puck. It makes no sense when this roster is begging for legs that they wouldn’t look at a guy who is naturally a center, has improved year over year in Hershey, and has shown well enough when given NHL minutes.

I wanted Eller traded last year and McMichael to be 3C but that didn’t happen obviously. Agree that in an ideal world he’s 3C but that’s as high as Backstrom should be in the lineup so you figure that’s where he’ll slot in. Honestly given how well Dowd played I’d experiment with Dowd at 3C and put Backstrom on the fourth line, maybe at wing, and let Protas take the middle of the ice and do the majority of the skating. Maybe the talk Mac has with Backstrom is telling him that at this point, he sees Backstrom as a bottom line winger and he’s moving forward with other options at center and see how Nick responds. Could be what he meant when he said he needed to make a decision about his career.

I'd like to see them get imaginative with Backstrom and Dowd if it comes to it. But it's hard to see Backstrom doing well on the wing, even and perhaps especially in a 4th line role where tenacious forechecking is typically emphasized. That is not his game at all. It seems like all of his strengths are best utilized at center ice but he just doesn't have it any more so it's kind of just fitting a square peg into a round hole, which stinks.

 

[twabby]

Couple of things my man—

“No universe”??? Like Thanos “I am inevitable” type of certainty? That’s a statement!

Backstrom is 34. As a card carrying almost 54yr old, I must assure you that anysomething4 is NOT entering your late anysomething’a.

Its middle, anysomething, at worst. Stop being an ageist!

Yes I can't envision a scenario where the AHL is a good spot for McMichael next year. Either get him in the lineup or trade him for a significant roster upgrade.

Also Backstrom is 35 and will be 36 in November before the season is 2 months old. He's basically a mummy by hockey standards!

 

[Marshall]

Marshifesto Offseason 2023

(I will try to keep this as short as possible and format so individual points can be slagged on. )

I think that the 22-23 season placed far too many obstacles in the way for the Caps to do much better than they did - last season was pain.

It also provides opportunity for gain.

To wit:

- I am relatively bullish on Backstrom. I don't think we'll ever see a 15 goal season out of him again, but I write off the year after any major injuries - hopefully Backstrom gets "time served" for last season. A normal off-season will do him good; being called out by his GM should provide any motivation needed.
- I'd guess the possibility of the Caps selecting 8OA is very high because the Caps likely don't plan on drafting this high again until Ovechkin Retirement +1, and I don't expect the kind of asset the Caps would move it for to be on the market. (Under 25yo borderline top 3 forward on the ascent)
- Mac seemed to be planning on a bit of change this summer anyway; getting assets for the pending UFAs was value-add to whatever strategy he already had in mind.

Mac has said things will be different and he wants to get younger. He wants to improve the top six. I expect all these things to happen.

What must happen?

- Moving one of Kuznetsov or Mantha is paramount. The combo of Martha's underlying fancistats being decent and Kuznetsov getting a new agent make me believe one of these things will happen. Both would be ideal.
- Only slightly less paramount is getting the staffing right. I'd be okay with Carberry or Halpern, no real feel for Todd Nelson, but take the time needed, and if you go young, get an experienced assistant.

Assorted thoughts:
- I think the defense is more or less set, maybe a veteran 6-7 brought in.
- Where are we at on trading Oshie?
- I re-sign Wilson, but I give up $$$ for shorter term, if possible. (Only due to injury concerns. Dude's the next C.)
- How kooky am I for wanting to give up term for $$$ on Fever? I'd sign him six year to keep the cost down.
- Pilon, Sgarbossa, Vecchione, McIlrath, and BNards are all UFAs - who do the Caps sign as vets in Hershey? The Caps didn't love the college UFA class this year, which kids matriculate?
- Connor Brown - I like the player, but next year will be a wash. If he can't be had cheap for two years, I think the Caps need to move on.

A short list of names of possible targets for the Caps in the off-season:
(Criteria: Youngish, must add to the top six offensively, must at least be speculated on as available by Insiders. Size, speed, defense are all nice-to-haves)

Schmaltz, Nick ARI
Boeser, Brock VAN
Henrique, Adam ANA
Ehelers, Nikolaj WPG (no real evidence he's on the market.)

Please add to list.

 

[itsjustsurvival]

Marshifesto Offseason 2023

(I will try to keep this as short as possible and format so individual points can be slagged on. )

I think that the 22-23 season placed far too many obstacles in the way for the Caps to do much better than they did - last season was pain.

It also provides opportunity for gain.

To wit:

- I am relatively bullish on Backstrom. I don't think we'll ever see a 15 goal season out of him again, but I write off the year after any major injuries - hopefully Backstrom gets "time served" for last season. A normal off-season will do him good; being called out by his GM should provide any motivation needed.
- I'd guess the possibility of the Caps selecting 8OA is very high because the Caps likely don't plan on drafting this high again until Ovechkin Retirement +1, and I don't expect the kind of asset the Caps would move it for to be on the market. (Under 25yo borderline top 3 forward on the ascent)
- Mac seemed to be planning on a bit of change this summer anyway; getting assets for the pending UFAs was value-add to whatever strategy he already had in mind.

Mac has said things will be different and he wants to get younger. He wants to improve the top six. I expect all these things to happen.

What must happen?

- Moving one of Kuznetsov or Mantha is paramount. The combo of Martha's underlying fancistats being decent and Kuznetsov getting a new agent make me believe one of these things will happen. Both would be ideal.
- Only slightly less paramount is getting the staffing right. I'd be okay with Carberry or Halpern, no real feel for Todd Nelson, but take the time needed, and if you go young, get an experienced assistant.

Assorted thoughts:
- I think the defense is more or less set, maybe a veteran 6-7 brought in.
- Where are we at on trading Oshie?
- I re-sign Wilson, but I give up $$$ for shorter term, if possible. (Only due to injury concerns. Dude's the next C.)
- How kooky am I for wanting to give up term for $$$ on Fever? I'd sign him six year to keep the cost down.
- Pilon, Sgarbossa, Vecchione, McIlrath, and BNards are all UFAs - who do the Caps sign as vets in Hershey? The Caps didn't love the college UFA class this year, which kids matriculate?
- Connor Brown - I like the player, but next year will be a wash. If he can't be had cheap for two years, I think the Caps need to move on.

A short list of names of possible targets for the Caps in the off-season:
(Criteria: Youngish, must add to the top six offensively, must at least be speculated on as available by Insiders. Size, speed, defense are all nice-to-haves)

Schmaltz, Nick ARI
Boeser, Brock VAN
Henrique, Adam ANA
Ehelers, WPG (no real evidence he's on the market.)

Please add to list.

I love Oshie, but you have to at least consider it. Oshie can be productive when healthy, but I think it's best to move on if possible. If Wilson is getting a decent raise, not only does losing Oshie's contract help the cap situation, but Wilson could also gain more power play time to help "justify" the increased cost. I would be surprised if they actually went through with it though.

And I'm with you on extending Fehérváry. I think it would be wise to get him signed to term. Kid's got a lot of tools and I still think there's some decent upside to his game as well. Curious how he will perform in whatever new system they implement.

 

[Langway]

There probably won't be a younger talent available to be had at value than DeBrincat. There are some strings attached: he's a year away from UFA and an extension may not be ideal unless they hand out a bunch of term. He has some leverage in that he could just go to arbitration and bet on himself. But in terms of what they can maybe get for the 40th pick and another future second rounder that may be the best case. Either him or Schmaltz you'd think and Schmaltz is a bit older. Then again, younger is a relative term.

 

[twabby]

I'm bridging Fehervary and not even thinking about extending him long-term given his results to-date and his expected development path. I'd also consider trading him depending on his value around the league.

Spoiler: Model Results for Fehervary

Depending on the model you have a guy that is ok to decent defensively, but all of the models agree that he brings nothing to the table offensively. In the modern NHL that is something that can't be overlooked, especially for someone who would be expected to play in the top 4. You can't have offensive anchors like Fehervary unless they are the best of the best in a shutdown role and Fehervary isn't that.

Buffalo recently extended Mattias Samuelsson for 7 years at $4.3 million so I'd imagine that would be the long-term rate for Fehervary given their similar results and profiles as defensive defensemen. Maybe a little less. Say 7 x $3.5 million. I think that was a mistake in Buffalo and I wouldn't want Washington to repeat that mistake with Fehervary. Plenty of bargain bin guys can fill that role for cheaper and better. Just find the next Jensen, TVR, etc.

I'd be much more interested in getting Sandin locked up long-term. He's eligible for an extension on July 1. I'm not sure how interested he'd be in signing a contract now vs. giving himself a full season in a top 4 role to compile some favorable stats and bring them to arbitration next year, but I'd at least make an offer that could tempt him. On top of currently being a more impactful player he has much more upside than Fehervary and is a better fit for where the game is going. He struggled defensively down the stretch but I have much more faith in him cleaning that up than I would Fehervary developing NHL level offensive instincts. I'd offer Sandin something like 6 x $5 million and make him say no.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Marshifesto Offseason 2023

(I will try to keep this as short as possible and format so individual points can be slagged on. )

I think that the 22-23 season placed far too many obstacles in the way for the Caps to do much better than they did - last season was pain.

It also provides opportunity for gain.

To wit:

- I am relatively bullish on Backstrom. I don't think we'll ever see a 15 goal season out of him again, but I write off the year after any major injuries - hopefully Backstrom gets "time served" for last season. A normal off-season will do him good; being called out by his GM should provide any motivation needed.
- I'd guess the possibility of the Caps selecting 8OA is very high because the Caps likely don't plan on drafting this high again until Ovechkin Retirement +1, and I don't expect the kind of asset the Caps would move it for to be on the market. (Under 25yo borderline top 3 forward on the ascent)
- Mac seemed to be planning on a bit of change this summer anyway; getting assets for the pending UFAs was value-add to whatever strategy he already had in mind.

Mac has said things will be different and he wants to get younger. He wants to improve the top six. I expect all these things to happen.

What must happen?

- Moving one of Kuznetsov or Mantha is paramount. The combo of Martha's underlying fancistats being decent and Kuznetsov getting a new agent make me believe one of these things will happen. Both would be ideal.
- Only slightly less paramount is getting the staffing right. I'd be okay with Carberry or Halpern, no real feel for Todd Nelson, but take the time needed, and if you go young, get an experienced assistant.

Assorted thoughts:
- I think the defense is more or less set, maybe a veteran 6-7 brought in.
- Where are we at on trading Oshie?
- I re-sign Wilson, but I give up $$$ for shorter term, if possible. (Only due to injury concerns. Dude's the next C.)
- How kooky am I for wanting to give up term for $$$ on Fever? I'd sign him six year to keep the cost down.
- Pilon, Sgarbossa, Vecchione, McIlrath, and BNards are all UFAs - who do the Caps sign as vets in Hershey? The Caps didn't love the college UFA class this year, which kids matriculate?
- Connor Brown - I like the player, but next year will be a wash. If he can't be had cheap for two years, I think the Caps need to move on.

A short list of names of possible targets for the Caps in the off-season:
(Criteria: Youngish, must add to the top six offensively, must at least be speculated on as available by Insiders. Size, speed, defense are all nice-to-haves)

Schmaltz, Nick ARI
Boeser, Brock VAN
Henrique, Adam ANA
Ehelers, Nikolaj WPG (no real evidence he's on the market.)

Please add to list.

Henrique is 33. I don’t see how he fits into what Mac said he wanted. He also has durability concerns. Hard no on Boeser for me.

Names I’m checking in on:

Nic Ehlers (Winnipeg)
Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller (Arizona)
Jesper Bratt (New Jersey) — contract negotiations have been contentious and now they have to pay Meier too. Tomas Tatar could be a decent short term option.
Alex DeBrincat (Ottawa) — if you believe reports he won’t sign there long term.
Troy Terry (Anaheim)

Most of those guys are RFAs. Then there are guys with one year left on their deal (next season) and are free agents in the summer of 2024 who could be interesting names to acquire and extend.

Nylander (Toronto), Backlund (Calgary), DeBrusk (Boston), Dube (Calgary), Marchenko (Columbus), Hayton (Arizona) plus a few others I’d have to think about.

 

[itsjustsurvival]

Henrique is 33. I don’t see how he fits into what Mac said he wanted. He also has durability concerns. Hard no on Boeser for me.

Names I’m checking in on:

Nic Ehlers (Winnipeg)
Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller (Arizona)
Jesper Bratt (New Jersey) — contract negotiations have been contentious and now they have to pay Meier too). Tomas Tatar could be a decent short term option.
Alex DeBrincat (Ottawa) — if you believe reports he won’t sign there long term.
Troy Terry (Anaheim)

Most of those guys are RFAs. Then there are guys with one year left on their deal (next season) and are free agents in the summer of 2024 who could be interesting names to acquire and extend.

Nylander (Toronto), Backlund (Calgary), DeBrusk (Boston), Dube (Calgary), Marchenko (Columbus), Hayton (Arizona) plus a few others I’d have to think about.

I also like Ehlers, Bratt, and DeBrincat as options. I think Nylander could be extremely interesting considering his ties to Backstrom and Sandin. I really like the way he plays and he is an effective scorer in the postseason. Depending on what happens with Mantha/Kuznetsov/Oshie they could probably figure the money out for an extension.

 

[aonb]

Hard pass on Boeser. I just can't explain it because stats-wise he's fine. But every time i watched Nucks games (around ten games this season) he looked absolutely dreadful, out of sync, two steps behind the play. And what's funny most Canucks fans think the same. He's a different player after injury

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Extend Fever….6 year 4.x….

 

[twabby]

- Where are we at on trading Oshie?

I think if they can find a trade partner for Oshie they have to do it.

He has a chronic back issue and those issues don't go away, especially in a professional athlete in a physical sport who is entering his late 30s (cc: @Ridley Simon). When he is in the lineup his value now is pretty much as a PP specialist and with Forsythe gone who's to say whether Oshie will continue to play the same role on a possible new power play setup? $5.75 million for a oft-injured bottom 6 forward with a power play setup in flux doesn't seem manageable if they are going to bring in reinforcements for the top 6. Like Backstrom, Oshie is incapable of playing the game at tempo any more and I don't just mean footspeed. Unlike Backstrom, I think there might be a team out there willing to take a flyer on Oshie.

Symbolically I think trading Oshie would also make a lot of sense as a sort of beginning of the transition to the new phase of this team. They already got rid of Orlov despite being just as important if not moreso, they should be just as discerning about Oshie's future on the team as well.

- I re-sign Wilson, but I give up $$$ for shorter term, if possible. (Only due to injury concerns. Dude's the next C.)

I've mentioned it before but I think they need to lean toward trading Wilson. He's not getting the C for at least 4 years and I think signing him long-term just so he can get the C at age 34 is a silly rationale for potentially overpaying for a player who could decline hard in the coming years. Of course I don't think this is going to happen, but I think it's a move that could really improve the team short- and long-term.

 

[Langway]

Fehervary isn't even arbitration eligible so that says bridge all day IMO. Not that he'd have strong leverage in an arb case anyway (beyond TOI, blocks and hits). One-year, two-years. Something cheap so they can focus space elsewhere. Maybe he's open to something team-friendly but to me it wouldn't be worth it beyond $3Mx6. Better to bridge around the $2M mark and reassess.

I also think they need to wait and see on Sandin under a new coach. Again, if he's open to something team-friendly this summer go for it. But I'd struggle to go much beyond $4M with UFA years included and he may want to bet on himself. Call me cheap but neither has sold me yet as being reliable heavy lifters to the point of being instacore. Decent and cheap for now. Beyond that is harder to say.

 

[Calicaps]

I realize this all is in the context of pro hockey, but the ageism around here is kinda staggering. At about-to-be-51, I must be an actual corpse.

 

[Marshall]

I realize this all is in the context of pro hockey, but the ageism around here is kinda staggering. At about-to-be-51, I must be an actual corpse.

Own it; become Lich Queen of the Undead.

Prolly easier than being a mod.

 

[Ovi895]

I realize this all is in the context of pro hockey, but the ageism around here is kinda staggering. At about-to-be-51, I must be an actual corpse.

I mean, Jagr is younger than you and he's basically a zombie on skates now.

At least you're not a diehard gymnastics fan

 

[Ovi895]

I'm bridging Fehervary and not even thinking about extending him long-term given his results to-date and his expected development path. I'd also consider trading him depending on his value around the league.

Spoiler: Model Results for Fehervary

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View attachment 692504

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View attachment 692510

Depending on the model you have a guy that is ok to decent defensively, but all of the models agree that he brings nothing to the table offensively. In the modern NHL that is something that can't be overlooked, especially for someone who would be expected to play in the top 4. You can't have offensive anchors like Fehervary unless they are the best of the best in a shutdown role and Fehervary isn't that.

Buffalo recently extended Mattias Samuelsson for 7 years at $4.3 million so I'd imagine that would be the long-term rate for Fehervary given their similar results and profiles as defensive defensemen. Maybe a little less. Say 7 x $3.5 million. I think that was a mistake in Buffalo and I wouldn't want Washington to repeat that mistake with Fehervary. Plenty of bargain bin guys can fill that role for cheaper and better. Just find the next Jensen, TVR, etc.

I'd be much more interested in getting Sandin locked up long-term. He's eligible for an extension on July 1. I'm not sure how interested he'd be in signing a contract now vs. giving himself a full season in a top 4 role to compile some favorable stats and bring them to arbitration next year, but I'd at least make an offer that could tempt him. On top of currently being a more impactful player he has much more upside than Fehervary and is a better fit for where the game is going. He struggled defensively down the stretch but I have much more faith in him cleaning that up than I would Fehervary developing NHL level offensive instincts. I'd offer Sandin something like 6 x $5 million and make him say no.

Yeah, just the way he plays there's nothing to overpay for. New Jersey extended Siegenthaler to a long 3.4 mil after he had a better season as a DFD than anything Fehervary has shown so far

A better question is if they go into next season with Sandin, Fehervary and Alexeyev as their 3 LD. All 3 are clearly NHLers yet that's the greenest defensive side in the league and would be feasted on in any playoff scenario. Yet I'm pretty sure they can't keep Alexeyev as a 7D given what we heard this year

 

[Misery74]

Probably in the minority, but I don’t want to see any major additions.

Trade Mantha, at 50% if we need to. Better than a buyout.

Trade Kuznetsov, taking as little salary back as possible.

Money, youth and speed is the best path forward. Our division is brutal with the Canes, Rangers and Devils. At best, we are playing for fourth.

Rather not try and thread a needle. Adding a Debrincat or Boeser could just make things worse.

Let’s see what we have our in Frank, CMM and Jimi, especially with a new coach.

 

[ClevelandCapsfan]

Article is a bit dated but makes the case that the Devils will step up and pay $8M per anum to Bratt, thus eliminating the Caps pipe dream.

Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier Will Make More Money than Jack Hughes, and that’s OK

The Devils have a tall task ahead of them as Bratt and Meier need new deals, but Hughes’s contract shouldn’t be the measuring stick.

www.allaboutthejersey.com

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Probably in the minority, but I don’t want to see any major additions.

Trade Mantha, at 50% if we need to. Better than a buyout.

Trade Kuznetsov, taking as little salary back as possible.

Money, youth and speed is the best path forward. Our division is brutal with the Canes, Rangers and Devils. At best, we are playing for fourth.

Rather not try and thread a needle. Adding a Debrincat or Boeser could just make things worse.

Let’s see what we have our in Frank, CMM and Jimi, especially with a new coach.

Agreed.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Probably in the minority, but I don’t want to see any major additions.

Trade Mantha, at 50% if we need to. Better than a buyout.

Trade Kuznetsov, taking as little salary back as possible.

Money, youth and speed is the best path forward. Our division is brutal with the Canes, Rangers and Devils. At best, we are playing for fourth.

Rather not try and thread a needle. Adding a Debrincat or Boeser could just make things worse.

Let’s see what we have our in Frank, CMM and Jimi, especially with a new coach.

So you want to tank….interesting strategy…

 

[Ovi895]

If Kuznetsov has to leave, roll 4 lines that can each be top 6 or 3rd line caliber in a pinch.

Ovechkin-Strome-Wilson
???-McMichael-Mantha
Milano Protas Oshie
Snively Backstrom Dowd

Have ??? be Bertuzzi or hf's new most hated player in Bunting or Beauvillier if Vancouver offers him up cheaply. Fast physical pest to make up for some of the edge they lost with Hathaway.

Ovechkin Strome Wilson- self explanatory
B/B/B - McMichael - Mantha - try to emulate Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha in Detroit that was dynamite for a bit and probably what hypnotized GMBM into getting Mantha
Milano-Protas-Oshie - see if Protas can break out as a Tage Thompson like C between 2 crafty offensive wingers in Milano and Oshie
Snively-Backstrom-Dowd - Snively compliments Backstrom pretty well, Dowd can take a load off on the defensive/faceoff side of things and has developed a pretty solid supporting offensive game

At least this way the team is deep enough where they might be able to just get past top heavy teams matching the bottom 6 against league min scrubs

 

[StrikingDistance]

I realize this all is in the context of pro hockey, but the ageism around here is kinda staggering. At about-to-be-51, I must be an actual corpse.

Already 51. Sleep less than 6hrs per night. Still skateboarding and snowboarding. My corpse is quite upset. Oh well...punish it until it quits grandma. lol

 

[usiel]

Already 51. Sleep less than 6hrs per night. Still skateboarding and snowboarding. My corpse is quite upset. Oh well...punish it until it quits grandma. lol

Generally can't sleep more than a 4 hour go at a time so most of time I catch a couple hours right after the work day then another 4 or so before work. Though I did have a crazy rare day where I did sleep a straight 8 out of the blue it as pretty sweet.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Generally can't sleep more than a 4 hour go at a time so most of time I catch a couple hours right after the work day then another 4 or so before work. Though I did have a crazy rare day where I did sleep a straight 8 out of the blue it as pretty sweet.

Sleep is the cousin of death.

Overrated.