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

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Jags said:
If Alexeyev gets bumped, that's between him and Carbery. What Mac did was spend a bit more to make sure we upgraded Irwin and had real, non-Hershey insurance for AA because the kid has a habit of getting hurt.

We got a 7D that can compete with the kids for a spot, and one that might still be good if he can heal up. If he can't and is brutal, AA plays regardless. If he can't and he's hurt, he goes to IR and has no cap impact.

Worst case we're out one decent pick. Best case he's healthy, plays well, and we flip him at the deadline.
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Exactly, It's Minnesota's pick too, so it will be later in the round. People act like the game is played on paper and competition is a bad thing. There will be injuries, and we want the young guys to earn their spots. What makes everyone think Carbery is gonna choose the old guys?
 
Lou Sassole said:
Exactly, It's Minnesota's pick too, so it will be later in the round. People act like the game is played on paper and competition is a bad thing. There will be injuries, and we want the young guys to earn their spots. What makes everyone think Carbery is gonna choose the old guys?
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Well I have a smidge of concern Ted/Dick with their marketing stupidity might push Carbery, being a young rookie coach, to play some of the vets over the younger players. I hope it doesn't happen and that Carbery is allowed to put together the best roster possible that he seems fit with.
 
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The more that I look at our current salary cap structure and crunch, the more I think that they will not only have to trade just one of Mantha or Kuzy, but BOTH - IF they do want to bring in a top-six stud and also have enough cap flexibility to carry a whole squad and also be able to call the youngsters up and down all year. Kuzy’s salary would absolutely have to go out in a DeBrincat-type trade, whereas someone like Mantha could be 50% retained worst comes to worst.

Another option is to find a taker for Kuzy with a significant asset attached - 2nd rounder or decent prospect. Wonder how Kuzy’s partial NTC could further make that process more difficult. I think Mantha is more moveable in a package trade for a top-sixer (though we’d likely have to give a bit more value in that package).

I wish Kuzy always had his head on straight, but he doesn’t. He’s still a very talented and good player, but checks out too often and takes way too many nights off - on top of the fact that he has requested a trade multiple times. The question of a bounce-back on talent alone with a new coaching staff outweighs paying a premium to move him (especially with two years left on his contract), but it seems like that bridge has been burned and he has to be moved to make the addition(s) that they need and want to make, while Mantha is a lower cap hit on an expiring deal and is much more palpable for a team to swallow.
 
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Having mentioned what I did just a second ago, Kuzy and Mantha are the only logical sizeable cap hits to prioritize moving out. Under different circumstances (with both players gone), Oshie would definitely be the next candidate up, but I think it’d be a huge mistake to trade him before the other two. He’s a glue guy and despite his decline and injury issues, he’s far more important to the team than Kuzy and Mantha. Wilson is going to be extended, so that’s out of the picture. Backstrom and Carlson will not get moved for varying reasons - Nick deserves to ride off into the sunset on his own accord and Carlson is far too important to this team.

Ovechkins Wodka said:
looks like slim pickings for options of new players. I think we should and are standing pat.
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They literally can’t stand pat. They’re going to be quite over the cap when MaxPax is back and they cannot even run a full squad even with him on LTIR.
 
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CapitalsCupReality said:
Is he really 140lbs? Hmmm


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AHL bio had him at 160lbs so doubt it.

Ovechkins Wodka said:
looks like slim pickings for options of new players. I think we should and are standing pat.
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Agreed. It was tried (and will likely keep trying), but Kuznetsov and Mantha tanked their values too far on the negative side.

It sucks but we are stuck with them. I have a very hard time believing that a GM (with cap space) is going to wake up one morning and decide that we need to add Kuznetsov or Mantha. The best bet is most likely Vancouver moving Garland or Boeser for either but those aren't really great options for us. Garland for Mantha could be an upgrade, or not. Dark side is that while Mantha is off the books by next summer, Garland has 3 years left, Boeser 2. Garland and Boeser are both guys who have tanked their values league-wide too, even if they bounced back to a degree last season.

I'm happy with not spending assets to get rid of either. Give it a go at the start of the season with the favourable schedule (12 of 20 at home in October+November, facing several bad teams) and see what the kids can do. By december you can re-visit where you are. Does Backstrom still play? Oshie and Pacioretty still in the line-up? Mantha still in the line-up? How does the defense look?

Who knows. Maybe they can beat the odds and actually be sitting at a Playoff spot around the TDL. Perhaps even with a Backstrom-sized hole of cap space to work with. That's when you consider putting those future 2nd rounders in play.

If it's red tank time again at the TDL, then i feel like they can get rid of the problems. Mantha has one way out of the door already. Kuznetsov propably returns something of value with enough retention. Best-case scenario is that he rebounds and builds up that value again before he's traded. I wouldn't hold my breath on that.
 
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Im not in favor of them getting rid of Kuzy/Mantha if its going to cost them more assets. At this point, If nothing on the trade front materializes, then you roll the dice. If it works, then we squeak into the playoffs. If not, its Red Tank time, and we get another high pick, and become sellers at the deadline.

I have to think management is maybe looking to next summer already. The cap is widely projected to go up $4M. Mantha and NAK come off the books, saving another $7M. That gives them an extra $11M to play with. The only re-ups of note are Wilson (who I expect gets done before camp this summer), and Sandin. McMichael & Protas will be RFA's but neither of those are breaking the bank. Maybe Backy is LTIRetired by that point.

Point being is that the Caps will have a great deal of flexibility next summer.... and I feel Mac may have to wait it out until then.
 
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I dunno why they've brought him in. I guess it's a 1 year deal, so whatever, but I think he's probably good enough to eat big minutes in the AHL but I don't want him to end up eating any of Iorio's minutes.

Suppose he keeps the seat warm for Chesley coming over, hopefully, next year. Or Johnson?
 
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