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Speculation: Caps Roster General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines/etc) | 2024-25 Summer Edition

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Jags said:
That's really encouraging to see, but let's keep it in perspective. That's a very ginger pace. He's testing it a little in the small acceleration, but mostly in the turns, feeling and holding an edge. Good that he's taking it easy and showing restraint, not pushing it.
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I would like to see tape of him ripping shots in the office. Im sure hes testing that out now.
 
Jags said:
That's really encouraging to see, but let's keep it in perspective. That's a very ginger pace. He's testing it a little in the small acceleration, but mostly in the turns, feeling and holding an edge. Good that he's taking it easy and showing restraint, not pushing it.
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Plus getting hit again. That’s really the biggest concern. Get nailed hard in the same spot and it’s not fully healed?

Back to square one
 

Forwards​

i

Connor McMichael, C, Washington Capitals​

2024-25 age: 24
Basic stats: 24 GP, 14 G, 10 A, 24 Pts, +10, 17.6 TOI/G
3-year established GAR: 1.1 Offense | 1.1 Defense | 2.1 Total
Actual GAR pace: 18.5 Offense | 3.8 Defense | 22.3 Total (+20.2)

​

Who had Connor McMichael down for more goals (14) than Connor McDavid(12) through the first two months of the 2024-25 season? Certainly nobody who thought the Caps would struggle this year -- which was pretty much everyone, as Washington opened the season tied for the seventh longest Stanley Cup odds of any team.

Fast forward to today, however, and no team has gained more playoff probability (+60%) than Washington, thanks in no small part to the scoring touch of the No. 25 pick from 2019.

Though it's fair to question whether McMichael can continue scoring on nearly 20% of his shots -- his previous career mark was 11% -- and he's not adding very much playmaking to go with his goals, he has massively improved his two-way indicators from a year ago, a sign of growth for a player who might lead the Caps' next generation into its post-Alex Ovechkin era.
 
There's actually 3 other Caps on that if you include the honorable mentions.

Strome, Protas, and Chychrun.
 
notDkristich said:
My personal WAG is that generally speaking the country of Finland and Russia DO NOT like each other. Maybe trying to keep the locker room tight and avoiding any drama?

Some context: Finland–Russia relations - Wikipedia
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Well, as a Finn… you are sort of correct historically as theres some serious grudges, and also the current situation in Ukraine etc.

But as in day-to-day, theres no problem or drama for a Finn and Russian to work together. And theres plenty of that in the NHL, as there was a lot of Finns playing in KHL and some Russians in Liiga before the Ukraine-war started.

It must be just something that Leonsis or some other big shot has with us Finns :)

Drafting wise i understand, we like the OHL-CHL and have a lot more data to weight in over the Finn prospects. And we have had strong scouting in Sweden so have more intel there too. What comes for free agency theres been plenty of ”that guy would fit” but it might just be a crazy co-incidence that the pieces never seem to fit.

Anyways, would be fun to have a Finn in a key-role and could boost some interest in here, but we do have a decent 10-20 active guys in the Finnish forum for Caps who dont really care. Its the team we care about, not the flag behind players name.

Being the flag-team for Russians and having the Captain of Team Putin captaining us too does have quite an echo here though. Capitals is also easily most hated NHL team and Ovechkin most hated player in the Finnish market currently and has a big group of people calling our small Caps-section politically out.
 
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Brian23 said:
There's actually 3 other Caps on that if you include the honorable mentions.

Strome, Protas, and Chychrun.
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I believe most of the Caps players are doing better than people expected from them. Some by personal growth becoming better players and some by just being part of a team where everything is going well right now.

Ovechkin with a bounceback season and was leading the league in goals before the injury. Strome taking another step, but missing Ovechkin clearly set back his production. He had two games without points with Ovechkin in the lineup now he has 4 pointless games of 7 with Ovi missing. Chychrun coming from Ottawa who was a mess Im not surprised things are going better for him here. Same with PLD who was put in a bad spot in LAK. Then you have Wilson finally back in shape after his injury. I feel bad for having doubts in him. Then the amazing steps taken by CMM and Protas and this is suddenly a very good team. Carlson aswell from 52 points last year to 62 point pace this year.

Then you just have solid rooster players in pretty much every position. Sandin's strengths with the puck is outweighing his weaknesses. Roy, Fehervary and TVR to round out the defence are all very good. The 4th line with the best 4th center in the league is great. Eller have made the 3rd line work. Mangiapane is also a very good player to have on a third line. Vrana is probably the weak link and I think Miro is already a better player. The only one Caps fans was expecting more from is Lapierre after he was very good in the end of the last season and against the Rags. So far he doesnt have that level this year. All other players are pretty much doing better than most would have tought before the season.
 
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www.sportsnet.ca

Jakob Chychrun opens up about Senators trade, long-term fit with Capitals

Seldom do bona fide 20-minutes-a-night defencemen with pedigree, size and offensive upside get traded. Yet here stands prime Jakob Chychrun, twice dealt. Now making a good case to not have it happen a third time.
www.sportsnet.ca www.sportsnet.ca

A great read.

Washington seems like it’s going to be a new long-term home for him and his family!
 
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LesDiablesRouges said:
www.sportsnet.ca

Jakob Chychrun opens up about Senators trade, long-term fit with Capitals

Seldom do bona fide 20-minutes-a-night defencemen with pedigree, size and offensive upside get traded. Yet here stands prime Jakob Chychrun, twice dealt. Now making a good case to not have it happen a third time.
www.sportsnet.ca www.sportsnet.ca

A great read.

Washington seems like it’s going to be a new long-term home for him and his family!
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“Tons of families, tons of kids….And it's just great for my wife (Olivia) and I. We love living here. We love playing here. The guys are phenomenal. One of the best organizations in the league. You see that with ownership. Just top to bottom, we’ve loved this.”
……..
“Capitals assistant coach Scott Allen and top centre Dylan Strome worked well with Chychrun in Arizona, his first team. Power-play coach Kirk Muller is a close family friend. And fellow summer recruit Brandon Duhaime grew up in South Florida with Chychrun.”

___________________________

The “DMV is a great place to raise a family” strikes again! I love how the org gets Duhaime and knows JC’s prior relationships with Strome, Allen, and Mueller. That kind of considerate planning shows we have a smart, classy FO.

Now re-sign this man!
 
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RedRocking said:
“Tons of families, tons of kids….And it's just great for my wife (Olivia) and I. We love living here. We love playing here. The guys are phenomenal. One of the best organizations in the league. You see that with ownership. Just top to bottom, we’ve loved this.”
……..
“Capitals assistant coach Scott Allen and top centre Dylan Strome worked well with Chychrun in Arizona, his first team. Power-play coach Kirk Muller is a close family friend. And fellow summer recruit Brandon Duhaime grew up in South Florida with Chychrun.”

___________________________

The “DMV is a great place to raise a family” strikes again! I love how the org gets Duhaime and knows JC’s prior relationships with Strome, Allen, and Mueller. That kind of considerate planning shows we have a smart, classy FO.

Now re-sign this man!
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VADCMD metro area is really a killer area. Top 5 schools in the nation and real estate that is basically immune to other downturns in the states. At this point moderate weather. Seeing Green and Holtby move back into the area says something.
 
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Pigskin said:
so what are we hoping for ? $8m x 8 ? Anything under that is just a bonus?
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I think it depends what the final cap number looks like but I'd think that would be on the high end -- lots of his recent comps have gotten a bit less than that
 
Dowd is pacing for a career year. 25 goals.

Obviously we want to re-sign him but if someone offers him like 3x3m, it's probably a bad idea to match.

Just like with Jay Beagle, thanks for the years of hockey and happy you got that money, but bye.



What do you guys think it will take to get him signed?
 
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Not sure where I stand with Dowd re-signing mainly due to his age, but I don't think Beagle is a good comparison. Dowd is a much better player than Beagle was, and has allowed the team to basically plug and play bargain bin wingers on the 4th line: Hagelin, Hathaway, Malenstyn, NAK, Duhaime, Raddysh, and others have all fit in well. It might be worth it to pay Dowd in that $2-3 million range and then get league minimum wingers for the 4th line.
 
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