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

[hockeykicker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842627960181850555

 

[Ridley Simon]

That’s good, IMO.

I am happy they still have Bear. Let him play top minutes at Hershey, and be ready when injuries hit. I’d say he’s still #8 or so, even w McIlrath staying up for the moment.

Team will need that depth. We all know this. Bear/McIlrath as 8/9 isn’t a bad thing at all.

And that’s assuming Iorio isn’t pushing into that 8/9 discussion (this all assume AA is #7).

 

[Langway]

But assuming they waive Mac is there room for all of Bear/Mac/Iorio/Priskie on the right? Iorio played his off-side in the pre-season IINM but it isn't all that sensible. HHA/Ness/Hunt on the left side is pretty well accounted for anyway. It's all about winning in Hershey but you wonder if they shouldn't narrow it down a bit.

Things can happen. Bear could be tradable after clearing given the additional flexibility but stacking depth does have its limits.

 

[Holtbyisms]

But assuming they waive Mac is there room for all of Bear/Mac/Iorio/Priskie on the right? Iorio played his off-side in the pre-season IINM but it isn't all that sensible. HHA/Ness/Hunt on the left side is pretty well accounted for anyway. It's all about winning in Hershey but you wonder if they shouldn't narrow it down a bit.

Things can happen. Bear could be tradable after clearing given the additional flexibility but stacking depth does have its limits.

Don't forget Logan Day, Jake Massie and Nicky Leivermann who earned himself some AHL games this year after his playoff performance. Going to be a lot of guys deserving of time on that D corps.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

But assuming they waive Mac is there room for all of Bear/Mac/Iorio/Priskie on the right? Iorio played his off-side in the pre-season IINM but it isn't all that sensible. HHA/Ness/Hunt on the left side is pretty well accounted for anyway. It's all about winning in Hershey but you wonder if they shouldn't narrow it down a bit.

Things can happen. Bear could be tradable after clearing given the additional flexibility but stacking depth does have its limits.

It’s only a pre-season problem. Wait until injuries start to pile up and minor league trades will take care of the rest.

The past few seasons proved you can never have too much depth on the blue line.

 

[wickedwitch]

Obviously, we don't see everything the coaches see, but IMO, Cristall actually made this an easy decision for them. He's been one of the 12 best forwards, has a skill set nobody else on the team (who isn't headed to LTIR) has, and is no worse defensively than the other options. He's earned a spot in the lineup.

Obviously he has stuff to work on, he will both improve the Caps chances of winning this season while also having the opportunity to develop against NHL level competition. He'll also be with world class coaches (including strength and conditioning coaches).

 

[DWGie26]

But assuming they waive Mac is there room for all of Bear/Mac/Iorio/Priskie on the right? Iorio played his off-side in the pre-season IINM but it isn't all that sensible. HHA/Ness/Hunt on the left side is pretty well accounted for anyway. It's all about winning in Hershey but you wonder if they shouldn't narrow it down a bit.

Things can happen. Bear could be tradable after clearing given the additional flexibility but stacking depth does have its limits.

I think they are going to keep Mac. Nothing wrong with having some beef ready to go! he won’t be a regular unless injuries but he will play against Rangers and other teams when we need a physical presence.

 

[qc14]

I completely agree that Cristall sealed the 3lw spot on opening night. My guess for the roster after all cap shenanigans (for example, I think it's almost guaranteed Lappy will move to Hershey in a paper transaction as he's waiver-exempt) will be:

Ovi-Strome-Mangiapane
McM-PLD-Wilson
Cristall-Lappy-Protas
Duhaime-Dowd-Raddysh
Milano

Chychrun-Carlson
Fehervary-Roy
Sandin-TvR
AA-McIlrath

If you sign Vrana and want to keep him up (which I wouldn't) I think it will actually be Alexeyev that gets sent to Hershey ...

 

[HTFN]

I think they are going to keep Mac. Nothing wrong with having some beef ready to go! he won’t be a regular unless injuries but he will play against Rangers and other teams when we need a physical presence.

Slightly annoying, he's already proven a handful of times that he's just straight up bad.

It's not as annoying as the Matt Irwin lovefest from a few years ago but feels a lot more like a direct favor to an AHL soldier.

 

[qc14]

Slightly annoying, he's already proven a handful of times that he's just straight up bad.

It's not as annoying as the Matt Irwin lovefest from a few years ago but feels a lot more like a direct favor to an AHL soldier.

I thought McIlrath played well in the NHL last year and teams don't typically give direct favors to AHL soldiers at the beginning of a new season!

 

[StrikingDistance]

I thought McIlrath played well in the NHL last year and teams don't typically give direct favors to AHL soldiers at the beginning of a new season!

Agreed. He stepped up last year as needed and is the C for the Bears. Why wouldn't the Caps give him respect?

 

[DWGie26]

Slightly annoying, he's already proven a handful of times that he's just straight up bad.

It's not as annoying as the Matt Irwin lovefest from a few years ago but feels a lot more like a direct favor to an AHL soldier.

He’s not in WSH because he is a great defenseman. He is there because they need snarl and they don’t want it to be Wilson who has to drop gloves and enforce. He held his own in NHL last year and definitely brought a physical tenor to the Dee. No issue with him on the roster. It does hurt Hershey a bit though.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

The only concern headed into the season I have is their ability to create offense. Dubois and Mangiapane have only been OK this pre season IMHO.

 

[wickedwitch]

Another potential "issue" regarding Cristall: Kelowna has been awful without him. They're last in the WHL, at 1-5. And other than Cristall, they have only lost 1 other of their top 10 point getters from last season. (Iginla has 1 point in 3 games.) Obviously, this is small sample size, but I had expected Kelowna to be one of the better teams in the league this year. So from a development point of view, I don't know if that's ideal. But OTOH, they should be better if he gets returned and if not, he could get traded.