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

[twabby]

Who is this “Wilson” that you are touting?

Certainly not boat anchor contract Tom Wilson?

I forgot to carry the 1 when doing my calculations on Wilson. Whoops!

 

[Lou Sassole]

Good luck….our junk seems highly unlikely to be the final sale price…..

Yeah, Milano is definitely not a Tocchet type of player, so I don't think they are gonna have any interest in an injured, inconsistent, skill only guy.

I hope Coach Carbery has the balls to take Ovie off the PP. The coaches have to see what we are all. He is to easy to defend and takes 2-3 min shifts.
I think he can still get the record without tanking the PP

It's not taking Ovie off the PP, it's keeping Chychrun on the PP. The PK will have to choose who to let shoot, and if they shade to both, there will be giant gaps for the other 3 to work with.

 

[wickedwitch]

I wouldn't touch the lineup right now. The only thing they are even potentially missing is game-breaking talent, and they aren't getting that in a trade mid-season. (And I'm not convinced that they don't have that on the level needed to win in the playoffs. McMichael/Strome/39-year-old Ovi aren't prime Ovi, but most Cup winning teams don't have that level of talent either.)

 

[Nice]

Loving the blatant disrespect from the other fanbases as they proceed to keep winning. Guess they can't accept the Caps didn't have to do a complete teardown to turn it around

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I wouldn't touch the lineup right now. The only thing they are even potentially missing is game-breaking talent, and they aren't getting that in a trade mid-season. (And I'm not convinced that they don't have that on the level needed to win in the playoffs. McMichael/Strome/39-year-old Ovi aren't prime Ovi, but most Cup winning teams don't have that level of talent either.)

That’s why we trust the braintrust of the Org…..they have the pulse of what’s needed, who is part of the future and who likely isn’t. If they make moves, there are reasons.

I’d always be looking to improve no matter how good we look now. May/June is when we need to be playing at this level…I’m not sitting on my hands due to a fast start.


Back to the Hoglander idea for a minute….I wonder if Iorio is interesting to them….

 

[Sparky]

I wouldn't touch the lineup right now. The only thing they are even potentially missing is game-breaking talent, and they aren't getting that in a trade mid-season. (And I'm not convinced that they don't have that on the level needed to win in the playoffs. McMichael/Strome/39-year-old Ovi aren't prime Ovi, but most Cup winning teams don't have that level of talent either.)

Agreed on not touching the lineup. What I see them missing is the game-stealing goaltending. Game-breaking offense has been there up and down the lineup thus far even if the talent isn't, but they've not really had a stolen game from the goaltender yet. Looking way too far forward that's what they need to really compete in the playoffs: one of the two guys to show they'll swipe a game or two.

 

[MW6]

 

[stephenball]

Honestly if you’re going to put Ovechkin back in his spot when he comes back on the PP, I don’t hate the idea of him and Carlson in their normal spots, and putting Chychrun on the other wall. Having another top level shooting threat opposite Ovechkin could really force PK units to make tough decisions. Strome down low, he has great hands around the net and his good vision could be a boon down there, Wilson in the bumper. Although CMM has been nice for c zone entries.

Could also go with Chychrun and Ovechkin on one unit and Carlson and Sandin on 2nd.

 

[qc14]

Honestly if you’re going to put Ovechkin back in his spot when he comes back on the PP, I don’t hate the idea of him and Carlson in their normal spots, and putting Chychrun on the other wall. Having another top level shooting threat opposite Ovechkin could really force PK units to make tough decisions. Strome down low, he has great hands around the net and his good vision could be a boon down there, Wilson in the bumper. Although CMM has been nice for c zone entries.

Could also go with Chychrun and Ovechkin on one unit and Carlson and Sandin on 2nd.

I am in favor of either of those things. Strome's reluctance to shoot drives me insane

 

[DWGie26]

Missed a lot while i was running around in Blacksburg for a couple of days. Beat that UVA ass (again) so i am happy. But good lord it was cold!

In terms of Haglander rumors… it is just that. Deals get discussed all of the time. Doesn’t mean a deal is close. I suspect what has happened here is an agent leaking stuff to media to create some intensity on interest. Caps probably took the call, but i don’t see this ultimately making sense. Nothing to see here.

 

[stephenball]

I am in favor of either of those things. Strome's reluctance to shoot drives me insane

Yeah I want him to be greedier on the PP. It’s funny because one thing I love about him is how often he tends to shoot the puck on 2-on-1 situations. At least from what I remember.

 

[Holtbyisms]

That’s why we trust the braintrust of the Org…..they have the pulse of what’s needed, who is part of the future and who likely isn’t. If they make moves, there are reasons.

I’d always be looking to improve no matter how good we look now. May/June is when we need to be playing at this level…I’m not sitting on my hands due to a fast start.


Back to the Hoglander idea for a minute….I wonder if Iorio is interesting to them….

I certainly hope that isn't on the table. On the right we've got Carlson for a couple more years, Roy long term and then ???? Our organizational strength is at forward, were limited on the blue line. Iorio is the only guy even remotely close to stepping into NHL action in our prospect pipeline. I mean Taylor Raddysh also once scored 20 goals. The 5'9" bottom sixer Hoglander with a lone 20 goal season doesn't move the needle for me, this season or the subsequent 3 he's signed for.

 

[DWGie26]

I’m not sure there is anything we really want to pull the trigger on right now. We are getting Miro good NHL minutes but he will go back down. Lapierre is getting good minutes on the wing, but I do believe the Caps want him to be 3C. but he needs to get a lot stronger… both his skating stride and his puck battles. Eller has such man strength over him. but i digress. We have a lot of development going on both with players added, those taking big roles and those trying to break in. We have enough now. Let’s see what things look like at TDL.

Also of note… we have very little Cap space left after signing Eller. Not even enough space to bring Milano off LTIR without a corresponding more.

 

[Random schmoe]

In terms of Haglander rumors… it is just that. Deals get discussed all of the time. Doesn’t mean a deal is close. I suspect what has happened here is an agent leaking stuff to media to create some intensity on interest. Caps probably took the call, but i don’t see this ultimately making sense. Nothing to see here.

To be honest, when I first saw the tweet, I just smirked and thought to myself 'Good, lets bid up the price for the Penguins, since we surely don't actually have any need for him.'

Also of note… we have very little Cap space left after signing Eller. Not even enough space to bring Milano off LTIR without a corresponding more.

I have to admit that I no longer remember the ins and outs of LTIR rules. I wondered if putting Ovie on LTIR would provide a short term buffer for just such a thing as above if needed.

I strongly suspect Milano and/or Vrana will no longer be a Capital the day after the trade deadline.

I certainly hope [Iorio] isn't on the table.

I'd only deal Iorio if we're getting a "stud" back, someone with a significantly higher likelihood than he of being a top 6/top 4 guy.


Does anyone know if cap calculations will continue to accrue during the 4 Nations tournament in February? Was just wondering if they could send some guys to Hershey (Miro and Lapierre mainly) during it to "free up" space. I know they can't accrue cap space while using the LTIR pool, but maybe they can make some paper transactions before/during/after it to stay compliant.

 

[DWGie26]

Does anyone know if cap calculations will continue to accrue during the 4 Nations tournament in February? Was just wondering if they could send some guys to Hershey (Miro and Lapierre mainly) during it to "free up" space. I know they can't accrue cap space while using the LTIR pool, but maybe they can make some paper transactions before/during/after it to stay compliant.

I don’t know about 4 nations accrual. I think it is based on games played (not time).

And you 100% cannot accrue Cap space for players on LTIR. So moving OV to LTIR doesn’t help. I think they moved Milano because they actually need the cap space (not just the roster spot). When Milano comes off LTIR someone (Miro or Lappy) will need to go back to Hershey.

So i think you keep Miro and Lappy up as it is more valuable to get them experience at NHL level when you can. But that time will end unless someone is moved out and i don’t see that happening unless we see a deal we just can’t refuse for Mangi or Milano or Vrana.

 

[Random schmoe]

I don’t know about 4 nations accrual. I think it is based on games played (not time).

And you 100% cannot accrue Cap space for players on LTIR. So moving OV to LTIR doesn’t help. I think they moved Milano because they actually need the cap space (not just the roster spot). When Milano comes off LTIR someone (Miro or Lappy) will need to go back to Hershey.

So i think you keep Miro and Lappy up as it is more valuable to get them experience at NHL level when you can. But that time will end unless someone is moved out and i don’t see that happening unless we see a deal we just can’t refuse for Mangi or Milano or Vrana.

Thanks.
Could they bring Milano off LTIR with the corresponding move to put Ovie on it? Would that work?

(Obviously, assuming the timelines work out.)

I figure there is SOME reason they haven't just put Ovie on it already, like they're waiting until they need to. I think all are assuming he'll be out the requisite 10 games / 24 days.

 

[Kalopsia]

I certainly hope that isn't on the table. On the right we've got Carlson for a couple more years, Roy long term and then ???? Our organizational strength is at forward, were limited on the blue line. Iorio is the only guy even remotely close to stepping into NHL action in our prospect pipeline. I mean Taylor Raddysh also once scored 20 goals. The 5'9" bottom sixer Hoglander with a lone 20 goal season doesn't move the needle for me, this season or the subsequent 3 he's signed for.

Not to say that I want to trade Iorio for Hoglander, but I don't see him as key to the long term organizational depth on the right side of the blueline. I'd be shocked if the Caps don't extend Carlson, and just based on what I'm reading in the prospect and Hershey threads I get the impression Chesley is the better prospect at this point. TVR's still got another year left after this one too.

Also of note… we have very little Cap space left after signing Eller. Not even enough space to bring Milano off LTIR without a corresponding more.

According to capwages Milano's on regular IR and not LTIR, so he's still counting against the cap. They would need a corresponding move to activate him, but only because they've got 23 guys on the active roster already. Sending Miro back down would do it.

Again, not that I necessarily want Hoglander, but his cap hit right now is only 1.1M. The only thing the Caps would need to do to fit him is have any single player on the active roster either included in the trade or sent down to Hershey. The cap really isn't a hindrance in any potential trade here, at least on the Caps side. Vancouver's about 500K from the cap right now, so anything going back their way for Hoglander couldn't have a total cap hit above 1.6M.

 

[Ridley Simon]

If his name was Highlander, not Hoglander, everyone would want his jersey.

“There can only be one”

 

[Kazer]

Not to say that I want to trade Iorio for Hoglander, but I don't see him as key to the long term organizational depth on the right side of the blueline. I'd be shocked if the Caps don't extend Carlson, and just based on what I'm reading in the prospect and Hershey threads I get the impression Chesley is the better prospect at this point. TVR's still got another year left after this one too.


According to capwages Milano's on regular IR and not LTIR, so he's still counting against the cap. They would need a corresponding move to activate him, but only because they've got 23 guys on the active roster already. Sending Miro back down would do it.

Again, not that I necessarily want Hoglander, but his cap hit right now is only 1.1M. The only thing the Caps would need to do to fit him is have any single player on the active roster either included in the trade or sent down to Hershey. The cap really isn't a hindrance in any potential trade here, at least on the Caps side. Vancouver's about 500K from the cap right now, so anything going back their way for Hoglander couldn't have a total cap hit above 1.6M.

Reminder that the issue with Hoglander isn't 24-25 (where he could fit on the 3rd line and his cap hit is very reasonable) but the 3x3 extension that kicks in starting 25-26.

On Iorio, he's definitely a mid-tier prospect but the dearth of RHD prospects and relative age of the group makes him more valuable to the Caps than to other teams. Chesley and Allen might be better, eventually, but they also have not played a single AHL game yet. I agree that the Caps will probably re-sign Carlson short-term, but Iorio could be in the NHL as soon as next season behind Carlson/Roy/TvR. He's not a guy I would move on from easily. [basically, I agree with Random schmoe]