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

[Roshi]

Less money to spend up front, where they probably need more production and ceiling. They'll add Leonard and Mangiapane will move on but if we assume they'll also retain Chychrun then a lot rests on being very resourceful up front. I haven't run the numbers but it just seems like it would stretch things thin. It's something maybe they can navigate but would seem on the surface to preclude adding anyone significant.

Frank could perhaps earn a spot. Certainly they have a number of developing pieces like Miro, Lapierre, Cristall and others. While it does make sense from a reliability standpoint to retain the D/G group it may come at a cost elsewhere.

Ovechkin-Strome-Protas
McMichael-Dubois-Wilson
Milano-Lapierre-Leonard
Frank-Dowd (2,4M)-Duhaime
13F (1M)

Chychrun (8M)-Carlson
Sandin-Roy
Fehervary-TvR
7D (1M)

Thompson/Lindgren (3,9M)

Cap hit 87,514 m

If cap goes up to 92,4 m where it is projected we will have 4,8 millions for upgrades. We are good here.

Thats upgrading Milano for 6,7 m player, McMichael for 7 m player or Lapierre for 5m player.
I want Boeser. Its doable. Or ROR. Thats doable too.

But in vaccuum, I rather have the goalie position safe and secured, than a marginal upgrade somewhere else. Lindgren over some unknown 1 mill backup is much better than another Mangiapane. And I like Mangiapane.

Atleast half of the teams spend on this range for their goalies. Its not like "over investement" or anything. And I also like the approach of having two good goalies over one "franchise goalie", because whenever that one goalie goes down for injury or bad scretch, good luck with your backup.

 

[Langway]

I don't know. I'm not sure I buy them going into next season with Lapierre at center without some insurance around once again. That could be the extra but...it's not going to be gifted. It was gifted once initially...no more. Also hard to see Frank on the fourth-line given his skill set/role. He's not a shutdown type player.

I get building from the net out but I think it's really the center ice position that sticks out for me as what limits their ceiling going forward. The rest is fair or better but there's a definite lack of dynamism and elite type fluidity. PLD has been more or less aces but Strome's skating really looks to limit him. And, again, at this stage it's hard to expect all that much from Lapierre going forward. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't. But it's going to be difficult to rely on him given what's materialized this season. Unlike with McMichael and Protas he's probably not going to get the opportunity to cut his teeth on the wing. If he doesn't meet standards at center then is his value higher elsewhere for a franchise more desperate for a 2C solution that's willing to gift him TOI while he figures it out?

Aside from Pettersson not much comes to mind that would change that center mix that much. They could go with a modest upgrade over Eller perhaps in a Gourde but it still seems like a bit of a stretch when assessing their chances going up against the very best.

Edit: Does going cheaper at 1b change that? Not necessarily so maybe it's the best use of funds. But it is the thing that most sticks out going forward. Outside of trying Leonard at center at some point there may not be an easy answer.

 

[Roshi]

I don't know. I'm not sure I buy them going into next season with Lapierre at center without some insurance around once again. That could be the extra but...it's not going to be gifted. It was gifted once initially...no more. Also hard to see Frank on the fourth-line given his skill set/role. He's not a shutdown type player.

I get building from the net out but I think it's really the center ice position that sticks out for me as what limits their ceiling going forward. The rest is fair or better but there's a definite lack of dynamism and elite type fluidity. PLD has been more or less aces but Strome's skating really looks to limit him. And, again, at this stage it's hard to expect all that much from Lapierre going forward. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't. But it's going to be difficult to rely on him given what's materialized this season. Unlike with McMichael and Protas he's probably not going to get the opportunity to cut his teeth on the wing. If he doesn't meet standards at center then is his value higher elsewhere for a franchise more desperate for a 2C solution that's willing to gift him TOI while he figures it out?

Aside from Pettersson not much comes to mind that would change that center mix that much. They could go with a modest upgrade over Eller perhaps in a Gourde but it still seems like a bit of a stretch when assessing their chances going up against the very best.

Edit: Does going cheaper at 1b change that? Not necessarily so maybe it's the best use of funds. But it is the thing that most sticks out going forward. Outside of trying Leonard at center at some point there may not be an easy answer.

The small roster decisions are interchangeable. If you dont see Frank as 4th line role, just swap him with 13F and get another Raddysh.

Replacing (and trading) Milano with Miro or Cristall or whoever also opens up another 1m, if you want to go heavy on the Lapierre update. Thats 6m C in the making. And TvR for Iorio kind of swap opens up another 2M. Its the small decisions, but we are in good position to make those.

The point, spending 1,5 m less on goalies doesnt really move the needle enough to make even a ”bigger splash”.

 

[trick9]

Last chance for Lindgren to make his money most likely. He has been underpaid for years now. I'd be really surprised if he were to take just 1 or even 2-year contract. That'd mean he really wants to stay. Goalie market isn't going to be great again so i'm sure there's more money available elsewhere.