It’s the same story sir. It’s just later into the book. I guess not making negative assumptions is a thing here?
I appreciate and agree with the rest of your post.
Speculation: Caps Roster General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines/etc) | 2024-25 Summer Edition
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I appreciate and agree with the rest of your post.
Calicaps
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Impatience is the American Way! Just look out our ping-pong national elections. Everyone gets a handful of years and if they don't fix everything, it's "off with your head!"
twabby
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I'm glad quite a number of posters agree that the 3rd line could use an upgrade ... now lets go out and get the best top 6 player we can find which will result in the 3rd line being upgraded 
if PLD or Stromer go down injured, what do we look like down the middle? I assume CMM or Big Pro are playing C ... then who is in the top 6 at wing?
we have a strong locker room ... buy, and buy big
if PLD or Stromer go down injured, what do we look like down the middle? I assume CMM or Big Pro are playing C ... then who is in the top 6 at wing?
we have a strong locker room ... buy, and buy big
SecretaryofDefense5
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Langway
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32 Thoughts: The Podcast
Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.
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- The Caps staff played Protas clips of Matthews to hammer home quickening his release. (Ilya also seems to have taken that to heart watching some of his goals, both in terms of a quick release and also curl and drags...)
- A third liner, Scott Laughton type mentioned as a deadline priority. That sort of lower maintenance add seems likely I suppose, particularly someone like that who can also play center if need be. A swiss army type. Maybe not a sexy add but one that could be a playoff performer. I'm not sure he would crack their top two PK units given established chemistry but he is PHI's top PKing forward and historically a SHG threat. (Would definitely play him above CMM/Eller on the PK at least.)
twabby
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Hmm not sure I want this guy:
Kudos to Philly for pumping his value though
Kudos to Philly for pumping his value though
trick9
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I don't think we should be the team buying high on Scott Laughton. We already did this trade before, for Lars Eller. They are basically the same players.
Laughton has slightly better stat line. I'm sure it has nothing to do with him playing 1C and PP1 minutes right now in Philly. Remember, Lars Eller had 7 points in 17 games with Penguins, too. Good for Flyers pumping up his numbers pre-trade.
Lars Eller has 10 goals this season. Scott Laughton has 11. Little side note to his 11 goals in that 4 of those came in his ''once in a life-time'' 4-goal game vs. Red Wings before and 2 of those were empty-netters. I don't have anything against empty-netters, but it's worth noting given Caps aren't exactly desperate to add players to play in those situations. Scott Laughton does have more assists than Eller but again, i'd keep in mind that this is not a guy that's going to be playing with Travis Konecny and our top forwards in here. He doesn't create offense, and he isn't a particularly good finisher. If he were to play here for a full season, the realistic expectations would be ~30 points for me. Just like Lars Eller.
All in all. I don't get this. It would propably be my nightmare -scenario, actually. Not because he's a particularly bad player or anything, but for few things. We already acquired Lars Eller, basically the same player. I get adding Eller. Caps rely a lot on Dowd and Dubois for match-up's and they want someone as a backup so that the dynamics are there if one of those two were to be injured. 1st and 3rd lines are more to create offense out there. Another thing why i don't like Laughton is the market. I mean it's absolutely brutal for centers. Laughton is going to net a decent return for just that reason. Why would we be the team overpaying for another Lars Eller, just to put Lars Eller on the wing or to bump him off the PK? Our PK has been one of the best so far. This isn't a fantasy game either. Just because you acquire a guy who has been good on a PK that operates entirely differently as an unit (Flyers take a lot of risks to score short-handed, this isn't what the Caps do), doesn't mean he's going to be good here? Hell, it's much more likely that Eller would be better on the PK short-term than Laughton who needs time to adapt to completely different kind of PK setup that the Caps use in here, atleast for the short-term.
This is an expensive lateral move, and one i'm hoping that they don't make.
Laughton has slightly better stat line. I'm sure it has nothing to do with him playing 1C and PP1 minutes right now in Philly. Remember, Lars Eller had 7 points in 17 games with Penguins, too. Good for Flyers pumping up his numbers pre-trade.
Lars Eller has 10 goals this season. Scott Laughton has 11. Little side note to his 11 goals in that 4 of those came in his ''once in a life-time'' 4-goal game vs. Red Wings before and 2 of those were empty-netters. I don't have anything against empty-netters, but it's worth noting given Caps aren't exactly desperate to add players to play in those situations. Scott Laughton does have more assists than Eller but again, i'd keep in mind that this is not a guy that's going to be playing with Travis Konecny and our top forwards in here. He doesn't create offense, and he isn't a particularly good finisher. If he were to play here for a full season, the realistic expectations would be ~30 points for me. Just like Lars Eller.
All in all. I don't get this. It would propably be my nightmare -scenario, actually. Not because he's a particularly bad player or anything, but for few things. We already acquired Lars Eller, basically the same player. I get adding Eller. Caps rely a lot on Dowd and Dubois for match-up's and they want someone as a backup so that the dynamics are there if one of those two were to be injured. 1st and 3rd lines are more to create offense out there. Another thing why i don't like Laughton is the market. I mean it's absolutely brutal for centers. Laughton is going to net a decent return for just that reason. Why would we be the team overpaying for another Lars Eller, just to put Lars Eller on the wing or to bump him off the PK? Our PK has been one of the best so far. This isn't a fantasy game either. Just because you acquire a guy who has been good on a PK that operates entirely differently as an unit (Flyers take a lot of risks to score short-handed, this isn't what the Caps do), doesn't mean he's going to be good here? Hell, it's much more likely that Eller would be better on the PK short-term than Laughton who needs time to adapt to completely different kind of PK setup that the Caps use in here, atleast for the short-term.
This is an expensive lateral move, and one i'm hoping that they don't make.
twabby
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I still wonder about Ryan O'Reilly as 3C.
One of the problems I can see come playoff time is that the third line's minutes gets reduced, which will put an increased load on Ovechkin and Strome. I love Ovechkin but his ES minutes need to be where they are now for him to be effective IMO.
Adding O'Reilly could give them 3 lines they can confidently trot out against the best in the league and get pretty good defensive results. And then Ovechkin/Strome get the easier minutes.
Also not to look too far ahead, but they probably need to look at players that could help them against Carolina specifically. It's a team Washington typically hasn't faired well against, and I think a player like O'Reilly could help.
One of the problems I can see come playoff time is that the third line's minutes gets reduced, which will put an increased load on Ovechkin and Strome. I love Ovechkin but his ES minutes need to be where they are now for him to be effective IMO.
Adding O'Reilly could give them 3 lines they can confidently trot out against the best in the league and get pretty good defensive results. And then Ovechkin/Strome get the easier minutes.
Also not to look too far ahead, but they probably need to look at players that could help them against Carolina specifically. It's a team Washington typically hasn't faired well against, and I think a player like O'Reilly could help.
Silky mitts
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895
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Let's see ROR's card?
1st and Lapierre for ROR remains my dream acquisition. Plus Bear to make the salary work.
qc14
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Taking the latest 32T at face value, here is my 3rd liner upgrade power rankings. Using only guys on The Athletic's most recent trade board and taking into account probable acquisition cost:
Evans
O'Reilly
Nelson
--gap--
Gourde
--gap--
Donato
Frederic
Armia
--gap--
Laughton
Bjugstad
Tanev
Greenway
Evans
O'Reilly
Nelson
--gap--
Gourde
--gap--
Donato
Frederic
Armia
--gap--
Laughton
Bjugstad
Tanev
Greenway
He can be freed next year.
In a vaccuum, I agree. ROR has one more year after this at a good cap hit. However, I think the wild card here is good 'ol Barry. His GM moves are such headscratchers and most likely he's going to want a ridiculous overpayment for ROR. If they'd take our 2025 1st + something minor for ROR, then great, sign me up!
The names on the trade big board are just a big f***ing group of yuck. I’m not saying we should do nothing, but I am saying we should do nothing if we’re going to spend assets on a meh player that won’t move the needle. Get someone impactful or just keep the train moving. We’re already getting Leonard as a TDL acquisition and Milano will probably be back as another depth winger option.
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I think you make a great argument, but out of curiosity (for lack of knowledge). How would O’Reilly help against ‘Canes? I mean, what makes him valuable in that sense?
Silky mitts
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If you go through leading scorers among UFA it’s all guys on teams that are locks for the playoffs, so it’s not even like there’s anybody possibly available being overlooked on lists
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Do we think Toronto will gamble on losing Marner for free this summer or are they contemplating trading him before the deadline if he doesn’t re-sign?
trick9
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They can’t do anything, he has NMC and wants to play out the season there.
I think most agree with that sentiment. I do not want a Laughton, or anyone that will basically play 3rd or 4th line, save ROR. He could easily play 2c or whatever, but not with PLD and Strome.
So it’s a ROR type, or bust. Maybe another depth d-man, but I’m not stressing that.
So it’s a ROR type, or bust. Maybe another depth d-man, but I’m not stressing that.
Silky mitts
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The most likely scenario where an impactful player is available at a fairish price is Trotz waking up one day and deciding to trade ROR to a team in the East for a 1st +
