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

[qc14]

A lot of us are getting pretty high on our own supply both in terms of the actual roster and our prospects. The third line has been extremely good since Frank came up, with either Raddysh or Mangiapane on the opposite wing. I don't think it's an absolute necessity to upgrade there like it was at the start of the season. That being said, guys like Nelson, ROR, McCann, Marchand, Gourde are all very good players and would make the team noticeably better.

I love Lappy, and I think his NHL/AHL playoffs last year definitely hint that he still has a fair amount of NHL upside. He was legitimately awful as an NHL player this year by every metric though, is older than you think, and is in real danger of being passed by multiple other prospects on the depth chart. He's absolutely not untouchable in a deal.

A lot of things (mostly on the Nashville/player side) would probably have to happen for it to be executed but I think in theory ROR for the 25 1st + Lappy is an extremely fair deal that fits both sides' needs extremely well.

 

[Jags]

Totally agree here. We really don’t want to rely on 7-10 to fill in during a crucial playoff run.

Our starting 6 today is at least on par with what we had in 2018. AA and DM are better than Djoos and Bowey, too. I'm not opposed to adding a depth piece is the price is negligible, but not sure I see a real need there.

Between cyclical lulls and no cap rise they were sort of stuck. It's amazing what one off-season well executed can do.

We had two contracts for beloved players turn into boat anchors, plus the decline of Kuznetsov and misfit Kuemper. Over a third of our cap tied up in guys we were better off playing without.

How the offseason played out was par for the course for our front office. That's the kind of clever shit they've been doing all along. Yes, those things are occasionally offset somewhat by moves that don't work out, but "correcting moves that didn't work out" is absolutely part of the "clever shit" referenced above.

So yeah, we lost seasons to unfortunate, unexpected things, but our course correction has been pretty stellar since BMac took over. This wasn't just a single-offseason turnaround. It was 3 years of course correction that happened to pay off at once.

we're not acquiring the 27 year old Cup winning version of ROR, we're getting the 34 year old version of the guy

No one here thinks ROR is who he was 7 years ago. Today's O'Reilly is a better player than today's Eller. Our 1C busted a hand during our Cup run, so we know as well as anyone how important center depth is. ROR is a better fit for our wing talent, can play up the lineup without issue, and would be another respected vet in the room.

I would not at all be upset to give up the 25 1st + Lappy for him.

I don't think it'd take both. And if it does, there'd best be a pick or piece coming back in addition to ROR.

 

[Corby78]

Is there that much ask for RoR? I would hope it wouldn’t take that much. Nashville looks lost IMO, and doesn’t have an identity so to me it really depends on if they see him as a part of the next good preds team. The team I would like to go after is Boston, they have nobody in their pipeline and are getting older, but I think the only guy I would consider is Marchant and he doesn’t seem to want to be traded and would probably ruin the lockeroom vibe.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Interesting timing right before the deadline.

Sonny and 1st for ROR?

 

[Ridley Simon]

Simply due to ROR still being under contract beyond this year (on a GOOD Deal), makes him more expensive than just a first, IMO. 4.5m thru 2027??

I think you have to pry him away. 1st and Lapierre should do that. Have to give to get.

Would be great to get someone to retain some of the 4.5m if so — as well.

 

[Raikkonen]

With ROR you get much better center depth, possible good 2-way 3rd line capable of scoring key goals in the process and the whole "top-6 C going down" problem solution. Lots of options.

Im not sure both PLD and Strome will play as good as they were in their better games this season so having ROR isnt equal to having CMM/Eller as top-6 option.

I like Lappier but GMCP/BM showed they can get another player if required (apparently we have enough in the pipeline anyway).

They can obviously feel out ROR before the deal so if it happens Im ok with it totally.

 

[Kolzilla]

Simply due to ROR still being under contract beyond this year (on a GOOD Deal), makes him more expensive than just a first, IMO. 4.5m thru 2027??

I think you have to pry him away. 1st and Lapierre should do that. Have to give to get.

Would be great to get someone to retain some of the 4.5m if so — as well.

Said it before, but Barry is quite unpredictable as a GM. Who knows what he wants or what his ask will be? A sane GM would see the preds, even before last off-season, needed a strong retool at a minimum, and a deal like 1st + good prospect for 34 y/o player would be good for the long term health of the franchise.

Instead he signs a bunch of 30+ past prime players to long term contracts, waives some decent options for nothing (i.e., Fabbro). so who knows, maybe he'll waive ROR and we get him for free? lol

 

[Silky mitts]

ROR just signed there and Friedman said even though they didn’t give him a NTC Trotz may give him a say and not just trade him for the biggest package, or might say I told ROR xyz when he signed and I’m committed to that

 

[MW6]

A 1st + Lapierre for ROR @ 2,25M is a good deal IMO! A think it would be great for Leonard to start off his NHL career on his wing as well. Especially if they’re planning on graduating Miro next season as well.

O’Reilly’s experience, leadership, hard work and 2-way play, special team’s ability along with the skill to play up the lineup is worth a lot IMO.

 

[HTFN]

A 1st + Lapierre for ROR @ 2,25M is a good deal IMO! A think it would be great for Leonard to start off his NHL career on his wing as well. Especially if they’re planning on graduating Miro next season as well.

O’Reilly’s experience, leadership, hard work and 2-way play, special team’s ability along with the skill to play up the lineup is worth a lot IMO.

this is the first thing I've read that actually makes me want to do it, those two do seem well suited to each other

 

[Kazer]

Interesting timing right before the deadline.

Sonny and 1st for ROR?

This is important as the Caps currently do not have room for Sonny. They might be able to buy a little bit of time by sending Sonny on a conditioning stint, but they are currently carrying 23** players so something* will have to happen before he can be activated.

*Send someone down OR put someone on IR or LTIR
**12 F + Vrana; 6 D + McIlrath and AA

 

[wickedwitch]

This is important as the Caps currently do not have room for Sonny. They might be able to buy a little bit of time by sending Sonny on a conditioning stint, but they are currently carrying 23** players so something* will have to happen before he can be activated.

*Send someone down OR put someone on IR or LTIR
**12 F + Vrana; 6 D + McIlrath and AA

They can wait to the trade deadline to activate him.

 

[Kazer]

They can wait to the trade deadline to activate him.

Possibly (I don't know the ins and outs of how long they can wait to activate him). That still doesn't change the fact they don't have a spot for him as the roster sits currently. Further, if they do add someone at the deadline then they need to make two moves.

For me, my current pecking order amongst the fringe forwards is (and I'm going to assume Eller is not going anywhere):

Raddysh > Milano [if 100%] > Frank > Vrana

The team could also consider waiving AA and/or McIlrath, but they have chosen not to do that all year so that seems very unlikely to me.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Interesting stuff here, starting with some high praise for the front office. Where my BMac haters at these days?

Armstrong is thinking about taking a similar approach as the Washington Capitals, who did many teams a favour by showing you don't have to go into a five-year rebuild if things aren't going according to plan. The Capitals are a perfect example of a team that re-shaped its roster, and turned around from a non-playoff team in decline two years ago to become the Eastern Conference leading contender we see today.
If you make the right decisions, you can quickly turn around your fortunes.

This one is for you @Ridley Simon.

Finally, there is a big and physical player who intrigues me: Buffalo's Alex Tuch. The six-foot-four winger will be appealing to any Stanley Cup contender. Once projected as a possible captain of the Sabres, he no longer appears destined to be part of their long-term plans.

Also mentions Byfield as a player who is suddenly in play as a trade candidate. Can’t see that being true but worth kicking the tires if so.

Real Kyper's Trade Board 4.0: Why the Blues are open for business

Just nine days out from the NHL trade deadline, Nick Kypreos updates his trade board with some big names and writes about why St. Louis is a team to watch and how it's taking Washington's lead.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[Ridley Simon]

I’d wager Milano’s “conditioning” stint will take until beyond March 7th. So things will happen beforehand.

Sonny has value. He can do the “Connolly thing” and score on his own. He’s not a bad pick up for any team (Frank seems to make him redundant in the top 12 though — who sits?)

Interesting stuff here, starting with some high praise for the front office. Where my BMac haters at these days?



This one is for you @Ridley Simon.



Also mentions Byfield as a player who is suddenly in play as a trade candidate. Can’t see that being true but worth kicking the tires if so.

Real Kyper's Trade Board 4.0: Why the Blues are open for business

Just nine days out from the NHL trade deadline, Nick Kypreos updates his trade board with some big names and writes about why St. Louis is a team to watch and how it's taking Washington's lead.

www.sportsnet.ca

Ok, @twabby and I just felt a warm glow inside. LOL.

 

[Ridley Simon]

PS —

In MY perfect world, we trade CMM, Lapierre, Milano, and our first this year — and probably a high pick next year —

For Tuch and ROR

Ovechkin - Strome - Tuch
Protas - DuBios - Wilson
Frank - ROR - Mangiapane
Duhaime - Dowd - Raddysh
Eller - Leonard?

I mean, wow. Mix and match galore. So many options!

Both Tuch and ROR are signed for next year (ROR for 26-27 too). Miro, Leonard, Cristall, Hudson, Mateinko, Sykora, etc etc all waiting on the wings to fill in FA departures or other trades.

Wowzer.

 

[Misery74]

Untouchable: Leonard, Protas, Cristall, Hutson

Are any of these guys available in “hockey trades”?

 

[Roshi]

I think 1st+Lapierre is a bit heavy for ROR, but i really like ROR as a fit and noted a month or so ago that if we actually would trade for him it makes more sense for our timeline to part with Lapierre than the 1st.

Getting ROR basically blocks out Lapierre.

Not sure at all how rest of the league sees Lappys value. Him as a centerpiece in this trade just makes sense - if it would happen.

Im fine either way though. I have no problem going with Eller this season and taking the patience-approach with Lapierre. Lappy’s last year was really exciting and i really see the reason of planning ahead as him our 3C in close future. He has great vision and iq of the game and the kind of ”gamer” mentality that if he can find his confidence we might be suprised how high his ceiling actually is.

But again, if we should go after ROR, whats the route for Lapierre to break the roster and hit his ceiling? Third line winger? We have plenty of guys coming in and challenging him on that for the next 2-3 years. I think Lappy is one of the guys you should have a path ahead, he is 23 and should play in the NHL next season.

 

[qc14]

Possibly (I don't know the ins and outs of how long they can wait to activate him). That still doesn't change the fact they don't have a spot for him as the roster sits currently. Further, if they do add someone at the deadline then they need to make two moves.

For me, my current pecking order amongst the fringe forwards is (and I'm going to assume Eller is not going anywhere):

Raddysh > Milano [if 100%] > Frank > Vrana

The team could also consider waiving AA and/or McIlrath, but they have chosen not to do that all year so that seems very unlikely to me.

Give me Frank ahead of Milano and probably Miro and Lappy above Vrana.

They kept both of AA and McIlrath out of camp at the expense of Cristall staying up -- no way they waive either of them unless another D comes in. I think it's pretty clear that it'll be Vrana or Milano that gets waived and I don't really have any worries about either of them getting claimed.