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

I think 9.5m is high. It’ll be more like 8.5m

Also don’t need Iorio as an 8th D either. I think the team will have closer to 7.5-8m for an FA forward.

But that’s just me
If it is 2-3 years, i could see 8.5. Going to be more if 8 year deal with Cap going up.

could run 14F and 7D. I think they’ll start with 8D. I don’t think Iorio is a long term answer. I believe Chesley will pass him pretty quickly (if his ass signs).
 
If it is 2-3 years, i could see 8.5. Going to be more if 8 year deal with Cap going up.

could run 14F and 7D. I think they’ll start with 8D. I don’t think Iorio is a long term answer. I believe Chesley will pass him pretty quickly (if his ass signs).
I meant I think they go 13/7, assuming they dont lose someone to waivers, that they are concerned about.

They don’t need to go 23. 22 is fine
 
I'd like to see them re-sign Dowd. He's earned a pretty big pay bump so it will cost a bit, but he's a leadership guy and the perfect center to break in some of our youth. I think he still has gas left in the tank, so I'm not worried about signing him to a multi-year deal.

I'm ok with replacing a bunch of the veterans with youngsters next year. Leonard is pretty much a lock. I think Lapierre will be traded if he doesn't make the team out of camp. Miro looks like he's almost ready to take the next step, so hopefully he'll make the team. It isn't too difficult to trade for bottom 6 forwards if the young guys can't hack it. Not much risk to giving them a shot.

While we have a plethora of young forwards, our pool of defense and goaltending prospects isn't very deep. I think they will address some of that at this years draft. Until then, it may be wise to hang on to Alexiev and Iorio.
 
This is what i am thinking. Resign Dowd, Alexyev, Lapierre, and Chychrun. Signed Leonard, Didn’t account for Hershey signings.

This config gives us 5.2M assuming we trade Milano in offseason. If we keep him we can’t sign anyone else. Or we send to Hershey and we have 4.5M. So that gives a good cap options for a LW/C.

I think we need to continue to give our youth first crack at stepping up because we have so many great prospects, and this organization has built a culture and a track record where a kid can step in and grow past almost everyone's expected ceiling. Don't stop doing that.

2026 - 2027 could look like this - and let's look at this as potentially THREE NUMBER ONE lines, as opposed to lines 1, 2, and 3, and rather than thinking we need STARS, and thinking so-and-so can't play centre, etc...

There is a lot of top 9 talent right here (some of these guys very well could be big STARS)...

Leonard - Strome - Protas
CMM - PLD - Wilson
Cristall - Protas - Miroshnichenko

Or maybe:

Protas - Strome - Protas
CMM - PLD - Wilson
Cristall - Leonard - Miroshnichenko

With Parascak still developing.
 
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Id actually sign McIlrath over Alexeeyev.

AA havent been very close pushing anyone out of his way, theres little reason to believe he would do that next year. Then he will get pushed even further down with Hutson etc coming.

Its not beneficial for AA to sit another year in the press box, playing random call up games. Let him go somewhere he fits. He needs to get games to develope. And now, the clock is ticking.

McIlrath is veteran with a great backstory and in no rush to anywhere. He will be happy just to be around, can play game or three here and there, and is top3 face puncher in the league. Also likely cheaper than AA too.

Its just a better fit all around, for all three.
 
Id actually sign McIlrath over Alexeeyev.

AA havent been very close pushing anyone out of his way, theres little reason to believe he would do that next year. Then he will get pushed even further down with Hutson etc coming.

Its not beneficial for AA to sit another year in the press box, playing random call up games. Let him go somewhere he fits.

McIlrath is veteran with a backstory. He will be happy just to be around, can play game or three here and there, and is top3 face puncher in the league. Also likely cheaper than AA too.

Its just a better fit all around, for all three.
You have Iorio in the mix for 7/8 next year also. I do like Mac in that role as an older guy.

AA needs to be moved out to give him a chance to play somewhere IMO.

I wonder if Kuzy is still busting his balls about resigning here lol?
 
AA is going to request a change of scenery if he does remain a RFA. McIlrath is a nice story but he should probably head back to Hershey next year. If he doesn't get a Caps deal I'd imagine the Bears will roll out whatever they can afford on an AHL deal. But he'd likely be a hot commodity for an NHL team who wants to change their AHL culture so id imagine he'll get a nice deal to play in the AHL somewhere if not in Hershey. Iorio should be #7 next season to get him ready for TVRs departure the year after.
 
AA is going to request a change of scenery if he does remain a RFA. McIlrath is a nice story but he should probably head back to Hershey next year. If he doesn't get a Caps deal I'd imagine the Bears will roll out whatever they can afford on an AHL deal. But he'd likely be a hot commodity for an NHL team who wants to change their AHL culture so id imagine he'll get a nice deal to play in the AHL somewhere if not in Hershey. Iorio should be #7 next season to get him ready for TVRs departure the year after.
And if they kept a 7/8 again you would be against Mac? That’s the scenario I was envisioning if he were to stay up.
 
And if they kept a 7/8 again you would be against Mac? That’s the scenario I was envisioning if he were to stay up.
Not against it I'm just not sure he's going to want to ride pine again for another full season and there will be plenty of opportunities to get tons of ice time in the AHL from other teams who would love his services.
 
Not against it I'm just not sure he's going to want to ride pine again for another full season and there will be plenty of opportunities to get tons of ice time in the AHL from other teams who would love his services.
Call me crazy but if I'm McIlrath... I think those AHL teams will be there a year from now too. Paycheck and planes, please. That man is 32 years old, squeeze what you can out of this life before going back for the love of the game.
 
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Iorio will not be waiver exempt. Keeping Mac over Iorio would be really short-sighted (and I have my doubts about the latter).

So unless they trade TVR or Iorio, I can't see Mac being on the roster again.
 
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Call me crazy but if I'm McIlrath... I think those AHL teams will be there a year from now too. Paycheck and planes, please. That man is 32 years old, squeeze what you can out of this life before going back for the love of the game.
Hell yeah….my thoughts exactly.
 
This is what i am thinking. Resign Dowd, Alexyev, Lapierre, and Chychrun. Signed Leonard, Didn’t account for Hershey signings.

This config gives us 5.2M assuming we trade Milano in offseason. If we keep him we can’t sign anyone else. Or we send to Hershey and we have 4.5M. So that gives a good cap options for a LW/C.

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A few thoughts:

- I have a hard time seeing Lapierre get rewarded with a 2M/yr contract after being sent back to Hershey unless he really turns it back on and earns a roster spot for the playoffs.
- Leonard’s caphit will be $975,000 (+ bonuses)
- Alexeyev doesn’t have any leverage to earn more then league minimum (775k)
- at $9.5M I’d be pretty hesitant to re-sign Chychrun.
- Is Dowd eligible for a +35 contract? If so they can sign him for 775k and add easy fetched bonuses to maximize cap space for one last show with Ovi and have the bonuses carry over to 26-27 when Ovi and Carlson’s contracts are up.
 
A few thoughts:

- I have a hard time seeing Lapierre get rewarded with a 2M/yr contract after being sent back to Hershey unless he really turns it back on and earns a roster spot for the playoffs.
- Leonard’s caphit will be $975,000 (+ bonuses)
- Alexeyev doesn’t have any leverage to earn more then league minimum (775k)
- at $9.5M I’d be pretty hesitant to re-sign Chychrun.
- Is Dowd eligible for a +35 contract? If so they can sign him for 775k and add easy fetched bonuses to maximize cap space for one last show with Ovi and have the bonuses carry over to 26-27 when Ovi and Carlson’s contracts are up.
Lappy’s entry level is 1.167 (with bonus) mil per. He’s not worthy of a pay cut, but maybe 1.5’ish, who knows? Unless they aren’t projecting him on the roster in which case they should package him in a deal.

AA could go the KHL route couldn’t he? If they offer him the league minimum, I think that severs the relationship and he asks out for sure, but he probably will after the season anyway unless he’s content to ride the pine.

Zero chance Dowd takes the bulk of his pay next year and beyond in performance bonuses. He’s earned a raise in guaranteed $ IMO. It’s his last chance at a big (for him) payday.
 
Dowd is the single most important pending UFA/RFA to me, even moreso than Chychrun. His effectiveness in his role enables so many other things to happen right for this team. I'd easily go to $2M or beyond to re-sign him. (If he wants the Beagle $3M special ... I'd have to think.) But I'm honestly a bit nervous that they haven't already announced an extension for him.
 
I think we need to continue to give our youth first crack at stepping up because we have so many great prospects, and this organization has built a culture and a track record where a kid can step in and grow past almost everyone's expected ceiling.

Plus they're cheap for a good stretch. It's the only form of cheap labor that I'm a fan of, and these aren't the types of jobs you want to outsource because I don't think India or The Philippines are known for their forechecking.
 

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