GDT: Free Agency Frenzy (July 1st @ 12pm ET)

[trick9]

Just wondered if it might be slightly more enticing to join a better roster is all.
I realize he had an opportunity to join a playoff team but did you see a team worthy of the playoffs? I didn't. Maybe that's a non factor for a lot of players. Would like to see him on the teams roster this fall but I'm not betting on it.

Yes. Any team that makes the Playoffs is worthy of Playoffs.

It's not really the Capitals fault that other bubble teams ice shitty goalies. I'm actually hoping they do that again this season.

 

[DWGie26]

CapFriendly is still up for today, at least. And if you want to know how quickly the current roster could be unwound, I have good news: As CapFriendly shows, the current roster, including all of the recent trades and signings, was specifically planned out to provide maximum flexibility within the next season or two.

Three forwards (Mangiapane, Dowd, Raddysh) are UFAs at the end of the 2024-2025 season; Oshie and Backstrom's LTIR contracts, as well as Kuzy's dead cap, will be off the books. Two defensemen (Chychrun and Bear) are UFAs at the end of this season; Alexeyev will be an RFA. Both goaltenders are UFA at the end of this season. All of those UFAs (with the exception of Bear) have decent-to-significant trade value if things go south in 2024-2025.

Three more forwards (Ovechkin, Milano, and Duhaime) are UFAs at the end of the 2025-2026 season; CMM will be an RFA. Two defensemen (Carlson and TVR) are UFAs at the end of the season; Fehervary will be an RFA. It's not like Ovi will be traded, but there's still trade value with those players if things go south in 2025-2026 (assuming they're not moved earlier).

The team only has four forwards signed past the 2025-2026 season (PLD, Wilson, Strome, and Protas). There's only two defensemen signed past the 2025-2026 season (Roy and Sandin). By then, the team will have a much better idea of how their current high-end prospects might fit in the future. No, the team has not drafted in the Top Five in forever. But they still have some high-end prospects, including potential top-six fowards Leonard, Cristall, Parascak, and Miro.

MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY. BY DESIGN.

i was looking at this last night. We will have a lot of decisions to make next year on who stays and goes. Chychrun will probably require a raise and 8 year term (to 35). That will be a lot of expense tied up in Dee with Sandin, JC74, Chychrun, and Fever will get a raise next time as well. Fine for this year, but next year it will probably be Chychrun or Sandin that has to go. Offense is the same with Mangiapani. And frankly some center decisions. And most importantly, we will have two goalies looking for a raise and we will need to spend there.

But for this year, it should be a much better roster and some chemistry items will shake out. So I expect another big offseason with a lot of movement next year starting before the trade deadline for pending UFA’s.

Really well orchestrated but the retool will continue for a couple of more years while we shake out the right long termers and introduce more youth.

 

[Calicaps]

i was looking at this last night. We will have a lot of decisions to make next year on who stays and goes. Chychrun will probably require a raise and 8 year term (to 35). That will be a lot of expense tied up in Dee with Sandin, JC74, Chychrun, and Fever will get a raise next time as well. Fine for this year, but next year it will probably be Chychrun or Sandin that has to go. Offense is the same with Mangiapani. And frankly some center decisions. And most importantly, we will have two goalies looking for a raise and we will need to spend there.

But for this year, it should be a much better roster and some chemistry items will shake out. So I expect another big offseason with a lot of movement next year starting before the trade deadline for pending UFA’s.

Really well orchestrated but the retool will continue for a couple of more years while we shake out the right long termers and introduce more youth.

This all reads like a pretty high-class problem. Guys will have to earn their spots, not just this fall but over the longer term. If they do, great; they'll get paid. If they don't, for the most part we're not stuck with them.

 

[Jags]

Good points, but is there any reason why that can't be tweaked?

I agree that something needs to be done, even if it's just more of (a now better equipped) the second unit.

As it is now with Ovechkin floating so much, our power play is essentially just 4v4. There's definitely *some* value to Ovi hanging around his spot with the hammer cocked, but it's not the unstoppable force it used to be.

Ovi at the bumper isn't the answer though. We'd do well to reshuffle the whole thing, even if it's just getting Chychrun out there to mix it up, balance out the left side of the unit to make it less predictable. Gotta do something.

 

[895]

We revamped the skaters as much as we could but honestly everything depends on Lindgren not regressing or Thompson being able to pick up the reins.

 

[Calicaps]

We revamped the skaters as much as we could but honestly everything depends on Lindgren not regressing or Thompson being able to pick up the reins.

No different than any year for most teams. Except for a few elite guys, goaltending is always a crapshoot. These guys have done well recently, but also the Caps aren't stuck paying for those past performances for the next 7 years no matter how Chuckie and Thompson play going forward. It's conservative and smart, especially given the retooling that's ongoing among the skaters.

 

[Ridley Simon]

CapFriendly is still up for today, at least. And if you want to know how quickly the current roster could be unwound, I have good news: As CapFriendly shows, the current roster, including all of the recent trades and signings, was specifically planned out to provide maximum flexibility within the next season or two.

Three forwards (Mangiapane, Dowd, Raddysh) are UFAs at the end of the 2024-2025 season; Oshie and Backstrom's LTIR contracts, as well as Kuzy's dead cap, will be off the books at the end of the season. Two defensemen (Chychrun and Bear) are UFAs at the end of the season; Alexeyev will be an RFA. Both goaltenders are UFA at the end of the season. All of those UFAs (with the exception of Bear) have decent-to-significant trade value if things go south in 2024-2025.

Three more forwards (Ovechkin, Milano, and Duhaime) are UFAs at the end of the 2025-2026 season; CMM will be an RFA. Two defensemen (Carlson and TVR) are UFAs at the end of the season; Fehervary will be an RFA. It's not like Ovi will be traded, but there's still trade value with those players if things go south in 2025-2026 (assuming they're not moved earlier).

The team only has four forwards signed past the 2025-2026 season (PLD, Wilson, Strome, and Protas). There's only two defensemen signed past the 2025-2026 season (Roy and Sandin). By then, the team will have a much better idea of how their current prospects might fit in the future. No, the team has not drafted in the Top Five in forever. But they still have some high-end prospects, including potential top-six fowards Leonard, Cristall, Parascak, and Miro.

MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY. BY DESIGN.

I came to say all of this, but you did it terrifically. Well stated, and why I have very very few bones to pick with where the team is today.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[PlushMinus]

So Vegas trade away Logan Thompson and then sign Samsonov for twice as much money

What could go wrong with swimmin' Sammy between the pipes!

 

[ClevelandCapsfan]

2024 NHL Free Agency Live Grade and Signing Tracker

It’s July 1 in the United States and Canada Day to our friends north of the border. That can mean only one thing: Happy Bobby Bonilla Day! Oh, and it’s also the start of NHL Free Agency to kick off…

twsn.net

 

[notDkristich]

So Vegas trade away Logan Thompson and then sign Samsonov for twice as much money

What could go wrong with swimmin' Sammy between the pipes!

someone thinks they can fix the broken thing...always

 

[895]

So Vegas trade away Logan Thompson and then sign Samsonov for twice as much money

What could go wrong with swimmin' Sammy between the pipes!

To be fair he asked to be traded and they obliged him. They would not have done that otherwise.

 

[DWGie26]

This all reads like a pretty high-class problem. Guys will have to earn their spots, not just this fall but over the longer term. If they do, great; they'll get paid. If they don't, for the most part we're not stuck with them.

No doubt. I’m not complaining. I love competition where people have to earn their spots. But the bar is getting higher now. That is a good thing. Midlngs need not apply. good for Hershey as well.

 

[hockeykicker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808487180563571157

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Listening to Sirius/XM NHL channel the early morning of July 2nd and they were interviewing Shane Malloy. This guy sounds like hockey's Paul DePodesta.

Malloy was talking about the free agent signings. Now he bases his position on that hockey players will on average begin to decline at age 31/32 in their abilities. So his review of the signings was that Nashville will regret their signings. The Chandler Stephenson signing with the Kraken 7x6.25, should have only been for four years and not 7. The Sean Monahan 5x5.5, should have been for three years not 5.

He did not mention the Capitals, but based on his overall approach, it would mean the Capitals will be regretting both the Tom Wilson and Matt Roy contracts in a few years.

 

[Marshall]

Shane Malloy still owes me $50 dollars.

IYKYK

 

[Calicaps]

Listening to Sirius/XM NHL channel the early morning of July 2nd and they were interviewing Shane Malloy. This guy sounds like hockey's Paul DePodesta.

Malloy was talking about the free agent signings. Now he bases his position on that hockey players will on average begin to decline at age 31/32 in their abilities. So his review of the signings was that Nashville will regret their signings. The Chandler Stephenson signing with the Kraken 7x6.25, should have only been for four years and not 7. The Sean Monahan 5x5.5, should have been for three years not 5.

He did not mention the Capitals, but based on his overall approach, it would mean the Capitals will be regretting both the Tom Wilson and Matt Roy contracts in a few years.

 

[Jags]

He did not mention the Capitals, but based on his overall approach, it would mean the Capitals will be regretting both the Tom Wilson and Matt Roy contracts in a few years.

He's not wrong, it's just a pointless perspective. All players decline with age, and the talented ones get paid a lot to decline. That's every team, every player, everywhere. There's no team out there getting less term on FA or lockup deals.

So looking at the FA deals and saying teams are going to regret the ones paying guys beyond age 32 is pretty ridiculous. Some guys perform well beyond their sell-by dates, and you can't really predict which ones. And you pay coveted players for additional years because you want everything they've got left and believe in your ability to move them when the time is right. Moving aged impact performers for more than they're worth is what the TDL is all about.

 

[Kazer]

He's not wrong, it's just a pointless perspective. All players decline with age, and the talented ones get paid a lot to decline. That's every team, every player, everywhere. There's no team out there getting less term on FA or lockup deals.

So looking at the FA deals and saying teams are going to regret the ones paying guys beyond age 32 is pretty ridiculous. Some guys perform well beyond their sell-by dates, and you can't really predict which ones. And you pay coveted players for additional years because you want everything they've got left and believe in your ability to move them when the time is right. Moving aged impact performers for more than they're worth is what the TDL is all about.

Very true. Looking at the Caps, PLD should be mostly fine. His 8 year deal (signed by LA but traded to us) takes him from age 26 to 34.

Further, D tend to age a little better than forwards (look at Carlson having a strong year at 34), so I'm not too worried about Roy until the last year or two of that deal (29 - 35).

And then Chychrun, Mangiapane, Duhaime, and Raddysh were all signed (or acquired) to (or on) one-year deals.

It is an important factor though in considering UFA and trade acquisitions, however.

 

[kicksavedave]

I don't regret the TJ Oshie deal one bit. We got everything we could have hoped for out of him, he left it all on the ice for us every game, every year. He helped us win a Cup! If he's breaking down now at the finish line, I shake his hand, give him a huge long hug, and say "thanks for everything, you f***ing warrior". I'd sign that deal all over again 10 times in a row.

 

[DukeDog13]

Is it a pipedream to hope we move a contract so we can sign Tarasenko? I assume he is looking for a multiyear deal which would be a no-go for the Caps given the direction the team is going but I really want someone who can put pucks in the net on the 2nd line. Protas, Milano, or McM just isn't that guy.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

He's not wrong, it's just a pointless perspective. All players decline with age, and the talented ones get paid a lot to decline. That's every team, every player, everywhere. There's no team out there getting less term on FA or lockup deals.

So looking at the FA deals and saying teams are going to regret the ones paying guys beyond age 32 is pretty ridiculous. Some guys perform well beyond their sell-by dates, and you can't really predict which ones. And you pay coveted players for additional years because you want everything they've got left and believe in your ability to move them when the time is right. Moving aged impact performers for more than they're worth is what the TDL is all about.

This….you just have to pay to play in free agency, which more often than not is done with term…..I assumed everyone understood those mechanics.

 

[twabby]

Is it a pipedream to hope we move a contract so we can sign Tarasenko? I assume he is looking for a multiyear deal which would be a no-go for the Caps given the direction the team is going but I really want someone who can put pucks in the net on the 2nd line. Protas, Milano, or McM just isn't that guy.

I don't think he's what we're looking for. He's a perfect depth mercenary for a contender but he's not really a foundational piece, which is what they need up front.

 

[kicksavedave]

Is it a pipedream to hope we move a contract so we can sign Tarasenko? I assume he is looking for a multiyear deal which would be a no-go for the Caps given the direction the team is going but I really want someone who can put pucks in the net on the 2nd line. Protas, Milano, or McM just isn't that guy.

I don't think he's what we're looking for. He's a perfect depth mercenary for a contender but he's not really a foundational piece, which is what they need up front.

I'd rather figure out how to move the assets to get Rutger Hauer McGronikle and continue to get younger.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Tarasenko is boys with Ovie. It would have been done by now if it was happening.

And the last time we did this with Kovey it was awful