Confirmed Trade: (WSH/MIN) Tyler Graovac for 2018 5th rounder

[ThatGuy22]

Don't agree with a lot of Wild fans on here. Doubt the guy ends up more than a career AHL'er or a disappointing 3rd/4th line warm body. Big guy, tries to play like a power forward but can't protect the puck. Goes at defenders and turns it over the moment he's in poke check range. Loses every battle on the boards and when he does come away cleanly makes poor decisions. Doesn't play a defensively responsible or physically punishing game. Too unskilled to play top 9, too irresponsible to play 4th. I expect to see him on the waiver wire again.

I guess I don't see anyone saying much different. He's got the tools be a bottom 6 NHLer if he can gain some consistency is about the most praise anyone's wrote. Which is in line with your assessment except the reverse, in that if he doesn't gain that consistency he's an AHLer who will have occasional cups of coffee or be a warm body on a bad line.

 

[Bruce Granville]

This means that Backstrom will be traded, I guess.

 

[txpd]

What's interesting is that they didn't sign Connolly instead, as he fulfills the 40/70 requirements, too. Signing Connolly instead of trading for Graovac would have opened the possibility of protecting Ovi/Backstrom/Johansson/Eller/Wilson/Kuz/Bura as well. Maybe Capitals won't re-sign Connolly?

Caps would rather be stuck with Eller than Connolly. The Caps IMO wont even qualify Connolly. They don't want him back

 

[Hivemind]

Caps would rather be stuck with Eller than Connolly. The Caps IMO wont even qualify Connolly. They don't want him back

Interesting that you, who normally blows anything and everything said during an interview with management to preposterous levels, keep claiming the Caps don't want Connolly back despite GMBM saying that Connolly would be in the top 9 next year.