GDT: 2023 NHL Free Agency Frenzy

[g00n]

BMac has made clear he's got offers on the table. I think he's being smart to not negotiate against himself. He's put the offers out. Folks are waiting for better offers but not getting them. Someone will come back around looking to make a deal and at least one of Mantha and Loafnetsov, will almost certainly be moved.

As for the history...

In 19-20 they were fairly dominant all regular season, and even with the loss of their #2 D and #2 RW, they win the Carolina series in 6 if Holtby had been even remotely the guy he was the year before. And Mac made a big move in response: He let Holtby, his Cup-winning, "The Save"-making 'tender go and brought in Lundquist, a HOF goalie, to serve as a backup to his promising youngsters.​

​

Agree that 20-21 was an embarrassment, but Mac hand't intended for Sammie and Vanacek to be playing every game and he did do something after the loss: He fired his guy Reirden and brought in a respected vet coach.​

​

I noted before that while they were WC2 in 21-22, they didn't just squeak in; they were 20ish points ahead of the next Eastern Conference team and Kuzy was playing well. All this despite Lundquist having an irreparable setback and having 2 young goalies. So while yes it was puncher's chance, they had Florida on the ropes in that series and looked like they could contend but blew it. You can argue that Mac should've blown it up then, but the fact is his new coach had just started and, despite having no training camp, playing with no fans, and all the rest of the COVID stuff, the team had looked good and made the playoffs. There was reason to believe that they'd be better in a normal year. Plus with Nick going in for a surgery that no one comes back from, Mac may have thought he'd have some cap room to play with.​

​

So he gave it one more year, while also bringing in some young blood in Strome, Brown, and Milano and upgraded not one but 2 goaltenders. And then every f***ing thing went wrong: Kuzy decided to suck again. One key guy--and one planned key--guy blew out their knees practically on day 1. Nick's surgery went well enough to convince him he could come back and play. Carlson got his head blow off. Ovie's dad died. I mean... Those are all things that had nothing to do with age and just screwed the team at every turn.​

​

And even though he could have said, well, last year was just bad luck and we're gonna run it back and expect better, he has not done that. He traded his UFAs and collected assets and youth (Sandin). He brought in arguably the most coveted young coach in the league, and with term. He has offers pending to shake up his top 6. He drafted a stud at #8. His pick from '22 is looking like a steal. And he's got a bunch of young guys who just won an AHL championship and are gonna show up at rookie/training camp hungry for a shot.​

​

So you can call it excuses, but the fact is Mac has identified weaknesses every year and made moves to address them even with a flat cap. And he's done it while honoring the greatest player(s) and roster this franchise ever had and supporting Ovie's pursuit of 895. You can surely debate the moves themselves, but suggesting he's been asleep at the wheel, or that there was a clear point where he should have blown it up, is just silly.

tl:dr: GMBM has and continues to make moves to improve the team. You can argue whether they've been the right moves, but there's no point in the story to date before this season where the team was obviously bad and needed a major overhaul.

Yes but here to counter is Ms. Salt:

lol

 

[traparatus]

BMac has made clear he's got offers on the table. I think he's being smart to not negotiate against himself. He's put the offers out. Folks are waiting for better offers but not getting them. Someone will come back around looking to make a deal and at least one of Mantha and Loafnetsov, will almost certainly be moved.

As for the history...

In 19-20 they were fairly dominant all regular season, and even with the loss of their #2 D and #2 RW, they win the Carolina series in 6 if Holtby had been even remotely the guy he was the year before. And Mac made a big move in response: He let Holtby, his Cup-winning, "The Save"-making 'tender go and brought in Lundquist, a HOF goalie, to serve as a backup to his promising youngsters.​

​

Agree that 20-21 was an embarrassment, but Mac hand't intended for Sammie and Vanacek to be playing every game and he did do something after the loss: He fired his guy Reirden and brought in a respected vet coach.​

​

I noted before that while they were WC2 in 21-22, they didn't just squeak in; they were 20ish points ahead of the next Eastern Conference team and Kuzy was playing well. All this despite Lundquist having an irreparable setback and having 2 young goalies. So while yes it was puncher's chance, they had Florida on the ropes in that series and looked like they could contend but blew it. You can argue that Mac should've blown it up then, but the fact is his new coach had just started and, despite having no training camp, playing with no fans, and all the rest of the COVID stuff, the team had looked good and made the playoffs. There was reason to believe that they'd be better in a normal year. Plus with Nick going in for a surgery that no one comes back from, Mac may have thought he'd have some cap room to play with.​

​

So he gave it one more year, while also bringing in some young blood in Strome, Brown, and Milano and upgraded not one but 2 goaltenders. And then every f***ing thing went wrong: Kuzy decided to suck again. One key guy--and one planned key--guy blew out their knees practically on day 1. Nick's surgery went well enough to convince him he could come back and play. Carlson got his head blow off. Ovie's dad died. I mean... Those are all things that had nothing to do with age and just screwed the team at every turn.​

​

And even though he could have said, well, last year was just bad luck and we're gonna run it back and expect better, he has not done that. He traded his UFAs and collected assets and youth (Sandin). He brought in arguably the most coveted young coach in the league, and with term. He has offers pending to shake up his top 6. He drafted a stud at #8. His pick from '22 is looking like a steal. And he's got a bunch of young guys who just won an AHL championship and are gonna show up at rookie/training camp hungry for a shot.​

​

So you can call it excuses, but the fact is Mac has identified weaknesses every year and made moves to address them even with a flat cap. And he's done it while honoring the greatest player(s) and roster this franchise ever had and supporting Ovie's pursuit of 895. You can surely debate the moves themselves, but suggesting he's been asleep at the wheel, or that there was a clear point where he should have blown it up, is just silly.

tl:dr: GMBM has and continues to make moves to improve the team. You can argue whether they've been the right moves, but there's no point in the story to date before this season where the team was obviously bad and needed a major overhaul.

I mean he didn't go on a five year vacation or anything. The first real change to the core group was introduction of Strome. And I have to squint pretty hard to see that as a core change. All this Brown, Mantha stuff is just tinkering around the edges.

In general, Caps results over the last 5 seasons closely match their projections. Maybe not your projections but those of independent parties. Essentially, the team has achieved what it was build to achieve. I don't think that's about to change.

The whole draft situation, I take it as it comes. There is a line between 'hope' and 'expect'. Three years ago we had the next 2 top-6 centers in the system and a budding top pairing defenseman Fehervary. Three year hence we have a 3rd pairing defenseman and some pretty mediocre looking forward prospects. No room for latter on the Caps either, somehow.

 

[g00n]

Doom.

 

[Marshall]

"This all hinges on Drew O'Connor" is my fave conspiracy theory going (culled from SJS and PIT boards.)

O'Connor's arb date is 08/04 and he seems to be a piece SJS wants back in a Karlsson deal. (IF true.)

SJS likely wants PIT to do any arb hearing. Quite understandable.

Thus, the deal and its ramifications hinge on O'Connor's contract resolution, with the arb hearing being something of a blocker

Also interesting to me about the rumored and otherwise-suspect Coutureu* for Kuznetsov and Mantha deal: the money works great, IF SJS doesn't want to be competitive next year: SJS takes on a higher but shorter cap AAV and less overall money by @ $10ish. The Caps lower Cousteau's* AAV, but take on more money overall and a longer term.

I know not much about the players involved. And while each piece of the above is not entirely improbable, in its entirety it becomes CharlieDayOffseasonConspiracymeme.meh.

Feel free to poke holes.


*Not learning it 'til they're a Cap.

 

[HTFN]

I mean he didn't go on a five year vacation or anything. The first real change to the core group was introduction of Strome. And I have to squint pretty hard to see that as a core change. All this Brown, Mantha stuff is just tinkering around the edges.

In general, Caps results over the last 5 seasons closely match their projections. Maybe not your projections but those of independent parties. Essentially, the team has achieved what it was build to achieve. I don't think that's about to change.

The whole draft situation, I take it as it comes. There is a line between 'hope' and 'expect'. Three years ago we had the next 2 top-6 centers in the system and a budding top pairing defenseman Fehervary. Three year hence we have a 3rd pairing defenseman and some pretty mediocre looking forward prospects. No room for latter on the Caps either, somehow.

Holy shit this position is just insufferable. You just listed three top 6 players (in theory, based on the mentality of the move at the time) including Strome, who was one of the best players on the team this year, and don't consider it a core change at all.

Well duh, in hindsight, because Brown never played and Mantha is Mantha but what do you actually want? Nobody ever has an answer for who they should have gotten or how, you guys just keep whining about how something should have been done.

Trade Backstrom for a loss just to do it? Strome was his replacement anyway, so.... that's not even really smart, just wait for him to LTIRetire. Move Kuznetsov? Uhh... you think we aren't already there?

What core move that is on the table isn't being made?

 

[traparatus]

Holy shit this position is just insufferable. You just listed three top 6 players (in theory, based on the mentality of the move at the time) including Strome, who was one of the best players on the team this year, and don't consider it a core change at all.

Well duh, in hindsight, because Brown never played and Mantha is Mantha but what do you actually want? Nobody ever has an answer for who they should have gotten or how, you guys just keep whining about how something should have been done.

Trade Backstrom for a loss just to do it? Strome was his replacement anyway, so.... that's not even really smart, just wait for him to LTIRetire. Move Kuznetsov? Uhh... you think we aren't already there?

What core move that is on the table isn't being made?

Lol, you think that's insufferable. There is more where that came from.

Hey, you want to drum up apologies for every move and non-move, be my guest. I'll read it. Maybe BMac is the greatest thing since sliced bread and the universe conspired to make his team achieve diddly all in 5 years. Maybe he played it safe and didn't have the vision or courage to move the team into the next stage. Who knows?

What I want is the same thing I wanted for years. Top-6 players, especially centers, to be exchanged for better and younger players. When these players were available, namely Hertl and Eichel, I wanted the team to throw everything and the kitchen sink at them. Yes, including the man among boys himself, the mighty Tom Wilson. Somewhere between Vrana, Wilson, 1st round picks, McMichael, etc., there was a way to remove a couple of Kuznetsov, Oshie, Eller and replace them with elite talent. Instead we ran these contract down to the point of them being of little or negative value. Right now I don't see any impact players available for Caps to target. Maybe Nylander? Christ, people are talking about trading for 34 year old Couture. That's just depressing.

Just one persons opinion. 5 years is a long time to achieve nothing.

 

[Lou Sassole]

Sorry I hurt your sensibilities. Although… not really.

If you think what @CapsFrontOffice is doing is ok, then that’s on you.

I am too old and tired to listen to this crap, as there are lines in the sand, dude. He crossed one. Pretty much everyone else sees that, save you.

If you want to pout about it, have at it. I fully stand behind my comments. What that guy is doing is poor form.

Period End.

Exactly, and toughen up, life isn't gonna be nice and "PG rated", all the time.

 

[twabby]

Lol, you think that's insufferable. There is more where that came from.

Hey, you want to drum up apologies for every move and non-move, be my guest. I'll read it. Maybe BMac is the greatest thing since sliced bread and the universe conspired to make his team achieve diddly all in 5 years. Maybe he played it safe and didn't have the vision or courage to move the team into the next stage. Who knows?

What I want is the same thing I wanted for years. Top-6 players, especially centers, to be exchanged for better and younger players. When these players were available, namely Hertl and Eichel, I wanted the team to throw everything and the kitchen sink at them. Yes, including the man among boys himself, the mighty Tom Wilson. Somewhere between Vrana, Wilson, 1st round picks, McMichael, etc., there was a way to remove a couple of Kuznetsov, Oshie, Eller and replace them with elite talent. Instead we ran these contract down to the point of them being of little or negative value. Right now I don't see any impact players available for Caps to target. Maybe Nylander? Christ, people are talking about trading for 34 year old Couture. That's just depressing.

Just one persons opinion. 5 years is a long time to achieve nothing.

Well said. I was going to bring up Eichel, who I mentioned they should have traded for in 2021. Everyone knew at the time that Backstrom was in a decline and instead they just rolled the dice with him and his health instead of aggressively targeting an upgrade.

Being too attached to a guy like Wilson who I’ve been suggesting they trade for years, and signing depth players for bloated contracts (Hagelin, Schultz, Panik, Dillon, Mantha) has hampered their ability to alter the core to legitimately improve.

It’s why I’ve been adamant they they trade him now. We’ve seen the results of players like Oshie, Backstrom, and Ovechkin decline as they’ve entered their 30s and how the former two have limited their ability to improve. Are we really looking to do the exact same thing all over again instead of making an upgrade to the core utilizing a tremendously valuable trade asset?

 

[g00n]

(looks at calendar)

*sigh*

 

[usiel]

(looks at calendar)

*sigh*

Two months and 4 days to main training camp.

 

[HTFN]

Lol, you think that's insufferable. There is more where that came from.

Hey, you want to drum up apologies for every move and non-move, be my guest. I'll read it. Maybe BMac is the greatest thing since sliced bread and the universe conspired to make his team achieve diddly all in 5 years. Maybe he played it safe and didn't have the vision or courage to move the team into the next stage. Who knows?

What I want is the same thing I wanted for years. Top-6 players, especially centers, to be exchanged for better and younger players. When these players were available, namely Hertl and Eichel, I wanted the team to throw everything and the kitchen sink at them. Yes, including the man among boys himself, the mighty Tom Wilson. Somewhere between Vrana, Wilson, 1st round picks, McMichael, etc., there was a way to remove a couple of Kuznetsov, Oshie, Eller and replace them with elite talent. Instead we ran these contract down to the point of them being of little or negative value. Right now I don't see any impact players available for Caps to target. Maybe Nylander? Christ, people are talking about trading for 34 year old Couture. That's just depressing.

Just one persons opinion. 5 years is a long time to achieve nothing.

So your list is Hertl, who wasn't traded and signed an 8 year extension and Eichel, who was almost definitely not being traded to the Eastern Conference at all, and then no plan for how the money shakes out to extend him because Backstrom hasn't even had his surgery yet. But even if he was being traded to the East, they either need a third team capable of helping move salary around (as the flat cap keeps compressing their own internals) or Kuznetsov has to want to go to Buffalo...

And then remember, basically any team who could do that could probably also make a compelling package for Eichel 1-to-1 and cut the Caps out entirely. Why would Buffalo trade him here?

It's a completely one-sided narrative where all of these non-moves are failures and any reasonable explanation is an apology.

Well said. I was going to bring up Eichel, who I mentioned they should have traded for in 2021. Everyone knew at the time that Backstrom was in a decline and instead they just rolled the dice with him and his health instead of aggressively targeting an upgrade.

Being too attached to a guy like Wilson who I’ve been suggesting they trade for years, and signing depth players for bloated contracts (Hagelin, Schultz, Panik, Dillon, Mantha) has hampered their ability to alter the core to legitimately improve.

It’s why I’ve been adamant they they trade him now. We’ve seen the results of players like Oshie, Backstrom, and Ovechkin decline as they’ve entered their 30s and how the former two have limited their ability to improve. Are we really looking to do the exact same thing all over again instead of making an upgrade to the core utilizing a tremendously valuable trade asset?

Your God King Yzerman is doing, like, the exact same thing in Detroit and people still count him among the league's best GMs.

 

[HTFN]

Yes but here to counter is Ms. Salt:

View attachment 729288

lol

 

[twabby]

Your God King Yzerman is doing, like, the exact same thing in Detroit and people still count him among the league's best GMs.

I don’t think he’s very good at all.

 

[traparatus]

So your list is Hertl, who wasn't traded and signed an 8 year extension and Eichel, who was almost definitely not being traded to the Eastern Conference at all, and then no plan for how the money shakes out to extend him because Backstrom hasn't even had his surgery yet. But even if he was being traded to the East, they either need a third team capable of helping move salary around (as the flat cap keeps compressing their own internals) or Kuznetsov has to want to go to Buffalo...

And then remember, basically any team who could do that could probably also make a compelling package for Eichel 1-to-1 and cut the Caps out entirely. Why would Buffalo trade him here?

It's a completely one-sided narrative where all of these non-moves are failures and any reasonable explanation is an apology.

Your God King Yzerman is doing, like, the exact same thing in Detroit and people still count him among the league's best GMs.

I don't know what to tell you. Your bag of excuses is bottomless.

It's a tough job to be an NHL GM. You are supposed to get it done. If you come out and say the plan is to win and compete for the next 5-8 years and then win nothing and are not overly competitive, I'll be critical.

You ask for examples and then proceed to s**t on any example given to you. Not sure what you want.

 

[HTFN]

I don't know what to tell you. Your bag of excuses is bottomless.

It's a tough job to be an NHL GM. You are supposed to get it done. If you come out and say the plan is to win and compete for the next 5-8 years and then win nothing and are not overly competitive, I'll be critical.

You ask for examples and then proceed to s**t on any example given to you. Not sure what you want.

How is it a bag of excuses to repeat what was obvious when the trade talks were going on?

Eichel wasn't being traded to an Eastern Conference team. The Sabres didn't want to see him clown on them for the next decade and had competitive Western offers, any East team would have had to pay more than I think the Caps could have reasonably assembled to get Buffalo to trade him in-conference and frankly I think there's still incentive to get Eichel as far away from regular matchups as possible given how motivated he is to prove it to them after his neck injury. It wasn't going to happen, and it didn't.

Hertl wasn't traded and maintained open negotiation with the team past the deadline, then signed before hitting the market. Once again, if the team thinks it's going to get that deal done you have to massively overpay to pry him away and the Caps don't have an A+ trade package.

You can be critical all you want but you're bringing pipe dreams to the table and then not understanding the reality of the situation. There's a reason I posted the "Prince wants a camel at 3am in Minnesota" video, there are real reasons this shit didn't just happen for you.

 

[twabby]

Eichel wasn't being traded to an Eastern Conference team. The Sabres didn't want to see him clown on them for the next decade and had competitive Western offers, any East team would have had to pay more than I think the Caps could have reasonably assembled to get Buffalo to trade him in-conference and frankly I think there's still incentive to get Eichel as far away from regular matchups as possible given how motivated he is to prove it to them after his neck injury. It wasn't going to happen, and it didn't.

I think we need a citation for the bolded. I buy them not wanting to trade in-division but I don’t remember them saying he needed to go out West.

It’s not like Washington sees Buffalo that frequently. They play them 3 times a year vs. Vegas who plays them twice a year. And with the divisional playoffs now they’d be very unlikely to matchup in the postseason.

Washington absolutely had the ammo to get Eichel. They chose not to. They have the ammo to legitimately upgrade the roster this offseason and all indications are they are choosing not to, and instead appear to be boarding the sentimentality train again.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

How is it a bag of excuses to repeat what was obvious when the trade talks were going on?

Eichel wasn't being traded to an Eastern Conference team. The Sabres didn't want to see him clown on them for the next decade and had competitive Western offers, any East team would have had to pay more than I think the Caps could have reasonably assembled to get Buffalo to trade him in-conference and frankly I think there's still incentive to get Eichel as far away from regular matchups as possible given how motivated he is to prove it to them after his neck injury. It wasn't going to happen, and it didn't.

Hertl wasn't traded and maintained open negotiation with the team past the deadline, then signed before hitting the market. Once again, if the team thinks it's going to get that deal done you have to massively overpay to pry him away and the Caps don't have an A+ trade package.

You can be critical all you want but you're bringing pipe dreams to the table and then not understanding the reality of the situation. There's a reason I posted the "Prince wants a camel at 3am in Minnesota" video, there are real reasons this shit didn't just happen for you.

No one on these boards were a part of any player discussions. Both arguments/perspectives are valid.

No one knows what was attempted vs what wasn’t attempted and/or the parameters they had to operate in due to Ted’s wishes. All that can be judged are the results with the facts we know. Not much else to say.

And to be clear I’m not taking a particular side on this discussion.

 

[traparatus]

How is it a bag of excuses to repeat what was obvious when the trade talks were going on?

Eichel wasn't being traded to an Eastern Conference team. The Sabres didn't want to see him clown on them for the next decade and had competitive Western offers, any East team would have had to pay more than I think the Caps could have reasonably assembled to get Buffalo to trade him in-conference and frankly I think there's still incentive to get Eichel as far away from regular matchups as possible given how motivated he is to prove it to them after his neck injury. It wasn't going to happen, and it didn't.

Hertl wasn't traded and maintained open negotiation with the team past the deadline, then signed before hitting the market. Once again, if the team thinks it's going to get that deal done you have to massively overpay to pry him away and the Caps don't have an A+ trade package.

You can be critical all you want but you're bringing pipe dreams to the table and then not understanding the reality of the situation. There's a reason I posted the "Prince wants a camel at 3am in Minnesota" video, there are real reasons this shit didn't just happen for you.

Eichel wasn't being traded to the Eastern Conference... Says WHO? You and your opinion? You are telling me that if Caps replace Tuch with Wilson, Buffalo doesn't take that deal? Whatever, dude. Pile of excuses.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I mean he didn't go on a five year vacation or anything. The first real change to the core group was introduction of Strome. And I have to squint pretty hard to see that as a core change. All this Brown, Mantha stuff is just tinkering around the edges.

In general, Caps results over the last 5 seasons closely match their projections. Maybe not your projections but those of independent parties. Essentially, the team has achieved what it was build to achieve. I don't think that's about to change.

The whole draft situation, I take it as it comes. There is a line between 'hope' and 'expect'. Three years ago we had the next 2 top-6 centers in the system and a budding top pairing defenseman Fehervary. Three year hence we have a 3rd pairing defenseman and some pretty mediocre looking forward prospects. No room for latter on the Caps either, somehow.

Curious to hear what you would have done differently.

Specifically, not some conjecture please

 

[Ridley Simon]

Lol, you think that's insufferable. There is more where that came from.

Hey, you want to drum up apologies for every move and non-move, be my guest. I'll read it. Maybe BMac is the greatest thing since sliced bread and the universe conspired to make his team achieve diddly all in 5 years. Maybe he played it safe and didn't have the vision or courage to move the team into the next stage. Who knows?

What I want is the same thing I wanted for years. Top-6 players, especially centers, to be exchanged for better and younger players. When these players were available, namely Hertl and Eichel, I wanted the team to throw everything and the kitchen sink at them. Yes, including the man among boys himself, the mighty Tom Wilson. Somewhere between Vrana, Wilson, 1st round picks, McMichael, etc., there was a way to remove a couple of Kuznetsov, Oshie, Eller and replace them with elite talent. Instead we ran these contract down to the point of them being of little or negative value. Right now I don't see any impact players available for Caps to target. Maybe Nylander? Christ, people are talking about trading for 34 year old Couture. That's just depressing.

Just one persons opinion. 5 years is a long time to achieve nothing.

Curious how long you’ve watched the Caps, and have been a fan? 5yrs is nothing, when considering the 40yrs before 2018.

Not judging you, I just don’t really understand the mindset here with your comments.

 

[HTFN]

Eichel wasn't being traded to the Eastern Conference... Says WHO? You and your opinion? You are telling me that if Caps replace Tuch with Wilson, Buffalo doesn't take that deal? Whatever, dude. Pile of excuses.

Outside of the common sense trading parameters of hockey for like forever? You don’t trade in-division like ever unless you’re big time shit and it doesn’t matter anymore because you aren’t competing with anybody, you trade rentals in conference fairly often because you’re already out of it and the player will hit open market soon, and when you have to trade borderline superstar players you often do it between conferences. This is, like, very common knowledge stuff but it especially applies to Buffalo and the baggage related to Eichel vs Management.

Jack Eichel trade destinations: Seven potential suitors for the star centre – Sportsnet.ca

www.sportsnet.ca

This one tries to be balanced but Columbus is eh, and as soon as the Rangers make the list it’s immediately noted that Buffalo would obviously prefer to trade him West.

NHL Rumors: Latest Buzz on Potential Jack Eichel Trade, Alec Martinez, More

The NHL offseason has already been plenty eventful. Both the Seattle Kraken expansion draft and the 2021 NHL draft have taken place, while numerous big trades have shaken up the landscape of the league...

syndication.bleacherreport.com

And here’s a direct from ownership quote that they want to move him to the West.

I think we need a citation for the bolded. I buy them not wanting to trade in-division but I don’t remember them saying he needed to go out West.

It’s not like Washington sees Buffalo that frequently. They play them 3 times a year vs. Vegas who plays them twice a year. And with the divisional playoffs now they’d be very unlikely to matchup in the postseason.

Washington absolutely had the ammo to get Eichel. They chose not to. They have the ammo to legitimately upgrade the roster this offseason and all indications are they are choosing not to, and instead appear to be boarding the sentimentality train again.

But Washington is something of a wildcard team and Buffalo doesn’t need competition for wildcard spots as one themselves. It’s about strengthening the pool you directly compete with, and you can’t tell me a Washington with Eichel and a Buffalo with Kuznetsov and parts are competitive right now because you’re pining for the move. If it were lateral you wouldn’t care, so why would Buffalo do it?

 

[traparatus]

Curious how long you’ve watched the Caps, and have been a fan? 5yrs is nothing, when considering the 40yrs before 2018.

Not judging you, I just don’t really understand the mindset here with your comments.

Right. Just curious. I'm sure no judgement will be passed no matter the answer.

Just one well-centered, polite and respectful fan asking another.

 

[twabby]

But Washington is something of a wildcard team and Buffalo doesn’t need competition for wildcard spots as one themselves. It’s about strengthening the pool you directly compete with, and you can’t tell me a Washington with Eichel and a Buffalo with Kuznetsov and parts are competitive right now because you’re pining for the move. If it were lateral you wouldn’t care, so why would Buffalo do it?

Buffalo had very literal leverage to make a trade that would give them a win. They had a player who wanted out with his full NMC kicking in soon. They could either get 50 cents on the dollar if they traded him before the NMC kicked in, or they could get like 10 cents on the dollar if they waited any longer.

Vegas made it happen. They were considered a longshot to get him because of their salary cap position, but they aggressively pursued him anyways and only gave up a good (but not great) roster player and some nothing futures to make it happen. I don’t buy that Washington couldn’t have beat that offer if they offered Wilson to Buffalo. But it’s incredibly likely that they never even considered pursuing Eichel because, much like now, I suspect Wilson is completely off limits because they are valuing the wrong things.

 

[Random schmoe]

I think there's some hindsight in this Eichel talk, lots of people forgetting about his health and the surgery he wanted to have. Surgery that had never been done on an NHL player before. There were real questions about how he'd come back.

Something something Backstrom something.

I'm going to regret saying anything here aren't I.

 

[PlushMinus]

Exactly, and toughen up, life isn't gonna be nice and "PG rated", all the time.

Sorry Lou, I don't take advice from "assholes", cos they're usually full of shit