YippieKaey
How you gonna do hockey like that?
not gonna be this year. possibly the next
Oh ye of little faith.
not gonna be this year. possibly the next
We don’t need to lose either of you posting here!
Well to start, no, they don't have the cap space. Stutzle's 8x8.35M contract just kicked in, so right now they've got 5M in cap space with 11F, 7D, and 2G and they still need to re-sign Pinto. DeBrincat's qualifying offer is 1 year, 9M. Just to sign him they'd need to shed salary now off a team that's trying to contend and doesn't have any bad contracts, then to move him at the deadline they'd have to hope that there's a contending team who can afford him. Even with full retention that's a really tough cap hit to move in-season. They probably wouldn't get much more than they just got from Detroit, they'd leave a huge hole in their lineup, and they'd spend the whole season holding their breath hoping he doesn't get hurt, in which case they can't trade him and they lose him for nothing. All in all, it wasn't an option. They had to trade him, and he made sure Detroit was the only team they could send him to.I might be missing something, in all honesty. Couldn't Ottawa have kept DeBrincat for the season and traded him at the deadline? They had the cap space.
They traded him within the division, to the exact team that they are going to compete for a playoff spot with, for a mediocre return.
Yep, his ridiculous QO basically gave him something between trade protection and an accelerated path to free agency, since nobody's taking the risk on him at that price without extension talk. He could be moved anywhere but it doesn't sound like there were a lot of teams with 9m laying around ready to roll the dice (and trade assets) just to walk DeBrincat to market, Ottawa least of all.Well to start, no, they don't have the cap space. Stutzle's 8x8.35M contract just kicked in, so right now they've got 5M in cap space with 11F, 7D, and 2G and they still need to re-sign Pinto. DeBrincat's qualifying offer is 1 year, 9M. Just to sign him they'd need to shed salary now off a team that's trying to contend and doesn't have any bad contracts, then to move him at the deadline they'd have to hope that there's a contending team who can afford him. Even with full retention that's a really tough cap hit to move in-season. They probably wouldn't get much more than they just got from Detroit, they'd leave a huge hole in their lineup, and they'd spend the whole season holding their breath hoping he doesn't get hurt, in which case they can't trade him and they lose him for nothing. All in all, it wasn't an option. They had to trade him, and he made sure Detroit was the only team they could send him to.
I would rather be trying to compete…sigh but sadly you’re probably right.I imagine that under Ted's explicit or understood direction, Caps promo staff is already sketching out a "Path to 895" marketing strategy. Plans anticipate that Nick, TJ, and JC (at the very least) will be among the players swarming out to congratulate the greatest goal scorer in NHL history - hence none of them can be moved. Giveaways, alumni appearances (no doubt including Brian Willsie and Chris Clark), a celebration night prior to a home match. Selling fan affinity for players > Fielding the best possible team (even tho' in most situations a more competitive team ---> more butts in seats). BMac ain't going anywhere soon.
I previously disagreed with several posters that are under the impression that current plan is to get Ovi to 895 and nothing else. Besides the fact that none of these posters were able to give any proof as to what moves were made that were specifically designed to A. get Ovi closer to 895 and B. Have no correlation to the teams overall performance thus rendering this team a bottom feeder with no chance of contending. But i gotta say the post above really takes the cake here. Forget the whole 895 and playoff thing, now we are assuming that the team is keeping players around solely for the purpose of being there to celebrate 895 on the ice? Man thats reaching, even for HF standards.I imagine that under Ted's explicit or understood direction, Caps promo staff is already sketching out a "Path to 895" marketing strategy. Plans anticipate that Nick, TJ, and JC (at the very least) will be among the players swarming out to congratulate the greatest goal scorer in NHL history - hence none of them can be moved. Giveaways, alumni appearances (no doubt including Brian Willsie and Chris Clark), a celebration night prior to a home match. Selling fan affinity for players > Fielding the best possible team (even tho' in most situations a more competitive team ---> more butts in seats). BMac ain't going anywhere soon.
This so much. But also, a roster that's good at offense is better for both 895 and overall competitiveness. So this idea that they're supporting Ovie's push at the expense of trying to compete is weird anyway.I previously disagreed with several posters that are under the impression that current plan is to get Ovi to 895 and nothing else. Besides the fact that none of these posters were able to give any proof as to what moves were made that were specifically designed to A. get Ovi closer to 895 and B. Have no correlation to the teams overall performance thus rendering this team a bottom feeder with no chance of contending. But i gotta say the post above really takes the cake here. Forget the whole 895 and playoff thing, now we are assuming that the team is keeping players around solely for the purpose of being there to celebrate 895 on the ice? Man thats reaching, even for HF standards.
Any team or company in general would be smart to plan ahead for an event that will generate so much attention and revenue. This is business and the more money it generates the healthier it is.
It would be dumb for them to sit with thumbs up their asses and wait until 894 before they start placing memorabilia orders.
In my opinion if the team was so concerned with 895 and nothing else they would have hired Boudreau again and let them team run and gun the next few years, the hell with wins or losses.
Suggesting that getting Ovie to 895 is the prime directive is not the same as saying "nothing else" matters. And I think you know that.I previously disagreed with several posters that are under the impression that current plan is to get Ovi to 895 and nothing else.
count me inIn my opinion if the team was so concerned with 895 and nothing else they would have hired Boudreau again and let them team run and gun the next few years, the hell with wins or losses.
Yes exactly. I dont get the idea why one has to be at the expense of the other. A solid team is good for Ovi. Ovi scoring is good for the team. This formula never changed. I think its just misplaced anger and needing someone to blame for everything. Its like we cant just have a bad year or a bad stretch. No there is gotta be someone to blame. Someone must be making us suck on purpose.This so much. But also, a roster that's good at offense is better for both 895 and overall competitiveness. So this idea that they're supporting Ovie's push at the expense of trying to compete is weird anyway.
I would be shocked at how blatantly they’re mortgaging the future of the team for an individual record but Leonsis has never impressed me.
I hope he doesn’t get the Nats.
Agreed.Yes exactly. I dont get the idea why one has to be at the expense of the other. A solid team is good for Ovi. Ovi scoring is good for the team. This formula never changed. I think its just misplaced anger and needing someone to blame for everything. Its like we cant just have a bad year or a bad stretch. No there is gotta be someone to blame. Someone must be making us suck on purpose.
But it's not "trying hard" it's "pushing the right buttons".Agreed.
Devils advocate though, intent is immaterial to results. If you have objectives and key results in business and you don’t meet them; whether you tried hard or not to meet them isn’t typically a factor. You either meet them or you don’t. Now, I have no idea internally what their actual objectives were last year, I assume one was to make the playoffs, they didn’t succeed. Did BMac try to have the team miss the playoffs? Of course not. That would be a silly thug to say. There were many factors he couldn’t control last season. I guess all I’m saying is “trying hard” is not typically how one measures success in business; let alone a pro sports team. <steps off soap box>
I agree. They are currently in a damned if you do and damned if you don’t situation. Right now it feels in the immediate future they should get to camp and see how things shake out. Who is healthy, who can take the next step, etcBut it's not "trying hard" it's "pushing the right buttons".
Like... Jim Rutherford made crazy dingus trades, was often reactionary, would give assets to trade players he had recently acquired and just kind of shuffled deck chairs for a while, and then some of the best players on the planet won him playoff games and Cups. He depleted their cabinet, lost value for trades quite often, made some bad signings they'd have to punt on (go back to losing trade value), and really rode having two of the best players on the planet not being headcases like some of ours are.
Cups or not we'd be completely f***ed up the wall if Jim Rutherford came in here to replace GMBM because I don't think he actually pushes the right buttons. His process-to-success scenario always seems to look something like somebody stumbling in the dark looking for their car keys.
"Trying hard" is underselling it, you're managing a franchise. You have all the tools and all the control: you look at the short/medium/long term hopes and weight their value then act accordingly. Caps don't have an awesome short term but they do have some chance at a quality mid-term (say like, Ovechkin's last two-ish years?). This game, especially since you're trading with people and negotiating with agents, is basically poker. You have to know which hands to be in on and the Caps have some inadequate cards right now to really go all-in.
Doesn't anyone want the Nationals with the MASN boat anchor around their necks?I would be shocked at how blatantly they’re mortgaging the future of the team for an individual record but Leonsis has never impressed me.
I hope he doesn’t get the Nats.
You can apply this logic to everything in life. We try, we fail, we try again. You are right, results are all that matter at the end. But the harder you work the better chance you have of succeeding and achieving the results you wanted. So yea the Caps organization obviously know that they have an asset that no other team has and probably will never have. They will use this asset to their advantage. And they should. You cant even call this a once in a lifetime achievement. This could very well be the last time anyone comes close to this unless some very drastic changes are made to the league/rules etc...Agreed.
Devils advocate though, intent is immaterial to results. If you have objectives and key results in business and you don’t meet them; whether you tried hard or not to meet them isn’t typically a factor. You either meet them or you don’t. Now, I have no idea internally what their actual objectives were last year, I assume one was to make the playoffs, they didn’t succeed. Did BMac try to have the team miss the playoffs? Of course not. That would be a silly thug to say. There were many factors he couldn’t control last season. I guess all I’m saying is “trying hard” is not typically how one measures success in business; let alone a pro sports team. <steps off soap box>
Only from a fan happiness perspective. I don't think their position as an organization is damned if they don't right now.I agree. They are currently in a damned if you do and damned if you don’t situation. Right now it feels in the immediate future they should get to camp and see how things shake out. Who is healthy, who can take the next step, etc
This. I'm hoping this is what Mac does if a trade doesn't truly help the teamI think we should have a 2 year plan. We have to clear the contracts of the old core Kuz Mantha Backstom and Oshie. That will pretty much give use the chance to make big splash moves in trade or FA.
In the mean time we should try to get the highest picks we can. 2 more top 10 picks and maybe some lottery luck. We could have the young up and coming team lead by record goal scorer Ovie and tons of cap space.
Call it a retool or rebuild. This should be the plan
HfCaren
We do have a plan. We've had it for years already. These are the expiring contracts.I think we should have a 2 year plan. We have to clear the contracts of the old core Kuz Mantha Backstom and Oshie. That will pretty much give us the chance to make big splash moves in trade or FA.
In the mean time we should try to get the highest picks we can. 2 more top 10 picks and maybe some lottery luck. We could have the young up and coming team lead by record goal scorer Ovie and tons of cap space.
Call it a retool or rebuild. This should be the plan
The Oilers situation is going to be fascinating as both McDavid and Drai will need new deals in 2025. With the cap going up, and Matthews apparently closing in on 13.5M AAV for his new deal, will McDavid command something north of 16M?As of now they're projected to have $52M in cap space in the final year of Ovechkin's contract and $81M the following season.
Which also happens to be when McDavid is scheduled to be a free agent.
I can dream right?