Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXXIX

[peterthegreat12]

Who isn't in that position though?

Sure. But if you can acquire depth so that you aren't in that position...why wouldn't you? The common theme with this franchise is whenever they have a little bit of success, they fall in love with their team.

The Penguins are looking to add even though they are an elite team. They are all in. Go all in or go home. The real opportunity to win is over this year...why would you not want to add? http://www.fanragsports.com/news/friedman-penguins-not-done-dealing/

 

[SpinningEdge]

Sure. But if you can acquire depth so that you aren't in that position...why wouldn't you? The common theme with this franchise is whenever they have a little bit of success, they fall in love with their team.

The Penguins are looking to add even though they are an elite team. They are all in. Go all in or go home. The real opportunity to win is over this year...why would you not want to add? http://www.fanragsports.com/news/friedman-penguins-not-done-dealing/

It's extremely frustrating. Penguins, Blackhawks, etc have a traded a plethora of first rd picks over the past many years - but are always still uber competitive. They've improved and won cups - while Caps loved their team in December or January and stayed content.

Maybe that's why gm's last so long in DC. Fans are okay with being a consistent playoff team - gm talking himself up like he's got such a good team so he doesn't need to make moves - etc... in reality they never trade a first rd pick, have drafted two first rd picks last couple years of players who in no way help the Caps in their best window for a cup ever - and we end up with failing results in April or May because other teams gm's actually do stuff during the season - while GMBM does nothing it seems unless it's offseason.

Sure, the first rd picks will keep us competitive and have fans optimistic about the future - but the lack of taking the league by storm and really going for it is extremely frustrating. For once, just go for it. Might be Caps best chance they ever have.

 

[peterthegreat12]

As the old saying goes, ***** or get off the pot. You can't keep worrying about next year or even 4 years from now. If you have a chance to win with a legit team, you do whatever you have to in order to put them in the best position to succeed. And no offense to Chorney, I don't think a championship team has Chorney as their seventh d-man.

 

[um]

Who isn't in that position though?

our biggest competition. Pittsburgh seventh Dman is Daley? lets see:

Dumoulin-Letang
Cole-Schultz
Maatta-Hainsey
Daley

Either way their #7 is better than Chorney.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Sure. But if you can acquire depth so that you aren't in that position...why wouldn't you? The common theme with this franchise is whenever they have a little bit of success, they fall in love with their team.

The Penguins are looking to add even though they are an elite team. They are all in. Go all in or go home. The real opportunity to win is over this year...why would you not want to add? http://www.fanragsports.com/news/friedman-penguins-not-done-dealing/

Are they looking to add because they have roster holes? Where are ours to fill exactly besides upgrading Chorney, a bench guy.

 

[peterthegreat12]

Are they looking to add because they have roster holes? Where are ours to fill exactly besides upgrading Chorney, a bench guy.

I'm not proposing acquiring a player to push a regular out. I think depth should be acquired for the 13th FWD, and 7th d-man.

 

[SpinningEdge]

Are they looking to add because the have roster holes? Where are ours to fill exactly besides upgrading Chorney?

Its not avout filling holes - it's about becoming better.

Just because holes are filled - it doesn't mean everything is perfect. Talent is how Caps keep winning. Elite goaltending, Backstrom playing at a art ross level, two guys basically in top 10 for goals, and a #2 center who was just first star of the month in January.

People are acting like our depth is so good and complete this year - but overall, it's kind of average from years past in terms of production. Ward/Fehr/Chimmer were as good at one point as our third line now.

So when you can improve the talent - you do it. Trotz said recently that before they were a big physical team and won the hard way by grinding it out, last year were mainly a system team, and this year he credits the players and says its talent.

We've seen what Oshie does around elite talent (going to have back to back years of career highs in goals). Talent makes other talent better... so add it wherever the Caps can and just go all in with the best 18 skaters they can possibly put on the ice.

 

[SpinningEdge]

As the old saying goes, ***** or get off the pot. You can't keep worrying about next year or even 4 years from now. If you have a chance to win with a legit team, you do whatever you have to in order to put them in the best position to succeed. And no offense to Chorney, I don't think a championship team has Chorney as their seventh d-man.

I don't think a championship team has Schmidt as a #6 d man even.

Interesting at Trotz's pressed he never really mentioned anything about defense. He straight up said they are NOT looking for a forward - but didn't say anything like that avout defense.

 

[twabby]

I've been kind of back and forth about adding a big piece like Shattenkirk.

Shattenkirk is extremely good and a huge boost on the PP. He'd need time to acclimate but he'd be much better than Carlson and Niskanen on the PP, and he's better than Schmidt at ES. (not that he is who I'd replace, but it's certainly who Trotz would replace). Not only that, but Schmidt is a more than adequate 7D in case of injury.

On the other hand I have no idea how much it would cost, how they could make it work under the salary cap, etc. I'd be very willing to trade a first round pick given the quality of this year's draft but I'm not sure what else the Capitals would need to add.

The one thing I'm pretty sure of is that it shouldn't ruin the chemistry.

 

[artilector]

Its not avout filling holes - it's about becoming better.

Just because holes are filled - it doesn't mean everything is perfect. Talent is how Caps keep winning. Elite goaltending, Backstrom playing at a art ross level, two guys basically in top 10 for goals, and a #2 center who was just first star of the month in January.

People are acting like our depth is so good and complete this year - but overall, it's kind of average from years past in terms of production. Ward/Fehr/Chimmer were as good at one point as our third line now.

So when you can improve the talent - you do it. Trotz said recently that before they were a big physical team and won the hard way by grinding it out, last year were mainly a system team, and this year he credits the players and says its talent.

We've seen what Oshie does around elite talent (going to have back to back years of career highs in goals). Talent makes other talent better... so add it wherever the Caps can and just go all in with the best 18 skaters they can possibly put on the ice.

One objection -- I don't think our depth is average at all. We haven't had 3 lines truly capable of scoring since a couple of blips in the young guns era -- and those teams had a vastly inferior defense.

Sure, one should always look to upgrade talent. But it's legitimately tougher this year -- with a deep team, there are fewer obvious upgrades; and with the cap crunch you are more or less limited to looking at pure rentals.

 

[Bananas]

Doing the same thing every year and expecting different results is the very definition of insanity.

Time to change it up and go for broke on a 3G ...

 

[Langway]

Either way their #7 is better than Chorney.

Sure but they're also missing three of those defensemen currently, Letang is day-to-day and who knows how good Daley and Maatta are once they return. The Pens could add another while they're at it. The Caps would be more aggressive themselves if, say, Alzner and/or Orpik were due to miss the next four to six weeks.

Even if they are largely content with Sanford and Vrana it would be dumb to categorically rule out adding a forward if the price is right. The playoffs will be much more difficult than anything they've faced thus far. What they have today may not be enough tomorrow when teams are playing for keeps. Me...I'd really think about upgrading over Johansson in a legit hockey trade but that's not going to happen. They're just going to have to hope the second line's transition ability and generally systeming along is enough.

MacLellan is right that improving their game is the single biggest thing they can do down the stretch but there also needs to be a recognition that this roster does have some stylistic limitations. They're very good but they're beatable and I'm not sure how great the blueline is when the heat is on. Combine that with a bit of an inconsistent or flimsy top six and it's tough to be brutally honest about them and totally rule out "rocking the boat" for the sake of a completely content group of players. They've had one of the most dominant regular seasons in the past decade but it doesn't assure them of anything. Everyone, the front office included, needs to keep a chip on their shoulder and continue to get better. Upgrading over Chorney is sensible enough but kind of small potatoes. They're really good right now but that's not the sole metric they ought to be using. Other teams upgrading will only underline that further.

 

[txpd]

our biggest competition. Pittsburgh seventh Dman is Daley? lets see:

Dumoulin-Letang
Cole-Schultz
Maatta-Hainsey
Daley

Either way their #7 is better than Chorney.

Let's keep in mind they have serious inury problems on the blue line. Steve oleksy is playing now. Daly is out. Schultz is concussed and out. Masts is out. Now letang is out again. They are looking to add to survive

 

[sycamore]

Duchene would be a nice upgrade over Mojo on Line 2.

 

[Revelation]

I'm warming up to Shattenkirk since both Carlson and Niskanen are suspect health wise. Even if they stay healthy an Orpik-Shattenkirk 3rd pairing could be gamebreaking, plus the PP always sputters in the playoffs and he could have the Mike Green touch to lay it in Ovechkin's wheelhouse or just get shots through from the blueline.

Also, if he outperforms all expectations and is willing to resign, we could resign him after ED and trade Carlson for a boatload.

Another thing that could be interesting is Mike Green with 50% retention.

If they get Duchene Orlov and him should have a hipcheck battle to see who gets to keep #9

 

[ovikovy817]

I'm sure we can forget about a forward during this deadline.

We have health issues on the back end. Carlson not the same since the world cup, Alzner not the same since his injury last playoffs, Niskanen injured right now, Orpik also not @ 100% healthy.
With Pitt, taking Hainsey, now we have one concurrent less for Shattenkirk.

 

[Sam Spade]

I'm down with going for Shattenkirk, he could be the missing piece. But if we trade for him and give up Vrana (which will be the ask), and if the forwards, outside of the 1st line, crap the bed AGAIN, and we don't at least get to the Final, I'm done.

Shattenkirk is a good player, but he is a pure rental.

Hope is all some of us have and these better prospects give us that. I still haven't gotten over losing Forsberg and Eakin.

 

[hockeykicker]

Shattenkirk price is a first rounder plus top prospect plus more according to dreger and Mackenzie

 

[Dr John Carlson]

I don't think a championship team has Schmidt as a #6 d man even.

Just two years ago Chicago's bottom pair in the playoffs was some combination of Timonen/Rozsival/Rundblad/TVR. So, you're wrong.

 

[ovikovy817]

Shattenkirk price is a first rounder plus top prospect plus more according to dreger and Mackenzie

Ok. We can forget Shattenkirk

 

[Langway]

Just two years ago Chicago's bottom pair in the playoffs was some combination of Timonen/Rozsival/Rundblad/TVR. So, you're wrong.

While true, that blueline also had multiple defensemen capable of playing 25-30 minutes a night in the playoffs without no problems. Time will tell if the Caps D has that sort of endurance but I'd bet against it. That's the issue more fundamentally so I think they do need three legit pairs that don't need to be closely managed.

 

[Raikkonen]

So. There could be some interest in Grubauer so they know there will be opportunity to trade him at draft. So it's before the expansion draft. Then they need another goalie to expose.

They can trade for a goalie to

1) help Hershey now
2) expose later if someone gives good value for Grubauer

I see it that way. Pretty reasonable.

 

[PB12]

Pouliot has scouted the last few Avalanche games. Does our streak of scouting Colorado end tonight?

 

[SimplySensational]

Ok. We can forget Shattenkirk

Or Grubbauer + 1st...

 

[scorlovaf]

I don't think a championship team has Schmidt as a #6 d man even.

Interesting at Trotz's pressed he never really mentioned anything about defense. He straight up said they are NOT looking for a forward - but didn't say anything like that avout defense.

Are you seriously implying Schmidt isn't an amazing 6th dman? How about the fact that he leads the capitals in zone entries, and is 9th in the league in zone entries for defencemen, He's also the 2nd best possession defencemen on the Capitals. Schmidt is really ****ing good and has been that way all year. He's third in completed breakout passes for the capitals, while having the second lowest turnover rate on the team.