Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXXXI -- Will we even care by July 1?

[hockeykicker]

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Pretty Ballsy. Imagine Chicago not protecting Toews....

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Say Ovechkin duchene trade +- whatever pieces,
Center depth is so ****ing important. Get as many centers as you can on this ****ing team. Centers can play wing if needed. It allows for so many different line combinations and options where chemistry can click. Also give Vrana a legit shot next year to be a Guentzal or sheary. It's an 82 game season let our kids grow and get a chance.

Burakovsky Backstrom Kuznetsov
Vrana Duchene Oshie
Johansson xxx Wilson


Burakovsky Backstrom Oshie
Johanson Kuznetsov Vrana
Xxx Duchene Wilson


Burakovsky Backstrom Wilson
Duchene Kuznetsov Oshie
Johansson xxx Vrana


Burakovsky Backstrom Vrana
Mojo Kuz Wilson
Xxx Duchene Oshie


Carey Stephenson Walker as a 4th line energy or whoever that just has some ****ing wheels. And can skate their balls off

All opinion but that lineup to me looks a lot more deadly then what we have current. And Faster.
As far as the Xxx get another lower end wing/center who can fly.

 

[MrGone]

Caps have to add as much talent as possible to this lineup until the day Ovechkin calls it quits. Perfect example is LeBron James. He demands high end talent because guess what SKILL OVER WILL

That has to be close to the worst statements I have read so far. Please name the times in the past 10 season the Caps lost to a team with more talent on the ice?

The Penguins have lost a ton of man games and key players the past two seasons. And they keep winning because they plug the next guy into the system.

GMGM was a great collector of talent but had no clue how to win. And we are still trying to add the highest skilled player and not the player that best fits what the team is trying to do.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Yeah, it's time. I tend to doubt it happens because ownership is deluded but it should. It requires ownership being open to the possibility that anything could happen for the sake of the franchise and I don't think they actually value it that way. I don't think they want to do whatever it takes to win. They just want it conveniently on their terms and the performance of the team falls right in tune with it. As long as the regular season is entertaining whatever else happens happens.

For all of MacLellan's tough talk, that was part of the reason why he was still a relatively safe choice at the time. He spoke like an outsider toward some of the defects in the core but nonetheless with the understanding that it's something that has to be managed and is here to stay. That's not a real outsider and I still don't think ownership wants one.

Ted won't do it. My opinion is that he probably feels his loyalty both to GMBM and to Ernie has been rewarded with teams that at least have a chance to compete for the title, and I think that's good enough for Ted. Let's also remember that Ted has lucked into superstars with for both teams with lucky lottery balls in Ovie and Wall. Superstars sell tickets. Making tough decisions is risky, and it doesn't appear from Ted's track record that he has an appetite for risk.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

When your first goal is building a sustainable business that makes $, winning it all is secondary.

Hard to fault Ted the businessman, but he's not sure not trying to win by any means. It would probably by easier to swallow as fans with a just blatantly bad owner who refuses to spend much $. Ted has slowly spent, and slowly raised ticket prices to to obnoxious levels, where a few rounds of playoffs means they're probably making $.


Feels more and more like a shell game and we fans are the losers.

 

[artilector]

Too many variables to guess what the whole team might look like, but here's my take for specific players:

I'd keep Backstrom, Kuz, Bura, Wilson, Niskanen, Orlov. It would take some miracle offers, IMO, for it to make sense to trade these guys.

Oshie/Mojo -- if the cap space opens up, I'd keep both. If Caps can only keep one, I still honestly don't know, can make the case for either one, and depends on various factors -- Oshie's term, what others might offer for Mojo, etc.

Eller/Beagle -- look to trade if possible, and to get quicker.

Connolly -- on a cheap salary, I don't mind him. It's fine if he leaves, too.

Winnik -- thank you, take care.

Carlson -- listen to offers. If you can find a good offer, and can't keep Schmidt otherwise, then I'd take that chance.

Alzner -- thank you, take care.

Orpik -- try to find a taker.

Shattenkirk -- good luck with NYR, hopefully.

Holtby -- listen to offers.

 

[hockeykicker]

Too many variables to guess what the whole team might look like, but here's my take for specific players:

I'd keep Backstrom, Kuz, Bura, Wilson, Niskanen, Orlov. It would take some miracle offers, IMO, for it to make sense to trade these guys.

Oshie/Mojo -- if the cap space opens up, I'd keep both. If Caps can only keep one, I still honestly don't know, can make the case for either one, and depends on various factors -- Oshie's term, what others might offer for Mojo, etc.

Eller/Beagle -- look to trade if possible, and to get quicker.

Connolly -- on a cheap salary, I don't mind him. It's fine if he leaves, too.

Winnik -- thank you, take care.

Carlson -- listen to offers. If you can find a good offer, and can't keep Schmidt otherwise, then I'd take that chance.

Alzner -- thank you, take care.

Orpik -- try to find a taker.

Shattenkirk -- good luck with NYR, hopefully.

Holtby -- listen to offers.

So you want to start next year without a goalie? Grubauer is going to Vegas

 

[um]

So you want to start next year without a goalie? Grubauer is going to Vegas

obviously you don't trade Holtby without knowing if Grubeaur is going to stay, but listening to offers on Holtby isn't a bad idea.

 

[artilector]

obviously you don't trade Holtby without knowing if Grubeaur is going to stay, but listening to offers on Holtby isn't a bad idea.

This.

If you can get a really good offer for Holtby, you can most likely work something out with Vegas.

Besides, maybe Vegas wants Fleury at this point...

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Roster

Burakovsky- resign$3,000,000 : Backstrom 6,700,000 : Vrana 863,333
Johansson 4,583,333 : Kuznetsov- resign $5,500,000 : Wilson 2,000,000
P Sharp- Sign $4,000,000 : Duchene- trade for ovi, $6,000,000 : Oshie- resign $5,500,000
Beagle 1,750,000 : Cullen- sign $1,500,000 : Eller 3,500,000
Stephenson 750,000

Orlov- resign $4,000,000 : Niskanen 5,750,000
Shmidt- resign $2,000,000 : Carlson 3,966,667
Orpik 5,500,000 : Bowey 703,333

Holtby 6,100,000
Copley 700,000

Total cap 74,366,666

Still with Orpik and ellers caps on the team


who dislikes this roster

 

[SDBondra]

I'm down with considering all options but to me, Holtby is still a great value and will continue to be a Vezina candidate. Now IS finally the time to consider trading Ovi and I don't like to admit that. He's put his heart and soul into the Capitals and is by far the biggest reason for the hockey resurgence in Washington - both the quality of the teams and the popularity of the franchise. He would actually be a perfect fit for Las Vegas to try and build a fanbase but I'd guess they'd be on his no-trade list.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I dislike that roster ^^.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

I dislike that roster ^^.

for what reasons

 

[Langway]

Raises hand. I'd rather see what Walker can do than Stephenson as a depth piece. I don't think Cullen signs and Sharp is over the hill. Duchene isn't involved enough for me to target him. Maybe with a change of scenery he improves but probably only on the wing and I'm not sure he's the type of forward they need overall. An upgrade but...iffy. How much term for Oshie?

The really need to get rid of Orpik and shop Carlson at least. I also have a hard time giving Wilson a scoring-line role when at least a couple other spots are likely to be somewhat questionable. That only goes double if it's the same coaching staff.

It's difficult to make individual assessments without any sort of overarching plan guiding it. If the operating logic is to retain Trotz, do the same old thing, ride Holtby and get a wild card spot that's one thing. But it's hard to say what's best at this point. It's not so simple as who to let go and who to add. The bigger, more important questions are about identity, windows, asset management and overarching goals.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

for what reasons

- Most expensive third line in hockey.
- Sharp turns 36 this year and is injury prone (and is coming off another injury this year).
- Three centers and no wingers on the 4th line.
- Brutal 3rd pairing.
- Very poor return for Ovechkin.

 

[Langway]

Ovechkin - Backstrom - Motzko
Johasson - Kuznetsov - Vrana
Burakovsky - Eller - Wilson
Fata - Beagle - Klepis
Rechlicz

Orlov - Niskanen
Orpik - Carlson
Doig - Kwiatkowski
Muir

Holtby
Copley

Barry Trotz

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

- Most expensive third line in hockey.
- Sharp turns 36 this year and is injury prone (and is coming off another injury this year).
- Three centers and no wingers on the 4th line.
- Brutal 3rd pairing.
- Very poor return for Ovechkin.

- you can probably get him for cheaper then whose a shoot first multi cup winner, or sign Kovalchuk
- All have played Wing at some point
- Good luck not having a below average 3rd pairing givin our trash defensive pipeline.
- getting a first line 30g center for a declining ovechkin with 3.5 million less cap is a good return

 

[hockeyfan88]

Just a reminder that we lost Semin and Green for free. That alone should tell what is Leonsis' approach when it comes to trading superstars.

They'll maybe fire Trotz and then replace a few secondary core players like Johansson, Carlson, Alzner...

Holtby, Ovie and Backstrom are going nowhere. Let's be realistic here.

Leonsis sucks.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

None of the roster moves matter if we don't have a clear vision of what this team is supposed to be, how they're supposed to play, and how all of the pieces fit together. Trotz's first two years we tried to be the Kings and play a "heavy game." This year we tried to be the Pens and "play with more speed." What that says to me is we have a coach who doesn't know what system to run (or trust the system he knows) and a GM that is making moves trying to build a roster without knowing what the end state looks like. It's like trying to put together furniture without knowing what the final product is supposed to look like. Signing players just based on name and position seems more of the same misguided effort we've been seeing.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Raises hand. I'd rather see what Walker can do than Stephenson as a depth piece. I don't think Cullen signs and Sharp is over the hill. Duchene isn't involved enough for me to target him. Maybe with a change of scenery he improves but probably only on the wing and I'm not sure he's the type of forward they need overall. An upgrade but...iffy. How much term for Oshie?

The really need to get rid of Orpik and shop Carlson at least. I also have a hard time giving Wilson a scoring-line role when at least a couple other spots are likely to be somewhat questionable. That only goes double if it's the same coaching staff.

It's difficult to make individual assessments without any sort of overarching plan guiding it. If the operating logic is to retain Trotz, do the same old thing, ride Holtby and get a wild card spot that's one thing. But it's hard to say what's best at this point. It's not so simple as who to let go and who to add. The bigger, more important questions are about identity, windows, asset management and overarching goals.

less than 1% chance of it happening, yeah obviously they need to get rid of orpik and eller, they have alot of other things they shoukd do as well. Shop Carlson and whats our thin D looking like?

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

I thought players with no trade clauses had to be automatically protected?

 

[hockeyfan88]

None of the roster moves matter if we don't have a clear vision of what this team is supposed to be, how they're supposed to play, and how all of the pieces fit together. Trotz's first two years we tried to be the Kings and play a "heavy game." This year we tried to be the Pens and "play with more speed." What that says to me is we have a coach who doesn't know what system to run (or trust the system he knows) and a GM that is making moves trying to build a roster without knowing what the end state looks like. It's like trying to put together furniture without knowing what the final product is supposed to look like. Signing players just based on name and position seems more of the same misguided effort we've been seeing.

I said exactly the same here a few days ago. The Caps need an identity first and foremost.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

I thought players with no trade clauses had to be automatically protected?

think its just no movement but could be wrong

 

[third man in]

I thought players with no trade clauses had to be automatically protected?

Just NMC. It'll never happen anyway