Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap Part XL

[Halpysback*]

If you trade Green the room implodes. They traded Brian ****ing Pothier and the room imploded. LA got away trading Johnson for Carter because Johnson was a defensive mess with psycho parents and not a particularly liked guy in the organization and Carter was coming in to be core right off the bat with his BFF there. The only time culture changes make sense is during the offseason, since the team has a year to form an identity again. This is just the room aspect, nevermind his abilities and chances one of Carlskanen goes down. Does NYR management suck because they let Stralman walk as a UFA? Does LA suck for letting Mitchell walk? They went into the playoffs knowing he was gonna walk, should they have traded him instead?

Keep Green, keep people on the roster and add 1-2 players. Ideally Orlov can come back and regain his footing by the playoffs and all they add is a good RW. The best one that seems to be realistically available is none other than... Erat.

 

[artilector]

If there is a way to replace Green with a cheaper vet and bring in top-6 help, I'd do it.
If I could convert him (and maybe sbdy else non-essential) into a cheaper vet and a 1st, I'd... still do it.

This team has shown that it can beat pretty much any given team on any given day. At the same, it has been quite inconsistent, especially with one entire 2nd/3rd line in flux. So for me, it's not a season to ignore significant asset management issues to go all in.

..on a slightly related note - take today for example. Great win, no question. But Green & Hillen, those were some huge hits they absorbed (to Green's credit, he threw a great hit himself). But.. this was a reg. season game against an LA team that could not muster much energy overall. So... four series of this, dialed up to 11?? With Schmidt & Orlov trying to come back from their own injuries? Just too many holes and question marks to go "all in", IMO.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

I don't think an all-in approach is necessary. Just make some smart additions. A moderate improvement to the 2nd line and a steadier partner for Green gives this team at least a puncher's chance at a Cup.

It's a much better team than the one that beat Boston in the first round, and I think it's a very weak league overall this season. I don't see one scary team league-wide, particularly in the East.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

I'd keep Green unless they get an offer they can't pass up.

Replace Hillen, if at all possible.

 

[CapsJunkie]

If there is a way to replace Green with a cheaper vet and bring in top-6 help, I'd do it.
If I could convert him (and maybe sbdy else non-essential) into a cheaper vet and a 1st, I'd... still do it.

This team has shown that it can beat pretty much any given team on any given day. At the same, it has been quite inconsistent, especially with one entire 2nd/3rd line in flux. So for me, it's not a season to ignore significant asset management issues to go all in.

..on a slightly related note - take today for example. Great win, no question. But Green & Hillen, those were some huge hits they absorbed (to Green's credit, he threw a great hit himself). But.. this was a reg. season game against an LA team that could not muster much energy overall. So... four series of this, dialed up to 11?? With Schmidt & Orlov trying to come back from their own injuries? Just too many holes and question marks to go "all in", IMO.

I saw the hit a little differently, I saw Clifford trying his best every shift to get his team going, Then Green putting a racquet ball in his mouth and making him his B

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

They said the same thing with Semin, who is not a Cup type player, and then let him walk.

I really hope this isn't the mentality.

Frankly, I don't see any comparison to the situations. Ovie is 30 next year. Nick is playing the best hockey of his career. We are injury free. We've proven we can play the right way to win in the playoffs and have an actual coach. We have elite goaltending and are top ten in both GF and GA. Not even close to the same situation with Semin. Unless they get a ridiculous offer, keep him and go for it.

 

[BobRouse]

well I read that as he wouldn't trade him for futures....but I agree I dont think they trade him if they are in the mix. I also don't expect him to be here next season...taking our personal opinions of the player out of it, I just don't see how they can

Generally agree with you here. It will indeed be hard to keep him but you never know...players have taken paycuts to stay and Green does seem to have his heart here.

I don't believe we can trade him at all. No contender is going to give up roster players for him. It would have to be a coordinated 3 way trade at minimum and then more.

Also...Hillen sucks. Orlov and Erskine are not coming back this year. Schmidt is a question mark himself.

Trade Green and who's your third pairing? We'd have to bring in 2 guys at the TDL and none of them can replace Green's possession and massive production. Carlson will have to play PP, PK and shutdown role and his minutes will jump and he will get worn down.

Looking more and more likely that we simply cannot trade Green.

I saw the hit a little differently, I saw Clifford trying his best every shift to get his team going, Then Green putting a racquet ball in his mouth and making him his B

Clifford ran Carlson from behind when Carlson didn't even have the puck. Then gave him a shot to the face and neither were called. He followed that up by taking a run at Green.

Love that Green went for the throat on that hit. Green simply looked stellar last night and has for the past couple months really. Great player.

 

[g00n]

Back to the 1RW question...Mojo is in a contract year and we're in the home stretch for the season. After a hot start and a lackluster run of games afterward, Mojo should be poised to get hot just in time to make things utterly confusing by the TDL.

Now is the time for him to really step up and show what he's going to bring to a team for the next several years. No more talk about his potential. This is it. And if they Caps bank on him as the 1RW option, he'd better be ready to elevate his game even further in the playoffs.

 

[Capitlols]

30 Thoughts:

10. Coyotes GM Don Maloney is on-record as saying the team craves young assets (particularly offensive ones) as he looks to move several veterans, but there is a secondary wish — a stout defenceman or two. Arizona feels it has plenty of puck-movers, but lacks those who make it hard to get to your net, at least not without some pain. The Coyotes believe they are too easily manhandled in their own zone and must address that.

11. For all of the talk about Antoine Vermette and/or Keith Yandle, Maloney said last week he’s received the most calls on centre Martin Hanzal. He has trouble staying healthy, but is a large body at a critical position with an excellent contract (two more years at $3.1M). It will take a big offer to get him out of there. Maloney knows if he gets one of the young centres, it would be nice to have Hanzal shield them from Ryan Getzlaf and Anze Kopitar.

12. There are a couple teams who suspect Colorado, which has fought its way into the race, is a stealth Vermette candidate. (Since we now know the government listens to everything we do, I’d love a transcript of recent Maloney/Sakic/Roy conversations. Some creative possibilities there.) Vermette could replace what the Avalanche lost in Paul Stastny, at least in the short term.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/30-thoughts-whats-happening-with-kane/

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Back to the 1RW question...Mojo is in a contract year and we're in the home stretch for the season. After a hot start and a lackluster run of games afterward, Mojo should be poised to get hot just in time to make things utterly confusing by the TDL.

Now is the time for him to really step up and show what he's going to bring to a team for the next several years. No more talk about his potential. This is it. And if they Caps bank on him as the 1RW option, he'd better be ready to elevate his game even further in the playoffs.

He's still not on my wishlist for the top line because I don't see him as a good fit there.

He likes to stickhandle so he's not a good match for catching and shooting Ovi's amazing dart passes. He's not capable of creating traffic in front of the net. He's better on the boards and his zone entries last night were good, but I don't think that's enough.

It would be nice if he could be a driver on the 2nd line, but he really looks incapable of doing so.

I'm fine with him on 1RW if he's the best option that we have, but I really think we can do better in the medium to long run.

 

[g00n]

He's still not on my wishlist for the top line because I don't see him as a good fit there.

He likes to stickhandle so he's not a good match for catching and shooting Ovi's amazing dart passes. He's not capable of creating traffic in front of the net. He's better on the boards and his zone entries last night were good, but I don't think that's enough.

It would be nice if he could be a driver on the 2nd line, but he really looks incapable of doing so.

I'm fine with him on 1RW if he's the best option that we have, but I really think we can do better in the medium to long run.

I generally agree, I'm saying this is a put up or shut up time for him. And good point about him not handling Ovie's passes, though he did move the puck pretty quickly on that goal yesterday. He may be capable of much more than what he does but held back by old habits.

 

[Langway]

MacLellan was on 980 with Koken.

@alex_prewitt: Mac: "I think if we added one piece or got the chemistry right on a couple of the lines it would go a long way to improving our team."

Also said second round picks will be valued and that they'll be able to get a good player in the second round if they hold on to it (and the early 3rd from BUF).

How Johansson fares on the top line will shape what they do IMO. If he can stick there upgrading on Burakovsky or shifting Kuznetsov to LW is seemingly the area to target.

 

[Capitlols]

MacLellan was on 980 with Koken.

@alex_prewitt: Mac: "I think if we added one piece or got the chemistry right on a couple of the lines it would go a long way to improving our team."

Also said second round picks will be valued and that they'll be able to get a good player in the second round if they hold on to it (and the early 3rd from BUF).

How Johansson fares on the top line will shape what they do IMO. If he can stick there upgrading on Burakovsky or shifting Kuznetsov to LW is seemingly the area to target.

To add:

Alex Prewitt ‏@alex_prewitt
A couple times, though, MacLellan told Koen that a win like last night "confuses it...you say maybe we should leave it alone."

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Something is going to happen.

 

[Raikkonen]

One depth forward to cover for Bura's youth is needed IMHO. Kid never played that long of a season. You can't expect him to be good in SCF. And there is a prospect we could get there maybe.

We have Chimmer to subst him... but you all know what's wrong with Chimmer on the line with 92 and 20. Just isn't "****ing right".


PS: I guess we can go over the salary cap in playoffs with players coming from LTIR, right? If we are there for 3 rounds at least - it could be hidden depth.

 

[ReggietheSavage15]

Evander Kane was a healthy scratch last night IN Vancouver (hometown)...

Hypothetically, what would it take to bring him to DC?

 

[BobRouse]

Evander Kane was a healthy scratch last night IN Vancouver (hometown)...

Hypothetically, what would it take to bring him to DC?

Hell freezing over.

That guy is a cancer punk who doesn't even produce nearly to his talent level or contract. Stay as far away from that wretched scum as you can.

 

[txpd]

yea, I am not sure why the Caps inject a star or near star level player that is taking healthy scratches into their happy locker room.

 

[BobRouse]

yea, I am not sure why the Caps inject a star or near star level player that is taking healthy scratches into their happy locker room.

I wouldn't even call him that. This is his 6th season. He has broken 20 goals and 50 points exactly once and that was the same year which is starting to look like an outlier.

Sure he's still very young so he can improve but he's never been good defensively from what I saw and seems to have a repeated pattern of bad 'tude.

 

[Zoidberg Jesus]

yea, I am not sure why the Caps inject a star or near star level player that is taking healthy scratches into their happy locker room.

Maybe they have enough faith in their happy locker room and great coach that they're willing to gamble on a guy with 30-30 potential? In a way, that'd be the ultimate vote of confidence in the team to say "I think you're strong enough to fix this guy." But considering his cap hit there's basically no way for this to actually happen.

 

[Stewie G]

Maybe they have enough faith in their happy locker room and great coach that they're willing to gamble on a guy with 30-30 potential? In a way, that'd be the ultimate vote of confidence in the team to say "I think you're strong enough to fix this guy." But considering his cap hit there's basically no way for this to actually happen.

I was thinking along those same lines. If they want a straight and narrow guy, the Caps have a couple that fit that description and would free up the necessary cap space. Brouwer for one and I'm not even go there on another lest I feel the wrath of NBTW.

Brouwer + prospect (this isn't my strong suit) + pick for Kane + maybe Burmistrov's rights?

 

[BobRouse]

Maybe they have enough faith in their happy locker room and great coach that they're willing to gamble on a guy with 30-30 potential? In a way, that'd be the ultimate vote of confidence in the team to say "I think you're strong enough to fix this guy." But considering his cap hit there's basically no way for this to actually happen.

I was reading earlier this year that Brooks Orpik chastised certain player(s) for drinking regular soda instead of diet.

Trotz benched Kostitsyn and Radulov (tho key offensive players) in the middle of a playoff series for missing curfew.

I'm sure Kane will become an angel once he gets here. He won't post pics of rolling in cash, he won't like social media posts when someone mentions he should be traded to Philly and he will certainly stop with his constant breaking of team rules.

I don't think everyone really understands this player. People get enamoured with his skillset and that ONE good year he had.

He has great tools and no toolbox. His judgment off the ice is every bit as bad as his hockey sense on it. He has a lot of growing up to do and I see him being another Chris Stewart eventually if he isn't already there or worse.

I was thinking along those same lines. If they want a straight and narrow guy, the Caps have a couple that fit that description and would free up the necessary cap space. Brouwer for one and I'm not even go there on another lest I feel the wrath of NBTW.

Brouwer + prospect (this isn't my strong suit) + pick for Kane + maybe Burmistrov's rights?

This is awful on multiple levels. Move out a well liked and productive team leader for a lazy malcontent who gives effort only when he feels like it. Great idea to throw in a prospect for a career KHLer too.

 

[BobRouse]

It's part of a proud tradition.

haha...Commodore.

Kane's antics are a pattern tho. His attitude is blatently apparent. Commodore's was more innocent and he had no off ice issues or locker room issues that I recall.

Players like Kane really frustrate me. In fact he is just a younger version of Chris Stewart and their careers are trending the same. Both had one good year of 20+/50+ that they haven't come close to achieving again and play a similar style.

He needs a Mike Keenan coach to get him in line and I'm not sure even that will work.

Hitch and Nolan couldn't fix Stewart. I suspect no one can fix Kane.

 

[ReggietheSavage15]

I think Kane is misunderstood and a VERY poor fit in the city of Winnipeg. He's young, and like A LOT of young players, have bouts of immaturity. I don't see his transgressions off the ice being that big of a deal. A lot of the attention he gets is due to his personality and how he doesn't fit the mold of a "traditional" Canadian hockey player.

That being said, I think we are now at the point, with the Caps, where there is a strong foundation of leadership. Leadership, that would help Kane mature and hopefully reach his potential. A first line of Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Kane would have the potential to be deadly.

Like I said, it was a hypothetical, because I was wondering what it would take to bring him in...but I think it's a good risk and one that could pay dividends if it could be somehow worked out.

*dude is 23 and no one can fix him? C'mon now...SMH.

 

[BobRouse]

I think Kane is misunderstood and a VERY poor fit in the city of Winnipeg. He's young, and like A LOT of young players, have bouts of immaturity. I don't see his transgressions off the ice being that big of a deal. A lot of the attention he gets is due to his personality and how he doesn't fit the mold of a "traditional" Canadian hockey player.

That being said, I think we are now at the point, with the Caps, where there is a strong foundation of leadership. Leadership, that would help Kane mature and hopefully reach his potential. A first line of Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Kane would have the potential to be deadly.

Like I said, it was a hypothetical, because I was wondering what it would take to bring him in...but I think it's a good risk and one that could pay dividends if it could be somehow worked out.

*dude is 23 and no one can fix him? C'mon now...SMH.

So...

We trade significant assets including a roster player or two, clear enough cap space to get him and just HOPE things work out??

Instead of bringing in an experienced playoff tested player you suggest we sink our whole wad into a guy with ZERO playoff experience??

Taking shifts off, getting healthy scratched and doing boneheaded stuff should serve as a red flag to anyone who would want him.

He's living off 1 good year and the pedigree of being a top 5 pick. Thus some foolish team will give up a top six forward, a 1st and a prospect for him ...that team will live to regret it.

This guy makes me sick. He oozes of entitlement attitude. You don't trade that kind of package and simply hope he can turn things around.

Want a player like him? Go pick up Chris Stewart for a fraction of the cost and see him help us sitting in the press box and being a healthy scratch after a few games.