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

[SpinningEdge]

Both Orpik and Niskanen had better offers from other teams.

Where did you see this? Please share. If It's just something that GMBM said to get the deal done (because agents lie all the time to get asking prices up), that's not a real reference. Please share an actual team/offer you saw/heard of that proves this. I'd love to see, b/c I never saw anythign about them getting better offers... 5.5 x 5 for Orpik and Nisky a 5.75 x 7 arent "discount deals" by ANY STRETCH.

 

[Carlzner]

Seriously, any of us could sign Orpik for his contract, Nisky his contract, and now just waited it out and now have to pay Holtby top 5 or top 10 goalie money...

What??????

I guess there does have to be SOMEBODY against GMBM replacing Mike Green with Orpik and Niskanen. But geez...

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Forget Semin, unless the Canes buy him out and we can sign him to a one-year $2M contract.
Forget Green, he has regressed a lot since his glory days in 2010 and some dumb GM will overpay for him anyway.
Forget Ward, he wants a 4 year deal and I can't see us committing to him for so long. Such a contract has "Brooks Laich" written all over it.

We've wasted enough years of Ovi's prime, it's now or never to build a Cup winning team.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Where did you see this? Please share. If It's just something that GMBM said to get the deal done (because agents lie all the time to get asking prices up), that's not a real reference. Please share an actual team/offer you saw/heard of that proves this. I'd love to see, b/c I never saw anythign about them getting better offers... 5.5 x 5 for Orpik and Nisky a 5.75 x 7 arent "discount deals" by ANY STRETCH.

It was widely reported both in the media and on these boards. Do your own research.

 

[trick9]

I don't know about Orpik, but he had more money (per year) on the table from atleast Colorado, but they weren't willing to offer him that 5th year. As for Niskanen, he definitely had more money on the table from atleast Detroit.

 

[Roughing]

I've been on the Russian train this off season but so far it doesn't sound like the Caps have interest. We need a cheap goal scorer. Seemed like maybe there was some possibilities there.

Semin? I mean, if he's bought out and signs a 1/1 with us, sure. But that's it.

Someone would prefer we had a long term commitment to Green instead of Orpik. Really?

 

[Langway]

The real problem is losing a player again and gaining nothing but cap space (or at best a pick likely to become nothing). More and more often teams take a longer view approach in their planning and don't wait for key players to get to that stage. It's why free agency is getting weaker...teams move such players while they can to get something that helps longer-term. They believed keeping Green outweighed whatever they could have gotten for him last summer and at the deadline but did they even get to the taking offers stage at any point? The net effect, thanks to declining free agent classes for replacements, is never truly building up organizational depth.

It's the combination of fixating on the here and now at the deadline and also fixating on the upcoming season in the summer that makes their team building so disjointed. When is there room to take a perspective beyond just desperately trying to gain a slight advantage here and there? Do they dare risk taking a step back for one season in order to plan toward a bigger step forward a year or two down the line? Do they understand the patience required when developing? For years now they have seemingly been in their bunker and lacked the sort of internal evaluation process leading to the sort of improvements made in their drafting over the years. I have little hope that MacLellan is any better a manager than McPhee was. He's more decisive maybe but it was ownership's belief in current infrastructure that made hiring him at all appealing.

All of these questions make me skeptical about the sort of off-season they'll end up having, particularly in having an off-season that brings in sufficient change up front at reasonable costs. That's the tightrope they need to walk and it's much more difficult than opening the checkbook for a couple of defensemen and paying whatever it takes.

 

[Hivemind]

I don't know about Orpik, but he had more money (per year) on the table from atleast Colorado, but they weren't willing to offer him that 5th year. As for Niskanen, he definitely had more money on the table from atleast Detroit.

I don't recall ever see it reported what Colorado actually offered Orpik, only that they were the other serious bidder. Do you have a source for them offering more money?

Detroit offered Niskanen $38.5M over 7 years. His deal with the Capitals is $40.25M over 7 years.

There were certainly other teams bidding with Washington, but I haven't seen anything that actually said they were outbid for either player. Not to mention, just because someone else is also willing to overpay for a player doesn't mean that your overpayment is actually justified.

The curse of unrestricted free agency is that if a player goes with the highest bidder (or close to it), by definition that team has paid more than most of the market values that player.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Is there any reason Buffalo would look to move Georges? I remember seeing his name tossed around some time ago.

They could have an interest in Laich or Brouwer (leadership and in Brouwer's case, goals) and there's your affordable vet 3rd pairing dman.

 

[Hivemind]

Gorges has a $3.9M cap hit. Probably more than I'm comfortable spending on a 3LD. I did want him a lot last season.

LeBrun reports Carolina is open to trading Skinner. Another finesse guy who didn't get along well with Peters, but is still offensively gifted. Overpaid compared to his production last year, but he could definitely be worth more than his $5.75M contract if he rebounds into the 30G player he's been in the past.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Gorges has a $3.9M cap hit. Probably more than I'm comfortable spending on a 3LD. I did want him a lot last season.

LeBrun reports Carolina is open to trading Skinner. Another finesse guy who didn't get along well with Peters, but is still offensively gifted. Overpaid compared to his production last year, but he could definitely be worth more than his $5.75M contract if he rebounds into the 30G player he's been in the past.

$3.9 is a lot but I do think that's less than he's worth and if we can do it while shedding Laich/Brouwer's salary, that's a gift.

For some reason, I though Skinner's injury history was a lot worse than it actually is, but he hasn't missed all that much time and while his most recent concussion was his third, he was only out a few weeks.

4 years is a hell of a gamble, but that's a very decent plan b IMO.

 

[Capitlols]

I don't know why a #5/6 D has been such a talking point here...it's a #5/6 D.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

I don't know why 3LD has been such a talking point here...it's a 3LD.

Defensive depth is important and we're playing a dangerous game with Orpik IMO. It's nice to have options.

 

[Capitlols]

Defensive depth is important and we're playing a dangerous game with Orpik IMO. It's nice to have options.

Sure it's important, but I don't want to pay for guys like Jackman, Gorges, etc especially when the Top 6 needs to be addressed. As far as I'm concerned our internal options are fine.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1915437

Plan F is dangerously cheap. I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that.

 

[Capitlols]

I still worry they're going to trot out damn near the same team again. Laich, Brouwer, Mojo included.

 

[SpinningEdge]

It was widely reported both in the media and on these boards. Do your own research.

I did research and didn't see anything. We got Orpik because we offered more years and Nisky we offered a few million more like the person said above. So..... We did outbid EVERYONE.

Obviously you not proving your point. Please send over a legit source showing those players gave us a discount deal bc I've looked around and haven't seen anything that shows me you're right. When you pay the most for a free agent that other teams ha offers to as well - you got them by overpaying.

Again, I'm not against overpaying or a few bad deals I you're in win now mode.... But when you lose just as good if not a better player at the expense of that not even a year later - then that does not improve the team at all.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Skinner will cost an arm. I'd be curious to see what GMBM would offer for him.

 

[SpinningEdge]

In regards to Semin - it doesn't make sense to bring him back simply b/c of the locker room.

Trotz and a lot of current players say how tight the locker room is now. There are best friends on this team. Bringing in someone like Semin who wasn't the most liked just isn't a good thing IMO.

Sure, you don't have to like who you play with - but if Semin gets off to a bad start, he's going to be an outcast IMO. He can definitely still do well in the NHL, but I just don't think here is the right fit - for both parties.

 

[g00n]

I did research and didn't see anything. We got Orpik because we offered more years and Nisky we offered a few million more like the person said above. So..... We did outbid EVERYONE.

Obviously you not proving your point. Please send over a legit source showing those players gave us a discount deal bc I've looked around and haven't seen anything that shows me you're right. When you pay the most for a free agent that other teams ha offers to as well - you got them by overpaying.

Again, I'm not against overpaying or a few bad deals I you're in win now mode.... But when you lose just as good if not a better player at the expense of that not even a year later - then that does not improve the team at all.

I don't think it was ever established that Orpik got offers for more money to go elsewhere, just that there were other offers. He did take less money to stay in Pittsburgh when he re-signed there in 2008, so it's possible he prioritized something else over money in choosing DC. And it's known that Reirden's presence was a factor in him signing here:

The 33-year-old, who will be 34 by the time the 2014-15 season begins in October, reunites in Washington with assistant coach Todd Reirden, who worked with the blue line in Pittsburgh before getting fired in the regime change this offseason. Orpik had visited the Capitals on Sunday and, according to Gross, was heavily weighing several offers alongside his wife, Erin. Gross declined to divulge exactly how many offers Orpik had, but said Reirden’s presence factored into the decision.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...rooks-orpik-agrees-to-deal-with-the-capitals/

If there was anything about more money it came out later. My recollection is that GMBM said they really had their plans set on Orpik and they had to up their bid and pay more than they wanted in order to get him, which to me would suggest (but not prove) that the Caps bid was the highest.

 

[Bananas]

Retain Holtby, keep adding C depth and D depth. Look for bargains on the wings. Lose some dead weight.

It's not rocket science...

 

[Underpants2]

I still worry they're going to trot out damn near the same team again. Laich, Brouwer, Mojo included.

One of MaJo or Brouwer can stay.

Brooks must be purged. IMO, our window doesn't reopen until he is gone.

 

[Marshall]

Orpik turned down another year from Colorado to sign with Washington.

Ed - Colorado offered more money, as well:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=88327619&postcount=521

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Skinner looks like he's one hard check away from eating through a straw in 10 years. I cringe every time I see him get hit.

 

[RandyHolt]

Count me in on those really wanting everyone to screw Chicago after their laughable ask on Sharp. Sticking them with his cap hit would make my offseason.

I am not expecting a big splash from Mac. The biggest moves will be letting UFAs walk. I may be the only one but I am fine with Ward gone. Teams win cups without him. And we haven't with him. We somehow will have to learn to live without his 3 big goals next year. I will push all in and say we can lose in game 7 2nd round next year just fine without him.

Retain Beagle and Fehr, sign a 7, kicked the tires on Sharp; we like our team; young players ready to help. Like George never left.