Re-tool/core change
Despite looking better the last few games I still think this team needs a core change, or a re-tool if you'd like. I feel that whatever plan GMGM claims he has, isn't working. The balance is way off in the team (forwards-heavy) and it seems constructed from out-to-in instead of the other way around.
This is of course not even close to happening, but if I could wish in a semi-reality world, this is what I would want.
So it shouldn't be taken to seriously!
Mike Green and Stanislav Galiev
for
Francois Beauchemin and Nicolas Kerdiles
Anaheim get a PPQB that they need badly for their nonfunctional PP (6,9% 30th in the leauge), Boudreau reunites with Green whom he already know how to use. Galiev adds to their weak LW prospect depth.
Caps get a more experienced two-way D with some snarl in him for Alzner to watch and for Carlson to pair up with. Kerdiles is a center that instantaniously would be the Caps best C prospect, seems to have 2B/3C kind of upside.
Troy Brouwer and Tomas Kundratek
for
Kevin Bieksa
Vancouver needs a rightshooting powerforward for their top-6, someone who can play with the Sedin's that doesn't require the puck so much and can play in front of the net on their PP. Tanev seems ready for top-4 minutes on their backend and Kundratek showed last year to be able to handle bottompairing minutes and is a capable PP2QB if they need him to be.
Bieksa slides in with Alzner to round out the Caps top-4 and adds more grit on the backend along with some puckmoving abilities. I'll much rather have him be the rolemodel for Carlson then Green.
Brooks Laich and Marcus Johansson ($1M in salary retained)
for
Justin Williams, Kyle Clifford, Nick Shore and a 3rd
Kings improve their top-9 a lot, but add some salary. Caps retain half of Johansson's contract to make it work cap-wise for the Kings.
Caps get some more grit for the 4th line in Clifford whom eventually might be Chimera's replacement. In Williams they get an experienced cup winner for the second line, known to come through in the playoffs.
Nick Shore adds to the Caps organizational depth of prospects and a Caps add an 80-ish pick in the next draft.
Eric Fehr and Michal Neuvirth
for
Marcel Goc, Scott Clemensen and Alex Petrovic
The Panthers are giving up to rentals for a goalie to push Markstrom and the revived Eric Fehr for their RW/C, both signed through next year. Goc, who's currently their 2C, can replaced in the line up by Fleischmann to open up a spot for Fehr on the right side.
Goc would fit really well with Chimera and Ward on the 3rd line and Clemensen is just moved to give Holtby an occasional breather and open up a roster spot for Neuvirth. Petrovic is the kind of defenseman that's lacking on the Caps. Big and mean, while still capable of contributing offensively and a good skater for his size.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- That's 6 roster players exchanged in 4 trades that would totally change look of this franchise. IMO it gives the line up great balance from the top down and also a good mix of youth vs experience. The overall depth had to be sacrificed for better overall balance, so the lineup is pretty sensitive for injuries.
- Caps need to re-sign Grabovski to avoid having a big hole at C next year.
- For the best effect ideally all trades have to be completed, but atleast the two first ones need to happen to acomplish anything.
- Caps add some quality prospects in Kerdiles, Petrovic, Shore, while only losing Kundratek and Galiev.
- This line up is based on Kuznetsov being hereat the end of the year, and if he comes it won't be as early as the trade deadline so they'll be a winger short from the LAK-WSH trade until his arrival.
- Sometimes the value in a trade is getting rid of a contract, so the return might not reflect the true value of the player/s leaving i.e. Brooks Laich/Neuvirth.
FORWARDS
Evgeny Kuznetsov ($3.750m) / Nicklas Backstrom ($6.700m) / Alex Ovechkin ($9.538m)
Martin Erat ($4.500m) / Mikhail Grabovski ($3.000m) / Justin Williams ($3.650m)
Jason Chimera ($1.750m) / Marcel Goc ($1.700m) ($0.786m) / Joel Ward ($3.000m)
Kyle Clifford ($1.075m) / Michael Latta / Tom Wilson ($1.294m)
Aaron Volpatti ($0.575m) / Jay Beagle ($0.900m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Karl Alzner ($2.800m) / Kevin Bieksa ($4.600m)
Francois Beauchemin ($3.500m) /John Carlson ($3.967m)
Alexander Urbom ($0.869m) / Steven Oleksy ($0.542m)
Dmitry Orlov ($0.900m) /
GOALTENDERS
Braden Holtby ($1.850m)
Scott Clemmensen ($1.200m)
RETAINED SALARY TRANSACTIONS (1.555% of upper limit)
Marcus Johansson ($1.000m—50.0%)
------
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $63,445,962; BONUSES: $400,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $1,254,038
Thanks for reading, feel free to tweak, comment or just let me know of there's anything to it!
Flame away!!