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

[g00n]

whats your take on how much any potential backup plays? holtby is going to play. its not going to be 3 games out of every 5 like in the 1a 1b days. grubauer or Copley will get a game a month and will suck for lack of playing time.

right now being holtby's backup is not a job for a young goalie. peters may not be the answer, but I would not expect either of the ahl goalies to be successful at that role.

best way of handling this is to ditch peters and rotate the two ahl goalies to sit on the caps bench while the other gets to play and stay sharp in Hershey.

Or, you find a veteran backup who can jump in and do a decent job for that rare start, and you would trust with a game or two in the playoffs if your #1 gets a little dinged up. The Caps haven't had that guy since, what, Brent Johnson?

 

[Capitlols]

what would the pieces be?

1st line winger and back up goalie?

#2C and a LD depth guy imo.

 

[Langway]

what would the pieces be?

1st line winger and back up goalie?

In the playoffs a back up goalie does not usually matter much. You live and die with the starter. It would be nice and help with b2bs but not sure it's a playoff must.

‏@AdamVingan: Barry: "We have some guys that are, at this level, pretty good contributing players, but the playoffs are another level."

I would say that 1RW, 2C, 2RW and 3LD are all substandard from that standpoint. Maybe Kuznetsov can move over to solidify one of those RW spots, maybe not. Maybe Burakovsky improves to the point where he sticks, maybe not.

Edit: I don't mind Schmidt at 3LD when healthy so maybe scratch that off.

 

[txpd]

I think NBTW pretty much nailed it earlier.

If you don't go 1RW you go 2C and make Kuz 1RW. There seems to be momentum for that move at least among fans. That's probably first priority.

I imagine its an equation. Who will be the better in house 1RW option by the TDL? Kuz or Wilson? Which option will be the most likely available thru a trade, 2C or RW?

I would bet that the Caps would prefer Wilson be able to handle the 1RW duty and then trade for an affordable 2c rental. I don't think its their first choice to use a Kuz type player on the right with 8 and 19.

I also think if they can get a better RW for less than they can for a 2c that will cost more and not be as good, that they would choose the better player at the lower price.

 

[txpd]

@AdamVingan: Barry: "We have some guys that are, at this level, pretty good contributing players, but the playoffs are another level."

I would say that 1RW, 2C, 2RW and 3LD are all substandard from that standpoint. Maybe Kuznetsov can move over to solidify one of those RW spots, maybe not. Maybe Burakovsky improves to the point where he sticks, maybe not.

Edit: I don't mind Schmidt at 3LD when healthy so maybe scratch that off.

I would not be shocked to find both Kuz and Bura as injury fill in players for this playoffs.

 

[EroCaps]

He's on point. Glad to hear it. The young guys are not yet familiar with or very suited to playoff hockey.

 

[g00n]

I imagine its an equation. Who will be the better in house 1RW option by the TDL? Kuz or Wilson? Which option will be the most likely available thru a trade, 2C or RW?

I would bet that the Caps would prefer Wilson be able to handle the 1RW duty and then trade for an affordable 2c rental. I don't think its their first choice to use a Kuz type player on the right with 8 and 19.

I also think if they can get a better RW for less than they can for a 2c that will cost more and not be as good, that they would choose the better player at the lower price.

As I said when Wilson was getting that 1RW time I'd like to see him and Kuz shuffled in and out of that spot depending on the matchup, and maybe even situationally in-game sometimes. Maybe that's not even a 2014-2015 thing, who knows. A lot depends on who's out there and attainable at 2C or 1RW. The good news is there are options. One more piece is needed up there for rotations, imo.

I'd be surprised if Bura, Kuz and Wilson are all three everyday players in the playoffs this season. It's possible, but not likely, imo. Not unless there's some massive upswing for all three over the 2nd half.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

How much cap space are we going to have at the deadline

 

[NoMoreChoking]

#2 center and 5/6 physical d-man is what we need.

What I got from Trotz thoigh is its not the position that he is looking for but the type of player.

 

[ChibiPooky]

There's only one top line RW they could get without roster assets going the other way. I'd think a center is more likely just given the guys who are available and their probable trade value.

 

[Ajax1995]

Or, you find a veteran backup who can jump in and do a decent job for that rare start, and you would trust with a game or two in the playoffs if your #1 gets a little dinged up. The Caps haven't had that guy since, what, Brent Johnson?

But even Johnson was playing 20 games a season for the Caps, which is roughly 1 out of every 4 games. IMO that is about the minimum amount of time you can give a guy and still expect a decent level of play. Nobody is going to play well getting only a couple starts a month.

 

[txpd]

Or, you find a veteran backup who can jump in and do a decent job for that rare start, and you would trust with a game or two in the playoffs if your #1 gets a little dinged up. The Caps haven't had that guy since, what, Brent Johnson?

Johnson actually played a lot. 26 and 30 games his first two years. 19 games the year the Caps brought in Huet.

 

[txpd]

As I said when Wilson was getting that 1RW time I'd like to see him and Kuz shuffled in and out of that spot depending on the matchup, and maybe even situationally in-game sometimes. Maybe that's not even a 2014-2015 thing, who knows. A lot depends on who's out there and attainable at 2C or 1RW. The good news is there are options. One more piece is needed up there for rotations, imo.

I'd be surprised if Bura, Kuz and Wilson are all three everyday players in the playoffs this season. It's possible, but not likely, imo. Not unless there's some massive upswing for all three over the 2nd half.

I think Wilson is the only one of those three that is a lock to be playing every game come playoffs. the question is where in the lineup.

Bura and Kuz? I think they are both going to be watching playoffs unless filling in for an injury. I think either of them could get rolling in the second half and change that, though.

 

[txpd]

There's only one top line RW they could get without roster assets going the other way. I'd think a center is more likely just given the guys who are available and their probable trade value.

who is the only RW option? who are the multi center options? i only see vermette as a rental center and am not sure of the rw options

 

[Langway]

Bura and Kuz? I think they are both going to be watching playoffs unless filling in for an injury. I think either of them could get rolling in the second half and change that, though.

Trotz I think alluded to Kuznetsov's strides thus far in that blockquote and I doubt he's a scratch come playoff time. It's not like they have loads of cap space to go out and add multiple forwards anyway.

 

[ChibiPooky]

who is the only RW option? who are the multi center options? i only see vermette as a rental center and am not sure of the rw options

Jagr is the only top line RW that wouldn't require roster assets going the other direction (either because of trade value or salary), rental or otherwise.

Vermette is the only center that fits from a rental perspective but there are others who fit a longer-term mentality (not discussing whether they actually want to bring someone in long-term at that position).

 

[ChibiPooky]

Trotz I think alluded to Kuznetsov's strides thus far in that blockquote and I doubt he's a scratch come playoff time. It's not like they have loads of cap space to go out and add multiple forwards anyway.

I could see them bringing in Vermette and moving Kuznetsov to the wing for the rest of the season + playoffs. Lower risk position for 92, puts a stronger veteran in the middle, and elevates the top line skill.

 

[txpd]

Trotz I think alluded to Kuznetsov's strides thus far in that blockquote and I doubt he's a scratch come playoff time. It's not like they have loads of cap space to go out and add multiple forwards anyway.

if he continues to grow, I would agree with that. those comments back that up. time will tell. I guess I don't see a 2c coming in and Trotz moving Kuz to a slot taken currently by a north American style player.

 

[ChibiPooky]

if he continues to grow, I would agree with that. those comments back that up. time will tell. I guess I don't see a 2c coming in and Trotz moving Kuz to a slot taken currently by a north American style player.

If he moves, I see him going to 1RW, a slot taken currently by Burakovsky, who is many things, but NA style player is not one of them.

 

[Ovechtrick89*]

I think this all but means a 1RW will be coming in, and thank god! If you know Trotz you will know he likes consistency and with the simple fact that 3 different players are used at some point almost every game on the top line RW that tells you he's not happy with the consistency any of them are showing. That means when he says we are 1 or 2 pieces away he's looking at BMac to get guys at that position and either a Hillen replacement/2C.

 

[Ovechtrick89*]

It's time to sort out this crappy mess GM left us when he didn't replace Semin. To think of all the top wingers that have been traded to rivals in our conference and are producing at a high level since he left makes it mind numbing and i'm not even going to start with Forsberg.

 

[txpd]

I could see them bringing in Vermette and moving Kuznetsov to the wing for the rest of the season + playoffs. Lower risk position for 92, puts a stronger veteran in the middle, and elevates the top line skill.

I could see that. I don't think that is what Trotz wants however. He wants someone to dig in the corners and play in and around the paint. Kuz is not going to do that. Trotz might settle for that, but given the choice he would rather have Knuble than Semin on that 1RW.

If the Caps can get Vermette, Kuz is better than Bura. But short of bringing in a RW as well, Wilson and Beagle might see a good bit of time on that line and Laich Fehr and Ward even more even strength ice time/

 

[ChibiPooky]

Back to the Blake Wheeler discussion from a while ago... was going back over the CBA and I think Riley Barber is going to be in the same position Wheeler and Justin Schultz were (allowed to become UFA).

 

[HunterSThompson]

Back to the Blake Wheeler discussion from a while ago... was going back over the CBA and I think Riley Barber is going to be in the same position Wheeler and Justin Schultz were (allowed to become UFA).

You may be right, if he stays in school next year.

 

[txpd]

If he moves, I see him going to 1RW, a slot taken currently by Burakovsky, who is many things, but NA style player is not one of them.

that's true, but my view is that given the choice trotz would prefer Wilson of a NA style veteran rather than either Bura or Kuz in that spot. Bura is there to learn.