Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2019-20 Season Pt. 6: 2020

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

Vanecek or Fucale will be our 2G. Do not see why the team would go out and get a veteran G. Vanecek is ready, he also will likely be a very serviceable player. Fucale is already fringe NHL/AHL, he's the fail safe.

 

[tenken00]

Vanecek or Fucale will be our 2G. Do not see why the team would go out and get a veteran G. Vanecek is ready, he also will likely be a very serviceable player. Fucale is already fringe NHL/AHL, he's the fail safe.

But that's like going with the "experienced" head coach. Sure Samsonov/Vanecek could be fine. But do you really want to risk the last few years left of this team's core to that. And the Samsonov injury worries me. We all know back and neck injuries don't ever fully go away. They can spring back up at any time. Look at Max Scherzer. And he doesn't even twist and contort his body to the extent that a goalie does.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Vanecek or Fucale will be our 2G. Do not see why the team would go out and get a veteran G. Vanecek is ready, he also will likely be a very serviceable player. Fucale is already fringe NHL/AHL, he's the fail safe.

FWIW, Fucale is no where near NHL caliber. He’s a borderline AHL player and an ECHL starter. He’s taking over the role of Parker Milner as the bonafide starter for South Carolina and first call up option.

Zach Fucale at eliteprospects.com

Hershey’s goaltenders are probably going to be one of Vanecek/Copley if they don’t win the backup job and either Fucale/Hunter Shephard, the college FA that signed an AHL deal in Hershey. I’d lean toward Shephard if he plays the way he did in college

 

[hb12xchamps]

Alex Semin and Evgeny Kuznetsov are both amazing players, ones of very few best players who ever played for Caps. You know what is common to Brooks Laich and Matt Bradley? They are both not on this list, never will and never could.

What does that have to do with Kuznetsov vs Crosby? Absolutely nothing. You’re deflecting because it was a horrendous take and you’re trying to change the narrative. Kuznetsov is not better than Crosby and most likely never will be. Any sane person can see that

 

[Empty Goal Net]

But that's like going with the "experienced" head coach. Sure Samsonov/Vanacek could be fine. But do you really want to risk the last few years left of this team's core to that. And the Samsonov injury worries me. We all know back and neck injuries don't ever fully go away. They can spring back up at any time. Look at Max Scherzer. And he doesn't even twist and contort his body to the extent that a goalie does.

I was going to raise that issue so glad you did. Assuming the team knows more than we do, it's possible they will be looking for a decent vet who can take over the majority of starts if Sammy isn't fully ready when the season begins. That might mean shorting Hershey by moving someone like Copley or possibly even VV.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

FWIW, Fucale is no where near NHL caliber. He’s a borderline AHL player and an ECHL starter. He’s taking over the role of Parker Milner as the bonafide starter for South Carolina and first call up option.

Zach Fucale at eliteprospects.com

Hershey’s goaltenders are probably going to be one of Vanecek/Copley if they don’t win the backup job and either Fucale/Hunter Shephard, the college FA that signed an AHL deal in Hershey. I’d lean toward Shephard if he plays the way he did in college

You're right, he has yo-yo'd in play, but going by his last ECHL season I would assume the team has penciled him into hopefully starting off in Hershey.


Regardless, I think the 2G role is Vanecek's to lose. He seems ready, he's played well in Hershey, he's paid his dues so to speak.

 

[txpd]

I was going to raise that issue so glad you did. Assuming the team knows more than we do, it's possible they will be looking for a decent vet who can take over the majority of starts if Sammy isn't fully ready when the season begins. That might mean shorting Hershey by moving someone like Copley or possibly even VV.

The problem with "a decent vet..." is that its a half a loaf answer. If the Caps are going to hire an expensive, veteran coach, spend to the cap and expect to make a run at a cup, a half a loaf, marginal starter isnt going to get it done. I suppose a Mrazek like, one year contract goalie could get you there but pretty unlikely. I dont see much of an alternative. Its either that or Samsonov is healthy and you roll the dice with an unproven kid. Its not ideal either way

 

[Roughing]

Ilya Samsonov should be ready for training camp, according to Washington GM Brian MacLellan.

Samsonov has been getting therapy for the injury he suffered in Russia during the pause of the 2019-20 season for six weeks now. He is slated to be evaluated again by the team at the eight-week mark. MacLellan said the recovery has been going well. Samsonov wasn't available for the Return to Play due to the ailment.
SOURCE: Samantha Pell on Twitter
Aug 23, 2020, 2:43 PM ET

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

The Samsonov injury is interesting. Presumably if he couldn't even make the trip to the bubble where he would have theoretically been useful as far gone as late September then it's probably a pretty bad injury. On the flip side, maybe they made him stay because he requires a specialist and specific type of rehab not available in the bubble. I mean that Tik Tok video was right before camp, so after the injury, and he seemed limber enough.


I think if the injury was really a long term fear you'd maybe see the team get creative and renew interest in Holtby. As I've said a few times, it makes the most sense for Holtby to sign a 1 year deal so he can be a UFA in a year where the cap isn't flat and there is a 32nd team looking for their franchise G. Whether that is DC seems unclear and unlikely, but stranger things have happened.

 

[hb12xchamps]

You're right, he has yo-yo'd in play, but going by his last ECHL season I would assume the team has penciled him into hopefully starting off in Hershey.


Regardless, I think the 2G role is Vanecek's to lose. He seems ready, he's played well in Hershey, he's paid his dues so to speak.

I semi agree. The biggest thing with Vanecek was being able to put up a consistent performance. I think as a backup he will be able to do that a little better as opposed to getting back to back games on a weekend in the AHL.

The other factor is that the veteran UFA goalie market isn’t great and I don’t think there’s too many guys who would be in the price point the Caps would be looking for. The better option might be acquiring someone via trade or via waivers once final training camp cuts happen. That’s assuming that Vitek has a bad showing at camp and preseason games

 

[tenken00]

I think if the injury was really a long term fear you'd maybe see the team get creative and renew interest in Holtby. As I've said a few times, it makes the most sense for Holtby to sign a 1 year deal so he can be a UFA in a year where the cap isn't flat and there is a 32nd team looking for their franchise G. Whether that is DC seems unclear and unlikely, but stranger things have happened.

The salary cap is most likely also going to be the same in 2021-2022 when the 32nd team (Seattle) comes in - $81.5 million.

The salary cap is going to be frozen until hockey revenue hits at least $3.3 billion the previous year - which is going to be hard to do next year if there are still limitations on fans in the stands (presumably socially distanced seats if fans are allowed in at all). And once that marker is reached, it will only increase by $1 million. It can't go over $1 million until hockey revenue hits $4.8 billion the previous year.

Edit: Only the prior 2 seasons has hit the $4.8 billion mark

2018/19	5.09
2017/18	4.86

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[tenken00]

Actually, there might be a bubble for next year as well:



This sucks.

 

[txpd]

Actually, there might be a bubble for next year as well:



This sucks.

yuck

 

[VaCaps Fan]

I miss games at the COA already...

 

[ovikovy817]

Another bubble year?
I say no.

 

[895]

Zero chance the NHL plays games in a bubble next year. Gate revenue>> TV revenue. They would rather suspend the season and toll everyone's contract before that happened.

 

[Calicaps]

Continue