Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2019 Offseason Pt. 2: The BMac Attack

[Kalopsia]

I am not sure where you see the leverage. The Caps either want to keep Burakovsky or they want another player that they cant get unless they trade Burakovsky. At which point they have no leverage.

The leverage is that they can always choose to keep him. Why do you think it's an either/or, where they're either dead set on keeping Bura or dead set on trading him? Why can't the Caps look for a trade while also being fine with keeping Bura if they don't find a deal they like?

 

[Charles Calvert]

I'm kinda bummed cause I think Vrana is gonna bust out this season and really want them to lock him up long term on the cheaper side while they still can.

Looks like cheap bridge will be all that's possible.

There was only a slim chance at a long term deal anyway. Vrana didn't want to do that, and I don't blame him.

 

[kicksavedave]

I never would have thought their plan was to just return the same team minus Niskanen and Connolly.

That's not what "go for it" means to me.

I hope there's a major move coming but I don't see it.

Who said "go for it" though? I think Bmac's comments are more of the "we like our team, we'll keep this together as long as we can compete with it"... big splashes were pretty much over after 2017 when they "went for it" and failed badly, then lost Alzner, Shatty, Williams etc, and ended up replacing them with untested rookies in places.

I think for the Caps for the foreseeable future, we won't see any splashy additions, only subtractions when it makes sense. Just like 207/18, it will be up to kids to step into roles for the Caps to truly improve.

 

[Sam Spade]

The leverage is that they can always choose to keep him. Why do you think it's an either/or, where they're either dead set on keeping Bura or dead set on trading him? Why can't the Caps look for a trade while also being fine with keeping Bura if they don't find a deal they like?

Because Burka is waaaaayyy overpaid at 3.25.

 

[895]

Who said "go for it" though? I think Bmac's comments are more of the "we like our team, we'll keep this together as long as we can compete with it"... big splashes were pretty much over after 2017 when they "went for it" and failed badly, then lost Alzner, Shatty, Williams etc, and ended up replacing them with untested rookies in places.

I think for the Caps for the foreseeable future, we won't see any splashy additions, only subtractions when it makes sense. Just like 207/18, it will be up to kids to step into roles for the Caps to truly improve.

Elliot Friedman said it.

We don't really have any kids to step up. That's actually most of the problem.

 

[txpd]

The leverage is that they can always choose to keep him. Why do you think it's an either/or, where they're either dead set on keeping Bura or dead set on trading him? Why can't the Caps look for a trade while also being fine with keeping Bura if they don't find a deal they like?

They did choose to keep him.

 

[Calicaps]

Because Burka is waaaaayyy overpaid at 3.25.

You're overstating it. It's just 1 year. If he fails you trade him a the deadline or let him walk in the offseason. It's not a catastrophe and given that it's just 1 year, I's bet it's pretty tradeable to a rebuidling team right now.

 

[Sam Spade]

You're overstating it. It's just 1 year. If he fails you trade him a the deadline or let him walk in the offseason. It's not a catastrophe and given that it's just 1 year, I's bet it's pretty tradeable to a rebuidling team right now.

I will be clear, I don't want to watch Burakovsky playing another season or half season at his cap hit.

3.25 for his ten good games just doesn't do it for me. I wish they had moved him at the last trade deadline, or at the draft, or today, or tomorrow.

 

[Calicaps]

I will be clear, I don't want to watch Burakovsky playing another season or half season at his cap hit.

3.25 for his ten good games just doesn't do it for me. I wish they had moved him at the last trade deadline, or at the draft, or today, or tomorrow.

I'm clear that's your view, and I'm not a huge Burkie fan either, but given where they are now and that they still think he has potential, from an asset management position this is the right move.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

You don't have to entirely "go for it" in the summer. Assuming Burakovsky signs the QO, fill out the roster cheaply, bank a bit of cap spcae, and re-visit approaching the deadline. Much more roster flexibility at that point.

I don't disagree but one of the problems with this approach is that deadline prices can be inflated.

 

[Sam Spade]

I'm clear that's your view, and I'm not a huge Burkie fan either, but given where they are now and that they still think he has potential, from an asset management position this is the right move.

Wouldn't you rather have the 3.25 in cap space though?

 

[tenken00]

I will be clear, I don't want to watch Burakovsky playing another season or half season at his cap hit.

3.25 for his ten good games just doesn't do it for me. I wish they had moved him at the last trade deadline, or at the draft, or today, or tomorrow.

He's just keeping Leason's seat warm

 

[txpd]

I'm clear that's your view, and I'm not a huge Burkie fan either, but given where they are now and that they still think he has potential, from an asset management position this is the right move.

I kind of think MacLellan will go the first 20 games and see if Burakovsky gets any traction. If he does, he can roll with it. If he doesn't, the can try to move him in a change of scenery trade to a team that is looking for answers. The Caps can then fill that hole at the trade deadline with a pending UFA

 

[SherVaughn30]

that is a tough first month

Once again the NHL screws us with playing the Pens. The 2nd time against them is at Capital One, but Caps play @devils the night before. I'm really getting tired of this crap scheduling when we play the Pens!

 

[Calicaps]

Wouldn't you rather have the 3.25 in cap space though?

Not necessarily. Either the front office doesn't see another 3RW option at that price point or less that they like more or they're interested in trading Burt for a target. For all we know, there's the framework of a deal in place already.

 

[RandyHolt]

Too bad our PP is so one dimensional that we cannot get Bura out there to artificially inflate his point totals. And then trade his ass, of course.

I sure hope he uses Conno as a blueprint of what he needs to do to, to get better. SHOOT THE GLASS.

Get off quick shots at every chance to get some goals and build up his confidence. The guy has to shoot, plain and simple.

 

[Calicaps]

I kind of think MacLellan will go the first 20 games and see if Burakovsky gets any traction. If he does, he can roll with it. If he doesn't, the can try to move him in a change of scenery trade to a team that is looking for answers. The Caps can then fill that hole at the trade deadline with a pending UFA

A totally plausible scenario. They might even give some kids a chance in Burk's spot for a while and see if anyone rises to the occasion.

 

[Kalopsia]

They did choose to keep him.

So why do you think they have no leverage in a Burakovsky trade then? They're leverage is "if we don't like the offers we'll just keep him."

 

[Sam Spade]

I kind of think MacLellan will go the first 20 games and see if Burakovsky gets any traction. If he does, he can roll with it. If he doesn't, the can try to move him in a change of scenery trade to a team that is looking for answers. The Caps can then fill that hole at the trade deadline with a pending UFA

Last four seasons, first twenty games of Burka:

'18-'19 - 4 points, 2 goals
'17-'18 - 8 points, 3 goals
'16-'17 - 10 points, 2 goals
'15-'16 - 6 points, 2 goals

Avg. just under 13 minutes a game. We've seen the movie, we know how it ends.

 

[txpd]

A totally plausible scenario. They might even give some kids a chance in Burk's spot for a while and see if anyone rises to the occasion.

If Burt is traded at Thanksgiving and not replaced until Valentine's Day, there are many games to try some young guys. Pick up a waiver guy too.

Its also true that Burakovsky can go solid thru 20 and then go goalless for 25 games and get traded then. With him that could happen anytime

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[txpd]

So why do you think they have no leverage in a Burakovsky trade then? They're leverage is "if we don't like the offers we'll just keep him."

Well....They didn't get a good offer because the player has questionable value and the team has no leverage.

 

[txpd]

Last four seasons, first twenty games of Burka:

'18-'19 - 4 points, 2 goals
'17-'18 - 8 points, 3 goals
'16-'17 - 10 points, 2 goals
'15-'16 - 6 points, 2 goals

Avg. just under 13 minutes a game. We've seen the movie, we know how it ends.

Never said that I expected a different show.

 

[Corby78]

Elliot Friedman said it.

We don't really have any kids to step up. That's actually most of the problem.

This is true. We could afford to let Alzner/Shatty/Williams walk because we had more options behind them. Years of drafting in the 30s, and being buyers in the offseason/deadline have dried up the pipeline.

 

[Corby78]

You're overstating it. It's just 1 year. If he fails you trade him a the deadline or let him walk in the offseason. It's not a catastrophe and given that it's just 1 year, I's bet it's pretty tradeable to a rebuidling team right now.

Who is going to take a failing Bura at 3.25 at the deadline?