Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2019 Offseason Pt. 3: Free Agency Freak Out

[Raikkonen]

Carlson is iron man mostly. In his prime. Not old at all. Doesnt take penalties or liberties, plays simplier than Karlsson.

I bet he will outproduce Karlsson for the duration of his contract with Caps. Easily.

Give Carlson Fever with good legs and he will be in for another good contract in his twilight.

For 3M less and no NMC IIRC

 

[Charles Calvert]

It has come up many times recently, that Ghost is available. Him, or his pier.

I just hate to see Bura and Djoos go, while Caps get older all the time.

Just another Forsberg-kind-of-a decision. I mean look at the Wild nowadays. Its the same result. Bunch of grandpas playing in top6. Keep Ovie, Backs. These guys are legends.

But the other old guys. They have to move at some point.

It's just a way of thinking. Buy low sell high. I love Carlson, but look at it this way.

Players tend to peak in between the ages of 25 to 30 years old, in my mind anyway. Carlson spent those years in the DC, signed a friendly contract, gave us a cup even. What more can you ask? He has played two amazing seasons and has term left. His market value assetwise is absolutely stellar atm.

Would it be controversial move?
Yes.
Would it be selfish and cold blooded move from the GM? Throw a star out after getting his best?
Yes.

Like some other guy said, Caps shoulda moved Holtby last year becouse of cap limitations and his peaking market value.

I deserve all the heat to even come up with this, but the GM should find a way to give own players a change by moving older, more expensive people out.

Ps. VGK not sining Gusev is the most idiotic move. He will cry later. Huuuuge upside, but crappy marketvalue.

I don't think you understand how rough it would be:

1) Losing Carlson. He does a lot of things well. Extremely competent with a ton of minutes and he operates on a PP that while needing to change a bit, is extremely effective. Last year was the first time in his career he was fed offensive zone starts. Before that he had never been above 49%. He is handling, comfortably, 25 minutes a night. That is HUGE.

2) Ghost is not a top pairing dman. Not even close. He does things offensively well, but I can't even begin to articulate how much worse defensively he is. Decision making, physicality, proven ability to play against top competition. He's not close to the level of competence of Carlson. He's an 18 minutes a night offensive dman (and that might be too much honestly) who has NEVER been given anything below 57% offensive zone starts. He is routinely at or even above 60%. That is as sheltered as it gets. And you're asking that player to step up and take on more responsibilities?

I'm sorry. There is no way anyone can convince me saving 4 million and downgrading your top pairing D to someone who absolutely cannot replace those minutes or responsibilities makes a lick of sense.

 

[twabby]

Will be very curious to see who the suitors will be, that will offer him a $10mil'ish a year deal. I'd say we're in for a pretty good regular season from 70 this year. If he's in Vezina form early, watch things get fun around here.

Just in-division I could see New Jersey and Carolina being interested in him. Both seem like they are going to have the cap space available next year and both teams appear to be on the rise but need a quality #1 goalie.

Of course a lot depends on Holtby's performance this season. If Holtby has another sub-par regular season I could see teams not necessarily wanting to offer him quite as much since that will have been 3 straight regular seasons of Holtby not being a top-end goaltender.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Old man Carlson at the ancient 29 years of age. His contract expires at the end of his age 35 season.

Anyone want to guess in which season Mark Giordano won his Norris?

 

[Armchair GM]

Ghost is available because he is a 4th forward who needs to stay sheltered. You can't compare him to Carlson. If you put him out against other teams top-lines and get hemmed in your own zone a lot, you are in deep waters. He's not a #1 guy and if you played him like a one in the Playoffs, he would get abused out there. Hard pass on him.

How is this team anything like Wild? They don't draft well and their team basically consists of guys they signed from Free Agency, because they can't develop their own players. That alone is a recipe for disaster. Our team has been growing together for a long time, and they just get older like everyone. Wild are old because they have to fill their line-up with UFA's. Propably the worst comparison to this team out there.

Imagine the blow-out it would have caused if the Capitals dealt Holtby after he won us the Cup. He saved Grubauer's ass and carried this team through their own managements terrible move to start Grubauer and won them the Stanley Cup. If you trade him after that and say Grubauer is our guy you are the laughing stock of the entire league and i doubt you would have a job for much longer after that. No matter if it's good idea to sell high. Circumstances do matter.

I mean in the future. Ofc. not now. Wild has had Koivu as a captain forever. Core has been also around Parise and Sutter.

Hope these guys in DC will hoist one more time with this crew anyway. Doubt it to be honest.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

The Caps have ONE contract that takes a player beyond his age 35 season, counting $5.75M against the Cap

Minnesota has THREE contracts that take a player beyond their age 35 season, counting ~$21M against the Cap.

 

[RandyHolt]

Victor Hedman is probably the best defenseman in the NHL but his last 2 playoff series the best play I saw him make for Tampa was sell a high sticking penalty

Haha. Ironic perhaps, but the most impactful play I saw from Carl Hitman Hagelin was karate chopping Heds with his upward pointing visor right into the jaw. Cbus owes him big time.

 

[Sam Spade]

Just take a slight dive into the Flames goaltending and you can see where Holtby will end up next season.

Also this:

 

[Calicaps]

Pt. 4