Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2021 "Season" Pt. 1

[txpd]

Bennett has been one of Calgary's best playoff performers and was terrific during the bubble. His brand of hockey is ideally suited to playoff hockey and one of the reasons he requested a trade is because Calgary promised him more opportunity after his showing in the bubble but he's only averaging 14 minutes TOI this year. Thinking the Caps could use more guys who show up in the playoffs instead of disappear and center depth is never a bad thing, plus they could get salary cap flexibility out of it.

Younger and cheaper with higher a higher ceiling moving forward and a track record of showing up in the playoffs seem like decent reasons the Caps could use him.

1. Where do you put him in the lineup?
2. How much longer is he cheaper? Isnt the difference $200k and isnt Bennett's deal up after this season?
3. Which playoff performer do you want to replace?

 

[txpd]

Because more center depth is better than less? We have our 1/2RW playing 2C right now. Our 2C maybe has the 'rona and is lacking in give-a-shit. Our 3C maybe has a concussion and has skated about 5 minutes in a no-contact sweater since getting run into the boards.

Sprong, Sheary, and Panik are all somewhat interchangeable pieces at wing.

I don't really get your point.

My point is that the Caps dont have a hole at center. What are we doing with this player? Bump Dowd out of the lineup? Bump Sheary and Sprong out? Scratch Bennett as a spare til there is an opening?

My point is that the team is pretty full right now. Who gets kicked to the curb or scratched?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I mean, if the Caps really wanted to move one of those players, I’m sure Ottawa would be willing to part with a future second round pick or some such. They did it for Stepan, lol.

pretty sure the Caps would be adding...


and....a 2nd?! Lol!!!! Sure....

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

1. Where do you put him in the lineup?
2. How much longer is he cheaper? Isnt the difference $200k and isnt Bennett's deal up after this season?
3. Which playoff performer do you want to replace?

1. Well if they trade Panik for him that's a good place to start, but right now I dunno... maybe 2C so Oshie isn't playing center?
2. If they don't like him this year they don't tender him and then that's $2.5M off the books next year. If they like him they figure it out then and maybe use the ED to their advantage.
3. Another hard one given how well they performed in the playoffs the last two years.

 

[Calicaps]

My point is that the Caps dont have a hole at center. What are we doing with this player? Bump Dowd out of the lineup? Bump Sheary and Sprong out? Scratch Bennett as a spare til there is an opening?

My point is that the team is pretty full right now. Who gets kicked to the curb or scratched?

Caps are missing 2 centers. They are playing a winger at 2C. That's not very full from where I'm standing. You always worry about what happens when/if there's extra guys, and it's a red herring IMO. Right now there's too few guys.

This condensed season is gonna take a toll on guys. More depth > less depth, especially at center. You trade from strength (wing or D) to shore up that weakness and trust your coach and leadership group to cultivate the necessary buy-in for whatever thr roles turn out to be with an eye toward the common goal: playoffs & Cup.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

When the Caps got Eller he was playing a consistent brand of hockey. He wasnt in his second straight season of struggling. But, ok. He is Lars Eller 2.0. The Caps had a hole at center when they got Eller. Still looking for why the Caps want him and how they would use him?

Then there is the obvious team chemistry.

thats right.....looking at stats with no context paints a disingenuous picture in a comparison with Eller IMO. Lars was no reclamation project.

That said I wouldn’t say no to an exploratory call to Calgary.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

1. Well if they trade Panik for him that's a good place to start, but right now I dunno... maybe 2C so Oshie isn't playing center?
2. If they don't like him this year they don't tender him and then that's $2.5M off the books next year. If they like him they figure it out then and maybe use the ED to their advantage.
3. Another hard one given how well they performed in the playoffs the last two years.

2C......really? Wow.....outhouse to Penthouse. I’d rather stick with a known quantity in Oshie in rare emergency scenarios or make a trade for a real upgrade.

I’d kick the tires as a wing if you can move Panik, Hags, or Jensen only....

 

[Calicaps]

2C......really? Wow.....outhouse to Penthouse. I’d rather stick with a known quantity in Oshie in rare emergency scenarios or make a trade for a real upgrade.

I’d kick the tires as a wing if you can move Panik, Hags, or Jensen only....

What's the harm though? It's not as if he'd come with a long contract. If he works out, great, especially given Kuz's persistent issues. If not, so what?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

What's the harm though? It's not as if he'd come with a long contract. If he works out, great, especially given Kuz's persistent issues. If not, so what?

no harm if one of those 3 contracts can be moved IMO, otherwise he’s sitting or someone else is getting kicked to Hershey and or the taxi squad....that room is tight. I’d only make meaningful moves.

like I said, worth a call...

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I don't understand the reluctance to make a phone call given the Covid/injury issues we've already had, the lack of organizational depth with young forwards and the aging forward core, the relatively low expected asking price, the Expansion Draft coming up next summer, and the condensed season that will test every team's depth. Maybe it's not the right fit but not exploring the idea doesn't make sense to me.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Melkor obviously feels like he’s horse dung lol.....I can’t say I’ve watched him all that closely lately.

 

[tenken00]

Melkor obviously feels like he’s horse dung lol.....I can’t say I’ve watched him all that closely lately.

Melkor thinks that everyone is horse dung though

 

[Langway]

I’d kick the tires as a wing if you can move Panik, Hags, or Jensen only....

Anything they do needs to be dollar in, dollar out so one of those would have to move. I'd guess Jensen given that TVR has showed well enough, Jensen's PK role not being as key and their overall D depth. Hagelin would be the least likely, as Laviolette seems likely to continue to heavily lean on that line.

Ultimately I think they probably do need a better two-way winger over Sheary/Sprong for that last spot but there's no hurry. Not unless Eller's not close and neither is Kuznetsov. Oshie/Sgarbossa won't cut it for long and Bennett's versatility makes him a pretty interesting middle six fit. If the price fits it's worth considering and perhaps Calgary does have a RD need after Andersson/Tanev. Intriguing idea IMO. Among rentals I think Bobby Ryan would be a pretty good one. Maybe Janmark.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Anything they do needs to be dollar in, dollar out so one of those would have to move. I'd guess Jensen given that TVR has showed well enough, Jensen's PK role not being as key and their overall D depth. Hagelin would be the least likely, as Laviolette seems likely to continue to heavily lean on that line.

Ultimately I think they probably do need a better two-way winger over Sheary/Sprong for that last spot but there's no hurry. Not unless Eller's not close and neither is Kuznetsov. Oshie/Sgarbossa won't cut it for long and Bennett's versatility makes him a pretty interesting middle six fit. If the price fits it's worth considering and perhaps Calgary does have a RD need after Andersson/Tanev. Intriguing idea IMO. Among rentals I think Bobby Ryan would be a pretty good one. Maybe Janmark.

I concur Hags is the last of those 3 they would like to move....

 

[Corby78]

There is a reason Calgary is looking to trade him. I wouldn’t be offering much for a guy who hasn’t produced much the last couple years

 

[895]

I mean, if the Caps really wanted to move one of those players, I’m sure Ottawa would be willing to part with a future second round pick or some such. They did it for Stepan, lol.

You think Ottawa is giving us a second round pick for Hagelin or Panik? Ottawa would have to be insane to do that. At most they have zero value. Pessimistically they are negative value.

 

[txpd]

Caps are missing 2 centers. They are playing a winger at 2C. That's not very full from where I'm standing. You always worry about what happens when/if there's extra guys, and it's a red herring IMO. Right now there's too few guys.

This condensed season is gonna take a toll on guys. More depth > less depth, especially at center. You trade from strength (wing or D) to shore up that weakness and trust your coach and leadership group to cultivate the necessary buy-in for whatever thr roles turn out to be with an eye toward the common goal: playoffs & Cup.

Ok...so the idea is to bring him in as a spare to plug in for apparant short term loses to Kuznetsov and Eller. Not sure how the cap would work. Someone would have to go to the taxi squad. No?

 

[Calicaps]

Ok...so the idea is to bring him in as a spare to plug in for apparant short term loses to Kuznetsov and Eller. Not sure how the cap would work. Someone would have to go to the taxi squad. No?

don't play dumb. See Langway's post above as that basically aligns with my view.

 

[Ridley Simon]

1. Where do you put him in the lineup?
2. How much longer is he cheaper? Isnt the difference $200k and isnt Bennett's deal up after this season?
3. Which playoff performer do you want to replace?

You are making this too hard.

the Caps don’t have a set 3RW. Slot him there. Trade Jensen and LuJo. Use the excess team depth at D and acquire a young, possibly riser, in Bennett. He’s not as bad as Conno was when we signed him.

No risk here.

 

[Ridley Simon]

My point is that the Caps dont have a hole at center. What are we doing with this player? Bump Dowd out of the lineup? Bump Sheary and Sprong out? Scratch Bennett as a spare til there is an opening?

My point is that the team is pretty full right now. Who gets kicked to the curb or scratched?

See above

 

[Ridley Simon]

There is a reason Calgary is looking to trade him. I wouldn’t be offering much for a guy who hasn’t produced much the last couple years

Jensen and LuJo. Easy peasy.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Ok...so the idea is to bring him in as a spare to plug in for apparant short term loses to Kuznetsov and Eller. Not sure how the cap would work. Someone would have to go to the taxi squad. No?

No.

Jensen out, Bennett in.

 

[895]

Jensen and LuJo. Easy peasy.

Both have near zero value.

Bennett doesn't have great value either but I think Calgary could trade him for Virtanen to give both a fresh start and avoid quarantines too.

 

[txpd]

(Wondering if) Connolly could be had cheap

(mod edit to clarify speculation)

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Seeing that Connolly could be had cheap

Where are you seeing that?