News: Caps GM Brian MacLellan says goalie Braden Holtby will test free agency

[cleanfront]

Would Washington be interested in Andersen + 4th for Washington’s 1st rounder this year? Low actual dollar cost solid goalie with low term to help carry the load with Samsonov but still be competitive for the current core.
The Caps could go for Kuemper if they want to commit to two years or a free agent for free instead. Andersen would certainly eat into their cap space and give the Caps less flexibility.
Leafs would do a separate deal for a lesser, cheaper goalie.

No. Goalies hardly ever get 1st round picks in trades, it would take way more than a 4th. Caps prospect shelf is already pretty empty and they need to get younger. He also isn't worth exacerbating the salary cap space headaches.

 

[seanlinden]

No. Goalies hardly ever get 1st round picks in trades, it would take way more than a 4th. Caps prospect shelf is already pretty empty and they need to get younger. He also isn't worth exacerbating the salary cap space headaches.

Not saying that trading the 1st is the right thing for the Caps to do, but Frederik Andersen should be amongst their top targets this offseason. They are fine on the cap, and I'm sure the Caps like 3/4 of the teams in the league would love to get a true #1 workhorse goalie for $1m in salary this year.

The reality -- they have absolutely no idea what they're going to get out of Ilya Samsonov this year. He could be their next Holtby, he could struggle out of the gate (especially coming off the injury, in a season likely to be condensed), and have his confidence absolutely destroyed. The Caps need a guy that would be comfortable under a 60-game workload, and they need him to either have a contract under $4-5m, or be on a short term deal, so that they can give Samsonov a raise next year.

That being said, if you figure that Ovechkin is probably looking at a pay decrease next year, they may be able to shop in the market of a guy like Ben Bishop, Darcy Kuemper, or maybe Marc Andre Fleury if Vegas retains.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Probably gets a stupid contract. I see Buffalo giving him the stupid contract.

But I can also see him landing in one of San Jose (if Jones is moved in order to make room for him), Anaheim, Edmonton, Calgary or Colorado.

Anaheim?! Holtby is not gonna be a backup to Gibson! Avs have already decided they are sticking with Grubauer/Francouz.

 

[dlawong]

Anaheim?! Holtby is not gonna be a backup to Gibson! Avs have already decided they are sticking with Grubauer/Francouz.

SJ will be the preferred destination over Buffalo. I can definitely see Calgary though.

 

[FlamesFreak4]

I would gladly take him in Calgary for 4-5 years around the 5m per year mark. Wonder if he chases the big money with a bottom feeder team though.