Speculation: Caps Hockey General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) -- 2017-18 Regular Season Edition

[CapitalsCupReality]

Maclellan says caps definitely considering trading for a defender but may wait as its early in season

People always harping on getting the young guys in the lineup need to read this and truly understand the parts about not throwing young D to the wolves. GMBM makes some great points. IMO.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Get Schmidt back.

Fleury has suffered another concussion. At least his third.

Call GMGM. Offer both Grubauer AND Burakovsky.

Rectify our summer blunder of not protecting 88.

By exasperating it with bigger blunders? No thx.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Crap. Didn't realize about the rules.

But I don't understand this line: 'Like Schmidt v. Crosby.'

What do you mean?

Actually I read the rule again and the Caps could trade for Schmidt since he was simply drafted by Vegas. The rule states that a player traded in advance of the expansion draft cannot be reacquired by their original team before Jan 1 2018. So for instance, the Lightning can't reacquire Drouin from the Canadiens before Jan 1.

The Caps are free to trade for Schmidt if they want to.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

People always harping on getting the young guys in the lineup need to read this and truly understand the parts about not throwing young D to the wolves. GMBM makes some great points. IMO.

He raises good points. I like the fact that he said he's going to recall Siegenthaler at some point.

 

[troyerlaw]

And I'd say it's 100% they finish the season with Trotz and then hire someone else during the summer.

Really? Myself, i would guess trotz serving out full season is about 30% likely.

 

[txpd]

so...niskanen. slashed? broken hand? wrist?

 

[twabby]

so...niskanen. slashed? broken hand? wrist?

Probably broken finger/hand/wrist. Can't imagine them LTIRing him that quickly unless an x-ray showed something.

 

[hockeykicker]

trotz says eller likely out tomorrow too

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Really? Myself, i would guess trotz serving out full season is about 30% likely.

This is the final year of Trotz's contract. If GMBM wants a new coach, he can just wait until the summer. There will be more coaches on the market in the summer anyway.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

This is the final year of Trotz's contract. If GMBM wants a new coach, he can just wait until the summer. There will be more coaches on the market in the summer anyway.

Yep, they’re going to have to be falling on their faces for him to be canned IMO. Could it get that bad? Sure, but barring an injury-fest, I don’t see it.

 

[Hivemind]

There is no rule against re-acquiring players you gave up in the expansion draft.

 

[ovikovy817]

Crap. Didn't realize about the rules.

But I don't understand this line: 'Like Schmidt v. Crosby.'

What do you mean?

I wanted to give you an example (a "funny" one)
VGK trade Schmidt to PIT for Crosby
And then, Caps trade Gruby to PIT for Schmidt

But since this rule, isn't a rule, it isn't "funny" anymore

https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1...an-reacquire-players-taken-in-expansion-draft

Hold up, this says you CAN reacquire guys you lost in expansion draft.

I'm confused.

Well, they have certainly changed this rule. I see the article was written June 26 2017. But I remember well in the summer 2016, and in the beggining of the 16-17 season, they were talking about that you will not be able to trade for the player lost in the expansion draft.

 

[ovikovy817]

trotz says eller likely out tomorrow too

Wonderful. ****

 

[ovikovy817]

BTW. I'd like to dedicate this post, and say hello to everyone who wanted Alzner out from DC

 

[Coldplay619]

Nah dude's getting fired this season.

All the underlying numbers are horrendous; CF%, xGF%, PDO, you name it.

He'll join Hanlon and Boudreau as Thanksgiving casualties.

 

[Hivemind]

BTW. I'd like to dedicate this post, and say hello to everyone who wanted Alzner out from DC

Can you imagine how much worse this team would be with another $5M anchor on the blueline?

 

[um]

BTW. I'd like to dedicate this post, and say hello to everyone who wanted Alzner out from DC

How could we possibly have afforded him, unless you want Oshie gone.

 

[AtNightWeFly]

1 blowout and everyone is losing it.
Its OCTOBER. Let 'em play and figure it out before sending them to the basement.

Caps wont be getting another President's Trophy, but do they even want another at this point?

 

[ovikovy817]

@Hivemind
@um

Me too, I've said last season, that we couldn't afford him. But what I say is that, here, there were people who wanted him gone because of his bad (offensive) play. At least, Karl knows how to play in front of his goalie.

BTW, NJD have almost 9M$ of cap space, with only Wood (and maybe Santini) to sign as important pieces next summer. GMBM should (hope he did) have tried to put Oprik and maybe a 4th or 5th with MoJo, for devils picks. And then sign Karl @ 4.9 (even if I'm sure, he would take a home town discount with the caps, something like 4.5$) but even Karl @ 4.9 is better than 5.5 Orpik

 

[hockeykicker]

@Hivemind
@um

Me too, I've said last season, that we couldn't afford him. But what I say is that, here, there were people who wanted him gone because of his bad (offensive) play. At least, Karl knows how to play in front of his goalie.

BTW, NJD have almost 9M$ of cap space, with only Wood (and maybe Santini) to sign as important pieces next summer. GMBM should (hope he did) have tried to put Oprik and maybe a 4th or 5th with MoJo, for devils picks. And then sign Karl @ 4.9 (even if I'm sure, he would take a home town discount with the caps, something like 4.5$) but even Karl @ 4.9 is better than 5.5 Orpik[/QUOTE]

honestly im not really sure about that

 

[Hivemind]

Alzner's defensive play has also been declining. The common consensus on the Montreal board is they should have protected Emelin to avoid having to sign Alzner.

Alzner @ 4.9M may be better than Orpik, but Orpik only has this year and next remaining, not five. And hopefully Orpik isn't even around for the final year of his contract.

 

[ovikovy817]

Montreal fans have seen Alzner for 5 games. Even for the RDS crew, he's not the first guy to blame on their team, and even on their D.

After Oprik's contract, we can also have another vet/old D signed for big $$$ and 2-3 years on his term. And who will be not more efficient than Orpik or Alzner. And I'll say even more, it will happen (that signing) if Djoos, Bowey don't develop into 2 good nhlers for the next two years.

 

[Hivemind]

In terms of D bandaids, I think Brayden McNabb is the guy I would target. Vegas obviously has an over abundance of D at the moment. McNabb is a UFA after this year, and it's unclear if he's in Vegas' long-term plans (or if he wants to be in Vegas' long-term plans), so he's likely more readily available than guys like Schmidt, Theodore, Merrill, or Miller. With only a $1.7M cap hit, he's far cheaper than Sbisa or Garrisson (both of whom wear an "A" for Vegas anyway). Further still, it's probably possible to talk Vegas into retaining on that $1.7M to drag the figure down to the point where the Capitals wouldn't have to do much more than waive Chorney to fit McNabb under the cap. Vegas only has one salary retained transaction on the books currently (Emelin), and McNabb being a UFA-to-be wouldn't shoestring their ability to retain salary in future years.

In terms of his hockey ability, McNabb isn't a world beater, but he'd do a lot to provide some stability to the 2nd and 3rd pairings. Solid #5 defensive D who can kill penalties and has generally good relative possession and great raw possession metrics (albeit on a great raw possession team). Not to mention he's 6'4" and not afraid to hit people. If he plays well, he could be a medium-term replacement for Brooks Orpik's physicality on the back-end.

 

[MrGone]

I would wait a few games. We already wasted so many futures I don't want to put a band-aid on an open wound. There is no lighting in a bottle to be found. If OV and Nick could not carry them in there prime its not happening now. The failure of this team to get over the hump the past few seaosn have left them in a really bad spot. Sooner we accept it the soon we can start fixing it. I have no interest in treading water and never being good enough. If we don't have a real shot I would just as well be in last place.

In a bubble I would get more out of being a bad team that fights for everything. Then a good team that alwasy comes up small when its on the line.

 

[SimplySensational]

Teams 3-2-1 and people already acting like this.