Confirmed with Link: Ilya Kovalchuk to Capitals for 2020 3rd round pick

[Kuznetsnow]

Panik has been playing on his off wing. So really it’s him or Hags at 3LW, and the other at 4LW.

as well as Hags and Eller are playing together, I’d do Hags w Eller.

just need a new 4C with what little space we have left.

8 - 92 - 43
13 - 19 - 77
62 - 20 - 17 (Kovy)
14 - XX - 21

wow?

Joe Thornton come on up. Hell if they take Panik Marleau too. Detroit 2002 this shit

Ovechkin Kuznetsov Wilson
Vrana Backstrom Oshie
Marleau Thornton Kovalchuk
Hagelin Eller Hathaway

Could also do a firewagon Vrana-Kuznetsov-Kovalchuk (shades of Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Vrana from the cup year) line and a shutdown yet dangerous on the counterpunch Hagelin-Eller-Osh/Wilson

 

[The Instigator]

I could still see Glendening being the replacement for Dowd. I have had my eye on him and Jesper Fast (in part because of their low salary cap hits) for awhile.

I mention this in part because of the Detroit rumors of late and also in response to the question of a potential Dowd replacement. I also just think he adds a plus to all the Caps areas of need: speed, hitting, ace right handed face off man, 200 foot game, and enough offensive ability historically to add something to that line. Yeah, he’s had a rough season on a terrible team, but it also might mean it brings his price down a bit.

Plus one from me on Glendening. My exact thoughts.

 

[Roshi]

Im suprised that so many are suprised. I said before that it makes a lot of sense and ill say it again. I was actually prepared to give a 2nd for him but i guess Caps played hardball and Habs gave in because it was what Kovy wanted.

He has legion of country men to help adjust fast, couple of them very good friends. We were lacking top6 depth. Its definately low risk high reward situation and i like it!

Dont think he will see pp1, but now that kuzy is a regular pp2 guy its good to add some weapons there too. We dont have to play pp1 for 1:50 for every man advantage now.

If he scores one playoff goal its worth the late 3rd. If he really gets it going he might be the missing piece for Stanley. One thing thats sure thats the reason he is here. To win the cup. And he is the kind of veteran player that might spark some "lets win it for him" boost too.

Ovie-Backs-Willy
Vrana-Eller-Oshie
Hags-Kuzy-Kovy
Panik-Dowd-Hathaway
Leipsic,Boyd

Dillon-JC
Orlov-Jensen
Kempny-Gudas
Siege,Fever

Im very happy with our DL. We got top6/top9 scoring depth and top4 dman and still have our first.

!! take a deep breath and look at that lineup. 10 years from now we can only dream to some day having this kind of combo of superstars and grit/toughness.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

This. Might not have been my first choice, but he's said he wants to win and he performed in MTL. What's could possibly be the problem?

The problem is that some people would have to admit they were wrong.

 

[Futures Passed]

With Panik and Hathaway on there it could be a pretty nasty fourth line. It definitely leaves them with a pretty deep lineup. (Whoops, I meant to make this a response to the previous talk of a proposed Glendening acquisition. Still holds relatively true though.)

 

[itsjustsurvival]

I really can’t believe people are complaining about this. Low risk move with some upside.

Kovalchuk can easily be what Connolly was during the cup run. Right wing depth that can score “easy” goals.

And if it doesn’t work, it cost a 3rd.

Personally love both pick ups so far.

 

[Calicaps]

The problem is that some people would have to admit they were wrong.

LOL. Ok I'll go first. I didn't want Kovy a couple of months back and didn't think BMac would do it. Wrong again. Fine with this. Virtually no risk. At worst he's depth in case of injury.

 

[Ridley Simon]

I could still see Glendening being the replacement for Dowd. I have had my eye on him and Jesper Fast (in part because of their low salary cap hits) for awhile.

I mention this in part because of the Detroit rumors of late and also in response to the question of a potential Dowd replacement. I also just think he adds a plus to all the Caps areas of need: speed, hitting, ace right handed face off man, 200 foot game, and enough offensive ability historically to add something to that line. Yeah, he’s had a rough season on a terrible team, but it also might mean it brings his price down a bit.

Athanasiou

 

[Ridley Simon]

The problem is that some people would have to admit they were wrong.

The list is long.... so won’t hold my breath.

edit — save the always classy @Calicaps

 

[DanTHEMan71]

I love this trade and was hoping for it from the moment the Habs considered shopping him.

I think some people are really underestimating this move. He looked revitalized in Montreal. Think about how much more pumped up Kovy will be playing for a cup with one of his best friends and other countrymates. The guy is always a leader and captain for the Russian national team. I think this will actually boost the play of Ovi, Kuz, Orlov, and gives Sammy another vet to talk to.

The year we won the cup we had at least one scorer on every line. I was worried about our depth scoring this year. Now we have 1-Ovi, 2-Vrana, 3-Kovy, 4-Panik (still a work in progress)

Leipsic has sucked for a while:

October: 3 assists
November: 3 goals, 2 assists
December: 1 assist
January: 2 assists
February: nothing

He looked good the first two months but he's either gotten too comfortable or he could use games off. He's not as fast as he was to start the year, he tries that cutback move and loses the puck every time, he's too small and doesn't win enough battles. I would've rather played Boyd over Leipsic most games. Hathaway and Dowd have been carrying the 4th line's great play.

Panik has been a disappointment but I think him going back to his natural wing with easier 4th line matchups should help him out.

I'm intrigued by how they'll handle the PP. Now that Kuzy is on the 2PP we'll likely go:

1PP: Oshie-Backy-Vrana-Ovi-Carly
2PP: Wilson-Eller-Kuz-Kovy-Orlov

There are other options/combos but it'll be interesting to see if they'll still want to keep giving Ovi his 1:50 on the PP. If they don't, they'll run those 2 units. If they do, I could see Kovy taking Wilson's spot on the 2nd unit. Or Eller is taken off the PP so Wilson can stay in the same bumper position as Oshie.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

The list is long.... so won’t hold my breath.

edit — save the always classy @Calicaps

I am frequently wrong.

To err is human. To forgive, Divine.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

LOL. Ok I'll go first. I didn't want Kovy a couple of months back and didn't think BMac would do it. Wrong again. Fine with this. Virtually no risk. At worst he's depth in case of injury.

For sure. To be honest, I didn’t want Kovy as I thought he was washed up. However, seeing he did so well in his trial workout with the Habs, I was pleased to see the Caps pick him up.

He makes the Caps more dangerous and deep. Low risk, high reward.

 

[Melkor]

I am displeased.

I did not want this guy on the team and I clearly indicated this by posting 'I do not want this guy on the team'. Once again BMac is showing no appreciation for what I think.

Wait until the summer. He will trade for Severson too and all yall will fear me around here.

 

[Melkor]

Kovy was a really good, top ten NHL'er player, in 2012. Also rumor is he is really 38 not 36 so there is that as well.

Same rumor has been going around about Ovechkin his entire life.

 

[Kuznetsnow]

Kovalchuk is now simultaneously taking up cap space on 4 different teams

Devils (retirement cap), kings (35+ contract termination), Canadiens (retained salary), Capitals (plays for us now)

How sick is that

 

[mad4comp]

Just for one game I'd like to see us bring up AA so we can roll:

Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Kovalchuk
Orlov - Alexeyev
Samsonov

Preferably when we wear our red throwbacks as well.

 

[vippe]

Low risk high reward move, costing them a third.

What's not to like.

 

[ovikovy817]

Well, my nickname now have more sense

But I don't see why we did this

One thing I'm sure kovy will play and give it all on the ice

But where he'll play?

On the 3rd line? 62 20 14 needed 60 games to find their game together, and now we will take of one of the member?

Kovy playing RW? Not sure it's his better place

Maybe Kovy will play with Backy and Vrana with Eller?

Well. Let's hope he'll be a factor in the playoffs

At the end BMAc wanted a top 9 f and top 4 d
And we have it now

 

[vippe]

Well, my nickname now have more sense

But I don't see why we did this

One thing I'm sure kovy will play and give it all on the ice

But where he'll play?

On the 3rd line? 62 20 14 needed 60 games to find their game together, and now we will take of one of the member?

Kovy playing RW? Not sure it's his better place

Maybe Kovy will play with Backy and Vrana with Eller?

Well. Let's hope he'll be a factor in the playoffs

At the end BMAc wanted a top 9 f and top 4 d
And we have it now

Kovalchuk has played well on the Habs as a RW this year. Slotting him in there wont be a problem.

 

[max21]

So what are our draft picks next year now?

 

[Kuznetsnow]

Well, my nickname now have more sense

But I don't see why we did this

One thing I'm sure kovy will play and give it all on the ice

But where he'll play?

On the 3rd line? 62 20 14 needed 60 games to find their game together, and now we will take of one of the member?

Kovy playing RW? Not sure it's his better place

Maybe Kovy will play with Backy and Vrana with Eller?

Well. Let's hope he'll be a factor in the playoffs

At the end BMAc wanted a top 9 f and top 4 d
And we have it now

Kovy has played RW since the Devils got him. If you don't know that might as well give me your name

 

[Raikkonen]

Interesting. Have to believe GMBM had some feedback from his own locker room before pulling the trigger.

I figured he'd be a Cap someday. Just not today.

Surely they could talk with him before acqusition to asses if they can get on the common ground in terms of load and role. I guess Reirden and Ovechkin did the talking.

Anyway. Kovalchuk is better skater than Ovi. Probably better passer too. Prone to the same things: losing board battles and losing the puck suddenly on the open ice.

As to where to use him at PP: IIRC the lone Russian goal in the 1/4 Russia-Finland in Sochi was Kovalchuk in PP from the Oshie spot (Ovi was in his circle). So he goes where instead of Wilson maybe.

The shot... I think the shot is gone partially. He was on a level with Ovi once, but not anymore. At minimum he's inconsistent with his shots now.

What I dont like? All 3 top-9 lines will have at least one finesse winger. That could lead to an epic flameout.

But... lets f***ing go!

 

[Acallabeth]

Ahhhh Kovy. I won't pretend this wasn't my little dream for years: Kovy signing with Caps for peanuts and a Stanley Kup pursuit.

Of course he's not going to carry us to championship, he's a dimimnished player, but diminished from what I believe was overall the most skilled player in the league. Can't believe people call him slow, sure he's not blindingly fast anymore, but to say he wouldn't keep up with Backstrom is absurd. He's still got a great shot and great stickhandling skillls. He's very large for today's standard of a skilled player, and in a great shape.
But even if the pure hockey value of Kovalchuk is disputable, his mental impact is going to be huuuuuge. He's a model pro, will gladly take any role you give him, plays with loads of passion and he's definitely going to impact a certain guy who seems to be taking too much for granted these days. Considering that he takes next to zero cap space and is only worth a 3rd, I can't believe people are focusing on the downside!

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

We are a desperate idiot team. Hope it works out and TR saves his job but it won’t happen.

I’m not against Kovalchuk but passing on him in December and now having to fork over a 3rd just shows how bad things are going

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

Kovy just plays with so much passion and fire. On top of his high-level talent, I can’t wait to see his impact in our group. Best friends with Ovi and if Kovy can’t give Kuzy a kick in the ass and motivate/mentor him (the way Feds did for Ovi), no one can. Can’t wait for Tuesday!