Confirmed with Link: McKenzie: Brett Connolly 2 year extension 1.5 AAV

[Hivemind]

Assuming no jDubs

Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Oshie
Johansson - Backstrom - Burakovsky
Vrana - Eller - Connolly
Stephenson - Beagle - Wilson

 

[Calicaps]

Seems an overpayment to me, but he is still young so...

 

[Hivemind]

It kind of blows my mind that Connolly is only 25? Not saying "he's young! untapped potential!" or anything, I just feels like (to me) that he's been in the league much longer than that? I mean, he's younger than Mojo. Same age as Kuzzy, Grubby, and Orlov.

It's the beard.

 

[EroCaps]

A team historically inept in the playoffs just re-upped a guy that was benched in the playoffs for ineptitude.

MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

This team is so ****ed.

 

[RandyHolt]

and Schmidt the other scratch - we are envisioning trying to get him back.

I hope this signing doesn't spell the end of Vrana... another scratch candidate that may be our top trade bait.

I doubt BCon will be talking up what a great fit he is here etc... it was exactly after that last year that he went ice cold for 2-3 months.

 

[Holtbyisms]

No one seem to want to include Graovac in on their projections, pretty sure he scored as many goals as Tom Wilson getting 3/4 of the minutes in 30 less games.

Not sure I like this deal, I mean I guess if he can keep up the 15 goal pace but when he scored a lot of his goals he was clicking with his linemates. They were on a hot streak.

 

[hockeykicker]

]No one seem to want to include Graovac in on their projections, pretty sure he scored as many goals as Tom Wilson getting 3/4 of the minutes in 30 less games[/B].

Not sure I like this deal, I mean I guess if he can keep up the 15 goal pace but when he scored a lot of his goals he was clicking with his linemates. They were on a hot streak.

i was haha, yea there really isnt a reason right now why graovac wont be starting on the 4th line

 

[Dream Big]

Congratulations to Connolly on the 2 year extension. He has serious skill scoring goals and as others have said he's only 25.

Given some opportunities he'll be great value for the $1.5 Mil a year. If Caps don't want him I'm sure some other team would be happy to have him.

A very nice wedding present too! Best wishes to Brett and Katrina.

 

[ovikovy817]

Disappointed but not surprised. 1.5 It's to much for a guy who was benched when it matters the most. But with a lack of D this year, normally we will go 12F-6D in playoffs, so he'll play, and I hope he'll outwork his contract.

 

[Dream Big]

A team historically inept in the playoffs just re-upped a guy that was benched in the playoffs for ineptitude.

MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

This team is so ****ed.

The reason for him not playing much in the playoffs was not for ineptitude. You do recall that they were playing 7 d? Someone had to bite the bullet.

Plus it would keep his ask down since he did score 15 goals. Top 7 goals scored with the least minutes played. Team got a bargain.

 

[g00n]

Assuming no jDubs

Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Oshie
Johansson - Backstrom - Burakovsky
Vrana - Eller - Connolly
Stephenson - Beagle - Wilson

Flip Connolly and Wilson depending on what tea leaves Trotz has been reading but that's probably where we start. But that bottom 6 just looks weak. If Pitt can put Kessel on the third we can slot Mojo there...

Another version

Bura - Nick - Oshie
Ovie - Kuz - Wilson
Mojo - Eller - Vrana
Stephenson - Beagle - Connolly

It seems insane but I can imagine Ovie and Wilson clearing space for Kuzy to operate. Vrana can supposedly play both wings, iirc. Nick and Oshie are multi-dimensional playmakers and need someone other than Ovechkin on that top line so Bura is the best fit for now. Mojo has been good in the past leading the third line and I can see him maybe waking up Eller and the both of them giving a medium pressure situation where Vrana can start to develop as an NHLer. The fourth line isn't very exciting on paper but could be risk/reward if some breakouts happen.

 

[Hivemind]

No one seem to want to include Graovac in on their projections, pretty sure he scored as many goals as Tom Wilson getting 3/4 of the minutes in 30 less games. :

Because 7 goals isn't some astounding number that gets someone a roster spot despite the rest of their deficiencies. Graovac is a 35% possession player (worst 3 in the entire NHL), despite playing charmin soft minutes. He's not good in the face off circle. He doesn't kill penalties. He haemmorhages shot attempts against. He doesn't use his size to protect the puck. He's not overly physical. He's like Dave Steckel if Steckel was bad defensively, bad at face offs, and didn't kill penalties.

I'd take the Hershey kids over Graovac easily. There's a reason Groavac cleared waivers twice last season.

 

[HecticGlow]

Never sure why Vrana always gets put on the LW in projections when he's spent most of his career at RW. I think Trotz probably has Ovi, Mojo, Conn on the left and Oshie, Bura, Vrana and Wilson on the right, unless Wilson finally cracks the top 9.

 

[Langway]

16 hours later and still nothing from the team on this.

 

[hockeykicker]

16 hours later and still nothing from the team on this.

Surprising or maybe they forgot?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Scoring 15g last year was a step forward in his career. You have to hope he takes another step forward this year. Feels like a budget Williams replacement. Don't love the price tag, but they must feel like he'll be a regular next season.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Very disappointed in this signing. It pretty much spells the end of Williams time in DC, and that angers me.

Connolly is so....meh. He was sat in the playoffs because he was bad. They went to 7 D because their 7th D was better than their 12th F. Seems pretty clear to me.

I dont like this. At all. Oh well. On to the next

 

[hockeykicker]

Very disappointed in this signing. It pretty much spells the end of Williams time in DC, and that angers me.

Connolly is so....meh. He was sat in the playoffs because he was bad. They went to 7 D because their 7th D was better than their 12th F. Seems pretty clear to me.

I dont like this. At all. Oh well. On to the next

Well I mean the team still hasant officially announced this yet so there's still hope

 

[twabby]

Connolly is so....meh. He was sat in the playoffs because he was bad. They went to 7 D because their 7th D was better than their 12th F. Seems pretty clear to me.

He was sat in the playoffs because the coach made a bad decision to dress 7D.

 

[Hivemind]

Very disappointed in this signing. It pretty much spells the end of Williams time in DC, and that angers me.

Connolly is so....meh. He was sat in the playoffs because he was bad. They went to 7 D because their 7th D was better than their 12th F. Seems pretty clear to me.

I dont like this. At all. Oh well. On to the next

Stop being an armchair GM and be a true fan.

 

[Ridley Simon]

He was sat in the playoffs because the coach made a bad decision to dress 7D.

Thats your opinion. Connolly was invisible. I dont think that was due to "coaching"

 

[Ridley Simon]

Stop being an armchair GM and be a true fan.

Not quite the same (I didnt want Connolly to return at any cost, as I dont think he helps at all in the quest for the Cup.....whereas twabmind didnt like the cost of Oshie specifically...unless twabmind didnt want Oshie back because you think he doesnt help in the quest for the Cup either).

But noted.

 

[twabby]

Thats your opinion. Connolly was invisible. I dont think that was due to "coaching"

I don't think Connolly was good at all, but he wasn't actively hurting the team like Orpik/Alzner were either. I was just stating a fact: Connolly was benched because of a poor decision to go to 7 D. Had Trotz not chosen to go with 7 D, Connolly would have remained in the lineup.

Not quite the same (I didnt want Connolly to return at any cost, as I dont think he helps at all in the quest for the Cup.....whereas twabmind didnt like the cost of Oshie specifically...unless twabmind didnt want Oshie back because you think he doesnt help in the quest for the Cup either).

But noted.

Oshie is a good player and should help the team a lot. I question whether his cap hit could have been spent more effectively by pursuing Justin Williams at close to half the cost and a quarter of the duration, especially now that they need a replacement for Schmidt. Williams is almost as effective as Oshie and in fact has produced at better rates than Oshie at ES and I imagine he would be pretty much the same on the PP. Oshie is not going to shoot 23% again.

 

[Brian23]

I don't think Connolly was good at all, but he wasn't actively hurting the team like Orpik/Alzner were either. I was just stating a fact: Connolly was benched because of a poor decision to go to 7 D. Had Trotz not chosen to go with 7 D, Connolly would have remained in the lineup.



Oshie is a good player and should help the team a lot. I question whether his cap hit could have been spent more effectively by pursuing Justin Williams at close to half the cost and a quarter of the duration, especially now that they need a replacement for Schmidt. Williams is almost as effective as Oshie and in fact has produced at better rates than Oshie at ES and I imagine he would be pretty much the same on the PP. Oshie is not going to shoot 23% again.

He benched him for Carey before he went 7D.

 

[hockeykicker]

It's been almost 24 hours with no official announcement from team so we can't say confirmed yet