League News: NHL Talk - (News n' Scores n' Stuff) - 2022-23 season, Vol. 4, Off-season Edition

[CapitalsCupReality]

I thought Katie Carrera kind of phoned it in a bit but then she probably wrote the single most memorable article in recent Caps memory after Oates and McPhee were fired so that made up for it.

TEB is good both now at the Athletic and when he was at the WaPo, Isabelle was good, and the jury is still out for me on Sam Pell.

Not a beat writer but I also think JapersRink does some really good work for a blog. Jon Press in particular is usually very blunt yet insightful, especially when he’s on the podcast.

RMNB has slipped but they’re fine if you ignore the analysis part.

Washington certainly has better coverage than most teams.

Hmmm…I’d be surprised if we were ranked more than league average….TEB is good, the rest….decent to meh…

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

I thought Katie Carrera kind of phoned it in a bit but then she probably wrote the single most memorable article in recent Caps memory after Oates and McPhee were fired so that made up for it.

TEB is good both now at the Athletic and when he was at the WaPo, Isabelle was good, and the jury is still out for me on Sam Pell.

Not a beat writer but I also think JapersRink does some really good work for a blog. Jon Press in particular is usually very blunt yet insightful, especially when he’s on the podcast.

RMNB has slipped but they’re fine if you ignore the analysis part.

Washington certainly has better coverage than most teams.

I like Chris Cerrulo from RMNB and their "Numbers for the Morning After" bit. If it's Hassett I just skip the article. Japers is 10x better for analysis, RMNB was great when they just did the human side of the Caps and hockey.

Katie C definitely phoned it in but that was a mic drop like no other. She went full scorched earth and it was beautiful. I like Sam; I don't think she pushes as much content as Isabelle did but she's a good writer and understands the game.

Agree, we are pretty lucky. I think the Caps have the best coverage of any of the sports in DC.

 

[Jags]

Yeah, I think the most you can hope for in a town that doesn't really have a big hockey IQ is to just have the media coverage and blogs getting exhaustive access, putting all the info they can get out there, and letting fans sort it out for themselves. Local analysis is pretty weak, so it's pretty easily ignored when something smells off.

The knowledge on the blogs is erratic at best, but I like the behind-the-scenes stuff -- coverage of fan events, photo shoots, the stuff they get from basically cyberstalking the players on Twistagram. It's fluff, but it's fun and insightful sometimes. Helps fans root for them as people, not just players. Adds character and levity.

We're lucky to have the overall coverage we have here. Not a lot of shrewd analysis, but plenty of into and access to let us draw our own conclusions.

 

[DWGie26]

I like Jon and NOVACaps who cover Caps well but their coverage on Hershey and prospects in really good. I subscribe to The Ahtletic because of Tarik who is fantastic! You just see the way GMBM engages with him and you can tell there is a lot of respect there. And then here at HF to get good analytics. I don’t do much on Jappers or RMNB. But there is plenty of content to stay informed and engaged.

 

[Marshall]

The Leafs want Murray, according to Freidman.

Snicker.

 

[trick9]

The Leafs want Murray, according to Freidman.

Snicker.

Incredible if you don't even talk to Campbell and then go after Murray of all guys.

Dubas got played.

 

[John Price]

 

[usiel]

The Leafs want Murray, according to Freidman.

Snicker.

 

[John Price]

 

[twabby]

I can’t believe Toronto is settling on Matt Murray. Reminds me of Washington rolling with Jose Theodore and thinking it’d work out.

 

[DWGie26]

Two Caps castoffs who didn’t even get a QO

I can’t believe Toronto is settling on Matt Murray. Reminds me of Washington rolling with Jose Theodore and thinking it’d work out.

Hoping this means Caps have really locked up Keumper. But I still just don’t know. I feel like crazy sh+t can happen still.

 

[twabby]

Hoping this means Caps have really locked up Keumper. But I still just don’t know. I feel like crazy sh+t can happen still.

It feels like it’s a done deal from all reporting so far. He isn’t even being linked to other teams despite plenty of teams needing a goaltender and Kuemper easily being the best of the bunch.

 

[g00n]

I have a feeling it's going to be a big number and people are going to freak the f out

 

[DWGie26]

I have that fear too. it really does seem like a foregone conclusion that Keumper is coming to Washington. Hoping it is 7 years at 5M.

 

[twabby]

This is wild, given they are playing hardball with Malkin.

 

[895]

I think the Caps have their priorities wrong and are in a rut, but I'm thankful we don't have Philly or Pitts' management.

 

[IvanMalison]

I have that fear too. it really does seem like a foregone conclusion that Keumper is coming to Washington. Hoping it is 7 years at 5M.

There's 0 chance its that low right? I think he gets at least 6M. I still wouldn't think its a good deal at 5M but it would be somewhat palatable.

 

[twabby]

There's 0 chance its that low right? I think he gets at least 6M. I still wouldn't think its a good deal at 5M but it would be somewhat palatable.

Can’t see it being below $6 million myself. Even at 7 years.

 

[Ridley Simon]

IF it’s Kuemper, I don’t care about term…. Like at all …. Just keep the AAV down. Caps have 9m in space, and need 2G’s and 2D’s.

Assume youth for the 2 D’s and Fucale etc for the G. So maybe 3m for them.

Leaves 6m.

HOWEVER — we have Backstrom and Wilson on LTIR. That’s 14.3mil. And THAT’s assuming no one else is sent out/brought in.

There is room to do a lot, if they are so inclined. .

Edit — I missed that Hags 2.75m is still being counted. So that’s another almost 3m. That alone could pay for the 2 young D’s and young G. So….back to 9m before 19/43 have anything done with their slots

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

when has giving a goalie that many years ever worked out?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

when has giving a goalie that many years ever worked out?

There is a price to pay in free agency. Anything less than 6 years and 6 mil per and GMBM will have done an admirable job.

That aside, do we care about the last 2 years of a 6 year deal? The Young Guns will be retired and we’ll be rebuilding.

 

[Hivemind]

when has giving a goalie that many years ever worked out?

Devan Dubnyk would be the comparable they're looking at. He got 6 years at $4.33M (6.07% salary cap). He was a solid starter for the first four years of that contract, before sliding into a back-up role in year 5, and then being traded before year six (and traded again in year 6). Both were relatively late bloomers (as full-time starters in the NHL) who are known for their size (plus both played for Minnesota and Arizona). The biggest difference is that Dubnyk was 29 going on 30 when he signed his contract, and Kuemper is 32.

That being said, you're right that plenty of long-term goalie contracts have either blown up or been "rocky" at best. Price, Bobrovsky, Lundqvist (bought out), DiPietro, Luongo, Quick, Bishop, MAF (expansion drafted), Schneider, Bryzgalov, etc. all had their ups and downs (or outright failures). At this point, the contracts for Vaislevskiy, Markstrom, and Hellebuyck still look pretty good, but it's early.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Exactly. The AAV is what matters. An aging goalie 6yrs from now isn’t going to matter much.

 

[DWGie26]

There is a price to pay in free agency. Anything less than 6 years and 6 mil per and GMBM will have done an admirable job.

That aside, do we care about the last 2 years of a 6 year deal? The Young Guns will be retired and we’ll be rebuilding.

I have come around to this thinking… who cares about the term if you can buy down the Annual cap hit At this point In the OV regime.

For Keumper it is all guaranteed. He seems to want to come to WAS. Seems to me that GMBM has a pretty good pitch on getting players to sign at good values focusing on other intangibles. This is Keumper last contract at 32. So a long term contract to sprout roots and have 35M guaranteed. Already has a cup. Can be part of OV getting to 895 (Plus). Great room. Management who cares. I could see this all coming together for a lower than expected Cap hit at 5M. Depends on what Keumper really wants. He has been all over the place so I think it is plausible that this works for him.

 

[Jags]

I'd much rather go for Talbot and Comrie, only be committed for a year, still have better goalies than we did, and make a more informed decision next year. If we were a goaltender away from Cup contention, I'd say get the best out there no matter what, but that's not the case. I'd rather we left money and assets available to make other significant improvements.

Giving Kuemper that kind of term is just a bad contract. The "Why does it matter if it's a terrible contract 2-4 years from now? We're going to suck then anyway!" argument smells like bullshit to me. A bad contract is a bad contract.

IF they give him that deal AND spend the LTIR money to make big upgrades elsewhere, sure. I'd feel better about that. But if he's the splashiest move they make this offseason, I'm gonna break stuff.