This is all about taking a gamble. Caps are at a time where they need to take big chances in order to stay competitive for years to come and not just die out and suck for 5 years. It's a HUGE gamble to move Holtby for Koskinen, but worth it to get a top 6 center for the future and add another forward in the 2nd round. Try to make Koskinen look good then trade him. In the worst case scenario that Koskinen sucks and we can't fix him then send him to the AHL and bring up Samsonov or Vanecek, both NHL ready. When the expansion draft comes around pay Seattle to take Koskinen.
Caps take a bad contract in Koskinen and move Holtby while they can to grab a top 10 pick to take one of C Dylan Cozens, C Peyton Krebs, or C Kirby Dach; another early 2nd round pick to grab one of plethora great forwards there: LW Nils Hoglander, RW Brett Leason, LW/RW Yegor Afanaseyev, LW Patrik Puistola, RW Albin Grewe, LW Samuel ****emo, etc; and a promising prospect Kirill Maximov. You might say EDM won't pay this price but look at the boat they are in: McD is pissed and fans are getting tired of losing. Holtby makes them much much better and gives them a chance to win every night. They'll spend picks to fix themselves by getting rid of a bad contract and getting an elite goaltender.
Caps move Niskanen and their 1st to DAL, who needs a 2RHD to play behind Klingberg, to move up in the 1st round to grab one of LW Arthur Kaliyev, RW Cole Caufield, or RW Bobby Brink.
This still leaves the Caps as a great team AND they can get 4-5 awesome forward prospects in a pretty bare cupboard so that they can be great even as Ovi and Backy end their careers. They'll be set in goal with Samsonov; set in defense with Alexeyev, Johansen, Djoos, Siegenthaler, Fehervary, Hobbs, (and don't forget Carlson, Orlov, Kempny and Jensen); and finally set in forwards with Kuzey, Vrana, Wilson, then the couple top forwards they can grab this draft (and don't forget about Ovi, Backy, and Oshie).
If Holtby had more term left they might consider it. But moving all these assets for one year of a good goalie for a non-playoff team is just foolish.
DAL trade is interesting though. However they don't actually need a TOP4 D based on their goals against statistics, but what they need is more solid prospects, so I'm guessing they decline as well.
If Holtby had more term left they might consider it. But moving all these assets for one year of a good goalie for a non-playoff team is just foolish.
DAL trade is interesting though. However they don't actually need a TOP4 D based on their goals against statistics, but what they need is more solid prospects, so I'm guessing they decline as well.
Yeah maybe Holtby would need to re-sign to get all of that return, and he might do it, he grew up 2 hours from Edmonton. But even for that 1 year EDM would probably give up their 1st. They have no need for another top 10 prospect, they need something now. Maybe Caps throw in Burakovsky who they have wanted for awhile now to play with McDavid. So if Holtby goes somewhere else they still have a good piece.
I can see DAL doing that trade. Right now they have Loejoy as their 2RHD. He is a UFA this summer. Heiskenen-Niskanen would make an amazing pairing.
Koskinen is bad. I mean really bad. He’s not in the league next year without that extension EDM gave him too soon.
Even as good as Washington is they won’t make the playoffs with Koskinen as the guy
Yeah it's true, he's quite bad. BUT maybe a change of scenerary and better coaches and team could make him at least average. And like I said, worst case scenario, they send him down to the AHL and bring up Samsonov.