please no

Team: 2023-24 Washington Capitals

Initial Creation Date: Dec. 4, 2023

Published: Dec. 4, 2023

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I get the impulse to make some version of this deal and at first glance it definitely seems to make sense for both sides. I think any kind of Kuzy/Laine swap would be a massive mistake however.

If Caps fans think Kuzy is slow, disinterested, has lost his scoring/setting touch, and doesn't give a **** about defense boy oh boy do I have news for you about Laine. Washington already has one player (who the entire franchise revolves around) that's a right-shot LW shooter that needs cushy offensive minutes with a play-driving center and lots of powerplay time to be effective. Combine that with a higher cap hit for more years and I think Laine in DC would be pretty similarly effective to Kuzy.

I want Kuzy out of here as much as the next guy and wouldn't hate a straight swap of the two, but the caps should not be giving up ANY assets to sweeten the deal. Ride out the rest of this year, move Kuzy on in the summer when he's expiring and either a more attractive rental piece or easier to buy out and keep your powder dry (both with futures and cap space) to go after some of the truly elite players who could shake loose.