A different way to look at it

You've addressed Washington's lack of minutes at left D without giving up Djoos or Bowey, who will still be valuable to the club in five years, and without selling low on the immensely talented Andre Burakovsky.

You've even created a log jam where Djoos had better step up his game to stay in the lineup... or where... you could start to trade him while he's 6th in scoring among rookie defensemen, cheap, and valuable, before stunting his development with healthy scratches like the Caps have with Burakovsky.

I'd sell high on Connolly before Wilson,but both are outperforming Burakovsky this year and neither figures to be as good next year, so trading either of them to address team needs makes a lot more sense. I don't think the Caps even need to make that Vancouver trade, but it doesn't hurt them, either, so, why not?

Only four stars because there's actually no realistic way they give up both their enforcers at the same time,) but since I vetoed your second trade, four stars for making a somewhat reasonable offer on Gardiner who fills 22 minutes at left D, without giving up Bowey and Grubauer.

All I can say is, If I were those other teams. I wouldn't do those moves. These are helping Washington tremendously while not helping the other teams very much.

True. That Toronto move doesn't just not help; it completely bones them because they need an upgrade to their top four defense, and they've got too many healthy forrwards to keep Soshnikov.

But maybe there's a three way deal,somehow,with a teamout of contention? Or a completely different trade the Caps can make for Wilson or Connolly and a 2nd to add a 21 minute left handed defenseman for the playoffs? Behind Orlov and Orpik, they don't even have to be good, or long term.

I'm just happy we stopped trading Bowey and Grubauer, neither of whom is going anywhere.