I'm a big fan of Nick Leddy, and I'd love to see him with the Caps. Only two minor things about this trade

1. I'd rather not trade Grubauer within the division. Best case scenario is we can send him out west.
2. It's going to be tough for Johansen to crack the lineup with these long term contracts and Djoos. But if we need to make a trade in two years or so to give him a full-time spot, that's fine.

Those are rather minor things, but all-in-all, it's a new creative idea. Stick taps.

agree with everything Krak said...

- Grubi belongs in Az...best fit for him.
- Leddy would be nice but Hjalmmer is probably better suited with shorter contract, so prospects can come around eventually.
- Trade Bowey...

Not that I don’t agree cuz I do, but if the isles came to the caps with that offer they’d be dumb not to do it

So BMac / Krak / Eli -- all you Caps fans out there (like me)....what do we REALLY expect this deadline?? We all know they are looking for D because Trotz does not trust Bowey in post season and the mistakes are piling up for Orpik (an even Djoos last night looked off).

So what is the reality?

Not many takers for orpik. Only way we get rid of him and get a decent lefty is Hammer in AZ. Then you rent green. They’ve come on the record saying their forwards are fine. I disagree but..

First of all, thanks for the shoutout, Netminder71!

MacLellan seems like a straight shooter. He says he's getting defense, so he's getting defense.

I think he or Trotz said something a couple years ago about liking to have three right handed guys and three left handed guys, so if they trade Bowey(right handed) for Leddy (left handed) they're going to be adding defense.

There was something about MacLellan's tone when he rejected the idea of trading Orpik instead of Johansson last summer to make cap space that says to me he still isn't going to dump Orpik,because he believes Orpik is elite within his own zone. So I don't expect that move, let alone an overpayment to make it happen.

I'd be surprised if they paid much to rent Green, given Green's past failings in a shutdown role, but I wouldn't be too surprised or bothered to see Green on a cheap long term deal this coming summer instead of Carlson. It's been a while, but Green certainly has the knowledge and skills to score goals on power plays and in overtime.

I think last deadline they overspent to rent Shattenkirk and didn't get any further than the year before, not renting anyone, so more likely they rent a right handed Chorney and an old forward for next to nothing.

In my head they're likely to try to sell high on Djoos to bring in a top defenseman on either side, and bring in a cheap plug for the other side, and rent a meh center.

The idea that Orpik is a bad player comes down to whether you value speed over checking and crease clearing. Plenty of good teams are built each way. There's still no one answer. For each parade of penalties in the early season, there's a playoff series with, like, ten minors called, total.

I think the Caps are five minutes short of a sixty minute rotation at LHD because Ovechkin plays all the power play time. In a playoff game with lots of clutching and grabbing, no penalties, and no power plays, Orpik can hold his own through twenty minutes. Djoos doesnt' seem to play over 15 in the regular season, and Trotz will try to further reduce that in the playoffs. With the Rangers publicly shopping McDonagh, he'd be a likely prediction for a sort of splashy add, then if it were me, I'd add Schenn as an obstacle in front of Bowey, pick up any bargain 2-3C, and call it good.

Of course, Edler will be cheaper than McDonagh because his contract is expiring, and neither is a long term addition like Scandella or Brodin. If they could trade Djoos and a second or unwanted prospect for Scandella or Brodin, I think that would be my ideal Caps deadline, in terms of improving right away by ten minutes of endurance on the left side, to have the capacity to stay in overtime games, and I do think Djoos is a piece in any of those deals except Edler (unless Vancouver raises a forward, likely Vanek, but I'd vote Gagner), because Johansen is coming along, and they don't want him more than one injury out of the lineup next year.

I don't think they go after any forwards...there's too much depth and if you get Burky, Oshie, and even a guy like Chandler Stephenson or Jakub Vrana scoring a bit, you just lean on Chia, DSP, and Beags for garbage goals.

I think the only thing they'll do is trade either Djoos or Bowey and I hope it is Bowey. Because in all honestly I'd like to see Hobbs up in the 3RHD role next year and Johansen sometime soon to replace old man Orpik.

I have no issue with Orpik except his lack or speed, his declining foot work, and his weak puck handling....aside from that he's doing his job.

Yeah. Aside from that....

In his time with the Caps he's plus forty-two, and they're 3 for 3 in the first round--their first three year streak of making it out of the first round, ever. Maybe he sits in favor of Djoos against the fastest teams? But if that's the case, they'd better pick up another 23 minute LHD who can fly..