Arizona wouldn’t do that, especially because they are downgrading the pick to later in the round. Also don’t think Rangers would those 2 to the Caps.

caps are giving way too much of the future ......literally 4 major pieces for 2 rentals

Arizona takes that Orpik trade in a heartbeat. It's a great move to buy cap space. And if Arizona wants to trade an injured former player who will not play any more NHL games for a #4 defenseman with a chip on his shoulder and a ring on his fist, whom they'll pay the same amount of money to, for a season and a half, the cost should be at least what the Caps just spent on Michal Kempny for just a playoff run. No, Washington does not give up Toronto's 3rd in that trade. Arizona throws in its 2020 2nd for Washington taking on a significantly worse contract for next year, and helping Arizona compete next year. Orpik plays two more minutes a night than Kempny facryinoutloud.

In an earlier post, a Caps fan suggested that Gersich does not want to sign in Washington. New York has had recent luck with a similarly obstinate college player, so I could see trading him. Jonsson-Fjallby was just drafted, and the Caps have two more years to reach an ELC agreement with him. Totally different ballgame. And scored two short handed goals in six games at World Juniors. Seems like a future Grabner who will have an easier time adapting to the NHL on a team with one of the best Swedish hockey players in the world. So, Gersich might be worth more to NYR than Was, but Fjallby is the opposite.

I don't like giving up Djoos at all,but to get McDonagh this year and next year, it makes sense. Djoos is better offensively (13 points at even strength while playing 14 minutes a game so far this year, while McDonagh has 17 points at evens, while playing a total of 24 minutes (I'm assuming only four on the power play.... didn't google it... obviously not as good on offense as Djoos this year, and Djoos will only get better) but McDonagh can play 24 minutes a night and start most of his shifts in the defensive zone. His corsi is better than his zone starts. He has the experience of playing as a top shutdown defenseman. He offers a significant upgrade to the Caps' experience and endurance on the left side.

On the other hand, giving up Djoos and Orpik to fit McDonagh gives up depth on the left side. The first injury replacement is back to being Chorney. So after two more trades to improve the left defense, you're in worse shape or the same shape if Kempny gets injured than you were before all of the above.

I love the out of the box thinking on what to do if no one wants Orpik and the Caps have a chance to significantly upgrade at that spot, but downgrading #4 LD from Djoos to Chorney drops the same three minutes of reliable defense that you've picked up by swapping Orpik for McDonagh at twice the sticker price.

So maybe see if the Rangers would take Johansen and Burakovsky instead of Djoos and Burakovsky? Long term, Johansen's ceiling is higher, but this year and next year, the Caps are much better off with Djoos.

Also, of course, I question whether it makes sense to include a first round pick, with how good Pittsburgh and Tampa are, but I'm not in the room. I haven't talked to any players this year. If they think they can win, Nash and McDonagh seem like reasonable bets to help out a little bit. Trotz doesn't seem to be playing Burakovsky so he's a reasonable player to include, and next year in New York, he might score sixty points, which is already enough value for two rentals. But since McDonagh isn't just a rental, including Johansen and some kind of picks is fair.

Also, you've still got over a million in cap space if you loan Vrana and Bowey to Hershey until almost the playoffs. Anyone else you'd add?