No deal for Karlsson, that's too much for 1 year of him guaranteed. The Caps should sign Yak and Duclair for less years and less term. Maybe Yak gets a 2-way, 2-year/$1,850,000 ($925,000 AAV) expiring as an RFA and Duclair gets a 1-way, 2-year/$3,000,000 ($1,500,000 AAV) expiring as an RFA. Lines can be 8-19-43, 13-19-77, 65-20-Duclair, 10-Dowd-25, Extras: Yak, Boyd (Connolly can be traded giving Yak playing time on the 4th line and allowing them to keep up Walker or Barber).

Funny. I usually say the same about everybody else's Karlsson trades.

I should probably demand a cheap extension as part of this one, like one that matches Carlson's contract, since an eight year deal woudl have to be signed through Ottawa.

I tried not to look at the guys I'm trading away by absolute value, but by how long I saw them sticking around anyway. I'd trade Kempny for a 2nd next summer for cap space to try to keep Vrana, trade Burakovsky before he hits arbitration and walks as a UFA, and possibly lose Connolly as a UFA. Trading them for value and then signing guys who can score more goals per season, so far, are younger, and could be signed long term, that seemed like a win-win kind of move, to me. Same with trading Kempny who did okay in the playoffs, to make space for Karlsson who gets a point a game in the playoffs when he gets there. Trading Copley to sign Lehner doesn't save money or cap space, but I think it saves Holtby about ten to fifteen games a year of workload, which keeps him fresh for the playoffs. It's a good move to help the team contend this year. Washington already replaced Boyd at 5C with Dowd, who is right handed and has played closer to Beagle's workload of incredibly tough zone starts for the last year. I didn't like including Stephenson or the first. If you think Ottawa would accept without Stephenson and the first, I would definitely hold them back. But if you count trading someone to make room for a better, younger UFA on a longer term contract as a win, rather than as an expense, then I'm looking at how to trade Stephenson and a 1st for a point a game offensive defensaster.

Still a questionable move, for sure, because Karlsson was awful last year, but sports are about taking risks and having fun.

If I could get all of those UFAs lined up and signed up, well, I'd have to trade the other guys somewhere before the signings got leaked, and Karlsson is not my first choice of #1 defensman, but after that Calgary-Carolina exchange, OEL and Doughty signing extensions, and Green re-upping in Detroit, he is the one who is rumored to be available. And a pairing of the guy who led all defensemen in even strength points with the guy who led them in total points last year just might help the Caps get the puck up the ice faster and score some more goals, especially if they upgrade their wings and their backup goalie, along the way.