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Party like a Faksa

Created by: Boush
Team: 2018-19 Washington Capitals
Initial Creation Date: Feb. 19, 2019
Published: Feb. 19, 2019
Salary Cap Mode: Basic
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Honestly, this seems on its face to be a pretty fair swap. They have similar point totals, faceoffs (2nd most on each of their respective teams), overall TOI, and PK usage (i.e. center on 1st PK unit). Main differences are age, contract status/length, and maybe physicality (Faksa is a little bigger and hits at about twice the rate of Eller).

Faksa is an RFA signed through next season on a cheap deal. He'll likely demand a sizable raise after that. Eller is five years older, but is signed on a reasonable deal through the 2022-23 season.

So really the question is... why?
Dallas is in the wild card spot right now. Eller has better "fancy stats" than Faksa this season, and by a fair margin. Faksa does seem to be having an overall down year. Eller could provide the Stars with a bump given his Stanley Cup winning experience and his overall play.
For the Caps, they gain cap space and a different look on the third line and PK, which have been inconsistent at best (though somewhat better the last two weeks or so).

Ultimately, I think the move could be a mild boost to both teams for the remainder of this season and next. A low-to-mid round pick might make sense going one way or the other depending on what the other GM ultimately values, but I do think this works straight-up.
Trades
DraftRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Round 6Round 7
2018
2019
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2020
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2021
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ROSTER SIZESALARY CAPCAP HITOVERAGES TooltipBONUSESCAP SPACE
23$79,500,000$69,825,962$82,500$1,100,000$9,674,038
Left WingCentreRight Wing
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$9,538,462$9,538,462
LW
M-NTC
UFA - 3
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$3,900,000$3,900,000
C
UFA - 7
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$5,166,667$5,166,667
RW
UFA - 6
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$863,333$863,333 (Performance Bonus$600,000$600K)
LW
UFA - 1
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$6,700,000$6,700,000
C
M-NTC
UFA - 2
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$5,750,000$5,750,000
RW
M-NTC
UFA - 7
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$3,000,000$3,000,000
RW, LW
UFA - 1
Logo of the Dallas Stars
$2,200,000$2,200,000
C, LW
UFA - 2
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$1,500,000$1,500,000
RW, LW
UFA - 1
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$650,000$650,000
C, LW
UFA - 1
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$650,000$650,000
C
UFA - 1
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$1,100,000$1,100,000
RW, LW
UFA - 1
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$800,000$800,000
C, RW
UFA - 2
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$1,000,000$1,000,000
RW, LW
UFA - 1
Left DefenseRight DefenseGoaltender
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$2,500,000$2,500,000
LD
UFA - 4
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$8,000,000$8,000,000
RD
M-NTC
UFA - 8
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$6,100,000$6,100,000
G
M-NTC
UFA - 2
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$1,275,000$1,275,000
LD
UFA - 5
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$5,750,000$5,750,000
RD
M-NTC
UFA - 3
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$650,000$650,000
G
UFA - 1
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$650,000$650,000
LD
UFA - 1
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$1,000,000$1,000,000
RD
UFA - 2
Logo of the Washington Capitals
$1,000,000$1,000,000 (Performance Bonus$500,000$500K)
LD
NTC
UFA - 1

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Feb. 19, 2019 at 12:42 p.m.
#1
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It's really intriguing. I say no, but it has more to do with the value of Eller's contract than anything else.

Long and short of it, Eller has a great contract. It's dirt cheap (for a serviceable at worst 3C) and it's very long. It was a great deal then, and it'll age like fine wine as the Cap goes up and 3Cs will invariably make more ($4.5 mil+).

I just don't see Faksa doing a deal like that. Maybe he signs a cheap 2 year bridge. Maybe not. I think value wise, he'd want more than Eller even on a bridge.

I prefer Faksa as a player honestly, but NHL is as much about value than it is getting the best guys.
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Feb. 19, 2019 at 12:45 p.m.
#2
Caps fan idk why
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eller took a major discount to stay in dc.....It would be a giant kick in the balls if we moved him especially after his playoffs heroics and is consistent play.
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Feb. 19, 2019 at 12:46 p.m.
#3
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I think one of the things you're missing in your valuation is the fact that Eller scored the arguably two most important goals in Caps playoff history. Cost control in contracts is something that's super valuable currently, especially with how contracts are going for the best players. Eller gives that cost control so that when it's time to re-up Backstrom and Ovechkin in a few years, we're not strapped.
Feb. 19, 2019 at 12:51 p.m.
#4
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Quoting: Capitalfail67
eller took a major discount to stay in dc.....It would be a giant kick in the balls if we moved him especially after his playoffs heroics and is consistent play.


This too. Guy takes a discount for longer security. Guys may notice that in the future.

He probably has the best contract, pound for pound, on the team.
Feb. 19, 2019 at 12:53 p.m.
#5
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Stars say no because I just got a Faksa jersey and I'd be sad
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Feb. 19, 2019 at 12:58 p.m.
#6
Who adds what?
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Last year they had two shutdown centers. One for one doesn't make two.

Faksa is in the ballpark, defensively, but Eller gets more points.

In another thread, one of the Dallas superfans said Burakovsky is worth Nichushkin plus a 2nd. If you can flip Nichushkin for a 2nd, then trading a 1st for a 4C for the first time since Gaustad gets easier to accept, because the Caps end up with three 2nd round picks? Or two, if they trade theirs and Bowey for Dzingel?
Feb. 19, 2019 at 1:04 p.m.
#7
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Boush
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Quoting: NuttySquirrel
Stars say no because I just got a Faksa jersey and I'd be sad


This is the first argument against the deal that I care about.
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Feb. 19, 2019 at 1:05 p.m.
#8
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Boush
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Quoting: Capitalfail67
eller took a major discount to stay in dc.....It would be a giant kick in the balls if we moved him especially after his playoffs heroics and is consistent play.


This a bidness. 'bout that paper and rings, son. Love will get you killed.
Feb. 19, 2019 at 1:10 p.m.
#9
Caps fan idk why
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Quoting: Boush
This a bidness. 'bout that paper and rings, son. Love will get you killed.


and eller is cheap thus giving us more paper and scored the goal that won us a ring........."love" got us everything we needed......son?
Feb. 19, 2019 at 1:12 p.m.
#10
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Boush
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Quoting: staytru20
I think one of the things you're missing in your valuation is the fact that Eller scored the arguably two most important goals in Caps playoff history. Cost control in contracts is something that's super valuable currently, especially with how contracts are going for the best players. Eller gives that cost control so that when it's time to re-up Backstrom and Ovechkin in a few years, we're not strapped.


Scoring two goals last year is not as valuable to me as making the team better this year and next. The cost control is absolutely a factor - it's the only reason I think Dallas would make the deal. The Caps are in a crunch in two years anyway. It's going to be a wiiiiiild time, too, with the CBA expiration and expansion draft, so truthfully I want as many options available as possible at that time. We gotta realize now that the team is likely gonna get bad in a couple years - it's just the price of competing and winning. If they're going to be bad, I want them to be younger and with more options. So what you view as a detriment to the Caps, I recognize and see as a long-term positive.
Feb. 19, 2019 at 1:15 p.m.
#11
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Boush
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Quoting: Capitalfail67
and eller is cheap thus giving us more paper and scored the goal that won us a ring........."love" got us everything we needed......son?


Faksa's cheaper and at worst is as good as Eller. Unfortunately he wasn't around to score two goals a month apart last year. We got what we needed out of Eller, and he regressed. Holding onto what he did in two games is foolish.
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Feb. 19, 2019 at 1:20 p.m.
#12
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Quoting: Boush
Scoring two goals last year is not as valuable to me as making the team better this year and next. The cost control is absolutely a factor - it's the only reason I think Dallas would make the deal. The Caps are in a crunch in two years anyway. It's going to be a wiiiiiild time, too, with the CBA expiration and expansion draft, so truthfully I want as many options available as possible at that time. We gotta realize now that the team is likely gonna get bad in a couple years - it's just the price of competing and winning. If they're going to be bad, I want them to be younger and with more options. So what you view as a detriment to the Caps, I recognize and see as a long-term positive.


Let's say trade goes through and Faksa has a good year next year, 20 goal, 25 assist year. He wants 5 million for a multiyear deal in a rising cap. In an offseason where Holtby and Backstrom are UFAs.

It's just really messy. I don't think Faksa is that much better than Eller to gamble. They're actually really similar players in a way.
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Feb. 19, 2019 at 1:22 p.m.
#13
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Quoting: Boush
Faksa's cheaper and at worst is as good as Eller. Unfortunately he wasn't around to score two goals a month apart last year. We got what we needed out of Eller, and he regressed. Holding onto what he did in two games is foolish.


eller currently has more points and is the better 2 way player. at worst is the same....thats just a silly way to look at it. faksa at best is equal to eller.

faksa is due for a raise after 2 years where eller is still signed at that 3.5 million......so theres that . hes cheaper now but will cost us more money down the road?

and its not foolish its smart to keep a guy who can score clutch goals. bet the penguins wish they had Bonino signed to the eller deal. but again if you want to downgrade for the purpose to making a trade thats fine just seems "foolish"
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Feb. 19, 2019 at 1:33 p.m.
#14
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Boush
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Quoting: Capitalfail67
eller currently has more points and is the better 2 way player. at worst is the same....thats just a silly way to look at it. faksa at best is equal to eller.

faksa is due for a raise after 2 years where eller is still signed at that 3.5 million......so theres that . hes cheaper now but will cost us more money down the road?

and its not foolish its smart to keep a guy who can score clutch goals. bet the penguins wish they had Bonino signed to the eller deal. but again if you want to downgrade for the purpose to making a trade thats fine just seems "foolish"


Clutch-osity is a myth. You're looking at two instances in time as a definitive narrative as to who the player is and will continue to be. Last year was his best year ever in boxcar stats. He's about the enter the wrong side of 30. Faksa is having the worst season of his young career and is largely on pace with Eller. I disagree with the idea that Eller is a better two-way player than Faksa, as I believe that Faksa is as good or better overall (this season on the Stars being a current exception, which is the only reason the Stars would part with him at all). The Pens won back to back Cups, trust me, they don't have many regrets. The Preds probably wish they had Bonino signed to Eller's deal, too, since they actually have him on their team on a worse contract with mixed results.

In two years, it'll be two years later. Eller will be older and almost certainly worse. Faksa will probably be as good or better as he is now, which, again, is as good as Eller. He might demand more money, and the Caps might be in a position to pay it if they want. And if not, they have his RFA rights and can use that leverage. If he's earned more money, it's because he's better for the team than he is today and that is a good thing.
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Feb. 19, 2019 at 1:40 p.m.
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Boush
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Quoting: CharlieFoxtrot
Let's say trade goes through and Faksa has a good year next year, 20 goal, 25 assist year. He wants 5 million for a multiyear deal in a rising cap. In an offseason where Holtby and Backstrom are UFAs.

It's just really messy. I don't think Faksa is that much better than Eller to gamble. They're actually really similar players in a way.


Quoting: Capitalfail67
eller currently has more points and is the better 2 way player. at worst is the same....thats just a silly way to look at it. faksa at best is equal to eller.

faksa is due for a raise after 2 years where eller is still signed at that 3.5 million......so theres that . hes cheaper now but will cost us more money down the road?

and its not foolish its smart to keep a guy who can score clutch goals. bet the penguins wish they had Bonino signed to the eller deal. but again if you want to downgrade for the purpose to making a trade thats fine just seems "foolish"


Look, ultimately, if I was GMBM, I would be saying what you're both saying ver batim, because it's how you'd convince the Stars that they should have Eller on the team. In general, I don't think you're wrong. I think caring about two goals is wrong, but overall your arguments are strong. I personally believe Faksa to be a better player and fit for the team now and going forward when compared to Eller now and going forward. So my arguments are geared toward that, as if I was the Stars GM making the argument to GMBM. That's it, y'all.
Feb. 19, 2019 at 1:46 p.m.
#16
Caps fan idk why
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Quoting: Boush
Clutch-osity is a myth. You're looking at two instances in time as a definitive narrative as to who the player is and will continue to be. Last year was his best year ever in boxcar stats. He's about the enter the wrong side of 30. Faksa is having the worst season of his young career and is largely on pace with Eller. I disagree with the idea that Eller is a better two-way player than Faksa, as I believe that Faksa is as good or better overall (this season on the Stars being a current exception, which is the only reason the Stars would part with him at all). The Pens won back to back Cups, trust me, they don't have many regrets. The Preds probably wish they had Bonino signed to Eller's deal, too, since they actually have him on their team on a worse contract with mixed results.

In two years, it'll be two years later. Eller will be older and almost certainly worse. Faksa will probably be as good or better as he is now, which, again, is as good as Eller. He might demand more money, and the Caps might be in a position to pay it if they want. And if not, they have his RFA rights and can use that leverage. If he's earned more money, it's because he's better for the team than he is today and that is a good thing.


few things

"He's about the enter the wrong side of 30"...two years ago ovi was considered to be on the wrong side of 30. its just a stupid term.. and faksa best season is 33 points? his worse season is going to be like 25-30 haha I mean If the major difference between a "down year" and his best year is 5 points I think its not worth mentioning bc it doesnt really matter.... you could just say hes a consistent 30 point guy.....so is eller.

and penguins won 2 cups bc they had a guy like Bonino. no surprise they lost the year he wasn't on the team....

also players don't turn 30 and suck. eller will consistently be a 30 point guy till this deal ends...... faksa will also be a 30 point guy. at this point you are trading a dollar for 4 quarter....

eller is able to slot into a 2nd line center when hes needed to and knows our system and plays well within our system.... why risk getting a player that fits for a guy that cmight not fit well? esp if they are lateral players
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