Who adds what?
Joined: Jul. 2017
Posts: 13,677
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The Sharks are 2-1-1 in their last four, including an OTL to WSH. They're not tanking. They're improving . Their pick is likely still top ten, though, because right when they started playing a defensive system that works, Couture just got hurt.
The Sens could pick up Ovechkin and a couple bargain basement rentals and make the playoffs. They still have a few guys who have been to the conference finals and done okay there. Adding Ovechkin just might make them a contender..... if they can make it. They're six games behind the Flyers for the 2nd wildcard, but they have to climb past some good teams. I think adding an elite goal scorer gives them a chance, but they're also going to want to pick up, like, Bogosian for a 4th and Galchenyuk for a 3rd to be sure. Maybe Domingue for a 5th, too? Retention on all of the above. That would make their picks 20th overall, so they're renting Ovechkin for two years for one top ten pick, two mid-firsts, and some spare parts. Great deal.
The real math for the Caps here is whether they're still a contender without their captain. Oshie is on pace for 30 goals in a 2nd line role and could maybe improve on that with more ice time, and more passes. Vrana's doing pretty well. How much more offense can they get out of Wilson? Does Panik's recent offense mean he can move back into the top-six role he's used to? The Caps already have 65 standings points, so they can still make the playoffs, but will the team still believe it can win without its captain? That might take a couple years. Maybe until McMichael, Alexeyev, Has, and that SJ pick come up to play.