i dont know much about caps prospects, outside of samsonov. so can a caps fans explain who they are? and where the system rankings league wide?

Their main prospects are the 3 guys I included in the healthy scratches. McMichael is tearing it up in the OHL. Protas is tearing up the WHL, and Alexyev is a pretty highly touted LHD prospect

is Holtby moved at the dealine? or does he walk in FA?

I'd say FA since they're a playoff team and he could be huge in the playoffs

Tough to rank prospect systems. Nobody seems to have a handle on it. The Hershey Bears are tied for 5th overall in the AHL, for whatever that's worth.

Here are some stats on them: http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000092020.html

You have to figure that whoever is playing on the farm team has a chance to earn their way up, but a lot of people probably aren't going to call Matt Moulson a prospect anymore, just because he's 35 years old.

The above team can send Copley and Protas to the AHL and sign Holtby at a cap hit of 7.8M. No idea what they'll do, but they have options. So far all the fan offers on here are underwhelming, so it doesn't look like he's going anywhere at the deadline. Can't imagine the 'Nucks getting involved, with the season Markstrom is having?

Connor McMichael is lighting the OHL up, and I think he's fixed to take a C spot in Washington come fall 2021. I think the Caps leave Eller exposed in June 2021, and he's possibly snatched up by Seattle. If so, that leaves a clear path for McMichael to take over 3C and compete for 2C by year's end.

Protas could end up being a 3/4C by then as well, as he is doing very well and was a pleasant surprise in camp this year.

Alex squared will most certainly be in the top 6 D within a year or two on the Caps. Trade Jensen and Kempny to make room for Alex and Fehérváry.

The Caps at that point will have a young talented defense with a lot of ELC to make cap room for Sammy, Ovi and Vrana.

Fall 2021 defensive pairings could end up being:

Siegs-Carlson
Orlov-Fehérváry
Alex-Gudas (preferably)

3/6 still on ELC. Young stud paired with a talented veteran in the setup I have. Sounds good to me!

I think you can swap Siegs and Fehervary too. Siegs has proven he can play on the right side, and I think Orlov can really benefit from having a steady-eddy next to him.

As mentioned below, the Caps do have some good prospects, but its a super thin system. McMichael, Alexyev, Fehervary, Protas, & Leason (imo in that order) are good solid prospects, probably middle of lineup players (McMichael maybe being a 1st or 2nd liner), but the dropoff after that is huge. Hardly any depth in the system due to draft picks trade over the years, and some bad early picks (i.e. Lucas Johansen). Hershey is a good team because of a bunch of 25-28 year old guys who are good players but not really prospects (Djoos, Copley, etc...)

No the Nucks will stick with Markstrom, Benning already indicated it was priority to re-sign him. i was just wondering if Caps would try get value back for Holtby or if they would try to re-sign him