Some of our roster decisions depends on if McMichael is on the roster next year. If he doesn't make it, then Leipsic slides onto our fourth line and Hagelin jumps up to the third. A lot of people want Panik to be traded, but I find it much wiser to hold onto him for another year. He's played much better as of late, so there's reason to believe he can turn it around. McMichael being on his line next year should help jump the offensive production. And if he isn't the right fit, having a year less on his contract will make him easier to move in summer of 2021.
The defense is going to be a tough one to figure out all year. Alexeyev and Fehervary should be rotating in and out of the lineup for most of the season. Both look ready to see some games in the NHL. As easy as it may be to spend more money this offseason, we have to ensure we stay smart. Ovechkin, Vrana and Samsonov all need new deals in 2021, so keeping a long term focus is key this offseason.
At the draft, Caps select Helge Grans in the first round. I project him to be a top four defenseman, and given he shoots right, he can slide nicely into our lineup in a few years. In the second round (and this is a bit of wishful thinking here), the Caps grab Alexander Pashin. He's a very skilled goal scorer, but his size may end up scaring a lot of teams off, leading him to fall to the late second round where Colorado picks. I see him as having some of the most upside outside of the top 20.
Lucas Johansen doesn't appear to have an NHL future in Washington. I wouldn't be shocked if he ends up as a third pairing guy somewhere else, but with guys like Alexeyev, Siegenthaler and Fehervary here already, I don't see a ton of ways the Caps get a player out of him. I like the idea of trading him to Detroit for Evgeny Svechnikov. Both players have struggled to live up to expectations since being drafted, and it puts another quality forward in our farm system. There's definitely benefits for each team in making this move.
What to do with the defense, particularly the right side, is going to be an important aspect of this offseason. Jensen has played a lot more like a third pairing defenseman than the top four guy we envisioned him being. Given that we're committing to Samsonov, we need to make sure either Gudas is resigned or a different top four defenseman is brought in. Given how nicely Gudas has fit, it makes a lot of sense to get him signed again. As long as Jensen can perform admirably in a lesser role moving forward, this defensive core should be fine. If not, then GMBM has the deadline to tinker and improve the bottom four.
But to me, the most important aspect is who our backup goalie is. As good as Samsonov has been, I still want someone capable of playing 25-30 decent games. I'd also like to see Vanecek get a few games in here and there to see if he can be the backup down the line. Signing Halak (or another goalie along the lines of Khudobin, Crawford, etc.) is pretty much the most important move we can make this offseason. Goaltending is always a tricky situation, especially with a first time starter. Ensuring that there's another quality goaltender behind him that can be a mentor and potentially fill in for a short period if times get tough will greatly benefit this team.
This team on paper looks like they should be a serious threat, so long as Samsonov continues his development and takes strides towards reaching his elite potential. Given what we've seen from this group this year, I don't see a lot of reason to shake a lot up. Jensen could be swapped out for a different RHD, but that's pretty much it. Continuing to inject youth like McMichael, Fehervary and Alexeyev will provide a boost similar to what Samsonov has brought this year.
I agree with a lot of what you said in the description. Panik has definitely shown flashes of his former self, and he looks like he's more comfortable with his role on the Caps now. The next step for him is to contribute a bit more offensively, because there's still some depth scoring the Caps could certainly use down the stretch. I think we'll see what Panik can do with more offensive talent around him tonight when he's filling in for Ovi on the first line. I don't think his cap hit is too high that the Caps can't see what he does next season.
As for the defensive corps, I agree, I really like Gudas, and think he fits in well here. One thing that could make sense is finding a suitor for Jensen, since he's not exactly wowing here. He's not bad by any means, but we have defensemen in the pipeline that we want to see in NHL action. I think Siegenthaler can fill in well on the second pairing on the right side with Orlov, and that'd allow Fehervary or Alexeyev to slot into the third pairing LD:
Siegs is probably a perfect partner for Orlov. Having a better, more physical, stay at home guy as his partner could help Orlov's offensive numbers, too. Kempny and Carlson have great chemistry, even with Kempny's performance regressing a bit after his injury. Gudas can be that veteran mentor for the rookie that slots into the lineup.
I'd be pleasantly surprised if McMichael makes the NHL roster. I think he's going to push for a spot, but might need a bit more seasoning for playing against top, grown men. The Caps would still be solid with the same forward corps that they have today.
I also like Halak, or even Khudobin for the backup role behind Samsonov. Holtby will get a long term deal somewhere this summer, and I don't think the Caps are going to be able to extend him to a 2-3 year deal this summer, even with Holtby's career worst season so far.
All in all, I like what you have here. I don't think the Caps are going to be players in FA with some prospects coming up, and they'll have to re-sign Vrana, Samsonov, and Ovechkin after the 2020-21 season. It'll be interesting, but there's no reason not to trust GMBM.
I agree with a lot of what you said in the description. Panik has definitely shown flashes of his former self, and he looks like he's more comfortable with his role on the Caps now. The next step for him is to contribute a bit more offensively, because there's still some depth scoring the Caps could certainly use down the stretch. I think we'll see what Panik can do with more offensive talent around him tonight when he's filling in for Ovi on the first line. I don't think his cap hit is too high that the Caps can't see what he does next season.
As for the defensive corps, I agree, I really like Gudas, and think he fits in well here. One thing that could make sense is finding a suitor for Jensen, since he's not exactly wowing here. He's not bad by any means, but we have defensemen in the pipeline that we want to see in NHL action. I think Siegenthaler can fill in well on the second pairing on the right side with Orlov, and that'd allow Fehervary or Alexeyev to slot into the third pairing LD:
Siegs is probably a perfect partner for Orlov. Having a better, more physical, stay at home guy as his partner could help Orlov's offensive numbers, too. Kempny and Carlson have great chemistry, even with Kempny's performance regressing a bit after his injury. Gudas can be that veteran mentor for the rookie that slots into the lineup.
I'd be pleasantly surprised if McMichael makes the NHL roster. I think he's going to push for a spot, but might need a bit more seasoning for playing against top, grown men. The Caps would still be solid with the same forward corps that they have today.
I also like Halak, or even Khudobin for the backup role behind Samsonov. Holtby will get a long term deal somewhere this summer, and I don't think the Caps are going to be able to extend him to a 2-3 year deal this summer, even with Holtby's career worst season so far.
All in all, I like what you have here. I don't think the Caps are going to be players in FA with some prospects coming up, and they'll have to re-sign Vrana, Samsonov, and Ovechkin after the 2020-21 season. It'll be interesting, but there's no reason not to trust GMBM.
As far as the defense goes, the thought process was to keep lefty-righty pairings, even though Siegenthaler can play the right efficiently. I also like having a rotating defense core on the third pair. Ideally, both Fehervary and Alexeyev get a decent amount of games, but it's tough to find minutes for them. If one of them grabs a spot and locks it down, then a Jensen move makes sense. But until I know that the team can handle one of them every day and Siegenthaler on the right, I'd hold onto him just in case. That's just my opinion, and I totally see where you're going with that. Makes sense.
McMichael is a tricky one next year. He can't go to Hershey, so it's either the OHL or the NHL. I'd like to see us at least give him a look.
For Johansen, I feel like we might as well hold on to him and hope he stays healthy. Maybe he plays well enough next year that we can actually get something good for him.
I don't think Gudas should be our 2RHD answer. I think Jensen is much better than people think, but I understand trying to get someone better. I think we'll know that answer after these playoffs.
Think they need to make room for Fehervary and trading Kempny makes the most sense.
For Johansen, I feel like we might as well hold on to him and hope he stays healthy. Maybe he plays well enough next year that we can actually get something good for him.
I don't think Gudas should be our 2RHD answer. I think Jensen is much better than people think, but I understand trying to get someone better. I think we'll know that answer after these playoffs.
Think they need to make room for Fehervary and trading Kempny makes the most sense.
I was thinking about players to potentially substitute for Gudas, and I just don't see anyone available that's a suitable fit. The guy I was contemplating the most was Travis Hamonic, but I think Gudas has been a really nice fit and can come in at a better price than most anyone else will. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the trade market, given our depleted asset base. As the youngsters prove themselves to be ready for these spots, we can move other guys to make room for them. But given we're absolutely gonna try to contend, I'd be much more comfortable with waiting until they prove themselves before moving out proven guys. If this were a rebuilding situation, it's different.
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