Team: 2022-23 Washington Capitals

Initial Creation Date: Apr. 24, 2022

Published: May 2, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

If we don't upgrade our goaltending in the offseason, we're almost for sure missing the playoffs next year. I'm honestly not opposed to trading Vanecek and signing Holtby back as well, but for now we can stick to one goalie move. I like Campbell to be a stable option capable of handling 50 games next year and being the #1 come playoff time. I like these moves to give us the cap flexibility and assets to get a 3C and/or a defenseman at the deadline in case we need an upgrade on CMM/Braun for the playoffs.

Ideally we also extend Fehervary to an extension similar to Chychrun and we wait on Orlov/Jensen until the deadline. If we're not in the picture I'd look to deal at least one of them since we can get a 1st for either one (we'd get more for Orlov but I'd rather keep him).

There's no guarantee this roster here even makes the playoffs, but I think this is the best route to take if we want to give the team a fighting chance if they get to the playoffs as well as be in a good position to sell if this upcoming season goes south. As much as we want to tinker around the edges with the team try and "fix it" our fate is going to be determined by our top players, period. Backstrom needs to regain his form from the 2021 season, or at least get close to it. Kuznetsov needs to play this way every year. Carlson needs to stay strong defensively the way he has the last month. Mantha shows all the tools he has but he needs to turn that into production with us. I really think all we can do this summer is add a solid starting goalie and see how the rest of the roster responds.

Our time of trading away high draft picks has to be over. We need to use our first and second round picks to get solid players in that will ultimately play with McMichael and Lapierre. If we want to remain "competitive" while Ovi is still playing, that's fine by me. Just keep the young guys so we can reload sooner rather than later when the time comes.

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