I'd love to see this next year:

Ovi-Strome-Wilson
Miro-McM-Nylander
Milano-Lap-Laine
Beck-Dowd-Protas

Fehevary-Carlson
Sandin-Jensen
AA / [a physical LHD] - Iorio

Oshie/Backy done, sign Nylander to whatever, trade Kuzy, 2nd, LoJo (can swap in Lap and then sign a 3c in FA like Wennberg) for Laine, trade TVR (or Jensen) at TDL, and then consider signing a physical bottom-pair LHD.

Was playing around with a team and the money works (relatively easily actually - and that includes the $2m in bonuses for patches). I think this team would easily be a playoff team. Thoughts?

Would not want Laine right now. If you get rid of Kuzy, I'd prefer not to get in a similar situation with Laine, especially when he ends up on the third line because he'll be bound to disappoint there. I'd consider bringing back Mantha on a 1 year deal, or targeting someone of similar status as Duclair. Unfortunately, even with a great forward and defense core, this team isn't going anywhere with its goaltending. Lindgren is playing well now but it is simply unsustainable, and Kuemper shows no signs of returning to anywhere near Arizona form. Shepard also isn't a long term fix, so unless they find a better goalie, or Stevenson makes a huge jump to the NHL, this team is going nowhere.

Would have Reinhart as another FA option. I think the goaltending is completely fine tbh and the least of this team's worries.

Reinhart would also be good if they can't get Nylander. The team has plenty of other issues, but goaltending can't be ignored. Your starter can't be putting up a .887 sv% and you can't expect your backup to carry you the whole year and through the playoffs. It hasn't worked in the past for Carter Hutton, Chris Dreidger, Mikko Koskinen, etc.

Good point about Laine - would be happy to get a Duclair-type. Would avoid bringing back Mantha - I just think that ship has sailed (for him, the team, and especially the fans).

I don't necessarily agree with the goaltending needing adjustment. While Keumper has not played particularly well, I think its a direct correlation to how bad the rest of the team has been. Forwards aren't playing defense, and your actual defenders aren't playing well. The Caps team defense is horrible (even last night - out of the 5 goals Keumper let in, 4 of them weren't necessarily his fault due to puck bounces and/or bad defensive coverage). Plus, even if Keumper played on top of his head, the Caps scored 0 goals....can't win when you don't score.

Number one problem right now (imo) is that the Caps can't score. that issue needs to be addressed (and honestly, I am pretty disappointed BMac hasn't addressed it already).

Scoring is certainly a problem but Kuemper also struggled last year with a different coach and different defense, so I start to feel that the carryover of play from last year to this year isn't a fluke. The offense is also frustrating, but I really don't know exactly what MacLellan is to do at this point. Only 3 big forwards were moved in the offseason (Debrincat, Toffoli, Duclair) and the Caps only really had space for one (Duclair), and while I'd like him to make a trade he can't do a whole lot if there isn't anything available. If Philly doesn't want to trade Konecny, or Nashville doesn't want to trade Novak, there's really nothing MacLellan can do to change that, he's in a no-win spot where he either pays out his ass for a forward and fans melt down like they did with the Mantha trade, or he doesn't make a move and people complain that nothing is happening.

Yeah all fair points.

I guess best case scenario would be the following:
1. Ovi starts to score and hits 25+ goals this year
2. Sell at TDL
3. High draft pick (top 10)
4. Sign top 6 forward (or two) in offseason (i.e., Nylander)

I mean by basically every metric (sv%, gsaa, gsax, gsax/60) Kuemper has been the most intensely average goalie in the entire league. Could he be better, especially at 5.5m? Absolutely. At the end of the day though, they're 12-0-2 when scoring 2 or more goals and 0-8-0 when scoring 1 or 0 -- that's all on the offense. I agree there isn't much you can do about it in-season except hope Ovi, Kuzy, and Oshie have some positive regression / improvement in play or that Pacioretty is 20-21 Pacioretty when he comes back. In the offseason though, they're going to have a ton of space for UFAs (Nylander, Reinhart, Lindholm, Guentzel, Stamkos, Toffoli, Teravainen -- not necessarily all good fits or value but just all top 6 forwards about to hit UFA) and a not incredible but pretty significant stockpile of assets they could move without totally tanking the future (Lapierre, Suzdalev, Cristall, Chesley, 24 1st, 3 25 2nds). They also could address the lack of a real #2 D as well (Skjei, Forsling, Hanifin, Roy, Pesce) or bring in some powerplay specialists (Tarasenko, Sprong). Goaltending is very much the last thing that needs to be touched IMO, especially considering it's a whole lot easier to get worse at the position than better -- is anyone like Kahkonen, Talbot, Mrazek really an upgrade?

I will say I totally agree with you about MacLellan. He continues to do basically all he can to keep this team as close to competitive as it can possibly be, and sometimes the deals just aren't there for you to make.

Which team drinks the Vrana kool-aid this time

hate the idea of this team moving

It's not like they're going across the country or anything. If DC is smart, they'll pay up to keep the Caps and Wiz since it'd look real bad to lose 3 of your 4 sports teams to Maryland/Virginia, but Cap 1 is a very unfavorable position for Leonsis in terms of the lease. It's far above nearly any other building lease and if he thinks he can get a better deal in Alexandria then I can't blame him for trying.

That said: Not a huge fan. Cap 1 is in a nice location, Potomac Yard isn't the worst but transportation to the area is a bit of a pain (they do have a metro station though). I'm sure DC will pitch a fit but they have no one to blame but themselves for this.

looks like its being announced tomorrow. absolutely hate the move, as a long time MoCo resident Potomac Yards is about as much of a pain in the ass to get to as possible. Will probably kill going to any games other than friday/saturday night for me. i get that if virginia is giving you 600m or whatever you have to take it but i don't think it will be reflected in cheaper ticket prices!

only thing I would add though is I think Snyder and Ovechkin have papered over a whole lot of cracks for Leonsis. given that one is gone and the other is on his way out, think he'll start to feel a lot more pressure soon.

Good win last night and it was great to see Miro get a game in (and look like he belongs). For all of the disappointment of this year (Ovi, Backy, Kuzy, Carlson) I've been shocked by how good the young guys have been. Don't get me wrong I thought McM and Protas were going to be solid bottom 6 guys, but they both look like they can be much more than that. Lappiere too I was worried would be a AAAA guy forever but he also looks like an NHL player. Having all of them + Miro hit will go a long ways.

Elvis Merzlikins…

Cry me a river.

Good win tonight.

best game i've seen them play so far this year, and the best atmosphere at cap one as well

Post holiday thoughts:

This roster is not very good. Our defenders can't defend in-zone and yet also don't generate much offensively. Carlson, Jensen, TVR have taken steps back and Fehervary and Sandin haven't taken any forward.
Forwards desperately lacking speed and skill. They have 14m in cap tied up in guys who are always hurt (Backy, Oshie) 9.5m in one that still tries hard but who's skill has rapidly declined (Ovi) and 8m in maybe the least interested NHL player I've ever seen (Kuzy). There have been some nice jumps and bounce-back seasons from the Protas-McM-Mantha line especially, but they ideally would be the 3rd line on a good team, not the second. I don't blame BMac or the FO at all for this -- it's the price you pay for being consistently a top 5 team in the league for 10(!!!!!) years -- but it is the reality of where the team is at.

That being said, I'm really beginning to doubt Carberry's coaching. I have nothing against the man -- I very much enjoy how straightforward he is with the media and he seems like a great guy that his players play hard for. The way he's set this team up though just isn't playing to the strengths of this roster.

The biggest offender to me is man v. man in the D-zone. It requires a lot of effort and guys to make 1v1 defensive plays and win battles efficiently to be good, and this team and D-corps especially is not built to do that. When we finally do win the puck back, everyone is out of position for the breakouts since they have been following their man. This might be less of a problem for a team with lots of really high skill players who can make tougher passes regularly or a fast team who can chip the puck out and chase after it, but we can't do either and ice the puck what seems like every other possession. Our wings don't even really play man v. man and stay in no-mans land when the puck's below the goal line as well, giving up the points much to easily and nullifying one of the biggest supposed strengths of the system.

The line combos and some roster decisions have also been head scratching. Persisting with Phillips makes absolutely zero sense to me. He tries hard but his size is an issue and 5 points in 28 games is not acceptable for anyone. I don't understand how anyone could watch this team since the cup run and go back to Ovi-Kuzy, especially when Strome has proven in his time in DC that he is the Ovi whisperer. I get he's one of two forwards who plays all situations but Kuzy is playing wayyyyyy more than he deserves by any metric. The 4th line and their usage drives me insane. A "checking" line that is absolutely horrible on the forecheck and the walls and consistently turns the puck over in dangerous places at both blue lines should not be playing 16 minutes a night. Dowd and Malenstyn are at least good PKers, but they get caved in 5v5 and when your team has such massive scoring issues you cannot roll four lines.

Finally, the powerplay is legitimately awful and looks completely out of ideas. No movement at all in the zone or creativity, no set plays besides an Ovi shot-pass to the high slot, no good zone entries. They've been scoring more recently but they've all been off of screened or tipped point shots, not good looks.

I'm always going to cheer for the team and want them to win, even when they're not playing well. The "If you're not top 10 in the league you should tear everything down" mindset sucks and I definitely won't advocate for that. A lot of things have been papered over though by Lindgren and finishing sequencing. If this team wants to actually stay competitive -- either this year or next -- there need to be pretty significant changes both in the roster AND style of play.

I need zegras to be a capital

I would love to get Zegras but have a feeling it would be a huge overpay. I think he still is slightly overrated around the league

Cristall and a first. That would be my max offer

I think he's a younger verison of Kuzy...

And with the almost guaranteed overpay, I would pass on Zegras.

As the season began, I really liked the defense on paper. But as the season went on, it became pretty apparent that the Caps need a top LHD. Sandin hasn't progressed as hoped, Fehevary has stayed the same (if not slightly regressed) this season, and Edmundson is no more than a 3rd pair guy.

I hope the Caps go after a top LHD (Chychrun would be my top target). In addition, a top 6 forward is obviously needed.

I'd think the only untouchables would be the following:
Leonard
Miro
Ovi
Strome
McM

I'd love to see the following trade for Chychrun (is this enough...I am not sure):
Caps 2025 1st
Jensen
Suzdalev
(Could even throw in AA)

For the top 6 forward, I am kinda at a loss. With Nylander signing and Reinhart rumors of him staying in FL, not sure who we would target...

Some late night thinking


What the hell are we gonna do when everyone's healthy.

Wheres Milano gonna play. Patches?, Kuzy? Oshie? that new top six forward.

our offense doesnt do anything to begin with so how is the change gonna be.

guys that are staying

mikey
ovi
strome
wilson


lines we cant split up

mantha mikey protas
beck dowd kubel


that should be a lock for the bottom six for the rest of the season

i would like to get mikey more playing time up the lineup but it can wait i think

what the hell do we do with the top six

we need a replacement for kuzy

ovi is just not it. maybe we could get him going with a spark idk

top 6 needs reconstruction

now with defense

what do we do. we are kinda suffering from success with all that depth. they are mid but good depth.

i want will brogen. move on from jensen. keep tvr.

Marty Carlson
Sandin Brogen
TVR Bear



or norris and jakub chy from the sens. major deal would need to be done but do it. jensen milano kuzy retained and lappy and ioiro as pieces. very raw idea

oshie at 3c and mikey at 2lw.

ovi norris patches
mikey strome wilson
mantha oshie protas
beck dowd kubel

Watching the game in the arena and have to say, the defenses looks even worse in person: Carlson is afraid of contact, he brings up his hands in a scared way every time there’s a bit of contact. Edmundson has no vision, 50% of his passes are intercepted. Bear looks lost I hate to say, he can’t hold onto a puck. Fehervary had been seemingly the only consistently good defenseman, and that sucks.

Excited for Chesley and Iorio in the future but would like to see the Caps find a more physical, stay at home guy in the first two rounds this year. I feel they’ve lacked a truly competent stay at home defenseman this whole year, Alexeyev and Fehervary are really the closest the team has got.

tf is oshie on bro.


give ovi that