Why in the world would Washington do that?

This really doesn't help either side

I could see a Kuzy-Johansen-swap, but Caps are looking for a 1st in return for Dowd.

really? I did not know that - that's a little nuts.

A comparable could be the Goodrow (also a great 4C with term) trade from 2020. Basically, it'd be Dowd+ a '24 3rd for COL '24 1st.

You can’t use the pinnacle of the market TB trades as comps. Nobody is giving WAS more for Dowd than MTL got for Monahan, if you think that’s the case well I hope you enjoy having Dowd next year.

The return for Goodrow was less than what MTL got for Monahan (basically a 1st, maybe a 1st+3rd). And the market for centers is a seller's market, especially with Monahan off the board. Dowd + a 3rd for a late 1st is not out of question.

You think it is a sellers market because Monahan and Lindholm traded so quick but the fact of the matter is most of the buyers have limited cap space and aren’t ready to overpay for bottom 6 forwards. BOS, COL, and FLA are 3 of the biggest buyers and all have limited space and draft capital. Tanev a top 4 dman fetched a 2nd and conditional 3rd you don’t really think Dowd returns more do you, even with the extra year?

Tanev wasn't even the biggest trade chip on his former team. Dowd is, together with Henrique, the top C on the board right now. EDM, COL, TOR, VGK are potential suitors with a 1st rounder in play. That's why Dowd can get (a little) more in return than Tanev. Caps should ask to upgrade a 3rd to a 1st, but may end up with a 2nd + something. We'll see in the next couple of days.