Talk about Capitals hockey & more! > Washington Capitals & Other Hockey Discussion
Trades & free agency
richkrt99:
Toronto is currently $8.8m OVER the cap with a 22 man roster....with expected LTIR relief of 5.6. yikes
Hah...Ducks currently show a 17 man roster and $28m in cap space. Maybe they need a big non scoring Canadian RW....and a bag of pucks
Blackhawks $18m
Coyotes $16m
Krakheads $14m
One of these guys certainly need some pucks for practice don't they?
BlackIce:
--- Quote from: Mickstix on Wednesday July 05, 2023, 09:36:42 AM Eastern ---I can't figure out why they wouldn't retool while Ovi is here. I mean, they saw the proof last year, as we were a playoff contender right up until we started getting "healthy".. Don't know if it's a familiarity thing or if they think there's still a chance to make the playoffs? It was painfully obvious we're not fast enough to keep up. Weird..
--- End quote ---
Maybe they wouldn't retool because they can't retool.
The bloated contracts are getting in their way. Out of respect, they won't jettison Backstrom, who is seen as icon 1A to Ovie. Regardless of what everyone here thinks of Carlson, THEY think enough of him to keep running him out there for more minutes per game than anyone else. Apparently they tried to move Kuzy (which would create its own issues) and Mantha, but no one seemed interested. Can't imagine why.
This affects all sorts of things. Why didn't they sign Fehervary to a longer-term contract? Maybe because, to buy out years after he is eligible to become a UFA, they would have had to increase the AAV of the contract significantly. That would affect his cap hit in ALL years, including the upcoming year, and the team doesn't have the cap room for that. And the team can't sign really primo free agents, because they cost more and bind the team longer-term. All they can do at this point is sign someone like Pacioretti to a relatively cheap contract, with the benefit that they can jettison him after a year if his injury issues prove to be too much to overcome.
A little of the long-term bloat comes off the books after this season upcoming; a HUGE amount comes off after the next season. The best outcome that can be hoped for is that the Caps struggle through the next two years as best they can, and Ovie either breaks Gretsky's scoring record in that time or comes so close (say, within 10 goals) that breaking it in the final year of his contract is a foregone conclusion. Then with the big money coming off the books, the retool/reload can begin in earnest, with Ovie unquestionably at the end of his career and the team HAVING to move on.
Mickstix:
Unfortunately, you're probably right BlackIce.
Beaglefan2:
Yes, let's just hope for top 10 draft picks in the next two years - that they don't trade away. Then in three years, they have the new Russian phenom, Leonard, Sudvalev and a couple others coming on strong. Then throw in some cap space for key signings and bing, bang, boom... another Cup!
justwincaps:
DeBrincat signs with Detroit - taking a potential top 6 the Caps were targeting [per E Friedman] off the board.
At this point, considering it costs Detroit two players and two draft picks [inlcuding a 2024 first rounder], I think I'm glad we didn't pull the trigger on him.
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