So we trade Jensen who had 2 years left, plus a third round pick for Chycrun who only has one year left. I don't mind the trade, but hate throwing away draft picks for short term rentals. I guess if we are sellers at the trade deadline, we ought to be able to get at least a third for Chyckrun.
The Roy signing baffles me. You would think that management would be learning the lesson of what happens to 34+ year old players, so this one is going to be a salary cap anchor in the years that we are hopefully rebounding into a contender.
GMBM is showing desperation to stay relevent....
A few thoughts .....
I assume the Roy signing was for the term and price it was because that is the going rate for a defenseman of his calibre on the UFA market.
I'm fascinated by the fact that Protas was given the longer-term, higher-value contract relative to McMichael. That's a head-scratcher for me.
Our defensive rotation now has 4 LHD: Fehervary, Chychrun (sp?), Sandin, Alexeyev. I presume Alexeyev is the 7th D, and he has played both sides, so that makes sense.
Both D acquired are high in blocks and hits. Wonder if that was a reason why the Caps were after them. And both are 20-minute guys, with no reason to expect their TOI to decline in the near future. Maybe this will finally be the year the Caps start to control Carlson's minutes a little more. They now have legitimate guys to eat these minutes.
With regard to the salary cap squeeze: I wonder if these moves are a hidden signal that Oshie's physical problems are much worse than acknowledged, and he might well be Backstromed, creating another $5.75 million more of LTIR salary cap exemption.
On paper, and before any injuries, the Caps' lines look pretty well defined; logical defensive pairings can be created; and the goalie situation is pretty clear, unless Lindgren disappoints/Thompson surprises. Carbery has shown that he won't hesitate to switch there if circumstances dictate. Whether or not this roster is good enough to make noise in '24/'25 I don't know. BUT the roster is more logically constructed than I remember it for awhile. Like the moves or not, I think this is the GM's attempt to give Carbery, who they are clearly impressed with, more tools to work with.
