2026 Trade Deadline/Deals

[Mickstix]

For a team devoid of Centers... This is out 1st move! 


https://twitter.com/rmnb/status/2029562945277981105

[Beaglefan2]

Just saw that. Doesn't say what the return was - I would guess a 2nd and a 4th.  On one hand, I hate to see this as Dowd consistently gave his all-out effort every game.  He was a part of our core and set a good example.  He was a player that had to work harder to make it and he developed his skills along the way and was pretty darn good.


On the other hand, he is 35 and I have to say that his play this year has slipped. I noticed that he seemed to be out of position a lot and he had way more giveaways than normal. I don't mind moving out a 35 year old. Let's just hope we don't retain salary.


Now, let's cross all our fingers that Carlson is next!

[alta]

I gotta say, I am surprised Dowd lasted this long after management got rid of Hathaway. But, as Mick noted, getting rid of a center at this point is questionable. I hadn’t been paying attention, but Dowd must be a UFA after this season.


Caps get goalie Jesper Vikman(never heard of him), a ‘27 3rd round pick and a ‘29 2nd round pick.

[alta]

Based on UFA status, I expect TvR and possibly Duhaime to go. Though Duhaime is fairly young at 28. The only other UFAs are OV and Carlson.


https://capwages.com/teams/washington_capitals


Dowd had one more season under contract.

[richkrt99]

A second and a third is CRAZY for Dowd. We should be jumping for joy.  He aint worth that.
Nice guy, sad to move a guy firmly planted, but is what it is.  He will play 1 more year and retire here.

and the moderate success of Sourdiff, makes moving a center easier.  You can move Mcmike to C if needed (or Lappy), or better yet BRING up Protus, Jr.

[richkrt99]

I would trade TVR for a bag of pucks.  I would NOT re-sign him next year, so why not move him now.
Duhaime is likeable but not worth all that much...not a real difficult guy to replace if he was moved, I just dont see you getting much for him.
I would absolutely LOVE to see them move Carlson for some decent picks.  However, we all fear the Caps will sign him to a ridiculously long contract even though he has obviously declined greatly and will continue to decline to the point they will be paying another team to move the contract.

[BlackIce]

I gotta say, I am surprised Dowd lasted this long after management got rid of Hathaway. But, as Mick noted, getting rid of a center at this point is questionable. I hadn’t been paying attention, but Dowd must be a UFA after this season.


Caps get goalie Jesper Vikman(never heard of him), a ‘27 3rd round pick and a ‘29 2nd round pick.

   


There's a reason you never heard of him.  I looked in the AHL goalie stats, and he's ..... 4th from the bottom, with a gaudy 3.41 GAA and .866 save percentage. 


What surprised me, in looking at the NHL player listings, was that there were 9 Jespers.  I never would have thought that name was so common.


I'd be thrilled about the 2nd and 3rd round picks for Dowd, except they are in '27 and '29, respectively.  There's a decent chance that I will be dead by the time the latter pick is made.

[Mickstix]

LoL, same here Ice.. Same here.   


Good for Dowd. He'll get 1 more shot at the playoffs anyway. I think Sourdiff will fill in nice and yes, time to bring up Lil Pro and see if he can handle the NHL. I'd also love to see them move Beauvi.. He's another hustler, but they need Leonard playing on the top line. If he gets burned on the D side, he'll learn.. Nothing left this year but to learn and see if we have anything from Hershey worth keeping.

[BlackIce]

Mick, I am in sympathy with your desire to have Leonard on the "top" line (though I don't think that Ovie's line is the top line any more), but Beauvillier doesn't have to be moved to have that happen - just interchange them.  IF young Protas were brought up, the lines could look like


Ovie/Strome/Leonard
AProtas/Dubois/Wilson
Beauvillier/McMichael/Sourdif
Duhaime/IProtas/Frank


Or interchange Leonard and Wilson, but everyone seems to like the AP/DB/W line.   


The organization must have SOME reason why Leonard hasn't yet been given much of a chance on a top line, because they COULD have done it at any time.

[Mickstix]

Yea, don't have to move Beauvi to get Leonard in the top 6, but just seems like pulling teeth with these coaches to let rookies have a chance.. He doesn't need to play with Strome, but he should be playing with our best play makers, when possible. Could/should of been up there last game, but for whatever reason McMike got those minutes. And as usual, didn't do much. Really hoped last years career year, for some of the younger guys, was gonna turn into the "norm", but didn't happen. When they go cold for months at a time, it's just who they are. Leonard was on a 14 game drought before that PP marker. He's not really looked the same since his shoulder injury, though he still shows flashes. Just don't want to see them burn the kid out with grinders. Like I've said, he's the closest thing to a prospect superstar that we got.

[BlackIce]

And now, the day everyone has been waiting for - a new leadership regime in Iran!!!


Oh wait, no ....... John Carlson has been traded.  A first and third pick from the Ducks - doesn't seem bad return for a rental who is coming off injury.  Anaheim has an inside track to the playoffs AND unless they explode in the late going they will probably be one of the lowest-point teams in the playoffs, so unless they make the conference finals, their pick will be in the late teens.


This is the first real suggestion that the Caps are going into rebuild mode - which may mean that Ovie's era is over after this season.  I have to believe that management consulted him about the necessity of doing this before they made, especially, the Carlson move.  Their strategy throughout his tenure has always been to keep the core and add as best they could at the deadline to try to give him a/the best playoff chance.

[Mickstix]

Did not see that coming! Wish him nothing but the best, but glad we're starting to move past the past..


https://twitter.com/espn/status/2029805576402726980

[richkrt99]

Hole E SHIT.  I absolutely do not believe it.  They traded Carlson.
a very small amount of faith has been restored in mgmt with this move.  Dowd was a hard guy to move emotionally, but Carlson is on another level, one of the core guys of the previous ERA.  I am shocked.
I applaud this move, think it is absolutely the right thing for this team.  (Curious that he had not played in the last few games).  Good for him - he and Dowd both get a shot at the playoffs.


Now...just promise me you won't re-sign him as a FA this summer.

[richkrt99]

Now, when they move TVR for 6 pucks and a role of tape, this team will be seriously short on D.  Mac is just a fill-in, and has maybe next year left.  Chisholm, I guess is gonna be one of your bottom 6.  We have Chicky, Fever, Roy and Sandin.  We need one more full time D this summer
I don't know our prospects that well, especially on D.  We have Hutson and Chesley, but both are young and i expect need at least some time in Hershey.  Hutson is supposed to be the up and coming, but he's 19 and his size worries me:  5'-10", 165lbs.

[alta]

 


We appreciate your contributions, but it’s time

[alta]

AND.. the Caps are not retaining any salary.


 

[alta]

So who gets the second “A” now? It had been Carlson and Dowd.

[BlackIce]

Now, when they move TVR for 6 pucks and a role of tape, this team will be seriously short on D.  Mac is just a fill-in, and has maybe next year left.  Chisholm, I guess is gonna be one of your bottom 6.  We have Chicky, Fever, Roy and Sandin.  We need one more full time D this summer
I don't know our prospects that well, especially on D.  We have Hutson and Chesley, but both are young and i expect need at least some time in Hershey.  Hutson is supposed to be the up and coming, but he's 19 and his size worries me:  5'-10", 165lbs.

The question is, if you can only get 6 pucks and a roll of tape for TVR, why would you move him now?  For a 5th round pick, say?  Is there really a point to that?  Just stick with what you have left for the remainder of the regular season, and then call the golf course.  We got some draft capital by trading Dowd and Carlson.

[Mickstix]

I want to see Hutson! I "hear" he's got star potential? But really not sure why. Drafted in the 2nd round. He is small, but small and speedy seems to be the norm these days. He's 19 and apparently can be in a Caps uniform as early as March 12th, though I think it depends on how long BU's season goes, with their tourney.


Is there protocol for who get's the "A"?? Like, do teams normally have someone on D get one? Im sure it'll be Chychrun or Strome. I'd give it to Chychrun, the Defense is his now.
Strome will get the other A once Ovi retires and Wilson is Captain.


If we could get a draft pick, I'd probably trade TvR. He's a UFA, so not sure what he'd want to stay, but not sure 3m is the number I'd offer. There has to be other 3rd D who'll be available after the season is over, if needed. Or keep him, he's one of those take or leave, no biggy type players..

[alta]

Caps still need a 4th center. 24 year old 4 year vet Lapierre doesn’t seem to be it, and McMichael seems to be better at wing.


Bringing up little Protas may be an option, but he’s listed as a winger.