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2018 NHL Draft
Beaglefan2:
Can’t believe I am saying this, but I am sorry to see Orpik go. He was our last D that would punish guys every once in a while. The game has changed but you still need somebody to make guys think about coming across the middle.
I really hope they do something creative with the cap space and not just resign Dylan.
BlackIce:
--- Quote from: DC_1908 on Friday June 22, 2018, 11:20:19 PM Eastern ---I would think it should be Lewingtons spot to loose. He has been the shutdown Dman at Hershey and is a physical beast.
Siegenthalers 6 goals and minus 20 doesn’t quiet sound like a physical shutdown Dman, even on a large place AHL team. As of now he appears to be more of an Orlov style
--- End quote ---
Lewington is a RH shot. I think Bowey gets the first whack at the 3rd RHD position (getting ahead of myself for a moment and assuming that the Caps resign Carlson.) Siegenthaler and Johansson are the primary LHD prospects, and I agree that neither is ready yet. Perhaps someone who sees Hershey games can comment on that further. Siegenthaler's +/- path in Hershey was interesting: He was close to even in +/- much of the season and then accumulated most of his negatives late in the year, when Hershey as a whole pretty much collapsed. The question is, was Siegenthaler a significant contributor to the collapse, did the team collapse drag him down with them, did he get discouraged, was he perhaps injured and still playing, but not as effectively? Who knows?
I would not be at all surprised if the Caps went to the FA market to pick up a more experienced but low-cost defenseman, a la Chorney a few years ago, to fill the 7th spot. These kinds of players are always around. Notably, MacLellan at his first draft press meeting suggested that the Avalanche might buy out Orpik, and if they do, the Caps could bring Orpik back at a lower salary, and they would be amenable to doing that IF THE PRICE WAS RIGHT.
I think it is no coincidence that the Caps selected Alexeyev with their first pick. He was legitimately ranked about where he was picked, so it was no stretch to take him there, but with all the small, quick D that were selected in Round 1, Alexeyev was probably one of the best big defenders available to be chosen. According to draft reports, he still needs to grow into his body, he's a good skater, but he needs to build up more strength despite his size. I bet the first thing that the Caps are going to do with him is set up a weight training and nutrition regimen for him. He's going to learn a LOT about personal discipline in the next month, you can bet on that.
BlackIce:
With their two picks in the 2nd round the Caps select LHD Martin Fehervary and RW Kody Clark. Both about 6'1", Fehervary supposedly around 190, Clark around 180. Clark would seem to be a grinder/agitator type, probably a lower-6 player.
These are guys I'm not familiar with, and it seems that Clark in particular is a stretch. It will be interesting to see how the Caps brain trust explains these. It may be that the Caps think they have the top-end forwards they need and are looking to develop bottom-6 forwards, because Clark is described as a straight-ahead player with lots of forechecking acumen and plays in the paint. He's the son of former NHL'er Wendel Clark.
BlackIce:
Next two picks: To finish off round 3 the Caps went with pedigree to select Riley Sutter, RW, and yes, yet another Sutter from the famous family (Ron Sutter's son). 6'3", 205, so already NHL size. Some rough edges in his game, and will probably end up somewhere in the bottom 6, but apparently plays with the typical Sutter competitiveness and discipline.
DC should like this pick!!!
Ending round 4 the Caps stick to their historical MO and select goalie Mitchell Gibson from the NAHL. I know nothing about him. Great stats (1.59 GAA, .935 save pct.) but who knows what it means.
I think it is interesting that all of the Caps' picks thus far are players born in 1999. They seem to be leaning toward more mature players in this year's draft. Maybe they hope, whichever of these players develop OK, they should be NHL-ready a little sooner???
Also, the two forwards, Sutter and Kody Clark, look more like safer picks for the bottom 6 rather than take-a-flyer-and-hope-for-a-home-run type picks of guys with raw tools but other flaws, who might make a top 6 someday but have a high probability of flaming out. These two guys look to be disciplined players that will make the most of their skills, even though they may not be the highest-end players. Lower ceiling, but high floor type players. This smacks of a draft where the Caps see salary cap issues down the line and are trying to take players that, while not flashy, will have the best chance of actually making it to the NHL and providing low-cost help for awhile.
Maacoshark:
--- Quote from: KitFisto on Friday June 22, 2018, 08:29:58 PM Eastern ---
It's to re-sign Carlson. Nothing else.
--- End quote ---
That would be my guess as well.
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