Trade Deadline

[Beaglefan2]

So with the trade deadline coming up, I thought I would start the discussion.


I hope that the Caps do nothing!  We are not a team that is one forward away from making a deep playoff run and our past habit of trading off picks has got us in the position we are in - an old, slow team with zero stud prospects.


If anything, we should be sellers, but rumors are already starting that we are after forwards from Vancouver, etc.....

[alta]

I agree, mainly because they’d don’t have anything to work with. The overpriced talent that could/should go could only go to a team that’s well under the cap. Most of those teams don’t have anything they are willing to give up. And honestly, in the foreword department I think the Caps are covered with the young guys that have needed to step up this season. Trading any of them would be trading away the team’s future.


I would like to see a new goalie coach before they dump a bunch of salary for a different goalie that would only be a rental.

[richkrt99]

And before you even start...Forget about it Alta...they are never trading Carlson 

[Mickstix]

Eller's had a subpar season as well. Carlson, Oshie, Nicky.. They could really move some $ and get back some picks if they we're motivated, but we know the rule in DC, the window is apparently always open..    Still have no clue why Forsythe still has a job with the Caps. He may of had some good special teams input in the past, but that ship sailed like 2-3 years ago..

[BlackIce]

I think I agree with Beagle:  The more I look at the Caps' situation this season, with all the injuries, the goalies settling into inconsistent mediocrity, and the age/injury/contract situation preventing any significant return for any "veteran presence" players they'd like to give up (are a few 5th round draft choices going to make any difference in the team's future?), the more it looks like basically standing pat is the way to go now. 


I know Leonsis made a promise to Ovie to try to get him as many chances at a Cup as he could, but anyone can see that the Caps' chances of even making any significant noise in the playoffs are slim and none, and Slim is saddling his horse to ride out of town.  Any moves they'd try to make to "strengthen" the team for a run now will simply drive them further into the age/salary cap box canyon they are already in now.  The only problem is, standing pat doesn't do anything for the longer term competitive chances of the franchise.


The most useful thing that could happen for the long-term health of the franchise would be for Ovie to go to management and say "Look, earlier in my career I might have hoped for more championship success.  But I can read the tea leaves of what's happening here.  I'm satisfied with a legacy of one ring and a run at the career goal-scoring record.  As long as you give me something to work with to keep scoring, do what you have to do to the roster for the longer-term benefit of the team."

[richkrt99]

I don't know who this pat guy is or why he is standing but...


I'd leave the team alone.  Pretty much what BlackIce said.  We going nowhere in the playoffs unless their is a miracle awakening by a goalie, and Mantha and Oshie come back healthy and perform better than ever before.  I am not holding my breath on any of it.
Team doesn't have much to work with to trade off salary to get a guy back that would make a difference.  Unless you talking Johnny Q and no way no how do they let the golden boy go.


And...
we winning ANOTHER cup with this team just as it is 

[Beaglefan2]

I don't know who this pat guy is or why he is standing but...

Funny!  Management will absolutely think that Oshie and Mantha will fix everything and they will give Vancouver a first or second for some mediocre forward.


I'd like to think they could get two #1s or a 1 and a 2 for Carlson, but I think the rest of the league knows he is a defensive embarrassment and besides, management would never do it anyway.


They also would never, eve, trade Backstrom, but I would argue that getting rid of his contract at his age and his decline - which has already started - would be our best move.  It wouldn't be well received by the fans (and Ovi), but it would be their best move.

[BlackIce]

Beaglefan, it appears that the latest serious injuries to Hagelin and Snively along with uncertain health status to Samsonov (who let's face it, wasn't setting the world on fire anyway) has Caps' management doubting their playoff chances.  So I don't expect any rash acquisitions.  The Hagelin injury really hurts because the HDH line was the one line that could consistently be counted on to do the job they were put together for. 


As people have suggested, now WOULD be a good time to get rid of some salary cap baggage and set up for a retool, but I just don't think the franchise is inclined that way.

[justwincaps]

Beaglefan, it appears that the latest serious injuries to Hagelin and Snively along with uncertain health status to Samsonov (who let's face it, wasn't setting the world on fire anyway) has Caps' management doubting their playoff chances.  So I don't expect any rash acquisitions.  The Hagelin injury really hurts because the HDH line was the one line that could consistently be counted on to do the job they were put together for. 


As people have suggested, now WOULD be a good time to get rid of some salary cap baggage and set up for a retool, but I just don't think the franchise is inclined that way.

Read a couple of articles that sounds like GMBM agrees with you and is not planning on being aggressive at the trade deadline. 


Who do you realistically think the Caps could salary dump?

[Beaglefan2]

If they were actually going to be sellers and do a salary dump, it would only make sense if they could get rid of some decent money.  The obvious candidate is Carlson, but he is a core Leonsis guy.  Whatever you think about Leonsis, he is loyal to the Ovi, Backstrom, Carlson core.


They could try and dump Oshie, but with his injury issues this year, there won't be any takers.

[Mickstix]

They could find takers for Oshie and Carlson if they wanted to, imo. I don't see how they ever get better/younger/faster "standing pat" though, which is apparently what they plan to do.

[Beaglefan2]

Betcha they throw Sprong in on a trade.  They clearly don't like him for some reason. I have suspected that he may not be a "team guy".  He actually has the nerve to be selfish and shoot the puck rather than pass it.


For years, our team has been instilled with the nice-guy, pass rather than shoot philosophy. Drives me nuts and I think we are a worse team for it. Kuzy could be a top 5 scorer in the league if he aggressively shot the puck....

[alta]

at this point I wouldn’t be surprised if Sprong asked to be traded

[Mickstix]

For sure, if I was Sprong I'd be requesting a trade.. Like I said before, I keep reading he doesn't play defense is why he's getting scratched? But, McMichael doesn't play defense, or offense, for that matter. lol  But yea, they'll lose a young, fast, goal scorer for something they could probably work out if they had any patience for young players.


Just watching Nicky skate is depressing.. Dude hit the fence hard and hopefully can get some of it back in the offseason? 9.2 million for 3 more years.. Oof. Love some of these guys, but you can't keep around 3 or 4 old, slow dudes who are killing your cap, regardless of sentiment.. Carlson literally make 7+ million a year to do a look away pass to Ovi on the PP.. That's all he does.. 

[Beaglefan2]

Deadline getting closer and the Caps have turned it around enough that our management will probably do something stupid and throw away some more draft picks.  I'm hoping that Vanacek's play will cause them to not trade for a goalie, but they will probably try and add a forward.  I wish they would just play Sprong instead, but he must have insulted Lavi's wife or something.

[Beaglefan2]

Still hoping they do nothing, but my prediction is they trade Sprong plus a second for some mediocre forward.

[alta]

yea, outside of a major injury I don’t think this team can improve things with one guy, especially without dumping some serious salary

[Beaglefan2]

So we are bringing back Mojo - reclaiming him from the volcano.  Not sure what we gave yet, but I kinda like it.  I'm hoping it is cheap, like a 4th.  Hope it wasn't Sprong.

[Mickstix]

So we are bringing back Mojo - reclaiming him from the volcano.  Not sure what we gave yet, but I kinda like it.  I'm hoping it is cheap, like a 4th.  Hope it wasn't Sprong.

Shit, they better not have traded Sprong for Mojo.. Cost 2x as much and is a UFA. Either way though, good to have Mojo back! I liked his game for the most part.
https://twitter.com/NoVa_Caps/status/1505923262785761280

[BlackIce]

So there is a little more than 4 hours left until the trade deadline, and of the news/rumors that are still circulating, absolutely NONE of it involves the Caps that I can tell.  Absolute silence. 


It really would make sense to shed some salary, but it ain't gonna happen.  So I guess we stand pat and just go with what we have.


One piece of good news:  At this point the Caps, assuming they make the playoffs (the gap between them and any possible challenger for the last spot is going to be tough to bridge in the short remaining regular season) will not have home ice advantage in any playoff series, no matter the opponent.  Which is great, because the Caps have been about the best team in the league on the road this season!!!