2023 NHL trade deadline

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The deadline is Friday March 3 at 3pm ET.

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The Caps do need help on D, even when Carlson comes back. When Carlson comes back the team is going to have to dump some salary.

opinions, everyone has them

The easy part
goaltending:
is good for at least a couple more years, barring injuries and bad coaching

the mess
defense:
RFA Fehervary - currently makes under $1M
UFA TVR - resigned 3 years at $3M per
UFA Orlov - traded for 2024 3rd & 2025 2nd round picks
UFA Jensen - resigned 3 years at $4M per
UFA Gustafsson - traded for D Rasmus Sandin >2024
UFA Irwin - currently makes $1M per - did not resign
RFA Alexeyev - he’s young, still needs to develop some and under $1M
Carlson - currently makes $8M per, untradable because of the contract but should be traded
 
offense:
OV - keeper, face of the franchise, keeps fan support high
Wilson - keeper
UFA Strome - resigned 5 years at $5M per
UFA Milano - resigned 3 years at $1.9M per
UFA Sheary - currently makes $1.5M per - did not resign
Protas - keeper, especially at $1M, good size, plenty of room to develop
UFA Hathy - traded for F UFA Craig Smith
UFA Smith - currently makes $3.1M per - did not resign
UFA Aubé-Kubel - resigned 1 year at $1.2M
Backy - currently makes $9.2M per
Kuzy - currently makes $7.8M per
Oshie - currently makes $5.8M per
UFA Johansson - traded for 2024 3rd round pick
UFA Eller - traded for 2025 2nd round pick
Mantha - saves $5.7M IF the Caps can get a decent trade deal
UFA Hagelin - currently makes $2.75M per - did not resign
UFA Brown - currently makes $3.6M per - did not resign

[Beaglefan2]

Rumors seem to be that we need help on defense, but I actually like our D-Men now that Carlson is out. I don't know who we could get at a decent price that would be an upgrade.


As far as our trade chips, there ain't much!  They will never trade Carlson, Backy, or Oshie and nobody would take them at their full salaries anyway with the terms left on their contract. Probably same thing for Mantha.  The more I watch him, I think we might have to give him away plus give somebody a draft pick to take his contract.


I guess we could trade Mojo or Eller or a fringe forward, but if we do, we are not getting much back.


I'm just hoping we don't do something stupid like trading away more picks for rental players. 

[richkrt99]

Hate to say it, but trade Mantha.  Although at what cost?  He's not performing enough for a team to want to pay for him.


I don't see any return for trading Mojo, Eller, Sheary, Hathy, Dowd, etc.
Maybe you could dump Eller's contract at $3.5 and pick up a comparable and save a little, but not much, and Eller is well liked by mgmt I think.  He is a healthy utility Center.


My first pick would be Carlson, but will never happen and nobody would swallow that salary, and now that he's IR, I don't think he can even be traded can he?


Kuzy - I'd take a trade if it were in our interest, but doubt anyone would give us much for him at that salary.  He could be such a great player - he just isn't often enough.  The year we won the CUP, he was the best player on the team

[Mickstix]

They can't/won't trade Ovi or Nicky. But that really should be the end of the "legacy" players they can't part with. Kuzy, Carlson and Oshie really should be shopped, if there's anyone who'd want them.

I mean, they traded Holtby. His contract expired but they still let him go. 92, 74 and 77 have no more stake in the Caps than he did. If Ted is keeping the core together for Ovi's sake, I can't say that's doing him any favors. 


Mantha should be 1st off the books. Somebody will take him. We may need to retain a little salary, but he's a waste of $ around here, w/no ties to the organization.

[waynerivers]

The Caps do need help on D, even when Carlson comes back. When Carlson comes back the team is going to have to dump some salary.

opinions, everyone has them

The easy parts,
goaltending:
is good for at least a couple more years, barring injuries

defense:
Fehervary- keeper, even though he’s been fairly invisible since coming of IR, but costs under $1M
TVR- is a keeper
Orlov- keeper
Jensen- could be trade bait, he’s a UFA next season but he’d only save $2.5M
Gustafsson- keeper
Irwin- keeper, he’s a good backup especially for under $1M
Alexeyev- he’s young, still needs to develop some and under $1M, not worth trading
Carlson- after this season he still has 3 years left at $8M per, untradable because of the contract but 
             should be traded
*everyone on D will be a UFA next season except Carlson, Fehervary and Alexeyev

the mess that is offense:
OV- keeper, face of the franchise, keeps fan support high
Wilson- keeper
Strome- keeper
Milano- keeper
Sheary- keeper
Protas- keeper, especially at $1M, good size, young, still has plenty of room to develop
Hathy- keeper, if nothing else for his grit
Aubé-Kubel- keeper
Backy- $9.2M, if his hip holds up he will be worth it, unless an exceptional deal pops up
Kuzy- $7.8M, I could go either way with him, depends highly on the trade
Oshie- keeper, $5.8M per, I think Oshie is aware his time is short with his frequent injuries
Johansson- could go either way, he’s playing better than expected and only cost $1M
Eller- $3.5M, I think the Caps need to keep him for depth at center, he’s a UFA next season
Mantha- odd man out, he would save $5.7M IF the Caps can get a decent trade deal

If we're simply looking to the future without regard to sentiment or pleasing certain fans, then I think guys like Backstrom and Oshie need to be gently ushered into retirement or traded for whatever we could get.  Carlson should also be traded. Somebody would be entranced with his offense enough to pay him, I think.  Even Wilson would be potential trade material if it seems that he's been permanently diminished by his injury.  Without his physical play, he's just another 3rd line forward.  It goes without saying that Mantha needs to go. The rest of the guys, outside the keepers would be available under the right circumstances.  As they say, if you're not getting better, you're getting worse.

IMO, the keepers are

Kuemper, Lindgren....who else you gonna get?

Orlov
Gustaffson
TVR
Fehervary

Ovie
Sheary
Hathaway
Kuz
Strome
Dowd

Jensen, Eller, Protas, A-K, Milano, Mojo could go in the right deal.  We need to see more of guys like Alexeyev, Malensteyn, Snively and McMichael to know if they're long term parts of the puzzle.

[Mickstix]

https://twitter.com/SWhyno/status/1623815906647310343

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[Mickstix]

Thanks! I swear I looked for the topic (knew I'd seen it) and it wasn't there? Went back 3 pages.. 

[alta]

the Caps either need to sell big time, or just let a few contracts run out at the end of the season. Bringing in someone just for a playoff chance is pointless.

[Beaglefan2]

I don't remember if teams can re-sign UFA players that they trade after the year is over?


If so, it seems that the Caps would negotiate with every player that they like and try to come to a reasonable price before the deadline. For instance, Orlov.  He might actually want to stay and let's say the Caps get him to agree to a deal at some number - say $4M per year.  Then before they actually sign him, they go to him and say they could trade him for a second round pick to a Cup contender, but that they intend to sign him in the summer at $4.1M per year. He does the club a favor and agrees to the trade and the Caps do him a favor by letting him go to a contender and giving him a little more $ when they do sign him.  I'm sure this is not allowable, but makes a lot of sense.


Assuming it isn't allowable, the Caps should then just try to sign who they can before the deadline and trade all UFAs that don't re-sign.  Every single one of them.

[Mickstix]

10 days and counting. Not sure anyone wants anything we're selling, but hopefully we can find some dummies buyers!

[richkrt99]

Speaking of selling stuff....Anybody know anyone who needs one of these?


I heard they can come in handy at the range on occasion...




 

[capsfanpdx]

Orlov might be gettting shopped around...............

[Mickstix]

Speaking of selling stuff....Anybody know anyone who needs one of these?


I heard they can come in handy at the range on occasion...




 

 

[richkrt99]

Right about now, Strome is thinking...."WTF did I just do to my career?"
Good thing Mantha got dinged - maybe they IR him and it will save him being traded and we can keep him forever 


This team HAS to be sellers now right?  I mean they CAN'T think they have a shot to progress, right?

[capsfanpdx]

boy, what a 5 game skid does for the media!   SELL SELL SELL! ORLOV! ELLER! JENSEN! HATAWAY!


We aren't going to the playoffs next year based on this years deadline, but our 'winning' days were with YOUNGER players this year.  Get as MUCH as you can of the UFA's and retool the blue line, it just isn't working anymore (soft soft soft).


Excited actually for the next couple years IF we get younger.  If they limp this  Beer league roster along anymore I might watch a lot more WC play.........

[alta]

One more thing that has not been mentioned, this the final year of Lavi’s contract. I haven’t been impressed with how he’s dealt with young talent. The goaltending needs better coaching, and the power play desperately needs a fresh approach.

[Mickstix]

Yep, I was hoping they'd keep Orlov on D, but if they can get a pick for him, send him! Send anyone who's a FA if you can get something back!


I swear to god, I'd keep Ovi, Nicky (for nostalgia) and Wilson and move every-single-one else that I could. All of em, no exceptions. That includes -all- the coaches and GM.

[BlackIce]

The Caps have only 3 games left before the trade deadline.  That isn't enough to convince anyone that they are a playoff team this year, even if they play well.  But given who the games are against, it sure could be a demonstration of their shortcomings.  This is an inflection point for the franchise -- they need to try to make something productive out of it.


Has anyone heard if/when Ovie is returning?  If he doesn't come back soon, this team could be headed for an epic collapse, which might not be a bad thing IF they do have a selloff.




OOPS -- Just saw an article that said Ovechkin is back in town, and will probably be in uniform for the next game.  It will be interesting to see what kind of lift  the team gets from his presence.