So here we are, a few days away from the madness that is NHL free agency. We have a clearer picture of who won't be back next season, and we think we know what the Caps need - a center, a blueliner (or two) and a right wing.But for each player added, someone's got to be subtracted. If you bring in a top-six right wing, does Tomas Fleischmann go back to Hershey yet again? And what if Eric Fehr is healthy and ready to go come Fall? Which rearguard doesn't make the team when you sign Scott Hannan or Tom Preissing? If I offered to chip in a few bucks, would the team consider buying out Matt Bradley or Ben Clymer?
To help you out, here's (more or less) the team's current depth chart of players that may be in either Washington (in blue) or Hershey (in brown - yes, that would be an awful lot of rookies in Hershey, no I don't think they'll all be there) this upcoming season, with a couple of extra names thrown on in red - have at it:
(Click image to enlarge)
14 comments:
Really makes clear the lack of depth at RW, no?
I think the Caps could go after Jon Sim, Anson Carter, even a Michal Handzus.
If the 'Canes get Pitkanen for Nic Wallin, I may just puke.
Jon Sim would be a great pick up - sign him, stick him in Hershey, and stop him from scoring on the Caps...
(Quit picking on Ben, JP! Your money is no good here.)
I said Clymer or Bradley, and as Brads is around 30% cheaper (and, more importantly, is heading into the last year of his current deal, unlike Clymer who has one more year to go), Bradley would be the easier buyout.
How many fourth-line, non-scoring wingers does a team need?
That depth chart makes it plainfully clear that if the Caps do indeed pickup a veteran defensman or two, then at least a couple of the current defensemen will be packaged in trades. I don't see any of them going down to Hershey, especially Schultz.
That is an awesome chart, thanks JP. Really makes it all clear.
Max Ouellet scored 19 goals and 48 points for the Pens at RW, equaling Scott Hartnell's best season at 48 points - and didnt get qualified. I think he'd do well on the Caps.
Shero is frigging insane.
yea really, as far as bad ideas go, they dont get much worse than, "lets sign jon sim". carter and handzus too, i think what youre smoking might be laced.
I've got to agree with the mouse - Sim, Carter and Handzus could not inspire me less. I'd rather play with what we've already got.
As for Ouellet, the numbers are misleading. He was given every chance to stick with Crosby and couldn't. If you need further thoughts on him, check a Pens message board - he's their whipping boy.
I'd like to see what Laich could do at RW, I thought he really stepped it up at the end of last season.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would've sworn Flash was a left-winger. Either way, I'd like to see what he could do with the big club as well.
True, JP, you said both - I just like to mock you.
How many fourth-line, non-scoring wingers does a team need?
That's like asking how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, isn't it? I love 4th line non-scoring wingers, myself. Going w/ conventional players that produce offense is so last 1997...
I've always liked Handzus: Good faceoff guy, good two-way player, physical, a GMGM kinda player.
Bill Guerin is at a second-line stage of his career too. And he still has the wheels to keep up with Semin. Gotta have a veteran RW teamed up with those two kids. Maybe L. Nagy if he can be had for $2.5M/year.
I'd really like to see what Flash can do if given 20 games or 30 games. Vogel really won me over with his Flash/Pomminville comparison.
But that means putting him on the 1st line, and I'm not sure that's going to happen. And I even further doubt they'd put him on the second line with two youngsters.
hmmm, i wonder if GMGM will go for the Handzus/L.Nagy combo?
I think Handzus would work well with Semin.
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