With nary a game to recap nor preview and the trade deadline a mere two weeks away, we'll use this opportunity to let you play fantasy GM. Despite the fact that reality GMGM has stated that he expects to stand pat rather than seek reinforcements from outside the organization, it's time for you to chime in and let us know what you'd do if you were in his shoes. What are the team's needs? What assets would you be willing to part with (keep in mind that the Caps have a first round pick, three seconds, a third, fifth, sixth and seventh in the upcoming draft)? And, of course, who is/are your target acquisition(s)?To help, here's a list of guys who will be free agents this coming summer - and if yesterday's Carolina/Ottawa trade showed us anything, it's that anyone can be a buyer or a seller (or both) in this market.
Of course, the Caps could conceivably get a 30-goal scorer and/or a top four defenseman around the deadline at no additional cost at all, but that seems increasingly less likely, perhaps making a small splash in the market all the more probable.
So have at it, armchair GMs. These are your Caps - make 'em better or stand pat.
Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:
Bruce Boudreau's Adams candidacy is gaining steam.... Nice trend.... Check out Hockey Underground for another source for Caps coverage.... Happy 28th Birthday to former Cap suckfest and number six overall pick (!) Rico Fata.... Finally, a year ago today we saw insult added to injury, noted a contract extension for a big winger and got word of a tough injury.
Daily Awards
- Hart: Mike Modano (Game-winning goal, A, +1, 5 SOG)
- Ross: Jere Lehtinen, Mike Modano (2 points each)
- Norris: Stephane Robidas (+1, 5 SOG, 4 hits)
- Vezina: Ilja Bryzgalov (L, 42 saves on 44 shots against)
- Richard: Niko Kapanen, Steve Ott, Mike Modano (1G each)
- Calder: Matt Niskanen (+1, 3 SOG)
- Aiken: Radim Vrbata (0 points, 0% faceoffs won, 3 GvA, 0 TkA)
25 comments:
The Caps NEED to do something at the deadline if they want to make the playoffs. Yes, it's conceivable that they could still win the division without any new players, but this team is clearly on the rise and needs a few more pieces.
The first, of course, would be another defensemen and another winger or two wouldn't hurt either.
Adam Foote's name has been floated around, and that wouldn't be so bad.
I'll save free agents and the off-season for another day.
1) We wouldn't make ANY huge deals. Its rare that a deadline deal makes much difference (ask Nashville and Atlanta how that works) other than bolstering another clubs rebuilding efforts
2) We'd hold off until the off season to make any major adjustments/deals. That's not to say that GMGM won't possibly (try to) unload some spare guys like Eminger, Pettinger, etc, but we'd be shocked to see a major swap involving any top players like the Canes/Sens just did.
We need Beech, Barch, Baumgartner, Metropolit and Norton back in the fold. Welcome home boys, now one of you call Johnny Oduya and see if he's free.
If I'm GMGM, I would trade for Mike Comrie just to have Hilary Duff show up to a game or two.
Before yesterday, I'd be inclined to agree with Faux. But with the Carolina trade, there is added pressure for George to act. His team's #1 competition has just made a move (good or bad will be determined) that sends a message to the division. Rutherford made some other (slightly bigger) deals at the 2006 deadline, and those moves pushed the Canes to the Cup. The stand pat position may have just had it's bluff called!
The greatest need appears to be a replacement for Pothier. We are in no position to know exactly what kind of replacement the Caps need: a UFA-to-be, or someone who could be more long-term. (Subtext: Is Pothier's concussion career-threatening?)
Restricting myself to UFAs to be: Adam Foote has been mentioned, but I'm not sure he could be got for a pick or for 18/44. LAK Jaroslav Modry is available. STLs Barrett Jackman and Bryce Salvador (who has been shaky since January).
Hmmmm...David Legwand a UFA? Interesting...
The Capitals have such a good core and so many good players in the system that I'm happy with where they are right now; I don't think you can look at the team and say they're just one piece away from being a Cup favorite and they should still win the division with the roster they have, plus I think Carolina is a weaker team this season for the deal they just made.
It'd be a mistake for the Capitals to delude themselves into thinking they need to make a huge splash, only to have it come back to bite them (as Faux mentioned, look no further than fellow Southeast residents, the Thrashers). If they can make a trade without significantly hurting their current roster by trading some combination of Eminger, possibly Flash or Pettinger, and draft picks for another top six forward or another offensive defenseman, I think that would be a solid move. But other than that, I just don't think it'd be worth it, especially since there are likely to be more buyers than sellers at this point so the price of players should get pretty high.
If Nylander, Clark, & Pothier weren't out, I would be 100% against being a buyer at the deadline. However, as Nyls is out for sure and it doesn't seem that Clark or Pothier are coming back anytime soon, this team really needs an interim player to help pick up the missing pieces. I'd agree with Tyler in saying that the greatest need is a replacement for Pothier. The D has been spotty at best. But, DMG makes a good point that we have a great young core and to trade any of them would be a bigger loss than not making the playoffs.
If we can get a good deal and get rid of Emmy/Flash/Pettinger & possibly a mid (2/3/4) round draft pick for someone with more upside, it could turn out well. But if the caps do stand pat, then I'm fine with that. Even if we don't make the playoffs, I think letting our young guys get more experience with learning to play hard and win when it still matters will be good in the long run.
Yes we have a good young core at D... but look at it this way:
The Caps top seven D next year could be the following ages on opening day:
Green: 22
Morrisonn: 25
Poti: 31
Jurcina: 25
Alzner: 20
Schultz: 22
Pothier: 31
That's real, real young -- and it assumes that Pothier returns to the NHL. It doesn't count Lepisto, Erskine...
wow.
who would have thought, just one year ago, that we would be missing Pothier's services.
Uh, everyone.
no chance. Pothier was getting bashed by everyone last year.
Not me. I've said since just about Day 1 that he was overmatched in the role he was in last year (not bashing, per se), but would be a perfectly fine second-pairing defenseman - which he is/was.
And Pothier performed well in a mismatched 1/2 role for 30-40 games, at which point his body began to object.
I think we need to make a move if for no other reason to continue to gain fan support, the team finally seems to be gaining some of the on-off fans and GMGM and Ted need to make a business decision that renting a player will have the possibility of three payoffs in ticket sales, fan involvement and a better team.
fair enough.
you think Barrett Jackman would be a good top 2 defenseman?
Though clearly Pothier was a whipping boy for the yammering masses.
Jackman's a beast. An injury-prone beast, but a beast nonetheless. I'd welcome him, but at what cost?
especially after Green's impending contract. thats going to hurt the Caps wallet.
already have some decent sized contracts with the D corp:
Poti: 3.5mil
Pothier: 2.5mil
Green: 5mil+ ??
11mil tied up with 3 defenseman. good/bad?
In my mind (and perhaps ONLY in my mind) there's some question as to whether insurance will be covering Pothier's contract.
I don't see Green as a $5M player. I barely see him as a $4M player at this stage of his career.
I'm OK with these numbers at D because no one else on the roster/in the system is going to make substantially more than $2M until (perhaps) Alzner is an RFA.
Jackman is a 20-game rental. IF he's available, I don't think he's all that expensive. A second and suspect, or something.
agreed. I think 3 to 3.5mil is a generous salary that i could deal with. Green will probably base his negotiations on Phaneuf.
luckily (salary wise), Green has had only one productive season and has never been a plus player, while Phaneuf has been productive all three years and been a plus player every year.
TSN: Matt Pettinger is a "player of interest." Gosh, I hope someone else thinks so.
If I were McPhee I'd give Kevin Lowe a call and ask him if he has any interest in Nylander.
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