1185 replies to this topic

[DuffMan]

Damn, Caps just gave Orlov 6 years and 30 million, he's had a great year but that's quite the pay raise.   This certainly signals the end of Alzner's time in DC.  

 

In other news Caps gave Copley a 2 year deal, this most likely means they will look to move Grubauer to save a few bucks there.

[JeremyStrain]

Damn, Caps just gave Orlov 6 years and 30 million, he's had a great year but that's quite the pay raise.   This certainly signals the end of Alzner's time in DC.  

 

In other news Caps gave Copley a 2 year deal, this most likely means they will look to move Grubauer to save a few bucks there.

 

Yeah I was worried what they are planning on giving their RFAs. My guesstimates had us with money left over to sign Oshie AND Alzner, so I was worried they were planning on spending more than I would have. Me personally, knowing Orlov was going to cost you $5m per, I'd have traded him to LV, kept Alzner and Schmidt. I wonder if that Russian connection influenced that though. Wanna keep Ovi happy, and have better odds to resign Kuzy, maybe that means you gotta keep Orlov too. I dunno. I'm always curious about the little intangible stuff that we never hear about.

 

Pheonix isn't ready for a backup job yet, he got 2 years cause the first year lets him stay in the minors, the 2nd year is a 1-way deal though, and then you've got Vitacek and that other kid overseas still. Maybe just stockpiling trade depth?

[Bmore Irish]

Well, I think we all knew the team would look pretty different next season, but this isn't exactly what I had in mind.

It started with Vegas taking Schmidt rather than Grubauer, and there's been a chain reaction from that point.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Kuzy will be around long-term, and Oshie too, but that forced the MoJo trade for little in return, and the defense looks awfully shaky now.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Shouldn't have traded MJ90 without forcing Orpik with him. Especially given the weak return. I don't like a single thing they've done yet.

[JeremyStrain]

Shouldn't have traded MJ90 without forcing Orpik with him. Especially given the weak return. I don't like a single thing they've done yet.

 

I said that months ago, that anyone they looked like they might have to move they should reach out to GMGM about. I'm sure he would have happily taken a 26 year old that just scored 24 goals.

 

Completely expected MoJo to be dealt once he got that arb deal, but just sucks they got pennies on the dollar for him. In the end it won't hurt too much honestly, they can get 20 goals from younger players or role players (Brouwer, JWill, Gravboski, they have been doing this) but the key was keeping Kuzy long term. Oshie along with him will keep that top line solid. Seriously if you look at it, we still have 2 very solid top lines, the 3rd line is still intact, and the 4th line should be for developing players anyway.

 

They've got a couple young guys if they can sign them that look intriguing too, like the kid from ND.

[Dupin]

I'm not worried.  They'll be good enough to get bounced out of the playoffs again.

[DuffMan]

I've been having a hard time trying to post to the site lately. I had a long post typed up yesterday that didn't go through. Then I saw the Mojo news got fed up and abandon the post.

Centers are critical to a teams success so I'm glad Kuzy is back. I'm surprised his AVA is so high but elite centers in their prime don't grow on trees, so I'm fine with this.

Can't believe the Rags were dumb enough to give Shittenkirk so much $. Losing Alzner stings, we've only got about 4.5 million in Cap space so I hope that goes towards the blue line.

Definitely bummed about MJ90, dude was a beast in the playoffs. Like Jeremy said, it's easier to get wingers so I guess that's ok but darn that's a crappy return.

[JeremyStrain]

I've been having a hard time trying to post to the site lately. I had a long post typed up yesterday that didn't go through. Then I saw the Mojo news got fed up and abandon the post.

Centers are critical to a teams success so I'm glad Kuzy is back. I'm surprised his AVA is so high but elite centers in their prime don't grow on trees, so I'm fine with this.

Can't believe the Rags were dumb enough to give Shittenkirk so much $. Losing Alzner stings, we've only got about 4.5 million in Cap space so I hope that goes towards the blue line.

Definitely bummed about MJ90, dude was a beast in the playoffs. Like Jeremy said, it's easier to get wingers so I guess that's ok but darn that's a crappy return.

 

I think he was great cause he was playing with Kuzy, but put him on a team with a more normal 2LC and I don't think he gets near those numbers. It was way too much money to be paying him. I'd rather pay Alzner that much. Really the last few years we were keeping such a stacked veteran team that we weren't developing youngsters to take the place of players getting pricey. I'm hoping it won't be too much of a stumbling block and they will be right back in the thick of things.

[DuffMan]

https://www.russianm...caps-offseason/

 

Here's a pretty good summary of how things have gone so far.  I'm inclined to agree with most of it.  

 

The biggest bone I have to pick is the expansion draft.   If the plan all along was to move MOJO than why bother protecting him in  the draft?  Caps could've went with the option to keep 8 skaters (instead of the 7-3 format they went with) and been able to keep Schmidt.   

[JeremyStrain]

https://www.russianm...caps-offseason/

 

Here's a pretty good summary of how things have gone so far.  I'm inclined to agree with most of it.  

 

The biggest bone I have to pick is the expansion draft.   If the plan all along was to move MOJO than why bother protecting him in  the draft?  Caps could've went with the option to keep 8 skaters (instead of the 7-3 format they went with) and been able to keep Schmidt.   

Yeah I agree with you there. The answer was to not lose him for nothing, but they didn't do much better by getting so little. It's not that they only got a 2nd and 3rd for MoJo, they got a 2nd and 3rd for MoJo AND Schmidt because of the way they did things. There wasn't enough forward thinking done at all.

[MDtransplant757]

I already know this season will turn out. Caps set the world alight during the regular season, Ovi, Oshie, Backstrom and Holtby are gods. Then comes the playoffs. We barely get out of round 1 and get beat by the penguins or rangers. 

[You Play to Win the Game]

Ovi with 7 goals through the first two games. Caps 2-0-0... you know, because it's the regular season.

[Dupin]

You never know, it could be

 

[DuffMan]

Ovi with 7 goals through the first two games. Caps 2-0-0... you know, because it's the regular season.

First time in 100 years that a player has opened the season with back to back hat tricks.  At the start of this year he needed 42 goals to get to 600.  How last year went for him, that wasn't necessarily a given.  After 2 games though it looks way more doable as he now only needs 35 more in 80 games.

 

I won't make any predictions about how the season goes, but it will be interesting to see how they respond/play with lowered expectations.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Just how lowered are expectations? They're still one of the favorites, right?

[BSLChrisStoner]

Russian Machine Never Breaks: Home opener blowout: numbers for the morning after

[BSLChrisStoner]

Japers Rink: The Replacements: The Capitals’ Open Roles and Who Can Fill Them
https://www.japersri...o-can-fill-them

[DuffMan]

Just how lowered are expectations? They're still one of the favorites, right?

SI magazine picked them to win it all, personally I think that's a stretch. Realistically, I think you can still expect them to make the playoffs, whether that includes another division title remains to be seen. Columbus and Pens will most likely be right there again. I wouldn't count on another Presidents trophy either. Once playoffs come around they'll be in the discussion but I don't see them being mentioned in the elite 2-3 teams as the favorites. Having said that, they still have Holtby and that could go a long way of making a run in the playoffs.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I can dig it. Lower expectations. Flacco's rookie year where the Ravens season ended in a brutal AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh, is still one of my most enjoyable ever. Lower expectations can be good.

[Dupin]

As long as they win when they come here, I'll be somewhat satisfied.  Looking forward to going to the game again, hockey is probably the best sport to watch live.