Q: Of all of the former Capitals who are now playing for other NHL teams, which one would you want back to play in the current lineup?
Rob: I would love to add another solid two-way center or a scoring winger, but I don’t see any of those guys available. I guess that’s the good news—the team hasn’t given up any top forward talent and the guys they have given up are some combination of past their prime and unremarkable. The guy I think would really help this team is Jonas Siegenthaler. Sure, he’s got no offense to speak of, but seeing the way the D corps fell apart when Marty Fehervary got injured (and his apparent struggles recovering from the injury) tells you this team needs to add an NHL quality defender or two. Siegenthaler was the original stay at home Swiss man in DC, and if the Caps were lucky enough to get him back a left side that has Chychrun, Siegenthaler, and Fehervary would be formidable indeed. That would let TvR stay on the right side of the ice and also temper any feelings the front office may have about rushing Cole Hutson to action.
J.P.: I like the Siegs pick, but I’m going to address the biggest hole (or at least question mark) in the lineup and scoop up Chandler Stephenson (with the massive caveat that he’s here on a sane contract, rather than his current one). Who’s the Caps’ third-line center? Is it Hendrix Lapierre (who couldn’t hold down the gig when it was handed to him last year)? Connor McMichael (who was terrific as a top-six winger last season, but is unproven as a bottom-six pivot)? Someone else? Chandler Stephenson isn’t a top-line forward, and certainly isn’t worth what he’s getting paid, but, cast in the right role, he probably still has something to give and is likely better than the Caps’ current options there. Plus, bringing back a 2018 Cup-winning bottom-six forward to center the third line hasn’t failed for the Caps since… well, last year.
Luke: If the answer can be any player drafted by the Caps, then Filip Forsberg is the answer. If they have had to play for the Caps in the past, then as Rob pointed out, Siegenthaler is probably the best answer – although the Caps are loaded at LHD currently. Stephenson on a sane contract would be a good one too as JP mentioned. It’s hard to think of anyone else that would upgrade this team: Nate Schmidt, Andre Burakovsky, Marcus Johansson, Lars Eller, Garnett Hathaway, Taylor Raddysh, Vitek Vanecek, Ilya Samsonov. I don’t think any of those players would really make the team any better.
Becca: I’d agree that the Caps have done a pretty decent job of moving players out and upgrading them over the last year or two, so the pickings are slim…I actually think I’d go with one of two former Caps’ blueliners, though, as I’d put defensive depth right behind a 3C as somewhat of a question mark. The first would be Erik Gustafsson, who was only in DC briefly but was very good as a Capital, and it was sad to see him traded away (although obviously understandable from a hockey standpoint). The second, and perhaps more sentimental, would be Nate Schmidt, who not only is basically sunshine in human form but who was (surprisingly?) quite good with the Cup-winning Panthers on their run this past spring and summer.