From the list of pending UFAs below, pick one player you would love to see the Washington Capitals add to their lineup this summer:
- Matt Duchene (DAL)
- Jake Guentzel (PIT)
- Noah Hanifin (CGY)
- Elias Lindholm (VAN)
- Jonathan Marchessault (VGK)
- Sean Monahan (WPG)
- Joe Pavelski (DAL)
- Sam Reinhart (FLA)
- Steven Stamkos (TBL)
- Vladimir Tarasenko (OTT)
Kalilu: With question marks all over the roster, Noah Hanifin feels like a player that would fit what I’m assuming the Caps’ intended timeline would be. He’d instantly give us a reliable presence on the blueline in our attempts to remain competitive, and seeing how he’ll turn 28 midway through next season, he’s a lot further away from his decline than the forwards on that list are. Getting more production from this forward group will again be stated as a priority this offseason, but if a major UFA contract is going to be doled out, it’d be wiser to use that on a player with more long-term value while addressing the offense via trade.
Luke: Hanifin is probably the smartest answer, as Kalilu points out above, but I would want Guentzel. Jake is an elite top line offensive forward, something the Caps desperately need. The issue comes down to the fact that he will be turning 30 at the start of next season and it’s highly likely that he’s getting seven years (maybe eight years if the right team trades for him) with his AAV starting with a nine. He’s bound to have a contract that will look bad the last 2-3 years. Caps probably shouldn’t get wrapped up in that…but if they want to get better now, he’s the right answer. Of course, the other issue is whether he would want to come here, when there’s probably more competitive teams that want his service.
J.P.: My real answer is “none of the above,” but I guess I’d pick Lindholm to give them another top-nine center with a guy that, at 29, is one of the younger on the list. Of course, he’ll be gunning for his last “home run” contract, so it’ll probably be unrealistic given the Caps’ potential constraints elsewhere, but his versatility, skill and position appeal to me. Also, not for nothing, he’s racked up assists at a higher rate than Dylan Strome or Evgeny Kuznetsov over the past few years, and could be the Swedish pivot that gets you-know-who over the hump. All that said, he’s not a perfect player at the perfect time, so I’d look elsewhere.
Rob: Hanifin is probably more likely to be decent value on his next contract, but I’m going with Lindholm. This team has a few young D in the pipeline, even if none of them look like studs, and more importantly has demonstrated the ability to find bargain-bin deals on defenders time and again. Nobody gets a bargain-bin top-six center, notwithstanding Strome falling into their lap a couple summers ago. They might have one credible top-six center in the prospect group, but they don’t have a real difference-maker in that group. McMichael looks like he would thrive in a 3C role, and Lapierre is nowhere close to ready for the job; they need a better 2C option if they are going to pretend to compete before Ovi retires.
Andrew: My nostalgic answer is Joe Pavelski, since his time with the University of Wisconsin way back in 2006 is a big reason why I’m a hockey fan to begin with. To see him as a Capital would be fun to see. But yeesh, didn’t realize he was 39 already. My real answer is either Jake Guentzel or Elias Lindhom. I agree with Luke that Guentzel’s skill set is something the Capitals could use. He has played most of his time with Sidney Crosby, so it would be interesting to see who he would play with on the Capitals, and what his production would look like completely away from Crosby. Luke’s points about the potential contract for Guentzel is a big issue. I don’t think the Capitals want to go after someone who is going to demand that kind of contract. As far as Lindholm, it would be nice to have another solid center. I like Rob’s point of bumping Connor McMicael to 3C. Having someone else in the 2C role could help take some pressure off McMichael and help solidify the lineup.
Becca: I love Pavelski, too, and would say either him for sentimental “I just like that person” reasons (I’d be a horrible GM, guys) or Jake Guentzel just so he stops scoring on the Caps and starts scoring for them. Instead, though, I’m going with Sam Reinhart. Feels like Reinhart has kind of flown under the radar over the course of his career (playing in markets like Buffalo and Florida will do that to a player) but he’s been a consistent 20-to-30 goal scorer over that time who has seen those numbers increase over the years. He’s also turned into a solid presence on the power play – something this Caps’ squad desperately needs – while performing well at evens, and could be a very good 2C. Now, is he poised to bring in a big paycheck, considering he’s on pace to destroy his career marks across the board? Probably. Is Florida likely to let him go? I don’t think so. But I like his game and wouldn’t mind him in DC.