With a busy offseason looming for the Washington Capitals, a lot of balls are in the air as the team will try to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024 hoping to squeeze as much juice out of the core led by captain Alex Ovechkin as possible while also attempting to get younger. NoVa Caps does their annual offseason trade tiers:
Note: Any player in the organization who played at least one NHL game this season is included
Untouchable
- Alex Ovechkin (three years left on contract, $9.5 million cap hit) — The captain, who will turn 38 on September 17, shows no signs of slowing down after tying ninth in the NHL with 42 goals and posting 75 points in 73 games this past season. With just 73 more goals until Wayne Gretzky’s goal record is broken, it is almost impossible to see it not happening with Washington.
Untouchable (if healthy)
- Nicklas Backstrom (two years, $9.2 million cap hit) — Even though the 35-year-old did not look like the Backstrom Washington knows and loves after returning from hip resurfacing surgery, the organization and player wants him to retire as a Capital. Though, if Backstrom, who tallied seven goals and 21 points in 39 games, decides to hang them up, it would not be a shock if Washington traded his contract to another team trying to scrap to the NHL salary cap floor for some flexibility.
Staying barring ridiculous offer
- Tom Wilson (one year, $5.167 million cap hit) — The 28-year-old tallied 13 goals and 22 points in 33 games after returning mid season from a procedure to repair a torn ACL. Though Wilson is eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer, both sides have publicly expressed interest in working out an extension before training camp opens.
- Rasmus Sandin (one year, $1.4 million cap hit) — The 23-year-old fit in well after being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 28, tallying three goals, 15 points, 46.87% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 43.97% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 42.82% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage in 19 games. Sandin averaged 22:59 per game with Washington, second on the team, including 2:17 on the power play (ninth). Given that the team just dealt a first-round pick to acquire him and is looking for players like him to add, Sandin will almost certainly stay put.
- T.J. Oshie (two years, $5.75 million cap hit) — The 36-year-old finished third on the team with 19 goals and fifth with 35 points despite playing just 58 games. Oshie has missed significant time due to health over the past two seasons but is viewed as a leader and energy booster on the team.
- Dylan Strome (five years, $5 million cap hit) — Washington signed the 25-year-old, who was second on the team with 42 assists and 65 points in 81 games, to a long-term team-friendly extension in February. Strome was the only 20-goal scorer on the team besides Ovechkin, something that the team needs more of this offseason.
Probably staying
- Alexander Alexeyev (pending restricted free agent) — The 23-year-old got more opportunity on the NHL squad after the team dealt Dmitry Orlov to the Boston Bruins on February 23. While averaging 16:27 per game, including 1:07 on the penalty kill, the 31st overall pick from 2018 finished with five assists, a -2 rating, 44.89% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 45.72% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 43.48% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage. Alexeyev, who also earned an assist and +1 rating in four AHL games, is likely in line for a bigger role next season.
- Nick Jensen (three years, $4.05 million cap hit) — The soon-to-be 33-year-old signed a contract extension just prior to the trade deadline and finished with five goals, 29 points, a -1 rating, 49.3% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 49.79% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 48.84% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage while averaging 20:37 per game, including 2:29 on the penalty-kill (second among Washington defenseman). Jensen is relied upon as Washington’s shutdown blueliner.
- Sonny Milano (three years, $1.9 million cap hit) — The 26-year-old signed an extension in February in the midst of a solid season where he tallied 11 goals and 33 points in 64 games. Milano provides secondary scoring for incredible value — not the type of players a team just trades.
- Trevor Van Riemsdyk (three years, $3 million cap hit) — While averaging 19:04 per game, including a team-high 2:35 on the penalty kill, the 31-year-old set career-highs in goals (seven) and points (23), tied his career-best with 16 assists, and led the team with a +10 rating. Van Riemsdyk tallied a 51.12% Corsi-for percentage, 52.38% expected goals-for percentage, and 52.3% scoring chances-for percentage at five-on-five. He signed a contract extension last month and is clearly a player that Washington values.
- Nicolas Aube-Kubel (one year, $1.225 million cap hit) — The soon-to-be 27-year-old was a great fit in Washington as he tallied four goals, 12 points, and a 52.91% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage. Aube-Kubel inked an extension after the trade deadline and is viewed as a big piece of the fourth-line.
- Aliaksei Protas (one year, $789,167 cap hit) — The 23-year-old put together a strong campaign with four goals, 15 points, and a 53.18% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage in 58 games. Protas could be a regular next season and see his role increase as Washington hopes to get younger.
Preferably staying but a move isn’t impossible
- Darcy Kuemper (four years, $5.25 million cap hit) — Kuemper, who will turn 33 in a couple of weeks, finished the season with a 22-26-7 record, .909 save percentage, 2.87 goals-against average, and five shutouts (which tied the NHL lead). Kuemper faced an average of 31.2 shots-per-game behind a team that averaged just 2.75 goals-per-game in front of him, suggesting that he did not get a ton of run support.
- Martin Fehervary (pending restricted free agent) — The 23-year-old posted six goals and 16 points in 67 games during his sophomore campaign but struggled defensively, earning a -11 rating, 46.66% Corsi-for percentage, 46.63% expected goals-for percentage, and 46.83% scoring chances-for percentage. Fehervary averaged 20 minutes per game (sixth among Washington defensemen), including 1:37 on the penalty-kill (fourth). Perhaps the coaching change could benefit Fehervary but given his defensive struggles, he isn’t completely off of the table.
- Vinny Iorio (two years, $845,000 cap hit) — The 20-year-old played three NHL games this season, posting an assist, even rating, 39.08% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 26.77% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 38.3% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage while averaging 14:21 per game. The 55th overall pick from 2021 also earned two goals, 22 points, and a +17 rating in 63 AHL games.
- Joe Snively (one year, $800,000 cap hit) — The 27-year-old tallied two goals and four points in 12 NHL contests plus nine goals and 27 points in 32 AHL outings.
- Nic Dowd (two years, $1.3 million cap hit) — The 32-year-old set career-highs in goals (13) and points (25) in 65 games in 2022-23 and is viewed as a critical part of Washington’s defensive scheme, leading the team’s centers in faceoff-winning percentage (50.8%) and forwards in shorthanded ice time-per-game (2:22). While Dowd has done well, could Washington go younger and sell him at high value, especially since he carries a team-friendly cap hit?
Available but wouldn’t just give away
- John Carlson (three years, $8 million cap hit) — The 33-year-old notched nine goals, 29 points, a -7 rating, 51.04% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 51.95% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 50.49% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage in 40 games where he averaged a team-high 23:23 per game (including 3:58 per game on the power play, second; 1:36 on the penalty kill, fifth among defensemen). After acquiring Sandin, Washington has two offensive-minded defensemen and the team needs to make changes as well as get younger. Could Carlson be on the table in discussions with other teams this summer?
- Evgeny Kuznetsov (two years, $7.8 million cap hit) — The soon-to-be 31-year-old scored just 12 goals and 55 points (though, led the team with 43 assists) in 81 games, which frustrated GM Brian MacLellan at his end of season media availability. While there were reports of a trade request by Kuznetsov dating back to 2021, perhaps the team would be better off hanging onto him with the chance of a bounce back season and his possibly lower trade value right now especially with a player as talented as he is.
Willing to discuss
- Connor McMichael (one year left, $863,333 cap hit) — The team appeared to lose trust in the 22-year-old 25th overall pick from 2019 as he played in just six NHL games before Thanksgiving and then played the rest of the year in the AHL, tallying 16 goals and 39 points in 57 games. The coaching change could boost McMichael and he had a strong finish to the season but with Washington in need of a top-six scoring wing, could he be on the table in a possible move?
- Beck Malenstyn (one year left, $762,500 cap hit) — The 25-year-old recorded a goal and an assist in nine NHL games on top of six goals and 10 points in 40 AHL outings.
- Lucas Johansen (one year left, $762,500 cap hit) — The 25-year-old appeared in two NHL games and tallied one goal, seven points, and a -5 rating in 40 AHL contents.
- Charlie Lindgren (two years left, $1.1 million cap hit) — After a strong start to his first year in Washington, the 29-year-old finished with a 13-11-3 record, .899 save percentage, and 3.05 goals-against average in 31 games. Washington did not appear to trust him down the stretch, starting Kuemper in both games of back-to-backs at the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning. In his final 10 starts of the season, Lindgren posted an .876 save percentage and 3.80 goals-against average.
- Gabriel Carlsson (pending restricted free agent) — In six NHL games, the 25-year-old tallied two assists, a -1 rating, 39.84% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 33.6% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 36.92% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage. Carlsson averaged 13:46 when up in the NHL, including 1:21 on the penalty kill. He also notched a goal, 15 points, and +22 rating in 59 AHL games.
- Henrik Borgstrom (pending restricted free agent) — The 25-year-old, the 23rd overall pick from the 2016 NHL Draft, appeared in one NHL game late in the season and tallied eight goals and 21 points in 55 AHL outings.
Pending UFAs
- Conor Sheary — The soon-to-be 31-year-old tallied 15 goals and 37 points in 82 games but just four goals and nine points over his final 40. Sheary can play almost anywhere in the lineup as he averaged 1:07 (ninth among Washington forwards) on the power play and 1:41 (fourth) on the penalty kill. However, Washington will likely move on due to his weak finish and the need to get younger.
- Matt Irwin — The 35-year-old finished with two goals, five points, a -8 rating, 47.99% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 46.1% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 46.67% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage in 61 games, where he averaged 13:02 per game (51 seconds on the penalty kill)
- Connor Brown — The 28-year-old played in just four games before tearing his ACL and missing the rest of the season.
- Craig Smith — The 33-year-old earned nine goals and 16 points in 64 games, including five and six, respectively, in 22 after Washington acquired him from Boston.
- Carl Hagelin — Hagelin, who will turn 35 on August 23, has not played since February 28, 2022 after undergoing multiple procedures on his eye and hip.
- Dylan McIlrath — The 31-year-old earned an assist and -6 rating in six NHL contests in addition to 13 and a +6, respectively, in 60 AHL games.
For Sale
- Anthony Mantha (one year left, $5.7 million cap hit) — After a hot start to the season, the 28-year-old finished with eight goals and 23 points in his final 60 and 11 and 27, respectively, in 67 overall. Mantha sat as a healthy scratch on occasion. Perhaps, the coaching change will benefit him and the team gives him a chance.
By Harrison Brown