Yes, this is correct. Hindsight is “20/20”. It is also true that “there is no use crying over spilled milk.” Once done, it’s done. Get over it and move on.
However, post-incident analysis is a very common practice among successful organizations and can be very useful in reviewing processes and identifying the source of the resulting errors. The analysis helps better understand what went wrong and helps you better prepare for the next big employee decision in the future.
Chandler Stevenson, a third-round pick by the Capitals in 2012, was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights on December 2, 2019, for a fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft. Trading a third-round pick for a fifth-round pick isn’t ideal, but it’s not uncommon, especially When there are several years between the two events. [The Capitals ultimately selected Haakon Hanelt with the pick they received in the Stephenson deal].
The part of the trade that ultimately became a punch to the gut was the fact that the Capitals weren’t able to realize what they had in Stevenson, nor were they able to see the player reach his potential while he was in Washington. Stevenson thrived in Vegas and became a first-place player and highest scorer for the Golden Knights.
Stevenson also leads all regular-season forwards in five-on-fives and is second in shortstops. He was even named an All-Star this year. All for a fifth round pick. Not bad value.
🌟 We asked the boys who they would send to #NHLAllStar A game there was a clear favorite 🌟# Vegas | #NHLAllStarVote pic.twitter.com/V7wbaeG41Q
– z – Vegas Golden Knights (Golden Knights) January 12, 2023
I think most would agree that the Capitals dropped the ball with Stevenson and could really use a player like him on the team right now. so what happened? But most importantly, what can be corrected?
Too deep?
In order to properly assess what went wrong, we need to understand the atmosphere in the run-up to the trade. The feeling around the Capitals at the time was that there was no room for Stephenson on a regular basis. For reference, here are the first game lines after Stevenson’s trade, for what it’s worth:
Capitals projected lines against San Jose:
Ovechkin Kuznetsov Wilson
Vrana Ur Ochi
Hagelin Boyd Bannick
Lipsic Dodd HathawayKempney Carlson
Orlov Jensen
Signthaler JudasHoltby
* Noon feels like the extra night
– Samantha Bell (@SamanthaJPell) December 3, 2019
Barring injuries to Nicklas Backstrom and Brendan Leipsic, who would later unofficially appear the door, it’s hard to say who, if anyone, Stevenson will or should replace him. This is where the barrier won.
Stevenson echoed that sentiment in a recent interview with ESPN.
“The team we had in Washington was loaded,” Stevenson told ESPN. “It was difficult to get into some of those spots. As it went on, it was difficult for me to play there in the end because you don’t just play. You think more about trying to stay in line, getting ready in the lineup, over thinking things over.”
So if it was just a matter of Stevenson not having a place, was there really something wrong with the Capitals end?
the decision
The question at the time was whether it would be better to trade Travis Boyd or Stevenson. And many felt at the time that keeping Boyd over Stephenson was the right decision, if you had to trade one or the other. The two exchanged healthy scratches in the final days before moving Stevenson to dessert.
Prior to that it was Nick Dodd opposite Stephenson on the fourth line position. Dodd still centered the Capitals fourth line and Boyd finished in Arizona. There might be an answer in that.
Additionally, Stevenson filed for arbitration in the summer of 2019, which likely left the Capitals front office feeling uncomfortable for the next free agency period with Stevenson. He was close to being paid and The Capitals simply could not afford the way the roster was being built at the time.
Obviously, the failure with Stevenson wasn’t acknowledging what the Capitals have in a player. That initially falls on the shoulders of Todd Reirden, with an assisting side for Brian MacLellan. It’s hard to discern who had a bigger say in the final decision, but it ends up in their kitchen. Barry Trotz was not hurt by this, setting the tone with Stephenson as the 13th forward. Once a perception takes root, it is difficult to change it.
Unfortunately, defender Jonas Seigenthaler has followed a similar path out of Washington, for largely the same reasons.
lessons
But back to the point, purpose and value of this post. How capitals can help prevent this from happening in the future. All teams have goofs like that in their rearview mirrors. The key is in minimizing those types of errors.
The constant reloading of heroism inherently breeds the notion that youth has been neglected and used improperly. It is unfortunately an integral part of philosophy. So in some ways, letting players like Chandler Stevenson and Jonas Seigenthaler escape is part and parcel of the philosophy of reloading inside a closed window for cup competition. They were good players but they weren’t good enough to break into the starting line-up… at the time.
While this type of decision may have been valid at the time, the philosophy neglects to consider future value. Those were the issues that arose. They could not realize the potential.
“I think it’s just a really good opportunity when I come here (Vegas),” Stephenson said. “It was just kind of like, ‘Let’s see what you got’ and they just let me play. I actually had three years with Washington. I knew what to expect, I knew how the games were played, how fast they were, the physicality and all that stuff. But when I came in Up until here, I felt like I was gay and that I could just play.”
The general manager has the final word on all trades, as he should be. But should the general manager get involved during what is perceived as player abuse? MacLellan should be commended for his managerial style of letting coaches make key decisions, but how is MacLellan supposed to realize potential if players aren’t playing?
There must be a gap before players like Stevenson and Siegenthaler are dispatched. This does not appear to be the case, but this should be the course of action. How this is achieved is a question that all of the team grapple with to this day.
Stevenson and Segenthaler are gone, as are the coaches who oversee the use of these players. Unfortunately, the loss of players will have a long-term impact on the team.
Written by John Sorensen