As most assumed, the Capitals’ top priority ahead of next week’s trade deadline is adding a piece to their bottom-six forward group, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic wrote Friday. Don’t expect a bigger splash than that, he cautions.
“Their main goal seems to be achieving balance in finding ways to improve the team while not tinkering too much with a team that has played so well all season and a group that trusts and plays for each other,” LeBrun wrote. “That may sound a bit corny, but one thing the Caps have learned over the years is not to overextend themselves at the trade deadline. There’s a feeling within the organization that there were some years when they were ’all-in’ last decade that they added too much and upset the apple cart.”
Yet Washington’s roster has forced its front office into making at least one pickup of some significance. A major offseason retool has yielded their best regular season since winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2016-17, on pace for 117 points and the Metropolitan Division title all but secured.
While a forward upgrade may not seem like it should be the top priority for a team that leads the league in goals per game (3.63), it’s the most apparent need on paper. The Caps’ defense has performed well, ranking 11th in the league with 27.4 shots against per game, and Logan Thompson has checked in as a legitimate challenger to the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck for the Vezina Trophy between the pipes with Charlie Lindgren as a capable No. 2 option. There’s also not much flexibility on that defense core – all of their six regular blue-liners make at least $2.675MM against the cap – not exactly the kind of salary a cap-strapped Washington club can afford to have in the press box. A cheap upgrade on extras Alexander Alexeyev and Dylan McIlrath may be in the cards, though.
Nonetheless, the Caps’ lack of significant financial flexibility ($3.65MM in space on deadline day, per PuckPedia) and overall roster construction will inform the type of player they go after. As LeBrun notes, they also want to have some room for 2023 No. 8 overall pick Ryan Leonard, who’s tracking to turn pro following his sophomore season at Boston College. The 20-year-old center/winger is amid a 27-goal, 42-point campaign through 31 showings.
If they’re looking for a piece to slot into the third line, a physical edge will presumably be more desirable than a scoring touch. They don’t need any help putting the puck in the net – even AHL call-up Ethen Frank is helping out with 4-2–6 through his first 18 NHL games in a third-line role. There’s undoubtedly a playoff upgrade to be had on the 5’11” late-blooming 27-year-old, though. Veteran Lars Eller may be overtaxed as a No. 3 center with 6-6–12 in 40 games since being re-acquired from the Penguins in November, but he’s relieved by minute-munching fourth-line pivot Nic Dowd (who’s tracking for a career-high 29 points).
That leaves checking wingers like Seattle’s Brandon Tanev and Boston’s Trent Frederic as some of the more obvious targets. Both carry cap hits under the Caps’ available space, so they’d be feasible without retention or a roster player heading the other way. Pending Canadiens UFA Joel Armia is likely out there as a defensively responsible option, too.