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What Your Team Is Thankful For: Washington Capitals

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We’re in the home stretch in our thankful series where PHR will continue its look at what teams are thankful for as the second half of the season gets underway.  We’ll examine what has gone well in the first half and what each team may be looking for at the trade deadline.  Next up is Washington Capitals.

What are the Capitals most thankful for?

Firepower and plenty of it.  Washington is averaging over 3.5 goals per game which has allowed them to overcome some shaky goaltending at times to sit atop the Eastern Conference in points while being tied with St. Louis for the league lead.  They already have seven players that have reached double digits in goals and the new $9.2MM man Nicklas Backstrom isn’t even one of them (he’s at nine tallies on the year).  They’re a team that is designed to have two high-scoring lines and so far, they’ve been exactly that which has made them tough to beat most nights.

Who are the Capitals most thankful for?

It would be very easy to pick Alex Ovechkin here.  He’s once again among the league leaders in goals and just keeps getting it done.  But the season that John Carlson is having is too much to overlook.  He’s on pace for 98 points which would blow past his previous career high of 70.  He has more goals than the rest of Washington’s back end combined.  He’s once again logging heavy minutes, checking in at 24:49 per night, the team high by a considerable margin.  He plays in all situations.  At this stage, he’s the hands-on favorite for the Norris Trophy.   And they’re especially thankful that he’s signed through 2025-26 on what is looking like more and more of a team-friendly deal worth $8MM per season, well below what he’d be getting if he was hitting the open market this summer.

What would the Capitals be even more thankful for?

More consistency from Braden Holtby.  While there are still some nights where he plays up to the top level he has been at before, there have been more where he has been average at best.  Ilya Samsonov, their goalie of the future, has been the better of the two netminders almost all season long.  With their eyes on a lengthy playoff run, it’s unlikely that they’ll consider trading him by the deadline even though they run the risk of losing him for nothing in free agency in July, an outcome that is looking more probable following Backstrom’s new deal.  Holtby playing like the Holtby of old would make that call much less painful.

What should be on the Capitals’ Wish List?

In a perfect world, a top-four defenseman would be added to serve as an upgrade over Nick Jensen and Radko Gudas.  However, that’s probably not a realistic addition with their salary cap situation.  While Washington is no longer at the point where they can only afford to dress 11 forwards for a game, they’re not near a point where they can say they have a lot of flexibility either.  As a result, they’ll have to set their sights lower.  A veteran third pairing blueliner to give them some injury insurance or matchup flexibility would be a useful addition and if they could find a way to add some more offense in their bottom six group (someone that could move up when injuries strike), that would be a nice added bonus as well.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Maple Leafs, Capitals, Bernier

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With both Morgan Reilly and Jake Muzzin out, teams have been calling Toronto to discuss any blueliners that they have available, reports TSN’s Bob McKenzie in the latest Insider Trading (video link).  However, for the time being, it appears that Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is content to get to their bye week and All-Star break before assessing things.  It’s possible that Muzzin could be ready to go by after the break which would certainly lessen the urgency to make a move.  If not, finding the right fit could be tricky given their cap situation unless they’re willing to part with one of their established younger forwards.

Meanwhile, McKenzie notes that the team has had discussions with Muzzin’s camp about an extension though he classified it as at the very preliminary stage.  The 30-year-old is in the final year of his deal that carries a $4MM cap hit.  The Maple Leafs only have a handful of regulars on the back end under contract for next season (basically only Reilly and Justin Holl) but with the amount that they have committed up front, it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to keep both him and pending UFA Tyson Barrie.

More from the Eastern Conference:

  • With Nicklas Backstrom now signed and talks for Braden Holtby on hold, the focus for Washington will likely shift to the trade deadline. GM Brian MacLellan told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link) that they’ll likely be focusing on depth additions.  While the Capitals have freed up some cap room over the past couple of months, it’s still not enough to add an impact player, especially if they opt to try to add more than one player to give them some injury insurance.
  • Red Wings goaltender Jonathan Bernier will be out through at least the All-Star Game due to an undisclosed injury, notes Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. With Jimmy Howard struggling mightily this season, Bernier has been called on as Detroit’s starter more and more in recent weeks and has held his own, relatively speaking, with a 2.99 GAA and a .904 SV% in 28 games.

No Extension Talks Yet Between Rangers And Chris Kreider

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Rangers winger Chris Kreider is believed to be one of the top rental players in play between now and next month’s trade deadline.  However, there’s always the possibility that New York turns around and tries to sign him to an extension.  While it would seem like this is the time to get those discussions going, Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that there have yet to be any substantive talks with Kreider’s representatives about a new deal.

While the 28-year-old isn’t a top scorer, he’s on pace for his third season of more than 50 points over the last four years.  (The season he didn’t get there was in 2017-18 where he missed 24 games due to injury but produced at a 52-point pace.)  That type of consistency is always going to be attractive to teams, as is his physicality which becomes even more important in the postseason.  With that in mind, virtually every contender with cap room to work with should have interest in acquiring him.  TSN’s Darren Dreger reported in the latest Insider Trading (video link) that GM Jeff Gorton is willing to retain up to the maximum 50% of Kreider’s cap hit if they do wind up going that route which opens up plenty of options.

However, with New York coming out of their rebuilding cycle, he’s also the type of player that makes sense to keep around.  Finding the money to do so will be tricky though.

Kreider is certain to land a sizable raise on his current $4.625MM AAV.  On the surface, a jump of $2MM or so shouldn’t be that difficult to make room for but there other factors at play.  The buyout cap charge of Kevin Shattenkirk jumps from $1.483MM this season to $6.083MM in 2020-21, adding $4.6MM to next year’s cap already.  Defenseman Anthony DeAngelo is in line for a substantial raise as a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration eligibility while forward Ryan Strome and Alexandar Georgiev are in need of new deals as well.  With nearly $66MM in payroll commitments for next season already, that doesn’t leave a whole lot left to work with to re-sign everyone and round out the roster.

It’s reasonable to think that this could be playing a factor in the lack of discussions.  There isn’t much point in getting into serious talks until they know for certain that they can actually afford to re-sign Kreider.  Presumably, Gorton will want to get a sense of what it will cost for an extension – if for no other reason to answer the inquiry from other general managers as to what the asking price is – which will likely stall any trade discussions for a while yet.  Things can change quite quickly as the deadline approaches but as things stand, it certainly seems like Kreider will be in another uniform no more than six weeks from now.

Snapshots: Sabres, Blues, Hart

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The Buffalo Sabres have already made two trades in 2020, sending Marco Scandella to the Montreal Canadiens and flipping the return in order to bring in Michael Frolik. They’re not done according to GM Jason Botterill, who shared his thoughts on the trade deadline with WGR 550:

We want to make trades. We want to add to our group. People ask if we’re waiting for the trade deadline. We’re not waiting for the deadline. We’re trying to proceed with some things that haven’t materialized.

The Sabres have had trade rumors swirling them all season, from the glut of defenseman that were around in camp to players like Zach Bogosian and Evan Rodrigues asking out. If should come as no surprise now that they’re still looking to make moves—Botterill has completed 24 trades in under three years as GM of the team.

Nolan Patrick Could Play Before End Of Season

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If you were the GM of the Philadelphia Flyers, sitting in fifth place in the Metropolitan but within striking distance of a divisional playoff spot, you might look at your team and wonder what it would take to push them into contender status.

The goaltending could use an upgrade, but at this point you’ve pretty much committed to your young blue chip prospect Carter Hart. The defense is led by an up-and-coming Norris contender and grizzled Stanley Cup champion. The forward group is talented, especially with Travis Konecny taking another step this season, but may still be missing a piece in the middle-six. Perhaps a player versatile enough to play both center and wing, with upside to deliver a game-winning performance at any time.

Enter Nolan Patrick, the second-overall pick from 2017 and current long-term injured reserve resident. The young forward hasn’t played all season due to a migraine issue, but GM Chuck Fletcher hasn’t ruled him out for the year. In fact, Fletcher seems to be leaning toward Patrick playing before the end of the season:

I do expect him to play again this year but that’s just my guess. He’s been skating harder. Skated again today. Getting his heart rate up higher. I think he’s feeling a bit better.

I can tell you from the on- and off-ice workouts he’s doing, he is progressing but there certainly isn’t any clear path as to which way this will go. He’s skating at a higher level. I watched him today. His skill level is still there, shooting the puck great. I guess the important thing is when we get to the point where he is feeling well enough to take that next step. He’s been working hard at his conditioning.

Patrick, 21, has struggled with injuries since before he was even drafted. A sports hernia stole several months of his draft year with he Brandon Wheat Kings, likely costing him the first-overall spot and a chance to play for Canada at the World Juniors. Just before going second to the Flyers, it was discovered that he needed another abdominal surgery to repair a second hernia. They took him anyway, and though he would end up being ready for the start of the 2017-18 season, the young forward still missed important time in the summer before his NHL career started while recovering.

In his first two seasons with the Flyers, Patrick played just 73 and 72 games while dealing with more minor injuries. This year’s total will be much lower, if he does get back into game action at all. Philadelphia would obviously welcome him back, even if he did score just 61 points through his first 145 regular season games.

That disappointing total along with his health issues make Patrick a very interesting case to watch as his contract comes to an end this season. A restricted free agent in July, he certainly won’t be getting the same kind of extension that Nico Hischier signed in October. The first-overall pick was locked up by the New Jersey Devils for seven years and $50.75MM. No one else from his draft class has signed an extension yet, as even top talents like Miro Heiskanen and Elias Pettersson didn’t enter the NHL right away.

When Fletcher spoke on the trade market today, he did suggest that the team might not want to push one of their young players out of a roster spot. Patrick though would be an internal addition if he can make it back this season.

Tage Thompson Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery

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An extremely disappointing season for Tage Thompson has come to an abrupt conclusion, as the Buffalo Sabres announced that the young forward has undergone shoulder surgery and will be out for the remainder of the season. Thompson’s recovery timeline is set at five to six months, meaning he should be ready to return for training camp next season.

Thompson, 22, was one of the big pieces the Sabres received from the St. Louis Blues in the Ryan O’Reilly trade, but still hasn’t been able to even establish himself as an NHL regular. He played 65 games for the Sabres last season but received limited minutes and recorded just 12 points. This year he failed to make the team out of camp and ended up playing 16 games with the Rochester Americans.

While he was good enough to earn a call-up in November—Thompson scored 12 points in those 16 games with Rochester—he was quickly injured and moved off the roster. That initial injury obviously didn’t heal as the team had hoped, as a three to five week timetable has now led to surgery and a season lost.

Importantly, Thompson is in the final year of his entry-level contract and will be a restricted free agent in the summer. With not even a full NHL game under his belt this season he won’t have much leverage in contract talks, and he isn’t yet eligible for salary arbitration.

Snapshots: Crosby, Hischier, Sandin

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The Pittsburgh Penguins were 10-6-1 after winning the last game Sidney Crosby played this season, back in the early part of November. When the captain went down to core muscle surgery he had been putting off since training camp, many wondered how the team—with several other key players already on the sideline—would stay in the playoff race.

Not only did the Penguins stay in the race, but they ended up going 18-6-4 without Crosby and now are about to get their captain back while sitting firmly in a playoff position. Crosby will make his return to the lineup against the Minnesota Wild and try to continue his point-per-game pace. If he does, it would be the 15th consecutive season that Crosby reaches that milestone.

  • Nico Hischier may not get the kind of press that other first-overall draft picks do, but he is still having a strong start to his career. After scoring 52 and 47 points in each of his first two seasons, Hischier is on pace for a new career-high this year. That play has been rewarded, as the 21-year old center will replace Kyle Palmieri at the upcoming All-Star game as the representative from the New Jersey Devils. Palmieri will miss the game with a foot injury.
  • With Rasmus Sandin taking over for Morgan Rielly in the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup tonight, the young defenseman will get another game closer to burning the first year of his entry-level deal. Sandin will play in his seventh NHL contest tonight; when he plays in ten his deal will kick in and have him on track to become a restricted free agent in 2022.

Andreas Englund Clears Waivers

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Tuesday: Englund has cleared waivers and will be assigned to the Belleville Senators of the AHL.

Monday: The Ottawa Senators have placed defenseman Andreas Englund on waivers according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. This comes as the Senators are set to welcome Nikita Zaitsev and Mark Borowiecki back from injury.

Englund, 23, hasn’t quite established himself as the lockdown defender the Senators hoped for when they made him the 40th overall pick in 2014. Through four professional seasons in North America he has spent far more time in the minor leagues than the NHL, suiting up just 21 times with Ottawa and recording just two points. The 6’4″ Englund has 12 of those games this season, but will have to wait for his next opportunity.

That is of course unless he’s picked up off waivers tomorrow. Signed to a one-year, two-way $700K contract there may be some teams willing to take a chance on the big defenseman. He will be a restricted free agent again this summer.

Minor Transactions: 01/14/20

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11 games are on tap for tonight in a busy evening for the NHL, including the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche clashing in an important Central Division match. The two teams are battling for home ice advantage in what would be a first round playoff series, with the Stars currently one point ahead of the Avalanche in the standings. The two teams have arrived there in very different ways, with Dallas allowing the fewest goals against in the league while Colorado ranks among the highest-scoring. As they and the rest of the NHL prepares for tonight, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Timothy Liljegren after losing Morgan Rielly to a broken foot. The young defenseman will likely not play tonight, but now sits as the team’s seventh option as they insert Rasmus Sandin back into the lineup.
  • The Maple Leafs have also sent Mason Marchment back to the minors, an expected move after recently activating Andreas Johnsson from injured reserve. The team is still waiting on the return of Trevor Moore, while Ilya Mikheyev is not expected to play again this season.
  • Joseph Blandisi has been assigned to the AHL a few days after clearing waivers for the third time. The 25-year old forward has split his season between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring five points at the NHL level.
  • The New York Rangers have sent Libor Hajek to the minor leagues, likely to get in some more game action before returning to the lineup. The 21-year old defenseman returned for the Rangers on Saturday night in St. Louis, but played just 15 minutes and was relatively ineffective. In 28 games this season Hajek has five points.

Nicklas Backstrom Signs Five-Year Extension

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The Washington Capitals weren’t going to let one of their franchise icons go anywhere. Nicklas Backstrom has agreed to a five-year contract extension that will delay his unrestricted free agency until the summer of 2025. Backstrom negotiated the deal himself, and will get a hefty raise. The contract is worth a total of $46MM, meaning the veteran center will carry a $9.2MM cap hit starting next season. The full breakdown is as follows:

  • 2020-21: $6.0MM salary + $6.0MM signing bonus
  • 2021-22: $5.0MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2022-23: $3.0MM salary + $3.0MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $5.0MM salary + $5.0MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $2.0MM salary + $6.0MM signing bonus

According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the deal also includes a full no-movement clause in the first three years and a 15-team no-trade clause in the final two. Backstrom currently carries a $6.7MM cap hit, though that deal was signed back in 2010 and was actually worth the same cap percentage at the time as his new one.

There was little doubt that the two sides would eventually get something done, as Backstrom is not only a franchise icon but still one of their most productive players. The 32-year old center has had six consecutive seasons of at least 70 points and is well on his way to that mark again with 35 points in his first 39 games. The dynamic playmaker may never match his career-highs of 33 goals and 101 points set back in 2009-10, but he is still a force on the powerplay and can carry a top-six line.

Still, signing any 32-year old to a five year extension carries a fair amount of risk. The fact that it makes him the 17th highest-paid forward in the league next season only exacerbates that risk, meaning the Capitals have to make sure they are still surrounding their aging duo of Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin with enough young talent to compete. Luckily, the team has been hesitant to trade their first round picks in recent years meaning they have prospects like Connor McMichael and Alex Alexeyev on the way.

The focus in Washington now turns to Braden Holtby, another piece of their core that is scheduled for unrestricted free agency. Holtby’s situation is quite different than Backstrom’s however, given the play of Ilya Samsonov this season. The young goaltender has quite clearly outplayed Holtby and looks ready to take on a starting role in the NHL. Even in a bad year, the veteran Capitals goaltender will command a huge contract on the open market thanks to his long history of success and playoff triumphs.

For now though it is a day to celebrate Backstrom’s new deal, which will almost certainly allow him to become the second player in Capitals history to score 1,000 points with the franchise. He is already the all-time franchise leader in assists with 668, and is likely on his way to the Hall of Fame one day.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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