Latest On Washington Capitals Trade Deadline Plans
With the March 21st trade deadline approaching, and the Washington Capitals currently in the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, the organization is looking at different trade deadline scenarios. The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir shared his thoughts on the team’s deadline approach (subscription required). Perhaps most notably, the Capitals could look for an upgrade at the goaltender position, as the team is currently running a tandem of Vitek Vanecek and the struggling Ilya Samsonov. While Vanecek has impressed as of late, El-Bashir mentions the desire for the Capitals to add a veteran goaltender who would be a “significant or legitimate” upgrade over their current goaltenders.
Also mentioned was the Capitals’ possible desire to add a forward. While an addition such as Filip Forsberg or Claude Giroux has not been ruled out, it is unlikely. El-Bashir suggests Seattle forwards Calle Jarnkrok and Marcus Johansson as potential options for depth scoring. Both players are unrestricted free agents after this season, Jarnkrok carrying a $2MM cap hit and Johansson a $1.5MM cap hit. In addition to those two, the Capitals could also call on the Detroit Red Wings’ Vladislav Namestnikov, as well as New York Islanders’ forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Zach Parise. While none of these players would bring the excitement of a Giroux or a Forsberg, they can certainly provide the low-cost, depth scoring the Capitals need.
Capitals Return Fucale To AHL, Recall Jonsson-Fjallby
- The Washington Capitals have returned Zach Fucale to the AHL, recalling Axel Jonsson-Fjallby in his place. Fucale’s assignment suggests that Ilya Samsonov is okay and will be able to dress for tomorrow’s game after leaving practice earlier this week. Jonsson-Fjallby has played in nine games this season for the Capitals, but is still looking for his first NHL goal.
Carolina Hurricanes To Host Washington Capitals In 2023 Stadium Series
After a long series of COVID-related postponements and cancellations, the Carolina Hurricanes will finally be hosting their long-rumored first outdoor game. The NHL issued a press release today stating that Carolina will host the Washington Capitals at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, on February 18, 2023.
Carolina was originally supposed to host the 2021 Stadium Series game, but the league made the decision to postpone it prior to the start of the season in December of 2020 as the threat of COVID still loomed largely. General manager Don Waddell then reached a mutual agreement with the NHL prior to the 2021-22 campaign to hold the game off again until 2023 to ensure that the game would be played in front of a full house of fans.
For Washington, it’s their fourth outdoor game in franchise history. They’ve yet to lose outdoors, defeating Pittsburgh in the 2011 Winter Classic, Chicago in the 2015 Winter Classic, and Toronto in the 2018 NHL Stadium Series.
It marks the second season in a row that the Stadium Series has gone to a southern U.S. market.
Snapshots: Archibald, Reimer, Mantha
Josh Archibald has not played a single game at any level this season but is in Edmonton skating after dealing with myocarditis. Mark Spector of Sportsnet sent out a string of tweets today updating the depth forward’s status, including confirming that Archibald is still unvaccinated.
Because of how difficult that makes it for him to play with the Oilers or go on a conditioning loan to the Bakersfield Condors due to cross-border travel, Spector expects Archibald to be traded to a U.S.-based team at some point and suggests his time as an Oiler is effectively over. The 29-year-old forward is a pending unrestricted free agent in the second season of a two-year contract that carries a $1.5MM cap hit. He scored seven goals and 13 points in 52 games last season.
- James Reimer is considered out week-to-week according to head coach Bob Boughner, who spoke with Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Reimer’s injury further explains why the San Jose Sharks traded for–and subsequently recalled from the AHL–Alex Stalock. Adin Hill is still out with an injury, though Boughner explained that the goaltender “felt good” this morning. Losing Reimer is a pretty hefty blow to the Sharks’ fortunes, as the veteran netminder was having a nice bounce-back season and has a .916 save percentage in 34 appearances.
- Peter Laviolette wouldn’t confirm whether the Washington Capitals would have Anthony Mantha back in the lineup tonight, but he has been activated from injured reserve. Should he play, it would be his first game since leaving a match against the Florida Panthers on November 4 and just his 11th of the season. The 6’5″ forward had six points in his first ten games before going down and could be a trade deadline-like addition for the scuffling Capitals.
Zach Fucale Recalled From AHL
- Zach Fucale is on his way back to Washington, recalled by the Capitals today after Ilya Samsonov was forced to leave practice yesterday. If Samsonov–who took a shot up high and left early–is unable to play, it would likely be Vitek Vanecek making his second start since returning from injured reserve. The Capitals take on the Carolina Hurricanes this evening, trying to snap a three-game losing streak.
Snapshots: Capitals, Penguins, King
Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan gave a variety of updates in a midseason presser today, recapped in this article by The Washington Post’s Samantha Pell. First and most concerning is the health status of winger Carl Hagelin, who was hit in the eye with a stick during yesterday’s practice. MacLellan called the injury “serious,” and Hagelin has had surgery within the past day. MacLellan says the examination went in a positive direction, but that the next steps for Hagelin are “still to be determined.” However, it’s possible that winger Anthony Mantha could return to the lineup this week in Hagelin’s absence. Mantha had six points in 10 games this season before going down with a shoulder injury.
More notes on this Wednesday evening:
- As the Pittsburgh Penguins embark on a tough schedule ahead with a long string of games against playoff teams, they could be getting two reinforcements back in the lineup. Head coach Mike Sullivan says center Teddy Blueger is now taking full-contact practices but will need a few practices more before he’s ready to return the lineup. Winger Jason Zucker “isn’t as close” as Blueger, but will likely return to practice soon. Blueger has been out since late January with a broken jaw, while Zucker has been out with an upper-body injury since around the same time.
- Newly-named Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson called interim head coach Derek King “definitely a viable candidate” to be the team’s next permanent head coach today. While Blackhawks fans may be frustrated that their management crew won’t see fresh faces, the rebuilding team has kept up a .500 points percentage under King, an impressive feat considering a weak roster and some tough injuries. It would be King’s first NHL head coaching role.
Washington Capitals Sign Henry Rybinski
2:05pm: The team has made it official, announcing the three-year entry-level contract that will start in 2022-23.
12:30pm: The Washington Capitals are getting into the CHL free agent forward market, as Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic reports that the team has signed Henry Rybinski from the WHL. Rybinski currently plays for the Seattle Thunderbirds and was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in 2019. Because he failed to sign a contract with them by last summer, he became a free agent and quickly started to draw interest from around the league.
Today is the first day teams can sign free agent prospects to entry-level contracts that kick in for the 2022-23 season and given his age, Rybinski will be signing a three-year deal. The 20-year-old forward has been outstanding this season for the Seattle Thunderbirds, recording 18 goals and 54 points in 39 games. That’s good enough for 27th in league scoring even though he’s played up to 15 games fewer than some of his competitors.
Rybinski was in Edmonton Oilers development camp last August, and before that had been in camps run by the Panthers. That’s actually where he transitioned back to center, the position he now plays full-time. Adding another center prospect to the pipeline is never a bad thing, and Washington–like Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, who added players today–always needs to refresh the system in ways outside of the draft because of their perennial contender status and trade deadline escapades. There’s still a long road ahead of someone like Rybinski, but when his contract is made official, he’ll be taking a big step.
Vitek Vanecek Recalled From AHL Conditioning Loan
Just three games grace the NHL schedule this evening, including a battle between two of the league’s best goal scorers. Auston Matthews, currently the leader in the Rocket Richard race with 37 goals, heads to Washington to take on Alex Ovechkin (32 goals) and the Capitals. Matthews won his first Rocket last season after Ovechkin had taken home the trophy in seven of the eight previous years. Has the torch been passed? Or does the 36-year-old eventually get his tenth trophy? As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- The Washington Capitals have recalled Vitek Vanecek as expected after he got into one conditioning game with the Hershey Bears yesterday. Vanecek has been injured for the past month but is ready to return to the Capitals’ crease and lessen the load on partner Ilya Samsonov.
Washington Capitals Activate Vitek Vanecek And Loan To AHL
The Washington Capitals announced Sunday morning that they have assigned goaltenders Vitek Vanecek and Pheonix Copley to the AHL’s Hershey Bears. Vanecek, the Capitals announced, will only be with Hershey on a conditioning loan after spending time on injured reserve. Copley, meanwhile, will remain in Hershey.
The Capitals had been without the steady Vanecek since he was injured in a game February 1st against the Pittsburgh Penguins. While Vanecek has been strong in net for the Capitals this season with a .915 save percentage and 2.39 goals-against average, his net-partner Ilya Samsonov has struggled to a .905 save percentage and 2.85 goals-against average. Vanecek’s return should provide a more reliable presence in net for the Capitals, while allowing them to put Samsonov in for favorable matchups.
The Washington Post’s Samantha Pell suggests that Vanecek will likely play tonight for Hershey and if all goes well, he could be recalled to Washington in time for their game tomorrow night against Toronto.
Also sent down to Hershey is Copley, who had only played in two games after being recalled in the wake of Vanecek’s injury. Copley had not played in the NHL before this season since he suited up for 27 games with the Capitals back in the 2018-19 season. Since he does not need waivers, Copley should join Hershey immediately and remain available to the Capitals should they need him down the stretch.
Samsonov Starts Despite Seemingly Being Injured In Warmup, Do The Caps Need To Add A Goalie?
- While Washington has very limited cap space that’s entirely based on Anthony Mantha’s LTIR placement, both J.J. Regan and Andrew Gillis of NBC Sports Washington believe that the Capitals need to find a way to add an impact goaltender by next month’s trade deadline. Vitek Vanecek is currently injured and while Ilya Samsonov was able to play this afternoon despite appearing to suffer an injury in the warmup, he has struggled with inconsistency this season. They’ve been previously linked to Chicago’s Marc-Andre Fleury but would likely need to get Chicago to retain half of his $7MM contract plus a third-party facilitator to take on another 25% of the contract to have a chance at fitting him into their cap structure.