Caps just dealt Johansson to the Devs for 2nd and 3rd round picks in 2018. Smart deal for the Caps to clear the 4.583 mill from their cap (still F'd as I mentioned). Not sure it does much for the Devs, he is a decent 45-50 point player, but nothing special. They are desperate so take a shot I guess.
Not surprised at all. Did you see their cap situation with a bunch of players still needing to be resigned. They simply had no choice. The ridiculous restrictive NHL cap system strikes again as they lose players from their Pres trophy winning team the past two seasons. They'll step back.
I'm more surprised they would resign Kuz for a huge over the top deal. And also surprised they gave Orlov 5.1 per. I guess they are saying goodbye to Carlson next summer.
The Caps are being pillaged by the salary cap.....It's like they won multiple cups and now the league wants their players. Oh wait..... 3 of their top 7 playoff scorers are gone. Plus they lost Sanford and a #1 at deadline for Shatt. Wow
BTW, feels like JT Miller is getting traded for a center.....If you move him they have about 7m in cap space total.....Assuming Zib and Fast get deals most people project. We need a center but I wonder if they try and get Kovy too on a deal somehow. I know they don't have much cap space even less so after they get a center but could you imagine our PP w Shat and Kovalchuk.
It's a smart trade for the Devils. Bottom line is they know that no FA defenseman wants to play for them. So, they have to trade to get one. Honestly, they have Henrique to deal who has 2 years left on his contract at a 4 million dollar hit. Nobody is trading that awful Zajac contract. Basically, they are going to go with their three young centers soon. Hischier, McLeod and Zacha. Problem is their wings are non existent and they have no d. So, I suspect they will try to trade Henrique for a defenseman. Johansson played wings for the Craps so I'm guessing he will do so here to help develop one of their young centers. It was a mistake for the Devils not to trade back to 4 and go with one of the defenseman. Av's would have taken the first and a center to replace Duchene. Devils have no clue what they are doing. They didn't draft a defenseman in the their top 5 picks. Clueless. They don't know how to draft defenseman anyway.
I really don't see the Devs dealing Kovy to us unless he says NYR or bust. Right now he has said us or CBJ. I predict he lands with CBJ, and if he does watch out. That CBJ team is loading up this year. Today, which doesn't mean much with 3 months left until the season starts, I think CBJ wins the Met. As for the Caps and the cap, I have said it 100 times, the NHL cap is a way too restrictive joke. It's too much and the NHLPA should show some balls next negotiation in 3 years. There has to be someway to make things a little flexible. As it stands now if you draft/grow a good team you get penalized. That simple, and that is a huge issue. And it is hurting the sport as you see since there is ZERO growth the past couple of seasons. The ridiculous restrictive rock hard cap needs to change in order for the sport to grow. And as a kicker they should change the ridiculous playoff system as well.
For the record, I would not deal Miller. I know he has some mental lapses, and some growing pains still, and stunk in the playoffs but I am a big fan of his. IF we include him in a deal for a C it better be a very good C and not some middle of the road 2nd/3rd C. I want a VERY good C back for a Miller package. I am sure Gorton will demand the same.
Wonder if we could pull off Duchene somehow. Miller, Graves, Halverson and a 1st might not be enough. I think Kovalchuk goes back to Russia which would be the smarter thing as he can play in the Olympics and then go anywhere. I don't see Shero asking less from another divisional team than he would from us. I think we are actually better than Columbus right now and right there with Pitt. Toronto may be the best in the East roster wise. TB has no defense except Hedman and Stralman.
I will disagree with you on what Shero would ask for from us versus CBJ. It has to be one of us per Kovy. So he kind of has to make a trade if Kovy comes back now. Does he trade with the same town rivals and see it every day OR does he trade with the team in Ohio. Pretty easy answer to me. Not saying he takes crap from CBJ over a very good offer from us, but I do think their price will be lower and he will be motivated to deal with CBJ. I'll say he goes there if he comes back. As for CBJ right now, I think they are better. I would put CBJ, the Pens and TB as the best 3 teams. Us and the Leafs in the mix right below that (not by a lot). I am assuming we'll add a forward to complete the team when I put us up in the 4 or so mix in the East right now.
It's not like the Devils are winning anything in the next 3y anyhow which would be the end of Kovys prime so i don't even think it should be as big a deal to Shero. I don't think Gorton would even offer close to what he would want anyway.
Either way, very long shot he is here I think. And BTW...if you want Duchene you should be prepared to start with Skjei. Sakic wants a young ELC dman. Think Skjei, Gropp and a 1st to start. His demands are really high. Doubt I would do that, but with Shatt and McDonagh and Smith here you maybe let it enter your head a little. Duchene down the middle would look real good in this lineup. And we do have a nice group of young dmen that are close as has been mentioned. Staal and Holden can man the 3rd pair okay I think.
What do we think about Jagr for a year? I'm sure he'd be down with it back in the apple on a contender.
Like I said. Trading Graves would be a huge mistake. They probably will end up buying out Staal. McDonagh is most likely going to get dealt. They would have no depth if they gave him a Vlasic like deal which I'm sure he will want. Our left side should be in a couple years. Skjei, Day, Graves. Right will be Shattenkirk, DeAngelo, Smith. Bereglazov and Zborovskiy filling in.
