Eric Mellin: Caps Need to Look to Helm Washington Will Need to Get Younger and Faster

Is Mike Richards coming back or was he a bust in the playoffs?

Although all you said was correct about Helm, word around DET is that he is seeking north of 3.5 and wants top 6 minutes... again reasonable rumors, otherwise he would probably be back in motown.

But skill wise is a fit for the Caps for sure.

Aren't all teams are rather quiet about their plans at this time.

The draft is first up and if the Caps perform as usual we will have these brain-trusts (last minute) select yet another high risk – high reward Russian player. It is like something is wrong with players from North America. It appears to be an annual plan in place since the McPhee/Mahoney began working here... (think Sasha Pokulok & Anton Gustsfsson)… some things never change.

Mike Richards – really? Where is that one going besides a roster spot from someone else.

IMO they won the President’s Trophy and will fly the banner high resting on that feat for next season Everything is pretty much locked in for the Capitals believing they are just a tweak away from the Stanley Cup when they are no closer than they’ve been for years. The last two months of the season they were not close to being the best team in the NHL and if they continue to stay the course next season the results won’t be any different.

For an example of not getting it – we are supposed to have one of the best goalie coaches in Mitch Korn and yet in the last draft was that goalie coach consulted when they drafted goalie Ilya Samsonov? Or, is the plan still to draft the best RUSSIAN or EURO athlete available.

Listing Darren Helm as a target is one of those let’s make ourselves like the Penguins. Been there – done that. So ‘going all in’ has come down to Darren Helm… WOW -- LOL.

The Caps had the same chance Pittsburgh had to go all-in and does anyone really believe they would have made a deal like they made for Phil Kessel? That trade seems to have worked out for both teams.

Today teams that are solid at work 24/7/365… teams are ‘already’ making trades, the Vegas expansion is on the way and we are days away from the entry draft and free agency… and I’ve always felt that the Capitals always seem to have taken this period off… a time for vacations.

I think what we will see is business as usual and they will again resume shooting from the hip on draft day just like the trade deadline with Connor Carrick. IMO this is business as usual with the same ‘lousy’ top management team running things so maybe you could be correct about Darren Helm on their radar.

Richard Patrick, Brian MacLellan (groomed by McPhee), Ross Mahoney (still leading the scouting process), Olaf Kolzig, Chris Patrick… the list goes on and on. IMO Leonsis runs the team as a business but not with that much passion of winning that he had when he plucked Jagr from Pittsburgh. Those days are lone gone.

To consider Helm the missing piece is laughable. If caps can get Chimera for the same price as Helm, then grab Chimera all day. He's happy on the 3rd line and wont female dog and complain about top 6 minutes. Chimera is a 20 goal scorer, those arent easy to come by, especially in a bottom 6 role.

I agree with the previous post, losts of sitting around waiting in this period for the caps. Maybe their number 1 priority is to resign RFA's, but lets see what happens at the draft. It's almost positive we will have another Euro join the club.

Curious to see if Vrana can make the jump this year.

Maybe we get lucky with the expansion draft and they pick up Orpik for his juicy contract to make the cap floor.

Ilya Samsonov, the 19-year old goaltender playing in the KHL who stole the starting job from his much older starter and led his team to the KHL Cup? That Ilya Samsonov?

Is Mike Richards coming back or was he a bust in the playoffs?

Seemed pretty invisible most of the playoffs. Dude had no points and only had 9 shots in 12 games

Seemed pretty invisible most of the playoffs. Dude had no points and only had 9 shots in 12 games
- DeflatedPucks

Yeah. At this point, he's just a plug-in fourth liner. And just an okay one at that.

Ilya Samsonov, the 19-year old goaltender playing in the KHL who stole the starting job from his much older starter and led his team to the KHL Cup? That Ilya Samsonov?

That would be the same one. Just like Semyon Varlamov? Do you see him (Samsonov) replacing Holtby? That Brandon Holtby.

Not that some of these Russians have demonstrated they are a tad fickle but if you recall the rumors at that time had Varlamov threatening to play for Yaroslav Lokomotiv or SKA St. Petersburg and McPhee traded him for a 2012 first round (Filip Forsberg) and 2013 second round which I believe may have turned into (Madison Bowery).

Are you seeing a Holtby trade in our near future? Should get a better package if he wins the Vezina, eh.

That would be the same one. Just like Semyon Varlamov? Do you see him (Samsonov) replacing Holtby? That Brandon Holtby.

Not that some of these Russians have demonstrated they are a tad fickle but if you recall the rumors at that time had Varlamov threatening to play for Yaroslav Lokomotiv or SKA St. Petersburg and McPhee traded him for a 2012 first round (Filip Forsberg) and 2013 second round which I believe may have turned into (Madison Bowery).

Are you seeing a Holtby trade in our near future? Should get a better package if he wins the Vezina, eh.
- sufi-judge

No, but what's the issue with having a blue chip goalie prospect?

No, but what's the issue with having a blue chip goalie prospect?

Nothing. Except if they moved up in that draft (like suggested by many) they 'may' have gotten a future #1 defensemen and not be under the contract burden the two expensive (Penguin) defensemen will bring. IMO Orpik has already beginning to hurt us and also it is MO that Niskanen will not be the great signing he was thought to be when the trade went down.

We haven't been developing players in the AHL because Hershey is a horrible feeder system. That's however is an entirely different story. It's not like the Caps don't have some bright spots it is that they are a lot further behind being a serious Stanley Cup contender than most writers and most fans think.

Nothing. Except if they moved up in that draft (like suggested by many) they 'may' have gotten a future #1 defensemen and not be under the contract burden the two expensive (Penguin) defensemen will bring. IMO Orpik has already beginning to hurt us and also it is MO that Niskanen will not be the great signing he was thought to be when the trade went down.

We haven't been developing players in the AHL because Hershey is a horrible feeder system. That's however is an entirely different story. It's not like the Caps don't have some bright spots it is that they are a lot further behind being a serious Stanley Cup contender than most writers and most fans think.
- sufi-judge

Actually the report was that the Caps talked to several teams to try to nab Provorov or Hanifin, but it was never going to happen. I believe I read many teams approached Cbus too, but they were deadset on Werenski. Can't trade up if no one is willing to move down.

Niskanen has actually exceeded my expectations. He'll never hit 50 points again because he's behind Carlson on the PP. Orpik signing was almost universally panned.
Tons of Caps players played in Hershey. Don't really get that part. They just went to the Finals, you know that right? With the majority of their roster Caps picks.

I don't think the Caps are close to the Cup, I had Philly in 7, and Pens in 5. They've got a long way to go. But you're nitpicking here.