The Washington Capitals took significant steps under Barry Trotz this season, with Alex Ovechkin playing a more responsible two-way game, Braden Holtby coming of age and using free agency to solidify their blueline with the additions of Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik.
In spite of that progress, the Caps were still unable to get past the NY Rangers in the second round, losing in overtime of Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.
Washington will have some reshuffling in their roster, as Joel Ward, Curtis Glencross, Jay Beagle, Eric Fehr and Mike Green are all unrestricted free agents.
According to CSN’s Chuck Gormley , Caps GM Brian MacLellan is looking to acquire a right winger to play on the top line with Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom and the name of Phil Kessel has emerged as a possibility.
The crop of free agents this summer is thin, especially on the right side and does not include anyone capable of playing a top six role(Marty St. Louis, Justin Williams, Michael Frolik, Antoine Vermette and Michael Ryder), which could make the Caps have interest in Kessel or the Hawks Patrick Sharp.
Kessel is 27 and has seven remaining years at $8 Million per season, which would necessitate the Leafs taking back a significant salary to make the deal work. Sharp will likely be moved by the Hawks this summer due to his $5.9 Million salary and their cap situation, but the 33-year-old may be on the decline after scoring just 16 goals in 2014-15 and has two years remaining on his current deal.
A potential deal would likely involve a young NHL forward like Tom Wilson, Andre Burakovsky or RFA’s Marcus Johansson or Evgeni Kuznetsov, a prospect and a draft pick. It also might require taking back a bad contract like Brooks Laich, who has only 32 goals in the last four seasons and has two years remaining on a six-year,$27 Million contract.
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Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reports that former Marlies head coach and Leafs assistant Steve Spott is in the mix to replace Jeff Blashill in Grand Rapids. Spott led the Marlies to the AHL Western Conference Final in 2013-14 and was promoted to Randy Carlyle’s coaching staff last summer, but was part of Toronto’s organizational purge after the season.
Spott may have NHL options as well, as he could be a candidate for Peter DeBoer’s coaching staff in San Jose.
Kypreos also indicated on FAN 590 Wednesday that the use of Steven Stamkos as a second line center in the playoffs behind Tyler Johnson could have an effect on the center’s upcoming contract negotiations.
Stamkos has not been given the most ice time of any Tampa forward and has been shifted from center to wing during the playoffs. The 25-year-old Markham native is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2015-16 season and can agree to an extension with the Lightning after July 1.
Never let it be said that #Hawks fans are immature :-) #StanleyCupFinal pic.twitter.com/F1uuGdiI5l
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) June 11, 2015Note : Continue to check back to my column on Hockeybuzz throughout the day for the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter
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