Brian Sickles: Capitals Five Offseason Storylines to Watch For

Hey Brian,
Thanks for sharing. While I agree with you on most, there is no way Orlov is left exposed.
He's arguably the best Dman.

Overall, I think we're primed for a decline and I don't see any cup run coming, just being realistic.

Hope Osh stays and gets involved in the organization as he retires.

Protect Oshie.
Trade Kuzy.
sign Ovi to league minimum.
trade for Bishop.
Get rid of Dillon and Schultz. Let the kids play.

Protect Oshie.
Trade Kuzy +VV+ Schultz + 2023 2nd for Reinhart + Risto
sign Ovi to $10.5M
Sign Driedger
Let the kids play.
- Blackstrom2

FIXED!

Holtby will be available

Holtby will be available
- TheGame316

Lol

Holtby will be available
- TheGame316

#1. Oshie - 100% you protect Oshie, not only is he extremely skilled, but he's become one of the big leaders in the room. You don't just let that go.

#2. Kuzy - Expose Kuzy to Seattle. He's starting to get up there in age and lets be honest, the Caps need to get younger and they need to get rid of his contract. Plus all the problems he's apparently been causing. Would be better off letting him go and spending that money elsewhere.

#3. Ovechkin - Almost the same problem for the team with Oshie and Kuzy and Backs and Chara, etc. The Caps need to get younger. While I suspect the Caps will have lots of room because I think they are going to get rid of Kuzy for the reasons I listed above.

For Ovi, I'd love to see him be the first and only player to reach 900 goals as well as win another cup or two.

However, I think if Ovi was smart (Which I think he is), and If he's going to get there. he's going to need a team around him that can help. Which means. If he takes a bit of a pay cut , that leaves much more room for the Caps to get a bit younger (which they need too), build up their bottom end and support for Ovi... Thus giving him the best chance to get it done.


My bet is that he gets something more along the lines of 4 years at $10 Million. However, He's already loaded and still making lots on endorsement deals. So, it would show a great deal of leadership as well as the want to win on his part if he took a something like a 4 year deal at $5-$6 Million per year (No I don't think that'll happen). But it would be smart on his part to do that in order to ice a team that will help him reach the 900 goal milestone as well as win another cup or two.

#4. Goaltending - Honestly, resign the king as we never really got to see him give it go. Otherwise, I really don't think they are in rough shape. I'd say resign him and Anderson both for league minimum. Then keep developing the young guys. The other option could be trying to bring in a Lehner or Fleury. But I think they are already set.

#5. Defense - Caps could stock up on D. I think the key here will be staying bigger and try to get a bit younger.... although I would resign Chara. He played much better than I thought he would.

The Caps are clearly headed for a rebuild and that said why tie up 10 of millions of dollars on a aging star like Ovi? One year 3 million. I realize that Washington will recoup the money on Ovechkin because he puts butts In the seats and sells alot of jerseys but as far as winning the cup again goes throwing more money at him makes no sense.