Questions answered about Washington Capitals' roster holes
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The Washington Capitals' offseason is in full swing, with a number of areas that General Manager Patrick and President Brian McLellan need to consider, including the possibility of a big-name signing.
With that in mind, several fans submitted questions to the club, for which they'd like some answers.
First off, a fan asked, What do the Capitals need to make a real run?
Washington needs a middle-six forward that can drive offense, and another NHL-caliber defenseman, in particular a righthanded shot, a position that is in high demand in the NHL. Lars Eller couldn't find his game as a 3rd-line center, and rookie Ryan Leonard could not carry the line.
D.C. could consider slotting McMichael into the 3rd-line center position, but would ultimately need to make a move for a solid center and a winger to solidify their depth.
On defense, beyond Carlson, Caps have Matt Roy, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Ethan Bear and Vincent Iorio. Bear is a UFA, and could possibly sign elsewhere. Once Carlson's contract expires at end of the 2025-26 season, depth on D gets a little thin.
How will Caps solve their depth concerns at center next season? Trade market or prospect pool? Another fan asked.
McMichael has made it clear that he wants to play center, though he thrived on the wing this season and did well with top-six minutes, which he'd sacrifice as a 3rd-line center.
There are several UFA centers to consider July 1st: Ryan Donato, Sam Bennett, and Christian Dvorak. On the trade market, Caps are reluctant to give up prospects like Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois, and others from their pool of young talent. Moving forward, their best options are free agents or internal promotions.
Are Caps trying for a big-name player, like Marner, Ehlers, and Boeser this summer, a third fan asked?
General Manager Chris Patrick hasn't ruled out the possibility of a big-name signing, saying that if the team does take a 'big hack', it will be a 'really big hack. All of Marner, Ehler and Boeser can score, and are players around which a team can build.
Carlson and Ovi will be coming off the books soon and the salary cap will increase, so a big-name is possible. But there are other areas to consider, like secondary scoring and an NHL-ready defenseman. Patrick would prefer not to diminish his pool of prospects.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 2 | 33 ANSWERS Questions answered about Washington Capitals' roster holes Should Washington explore free agency for a big-name player, or make a big trade instead? | ||
| Free agency | 24 | 72.7 % |
| Big trade | 9 | 27.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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