Shake it up

Washington would next do this lmao. Kovalchuk is NEGATIVE VALUE....OSHIE IS POSITIVE VALUE. Its more like LAK giving up a first and probably even a better Prospects and retaining 50% of Kovy's contract for them Capitals to even be close to thinking sure.

I don't think the Caps need to make any of these moves, but of the three, I'm least concerned about signing Phaneuf. Great condition on the LA trade, though. Why do we always see consolation conditions? An incentive challenge would be much more sporting.

Why do the Caps need to "shake it up"? First overall in the NHL, leading the NHL in goal scored, playing well overall.

Only reason to make a trade is to free up cap room, which is the biggest issue right now. We're playing around with sending down players to the AHL on paper, etc to get around salary cap limitations with injuries to Dowd and Hagelin. This doesn't give us that flexibility.

The last thing the Caps need to do is "shake it up". All they need is 1 mill in cap space, maybe that'll come next year, or at the trade deadline.

If Phanuef could sign for exactly 700, to drink beer and watch hockey in Washington, then Lewington could play 2RHD in Hershey, bumping LucaJo "down" to #1D, PP1 in first place SC, where he can get a point a game and build up some confidence in his offense again. He was drafted as a two way defenseman. Developing him as a stay at home guy might protect him from expansion, but to this outsider, it's not looking like it's giving him a clear path to the NHL. So, yeah, signing Phaneuf is fine, if he's in game shape. Might neet a PTO with Hershey to prove it (I don't think the NHL does mid-season PTO's, but the AHL probably still does), and then a few games there to get his legs under him, if he's okay with it.