Hopeful Ovi Extension at 10M

That's probily realistic, i don't see him taking any less than what backstroms extension was so 10 is probily the base for him

Yeah, it's tough to really estimate what Ovi will get. Backstrom got $9.2M because he was really underpaid on his last deal ($6.8M cap hit). You could argue the same for Ovi, but hopefully he prioritizes winning over money.

Big overpay. Nobody the Caps have to expose is more valuable than Protas.

Not sure I agree there. Center is going to turn into a logjam (and arguably already has) with Backstrom, Kuznetsov, Eller, Dowd, McMichael, and Lapierre. Protas has promise and potential, but if you want Ovi at $10M and a winning team around him, there's a price to pay.

Even if they have to move him to wing, Protas is 6'6", scored 30 goals in the WHL last year, and broke a KHL team's record for goals by a 19 year old this year. https://novacapsfans.com/2020/11/16/aliaksei-protas-wins-rookie-of-the-week-award-in-khl/ He is going to not be suck.

I agree the team has to dump at least two mid-priced guys, maybe three to make that work, but I think if they move them each to a team that wants them, they can keep Protas, and maybe even keep one of those 2nd round picks.