Yeah Eichel's not skipping the Olympics just to sit on LTIR until the playoffs

Lmao off. Condition on the picks. You ain't getting those conditions, so your not giving anything of value if those picks aren't in there.

McMichael would be in the trade

Washington could make a legitimate offer, instead of giving up and dumping a bunch of picks in there

Lapierre>McMichael in terms of ceiling and youth. Lapierre was projected top-five, but was injured at the draft. Has been healthy for a year, now. Over a point a game. McMichael is NHL-ready, so he's less likely to be traded from a team that needs playoff depth. Lapierre is younger, so Buffalo gets more team control out of a similar level center.

A Caps thread yesterday offered McMichael, Alexeyev, and two unprotected 1st picks, plus Eller and Kuznetsov. Rags and Sabres fans thought it was an overpay. https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/2782463

I think Kuznetsov and Eller could be a decent #1 and #2 center for the Sabres, if they want to push for the playoffs this year, but if Buffalo prefers to rebuild through more drafts, and take another forward or two in the top five, they might see them as a waste of $10M and prefer a chance to get another 1st round pick for Eichel, instead.

At the same time, if Eichel wants surgery, and if his contract is only 80% insured, and if he never comes back, WSH risks giving two blue chip prospects and $10M cash for Victor Olofsson. I like Olofsson's shot, but I wouldn't trade Lapierre for him, one for one. Alexeyev? Maybe.



Thanks. Please check out my explanation to OC above, and/or suggest/post your own.

When the Caps got five late 1st round picks for their young franchise defenseman Scott Stevens, that turned into Sergei Gonchar and Brendan Witt, who helped Washington win its first President's Trophy and make its first trip to the Cup Finals. Gonchar was eventually traded for Shaone Morrisonn, who helped the Caps win their second President's Trophy, before the Sabres signed him. So two top prospects and three conditional first picks for an injured franchise player seems fair to me. Incidentally, Stevens didn't accomplish anything in St. Louis.



If his neck is okay, sure. But I thought he just fired his agent to try to push for neck surgery? Did that all go out the window when the NHL announced they're playing in the Olympics? Does Eichel think he and Matthews together can guarantee gold?

It'd take another miracle.

The Caps, plus Eichel and minus nobody important, might have better odds at the '22 Stanley Cup than Team USA has at the '22 Gold. And Eichel, on a contender, finally gets the supporting cast to help him try to outscore Matthews in a regular season next year. Although how the Caps get under the cap to make that happen, I'm not quite sure.

Offer starts with McMichael. Sorry dude.

Stevens left after 78 games, he went on to 4 cup finals and 3 wins with NJ. Ill take the prospects.

Details, details. Caps fans prefer to forget some things. Who do you think Buffalo needs, out of the Caps' empty cupboard?

McMicheal, 22 1st, Hathaway, and Kuznetsov (who Buffalo flips, so they need need to find a 3rd party)

He fired his agent because Brisson is the best in th3 business and will definitely get him his trade. Refer to Duchene to Ottawa trade, that was basically run by Brisson

That's a lot of value, because I think Kuznetsov played like a #1 the second half of last year, but if Eichel is healthy, I could see the Caps trading Kuznetsov and McMichael for him. I like Hathaway but he's not in the same league with those other three.

You probably noticed, but most teams aren't taking big salaries on for picks, this summer. Minne fans are divided on whether Kuznetsov for Fiala is a one for one. They agree they're not adding a good pick to that. If Eichel is back for the 2022 playoffs, that pick will be very late. Might be better off asking for Alexeyev, Fehervary, or (and I know it's not a need, with Levi and UPL, but) one of the Caps' goalies.

Last summer some Arizona fans wanted Kuznetsov. I haven't kept up with what they're after this year.

Yeah you're right, everyone else is wrong

I doubt Arizona is trading for Kuznetsov now lol

Hello my friend, it is ages since I have seen a post from you.
On the conditions, if the Caps do not make the playoffs, then Buffalo has to send the picks?
IMO you are correct the value is there. I would rather do this:
McMichael over Lapierre, I think Connor is closer to NHL ready
Johnson over Alexeyev, I think Alex is better and closer to the NHL, but Buffalo is set at LHD (Dahlin, Power, Samuelsson and Bryson) it needs RHD prospects
I do not see why Hathaway is included. He does not have a bad cap hit, does Washington have a player in mind to fill his spot? His inclusion does not increase the likelihood of Buffalo making this trade
Sheary did not work out as well in Buffalo as I would have liked. I think he was another one of Krueger's casualties. TBH, Buffalo needs RW more then LW even after Olofsson is included. Would you consider Sprong instead of Sheary?
2022 1st round pick (WSH)
2023 1st round pick (WSH)
2024 1st round pick (WSH) Buffalo is not good at drafting, maybe a prospect instead of a pick. More to the point, waiting 3 years to draft someone, who will need 3 more years of seasoning is a long time to wait for a return of an Eichel trade.
A perfect reply!

Great to see you!

Johnson instead of Alexeyev seems fine.

While there are UFAs available to fill in, WSH should be willing to move all of their bottom six forwards except maybe Eller (I'm sentimental about that Cup-winning goal, here) to land a #1C.

Lapierre dangles and makes passes like Adam Oates or Joe Thornton but he needs a year or two to bulk up and work on his shooting.

I personally expect McMichael to be an impact player for the Caps this year and I wouldn't think he's available, but if Buffalo offers a one for one for an injured Eichel, that could change. Realistically, the right-shot right wing who would be hardest for the Caps to move next summer to get under the cap with a healthy Eichel would be the old guy who's owed 16.5M over four years and was on pace for 30 goals again last year. So maybe Oshie, Johnson, Sprong, and McMichael for Eichel? Along with Schultz' contract expiring next summer, that might just allow WSH to keep Kuznetsov, if the cap goes up enough to sign the goalies.

If I'm Buffalo, and I'm fine with a slow rebuild that leads to a long championship window, maybe I'd prefer a package with a lot of prospects and young players, and no picks or cap hits, like Lapierre, Johnson, Sprong, Riat, Johansen, and Vanecek. Sprong, Riat, Johansen, and Vanecek should be NHL ready right now, while Lapierre and Johnson should make more of an impact when they arrive.

Or if Buffalo decides they're done rebuilding and want to make the playoffs without Eichel, and they want a lot of right handed players, WSH could offer Kuznetsov, Oshie, Sprong, Schultz, and Dowd? The last three are right handed. Throw in Johnson and Riat as insurance?

IMO either offer would make Buffalo MUCH better next year.
Oshie is the sort of character player that could lead the team to the playoffs and would more than replace Reinhart.
He along with Sprong would make the Buffalo RW very solid.
Dowd would be the perfect C to bolster the PK.
Shultz would make everyone forget about Ristolainen.
I can only imagine him playing with Dahlin.
Most Buffalo fans would not want that trade, but it would be an exciting team and it fill every hole except GK and a top center.

Your second proposal includes Kuznetsov is significantly better.
If MacLellan were to offer Kuznetsov, Oshie, Sprong, Schultz, Dowd, Johnson and Riat, Buffalo would HAVE to make a trade to get a better GK as that team has solid LW, RW, LHD, RHD and decent centers.
Post the second one and i will look for how many Sabre fans hate it.
They will say, Oshie is too old, Kuznetsov is slipping, Dowd offers nothing, Shultz will leave after one year, no top prospects, no picks, why would Buffalo do that?

Good news: I found a way to include Kuznetsov and Oshie in the same trade and not have anyone comment on either of them!

https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/2785561