Would be awesome but doubt it happens. Before the season started, some insider mentioned we were a team he would go to.

We can make it work, they could retain if they wanted to.

Wondering what our next move would be. Could it be Mantha. He still has value. It isn’t working with Lavi. What do you guys think will be the next move

Boys played poorly yesterday which was a little surprising.

Kuemper was awesome and glad to have Backy and Willy back. I do not remember very many games last year where we played poorly and our goalie stole one for us.

I did not like strome on the wing at all and hope Mantha was only scratched for one game to prove a point.

I did not like the line combos either.

Eller needs to be scratched.

Did they change line combos up mid game because sheary Dowd hath was a thing in the second or third, but not in the first.

I think tomorrow will tell us a lot.

If Mantha is scratched again after the way our forwards played yesterday then I think Lavi is done with him and we move on.

Hopefully he is in the top 6 wednesday and is motivated.

I wouldnt mind a Mantha Boeser 1 for 1. Mantha has better underlying stats but I think Boeser could be awesome in our top 6.

They changed them quite a bit, Sheary was listed on the top line but Ovi Backy Tom started.

I miss Daniel Sprong

How about Pheonix Copley...

11-2, 2.56 GAA, and .904 save percentage over the past 13 games

Good for him.

People are crazy lmao

I read the first comment, which suggested to ship Kuzy, Mantha, and Jensen out for a solid RHD (or two) and I stopped reading...

What a brutal suggestion - might be a troll though

Capitals lines at Tuesday’s practice:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Milano
Eller-Backstrom-Oshie
Sheary-Strome-Wilson
Johansson-Dowd-Hathaway

Gustafsson-TvR
Orlov-Jensen
Alexeyev-Fehervary

Love seeing Strome back at Center. I am sure the top 3 lines will get even minutes. Would prefer shifting the wingers a bit.

Eller on wing opens up the opportunity to scratch him as he hasn't played well in the past at wing.

I am somewhat a fan of these lines, but wow is that second line slow...Oshie provides some physicality at least.

Jensen is our two way d lmao.

Swap Mantha and Eller then they are good. Not perfect but good.

Totally agree - and I think that will happen in the next few games.

That first line, after thinking about it, has absolutely zero defense....It's funny - the Caps have so much depth that there could be so many different line combos. That being said, I'd like to see this:

Ovi-Strome-Sheary -> Worked well in past (after a gaining chemistry). Strome is a perfect set up man for Ovi and Sheary is there to win board battles
Mantha-Kuzy-Wilson -> Mantha is the scorer on this line, Kuzy the set up man, Wilson to win board battles and provide defense
Milano-Backy-Oshie -> I think Milano would strive with the vet presence (and pretty solid defensive presence) of Backy and Oshie
MoJo-Dowd-Hath -> 4th line is the 4th line with an added offensive presence of MoJo, which somewhat worked in the past

Thoughts?

I like those and would be happy with them.

My ideal lines

Ovie-Strome-Wilson I like tom on the top line and think he would mesh with strome and Ovi there
Mantha-Kuzy-Milano Same thought as yours just with Milano instead of Tom
Sheary-Backy-Oshie all three are top 6 caliber but together make a great third line. Love Sheary but would like to keep him in the bottom 6
Mojo-Dowd-Hath great 4th line

Not much difference and still love your lines.

There is so much depth and so many possible combos. For me the locks are:

Ovi on top line
Backy and Osh on third line
Dowd and Hathaway on 4th

The rest can be moved around but I do prefer Strome with Ovi.

no RMNB comments section has ever been a good read lmao

the reading was like a reality tv show. rlly entertaining

If I’m being honest…

Not many RMNB articles are worth reading in general.

Saw this on a Pens ACGM -> "if Elias Pettersson asks out of Vancouver"

I assume he is basically untouchable, but lets play this game...what would you give up for him (from Caps perspective)?

I guess my initial package would be something like this (trying to take out bias)...
2023 1st
2024 1st
McM
Mantha
Chesley (maybe too much?)

Kuzy would have to be part of the package tbh. Chesley 100%. 2 firsts. And mcm I guess. That seems like an but it’s petterson. Who backstrom can mentor.

Very unrealistic but

Boeser, Brock
Pettersson, Elias
VAN
Chesley, Ryan [Reserve List]
Kuznetsov, Evgeny
McMichael, Connor
2023 1st round pick (WSH)
2023 2nd round pick (WSH)
2024 1st round pick (WSH)


The second is for Brock and they don’t have to retain and I think that helps them out with value also.

Why would you be giving up so much for a 3rd round defensive prospect?

In all seriousness though, If you end up sending Kuzy back, I think you can take out one of those picks or prospects tbh. Kuzy is by no means Pettersson, for sure, but Vancouver would still be returning a genuine 1C with PPG upside and term on his contract, so I think you may be overvaluing Pettersson a touch.

I personally would not even try to touch a Pettersson because the price would either cripple the team moving forward with no picks/prospects, or mess with a perfectly good locker room (ie. trading Kuzy). But while we're on the topic of unrealistic trades, what would be your offer for Erik Karlsson? Trade rumors have cooled a bit on that front, but could still be interesting to see how much Washington would have to pay to get it done (though it would be incredibly unfeasible for even this year, let alone future years)

posted it yesterday but to washington:
Karlsson 4m retained (7.5x5)
Merkley

to SJ:
Mantha
McMichael
23 1st

I wouldn't do it if I was the caps as it basically would guarantee Orlov couldn't come back and would be going all in on Carlson/Karlsson holding down the top 2 pairs, which didn't work at all when it was Burns in SJ.