Here is how I think the Capitals can get younger and the Maple Leafs change the big four to give the two teams the best chance to make it to the second round after multiple first round exits.
Washington Notable UFA’s: Johan Larsson, Marcus Johansson, Micheal Kempny, Justin Schultz, Matt Irwin, Phoenix Copley
Notable RFA’s: Beck Malenstyn, Brett Leason, Vitek Vanecek, Ilya Samsonov
Draft Picks: WAS 1RD, WIN 2RD, WAS 3RD, WAS 5RD, WAS 6RD, WAS 7RD
Why did they miss the playoffs.
The Capitals were able to be the worst of the top half and wound up getting into the playoffs but were there for only a short time losing to Florida in 6 games and they were a couple reasons why they feel in the playoffs. First is the collapse they had early in the series as they were up 2-1 in the series against Florida and were up 3-2 in game 4 with just under 3 minutes and were 3 minutes away from taking a 3-1 series lead, one that I would say Washington would’ve finished in 4 or 5 games but they gave up a late goal and the OT winner to Florida who tied the series and Washington would go on to lose the next two games so the missed opportunity to close out game 4 and possibly the series is my biggest reason they are not in the playoffs anymore.
Second was the fact that they couldn’t defend toward the end of the series as it seemed that Samsonov the veteran D-Corp just ran out of gas. Now Vanecek and Samsonov both started a playoff game but the Capitals loss their last 3 games of the series woth Samsonov at the helm and it wasn’t all on him as the Capitals just seemed like there defence went from shutting down the Panthers to giving up very timely goals and that is another reason why they lost. And finally I think that this team is having a ageing core and I think that their window is closing and they will need to get younger. While they have youth in their net minders they only had one defender who was under 30 years old and 6 of their forwards were over 31 years LD and to me it seemed as though they were a pace behind Florida in the series so these are the main reasons I feel that the Capitals are out of the playoffs at this point.
How can they improve in the offseason.
The Capitals are a good team with a lot of good players but I think they are starting to become older and desperately need a youth movement this offseason and here is what I think they should do to improve their team.
First their goaltending and after the past few years coming back with Vanecek and Samsonov in net, I feel that it will be changed up this offseason. Now both of the goalies have put up good numbers but are both pending RFA’s and the past few deadlines the Capitals were reportedly interested in a veteran goalie and I think they explore that to a higher extent this year which means they will have to chose which of the young goalies stay and go. Now Samsonov is the younger of the two and while his numbers have declined in the regular season over the past couple years I think that injuries have played a big part and when it comes to the playoffs he has been great and a lot better then Vanecek who has had really good regular season stats when it comes to the playoffs he doesn’t have very good numbers and looking at all of this I would say that Samsonov stays because he seems to have more potential of being the starter and they will resign him while finding somewhere to move Vanecek. And then they will look to either free agency or a trade to find a more veteran goalie who has more NHL experience then Vanecek and can tandem with Samsonov and take some of the pressure off of him in the regular season because adding a veteran goalie to the mix is something that the Capitals have missed over the last few years. So to recap sign Samsonov and make him your starter by moving Vanecek and then acquire a veteran backup who can tandem with Samsonov next year to sort of stabilize the goalie position.
And then onto the defence where they have a few pending UFA’s to deal with and I think they are going to start the youth movement here. So to start I feel that the Carlson and Fehervary pairing was really good this year and I think that will be Washington’s top pair next year. Now beyond those two teams they have lots of questions as Schultz, Kempny and Irwin are all pending UFA’s and Orlov, Jensen and Van Reimsdyk are all only a year away from being UFA’s. Now I feel that all 3 of the pending UFA’s will not be resigned by Washington and will leave, then I think that even though they are entering the final year of their deal, Orlov who is one of their best defensemen and Van Reimsdyk who is on a cheap deal will both remain. Now I think that if they feel that they are pressed for cap space then Jensen who will enter the final year of his deal at $2.5 million dollars will be moved and they would sign a cheaper 3rd pair Defensemen, but if they feel they can still fit him in then I think he will play on the third pair next year. Now to fill in the final two spots, I think that Alexander Alexeyev would finally get his NHL shot and maybe play on the 3rd pair with Jensen, while I think they need to sign a cheaper and younger top 4 defensemen who can play on the 2nd pair with Orlov next year. So to recap don’t bring back any pending UFA’s, either keep Jensen or move him and sign a cheap 3rd pair defensemen who could play with Alexeyev, and then sign a top 4 defensemen who is cheap and can play with Orlov and I think with these moves they would be better.
And finally the forward group as I would tinker with the lineup so Ovechkin can still lead a very productive offense. So I wouldn’t change much to their offense if I was the Capitals as I would keep Kuznetsov, Backstrom, Ovechkin, Mantha and Wilson all in their top 6 and due to their need for a youth movement I would also put McMichael in the top 6 because he could play on the second line and be one of their quicker forwards and even though he is more of a Center he can play Left Wing and i think he would be good in the top 6. But I think their bottom six is going to be greatly reworked as I see them making moves to get younger and I see it starting with them moving Hagelin and Eller. Both these guys are older players and the Caps need cap space so because these two are entering the final year of their deals with Hagelin making $2.75 and Eller making $3.5 it would make sense to move them both to get cap space and open up spots for younger players. Then I would have Sheary play full time on the fourth line with Hathaway and Dowd and stabilize that line with no more Hagelin and after how well Hendrix Lapierre played in his early season stint in the NHL I feel that he could take Eller’s spot at 3rd line Center next year playing with Oshie who I would be more comfortable playing on the 3rd line as opposed to in the top 6. And then I would get a cheap middle 6 forward in either trade or free agency to play on their 3rd pair and then maybe sign a few depth forwards who can challenge for a spot or have some younger players like Snively or Jonsson-Fjallby try to fight for a roster spot and maybe even work their way into the 4th line. So to recap I think keeping their top 6 mostly intact with the exception of putting McMichael in the top 6. Have Sheary play on their veteran fourth line, put Oshie on the 3rd line with rookie Lapierre and a new younger and cheaper middle 6 forward and then either sign depth guys or let your youngsters fight to be depth forwards and if they do all of this I think they have a legit shot at remaining playoff contenders and make it past the first round next year.
Toronto Notable UFA’s: Ilya Mikheyev, Jason Spezza, Colin Blackwell, Ilya Lyubushkin, Mark Giordano, Jack Campbell
Notable RFA’s: Ondrej Kase, Pierre Engvall, Rasmus Sandin, Timothy Liljegren, Ian Scott
Draft Picks: TOR 1RD, WIN 3RD, TOR 7RD
Why did they miss the playoffs.
The Maple Leafs had a amazing regular season and were oh so close to finally getting over the hump but fell just short losing to Tampa in a very close series and while this was probably the closest series of the first round there are a few things that I think cost the Leads the series. First is the failure to have the killer instincts to close the series. After going up 2-1 in the series they failed to go up 3-1 and lost big and after they rebounded in game 5 and took a 3-2 in the series they would lose the next two games first giving up the tying and OT winner to Tampa and then the series winner in game 7 and while Tampa is a good team I feel that there were plenty of opportunities for them to end the series and they just choked.
Secondly was that I feel they lost the depth scoring battle. Now the big four as well as Reilly and Mikheyev were the only players to get over 4 points in this series and Tampa had the depth scoring at key times (3RD liner Nick Paul scored both Tampa goals in game 7), so I think that if the Maple Leafs depth just produced a tad more then Toronto walks away with the series win. And finally I think that they did play a absolutely solid series and the fact that they got the back to back cup champs was a huge reason. Now while you can’t blame the opponent for losing the series I feel that given they were only one goal away from ending the back to back champs in the first round which would’ve been a stunning accomplishment and even though they didn’t win I feel that if they were playing Boston or Florida they win that series and due to all of these factors they once again exited in the first round.
How can they improve in the offseason
The Leafs will be hard pressed to make the second round next year and while they have a pretty good team I think that they will need to make some sort of substantial move and here is how I think that they do that.
First is their goaltending and I think that they will do all they can do to keep Campbell in the fold. Now Jack Campbell is currently a pending UFA and has shown over the past couple years that he can be a NHL starter and should get a huge increase from his last contract of $1.65. Now I know they will need to make moves to free up cap space because I feel that a 5x5 deal for Campbell should and probably would convince him to remain but if they are paying Campbell $5 Million on a new deal then they need money out and I think one way that will happen is by moving Mrazek. Mrazek will have 2 years left on his contract at $3.8 Million dollars per year and he didn’t play well and was injury ridden for a good portion of the year but I feel like he can still be a backup goalie in the NHL so if a team with a bit of cap space needs a backup or a team like Buffalo or Arizona who have questions at the goalie position for the next few years and need a goalie would be willing to trade for Mrazek but I don’t see any return going to Toronto for him. And then if they can lock up Campbell then instead of going out and getting a backup, I believe they will give the backup role to one of their youngsters such as Källgren, Scott or Woll. Woll and Scott have often been regarded as solid goalie prospects with NHL futures and Källgren did well in the backup role for a bit this season so I would have those 3 battle it out and whoever looks the most NHL ready give the backup job too. So to recap Campbell should sign a 5x5 contract with Toronto to stay their, the Leafs move Mrazek to free up cap space, and they give the backup role to whichever young goalie of Scott, Woll or Källgren ahows they are the most ready for NHL duties.
Next up is their defence and up until a few days ago I thought they might make one or two changes but now I think that they may just keep basically all of it together for next year. So while there have been rumblings about the Leafs maybe moving Jake Muzzin to free up cap space and I don’t feel like that would be the correct move because even though he has 2 more years at over $5 Million dollars per year, the Leafs had to go out before the trade deadline and get Lyubushkin because they were worried about a Muzzin injury and need another physical defensemen so if they move Muzzin were is their physicality coming from on the Blueline, so I think that they don’t and won’t move him and after the Giordano signing yesterday I feel that the Maple Leafs Left side will be Reilly, Muzzin and Giordano. Now I think that Liljegren had a great showing playing with Giordano since they acquired him and even though he is a Pending RFA and I feel that Toronto will resign him and keep him on the third pair next year, and I feel that Brodie will remain Muzzin’s partner on the second pair but the question is who will be on the top pair with Reilly next year. Now I thought about them signing a guy who can play top 2 minutes with Reilly but after consideration I feel that not only do they not have enough cap space but they already have a top 2 defensemen in Sandin. Now I feel that Sandin if he played in the playoffs could have hugely helped the Maple Leafs defend better against the Lightning and I think he is on the verge of a breakthrough season so if they can just sign the Pending RFA to a reasonable contract extension then I think he would be the perfect partner for Reilly and then to round out the roster I think they will just acquire a depth defensemen who can play if there is a injury. So to recap sign Pending RFA’s Liljegren and Sandin and after the Giordano signing have those 3 with Brodie, Muzzin and Reilly your 6 defensemen and sign a depth defensemen who can be their seventh.
And finally the forward group as I think that one of the big four HAVE to be moved because as much as they are good I think they need something new next year. Now I feel that Tavares being the captain and having a NMC makes him unmovable, and Matthews coming off a 60 goal season and Marner coming off of a 100 point season make those two your best and most complete players, and that just leaves Nylander who I believe will be moved in the offseason. Now I think they that the top line of Matthews, Marner and Bunting will return and I think Tavares will remain 2C but I think if they were to trade Nylander, perhaps in a 1 for 1 deal for a forward who is a bit more physical and is signed between $3-5 Million dollars per year to get a new winger for Tavares would be the smartest move the Leafs can make in my opinion. Then I think that Nick Robertson finally gets his opportunity and would round out the top 6 playing on Tavares wing, then they resign Kase who had a decent season and is a pending RFA to play on the third line with David Kampf and then they have to make a decision on Kerfoot because he is a year away from free agency and makes $3.5 Million dollars per year and if they feel they could use even more cap space I think he could be traded for a decent return and if they do that then I think they go out and get a cheaper middle 6 forward in free agency. And as for their bottom line I think they could have a mixture of different players as I could see Clifford, Simmonds, maybe resign RFA Engvall, UFA’s Blackwell and/or Spezza, maybe give young guys like Abruzzese Abramov, Anderson, it sign some more veterans who play bottom 6 roles well but their bottom line could go many different directions in my opinion. So to recap keep their top line intact, move Nylander for a new more physical and cheaper top 6 forward and have Robertson play on the 2nd line, keep Kampf on the third line with Kase who is RFA they will resign and either Kerfoot or a middle six forward they sign in free agency if they move Kerfoot, and have the right blend of young and experienced players in their 4th line and I think that if they do these moves then the Maple Leafs should absolutely get over the hump and into the second round next year.
Comments
Post a Comment