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With the Capitals set to lose right wing Brett Connolly to free agency, and the trades of Andre Burakovsky and Matt Niskanen freeing up cap space, General Manager Brian MacLellan will likely look to free agency to solve the Caps’ third-line right wing void, as the Caps look likely to sign pending unrestricted free agent forward Richard Panik in free agency tomorrow.
Per TSN’ Bob McKenzie, the Capitals are likely to sign Panik to a four-year deal worth an average north of $2.5 million a season. NBC Sports Washington’s Brian McNally confirmed the final annual average value of the deal falls at $2.65 million, making the deal a total of $10.6 million over four seasons.
Sounds like Richard Panik will be heading to WSH on a four-year contract. AAV could be somewhere north of $2.5M.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) July 1, 2019
Correcting the Richard Panik numbers, folks: It is $2.65 million AAV for four years. Was just going with what I was told by a source with direct knowledge. They have corrected. I’ll own it. $2.65 million. #Caps
— Brian McNally (@bmcnally14) July 1, 2019
The 28-year old, Czechoslovakia-born forward is a former second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning who recorded 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 75 games played with the Arizona Coyotes this past season and has 159 points in 410 games played in his NHL career.
Recently, NoVa Caps’ Harrison Brown looked at potential free agent fits for the Capitals in free agency, and identified Panik as a potential fit.
Panik please. https://t.co/UL9sLkrmGH
— Harrison Brown (@HarrisonB927077) June 30, 2019
Connolly is purportedly set to sign a four-year deal with the Florida Panthers tomorrow in free agency, and MacLellan opened the door for free agency as an avenue to replace him when he spoke with the media a few days ago.
As @Bob_Stauffer mentioned, I’m told all signs point to Brett Connolly signing a four-year deal with the Panthers on Monday https://t.co/q9fTYXryw9
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 1, 2019
Panik has recorded a combined 112 points (50 goals, 62 assists) in 229 games played with Arizona and the Chicago Blackhawks, averaging 15:30 of ice time; Connolly, in that same span with the Caps, recorded 96 points (52 goals, 44 assists) in 217 games played with the Capitals while averaging 12:06 of ice time. While he certainly adds some offensive flair to the Caps, he is not a player that is used heavily in defensive situations, being better known as a player that drives the play in a game. Additionally, while he ranked sixth on the Coyotes in power play time this past season (148:43), he recorded just two assists.
By Michael Fleetwood
I like the signing
No need to Panik folks.
First!
https://twitter.com/harrisonb927077/status/1145381108667887617?s=21
https://twitter.com/bmcnally14/status/1145534799144267782?s=21
This would be more than it would cost to keep Connolly.
https://twitter.com/bmcnally14/status/1145543225287106560?s=21
Blowing money… SMH. Heres an idea… play the homegrown talent!!!!! Guys like Boyd, Gersich,Walker, AJF etc…
Where will Boyd play? He played ok last year… how about giving Val Nicolishin a go? Panik on 3rd line with Eller?
That should be a wrap on moves. Sign Vrana, Djoos, Stephenson and that will be it.
Richard Panik brings a welcome element of SNARL to the Caps. Drops the mitts when he has to! And big rig Panik has been on some Big Stages, playing in Toronto, Tampa Bay and Chicago
Sad to see Connolly go! A major success story for GMBM, bringing on a guy with “potential” and actually receiving success. Quenneville gets a real gem to work with in Sunrise, Florida.
Great developments for the Washington Capitals, and GMBM is decisive, as usual. Now let’s see if our dubious Coaching Staff can knit this all together as a winner
NbcSportsWashington delivers this analysis:
“It was a tough season for Jaskin who only played in 37 games with the Caps and then had to watch as his former team, the St. Loius Blues, go on to win the Stanley Cup. Jaskin looked pretty good every time he got into the lineup, but for whatever reason he could not earn the trust of head coach Todd Reirden.” [1 July 2019, Regan and McNally]
So Jaskin played well and looked good, but couldn’t “earn the trust” of the new Head Coach. Well the new Head Coach doesn’t have MY trust!
Good players wind up in “the doghouse” and then gone. Another player showed up overweight and lazy and poorly prepared for the 18-19 season. And the Caps crashed and BURNED against a decidedly cheaper and inferior first round playoff opponent.
This is a COACHING problem, Caps Fans!