Photo: @Capitals
Jonas Siegenthaler has finally made his way back to his home in Zurich, Switzerland. After finishing up the the NHL’s regular season with the New Jersey Devils, the former Capitals defenseman joined the Swiss National team for this year’s World Championship held in Riga, Latvia.
While serving his quarantine prior to the start of the World Championship, Siegenthaler held an Instagram live Q & A for Swiss media outlet SRF. He was asked about the trade from Washington and his new situation in New Jersey.
“It hurts a little not to be with a title aspirant (Washington) anymore. But the Devils are a young team and maybe a little immature. In two or three years we will be a top team that can fight for the cup.”
Siegenthaler said he wanted out of Washington, and was disappointed that it didn’t work out with the Capitals.
“I wanted to get out of Washington because I didn’t play. Of course, that’s a bit of a shame, because I had it very good with my teammates and found Washington as a city was cool,”added Siegenthaler, looking back on the trade.
Laviolette told @JunksRadio this morning that because of COVID protocol, Jonas Siegenthaler flew home with team last night. Typically traded players depart for new team right away. Gave players a chance to say goodbyes, and for closure. “He’s been a class act for us”. #ALLCAPS
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 12, 2021
Siegenthaler said the situation in Washington changed for him when the Capitals signed veteran defenseman Zdeno Chara.
“He took my place away from me. It was difficult for the coach to tell Chara that he wouldn’t play,” said Siegenthaler.
Siegenthaler said the transition from Washington to New Jersey went rather smoothly, thanks in part to a friend and fellow countryman on the Devils team.
Tough to send a prospect away in lieu of a 44 year old veteran.
That’s the genius of your GM ?!?! The only reason he(Jonas) was brought in was because Christian Djoos won his arbitration case that summer. He & Chandler Stephanson both won cases & were gone in less than a year! I hope he can have success in Jersey that chandler has had in Vegas. The real tragedy is that GM is still employed after trading every prospect brought in during Cup run. I’d hate to be young player in this organization,because you really have NO future.
Scott, I don’t know how much BMac can do now especially with a flat cap the next 5 years. We have a high paid top 6 and top pairing and Panik was overpaid and Hags too. This year the defense and bottom 6 will actually be able to bring in a young player and I see more Hershey kids coming the year after that. BMGM would not have paid Backstrom 9.2 million if he’d known of this flat cap. Can’t pay Ovechkin AND Vrana. He’s in a hard place right now. I mean he could move out more contracts but they always have to go with an enticing pick or prospect, then you are no where again…
Like I said “Smart GM’s” don’t put themselves into that position! Oldest rule in hockey & Life is assets depreciate with time! It’s fine to give “small” increase to main guys after Cup win,but he paid some like they were only guys on the ice all playoffs.The whole point of development is to bring guys up learn positions & if after few seasons either trade,buyout,release guys that don’t fit keeping winning team. In 4 years since cup win he’s turned over 80% of line-up & hasn’t got past first round! Meanwhile players like Vrana & Stephenson have went to other teams & become first line player but they sat in press box or got 4th. line minutes with Caps!
Knowing you could save 3-4 million by keeping younger talent & letting older more expensive players go is what GOOD GM’S do, not overpaying players in twilight’s of career for what they did 5-10 years ago.
So a smart GM should have seen a global pandemic coming and changed the team’s payroll strategy before the first case happened. You, sir, are a foolishly opinionated person.
Is this a troll post?
A) there are 8 players from the Cup team still on the roster (not counting Kempny). This is more than 20% of the roster.
B) most of those who left did so because they earned massive pay raises:
Connolly had a 1.5m cap hit in 17-18 and 18-19, 3.5m this season
Beagle went from 1.75m to 3m
Burakovsky went from 3m to 4.9m
Grubauer went from 1.5m to 3.33m he was traded, but as an unsigned RFA
C) or because they were too expensive to keep after resigning guys like Wilson, Eller, Oshie, and Carlson to well deserved pay increases (see: Niskanen)
The roster was built to peak from 2016-2018. It did. Saying that a GM who built a Cup winning team isn’t smart because Jakub Vrana priced himself out of town with his play is patently stupid.
The gm needs to go he’s made bad trades bad contracts bad hiring of coaches…pay trotz your paying Peter what trotz wanted paid the players wanted to play for trotz