Washington Capitals defensive prospect Tobias Geisser has preempted his pursuit of an NHL career and signed a three-year deal with EV-Zug in the Swiss League.
Geisser, 23, was drafted by the Capitals in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He appeared in a total of 71 games for the Bears during the 2021-22 season, in which he recorded 14 points (three goals). Geisser was a restricted free agent this summer with the Capitals.
The move is a hit to the Capitals organizational depth on the blueline, as Geisser’s game has steadily improved. However, it is unclear if the Capitals intended to re-sign Geisser this summer.
By Jon Sorensen
What?!
It’s a bummer. He was on track, developmentally. With the aging left side, he would have been in the mix in the next two seasons.
Jon,
Orlov and TVR are 30, Fehervary is 22. Not really an aged group by NHL D-corps standards, and all 3 are in pretty good shape, injury-wise.
Carlson is showing a lot of wear and tear, but otherwise it’s really the Caps forwards who are getting old fast, not just age-wise but seriously banged up. That’s really where the Caps need an infusion of youth…
Orlov and TVR will be gone before you know it. $$ and age will mandate it. Carlson as well. Also, Alexeyev will most likely play,on right side for first 2 seasons or so, if he makes it.
He’s wasn’t behind them. See Eric’s comments below.
This sucks. He was trending well. Hard to beat a comparison between Hershey and Switzerland.
Think that you are going to see a lot of the younger players not resign with this organization because of they way that management keeps getting older players. I believe all because of the unealistic expectations of the owner and GM in not realizing that this team as it is presently constructed is NOT a Stanley Cup contender. They have talented young players but sad to say they have a HC who does not like playing younger players. IF they had traded older players when they should have and kept the younger players they would not have the cap mess they are in and younger players would not be leaving to play and get paid elsewhere. After all who wants to get beaten up playing for littlemoney when you acn go elsewhere and makemore to get beaten up?
I don’t know if most of our youngsters were truely ready. But CMM and Fever got full rookie seasons at 21 and 22. Snively had half rookie season and looks to be in the mix. But a lot of players got a taste and proved they could play. Leason, Malensyn, LuJo are all RFA and we need to sign them with intent to play or you are right. They all have an NHL opportunity with Caps this year but they’ll have to earn it and I suspect they will all sign.
While Geisser leaving hurts, I understand why he did. Need LuCo and AA to step up.
Au revoir Tobias
First, to clarify, he played 71 games for Hershey, not the Caps. Plus he was behind Orlov, Fehervary, Johansen, Alexeyev, Van Reimsdyk and probably Nardella… why would he re-up in that situation?
While I agree the Caps should play the kids more — a lot of kids a lot more — Geisser was a mid-level prospect at best, behind several other mid-high-level prospects. Unfortunately the Caps have a large number of such players in their system, and a shortage of high-level prospects. That’s the real problem, and it has been true for quite a while — they trade too many high-level prospects (Fors… I can’t/won’t even write his name, Burkovsky, Siegenthaler, Vrana, etc.) and didn’t get equal returns.
Geisser decided to go home, just like Riat before him. While at one point I had hope for both players making it in the NHL neither lit up the AHL, so let’s not overstate the impact of their leaving.
Bring on the next wave of “meh” mid-round draft picks!?
Because half the players you mention will be gone in next 1-2 seasons due to age. And you obviously haven’t watched too many Bears games this season. Alexeyev and Johansen are not that far ahead of him. How many actual Bears game did you watch this season, from start to finish. I would bet 0 from your reply.
You are correct, I didn’t see any Bears games this year, but that is irrelevant — it’s pretty clear where Geisser was on Caps’ management’s depth chart. Half the players ahead of him include Orlov or Fehervary, who aren’t going anywhere soon, unless there is a big trade — and that’s not very likely with this Caps management team. The next 2 are first-round picks who both played in DC this year and will be given a much better shot at making the team ahead of Geisser just because of their draft status, as ridiculous/unfair as that may be — GMs hate to admit they made mistakes with 1st picks. Van Reimsdyk actually played pretty well on the left side this year and costs only $950K.
So which of those guys was leaving, or which was Geisser going to pass in the next 1-2 seasons? Geisser and his people obviously felt that not enough of them were leaving or could be passed. He clearly believed he had no chance of making the Caps, or maybe just didn’t want to play in DC, so he went home.
Geisser was probably Hershey’s second best defensemen this past season behind Johansen. I was impressed with how much he improved. If he would have continued that trajectory, he would have forced his way into the conversation for a spot in the NHL From a Hershey standpoint, Geisser’s departure really hurts their depth and deprives them of a player who likely would’ve been a top 4 option next season
Spot on, Eric.
Switzerland seems like a nice place to be.
Sure i would have liked him to stay. But he really was deep on depth chart. LuJo is ahead of AA right now, but I think AA has a better chance of seizing the opportunity at NHL level. If both progress we’ll be fine down the left side for a long time to come but we definitely need to restock the pond. Might change how we draft this year. Gotta figure either 20 or 46 will be used on an LD.
Humm, wonder if former Cap’s “young” dman might have got in his ear & told him how things would pan out in Caps system. Oh yeah he was on this EV ZUG team this season joining them for thier Back to Back Swiss league championship win. If memory serves this current GM did his best to “Burry” him in Hershey & hope he didn’t preform well,yet he didn’t !
Maybe Tobias talked to Rait & former cap Christian Djoos & realized that even if your young,mid-late round pick,& in low cap hit range,is never going to be “CHAMPIONED” for by GM who loves older,slower,more expensive DMen for his team!
In words of old Ricky Nelson song..”can’t please everybody,you have to please yourself”!