After the Washington Capitals dealt defenseman Dmitry Orlov and right-wing Garnet Hathaway to the Boston Bruins on Thursday evening, NoVa Caps provides a round-up for all of the latest rumors surrounding the organization and the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, which is one week from Friday at 3 PM ET.
TSN’s Darren Dreger stated that Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who has three more seasons left on a team-friendly contract that costs $4.6 million against the NHL salary cap, is a player of interest for the team.
It’s clear the Capitals are hoping to reset on the fly. Jake Chychrun is a player of interest for Washington. Including the 1st acquired from Boston, the Caps have the pick currency to make it work. The Chychrun saga has been ongoing since Nov, 2021.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 24, 2023
The 24-year-old has seven goals, 28 points, a +8 rating, 50.41% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 48.36% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 50% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage while averaging 23:16 per game (including three minutes on the power play) in 36 outings this season but has not played since February 10 for “trade-related reasons.”
Chychrun, who requested a trade to a Stanley Cup contender two years ago, led NHL defensemen with 18 goals in 56 games during the 2020-21 campaign, when he also tallied 41 points. Arizona is reportedly looking for an equivalent of two first-round picks in any trade involving Chychrun.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on 32 Thoughts that he believes Washington will not enter a long-term rebuild and that their approach is that this season is not their year, they will have a lot of flexibility this offseason, and they will get more assets at the trade deadline. Washington is just punting this season.
GM Brian MacLellan has talked about contract extensions with pending unrestricted free agent defensemen Erik Gustafsson and Trevor Van Riemsdyk. Friedman said MacLellan is trying to see who is open to extending their contracts, what they want in their next deals, and if it makes sense for the team before making decisions.
Friedman added he is hearing that center Lars Eller and Nick Jensen (who can become an unrestricted free agent after this season) names “a bit more lately.” He noted that the teams who are following Washington quite a bit lately include the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Los Angeles Kings. Friedman also wondered about the Edmonton Oilers as GM Ken Holland signed Jensen when he was in the Detroit Red Wings organization and traded him to Washington on February 22, 2019.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun guessed in his trade rumblings piece on Friday that Eller will get moved.
Lebrun also said “The Capitals are now actively listening on a number of their pending UFAs, but the impression I get is that they don’t want to do a total sell-off, either. There’s a balance they’re going to try to pull off between trading pending UFAs but also keeping and perhaps signing others. They want a competitive team next season.”
LeBrun tweeted on Friday morning that as late as last week Washington was still having contract negotiations with Gustafsson and Jensen, who can also become unrestricted free agent on July 1. They were struggling to re-sign Orlov, especially with term, before trading him to Boston. Friedman said that Washington was not looking to go beyond three-to-four years with Orlov, who wanted close to eight on an extension.
The Caps as late as last week were still having contract talks with pending UFA D Nick Jensen and Erik Gustafsson. Of course, they were also talking contract with Dmitry Orlov… wonder if they still try to sign Jensen or Gustafsson, or trade one or both now…
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 24, 2023
LeBrun wondered if the goal is still to attempt extending Jensen or Gustafsson, or trading at least one of them now. He could see Washington extending one of their contracts and trading the other before next Friday.
LeBrun wrote that “There’s zero interest in a rebuild with Alex Ovechkin around” and there interesting moves this offseason.
By Harrison Brown