With the Washington Capitals eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the focus in the District shifts toward the 2023-24 NHL season. There are plenty of ways that they could tackle this offseason, which will arguably be the most important that Washington has seen in years, with the team still wanting to make the most of captain Alex Ovechkin’s twilight years. NoVa Caps lays out the possible strategies that the Capitals could use during the league’s “silly season.”
OPTIONS
Option 1: Run it back
Washington missed the postseason for the first time in nine years and was without center Nicklas Backstrom, right-wing Tom Wilson, and defenseman John Carlson for most of the campaign as well as right-wing T.J. Oshie for a modest amount of it.
The team could view this season as an anomaly and trim around the edges of what they currently have but not make any major changes.
However, given the ages of most of the players and the team’s league-worst 12-21-3 record (.375 points percentage) after a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on January 5, which ended a stretch where they went 15-3-3 (.786), the third-best in the NHL, since November 23, that seems very unlikely.
Option 2: Change the role players, keep core intact
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM9oE67StY8
Washington could choose its guys going forward – likely captain Alex Ovechkin in addition to center Nicklas Backstrom (because of their meaning to the franchise), right-wings Tom Wilson (leadership, production, ability to change momentum of a game and shape of opponents’ rosters) plus T.J. Oshie (leadership, energy, personality, production), defenseman Rasmus Sandin (young, skilled, strong two-way player, just gave up a first-round pick to acquire), perhaps goaltender Darcy Kuemper (who signed a five-year contract on July 13, has played admirably despite playing behind a struggling team), and anyone who has signed a contract extension since January 1 (center Dylan Strome, left-wing Sonny Milano, left-wing Nicolas Aube-Kubel, defensemen Nick Jensen and Trevor Van Riemsdyk).
While Washington could look to make big changes outside of those guys, they could keep more of their contributors (center Evgeny Kuznetsov, defenseman John Carlson) that they view as important to the organization and make changes around to the supporting players (like center Nic Dowd and left-wing Anthony Mantha as examples).
A fresh, younger cast with a balance coming from the AHL’s Hershey Bears and outside of the organization around the main players could be a breath of fresh air for the core and change the chemistry up. Of course, Washington would need to ensure that they get market value for whoever they move and not just make deals to make them.
Option 3: Youth Infusion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0KDvBbebQk
Left-wings Conor Sheary and Carl Hagelin, right-wings Craig Smith and Connor Brown, and defenseman Matt Irwin can all become unrestricted free agents on July 1.
Instead of replacing them with veterans via free agency or trade, Washington could replace them in-house and attempt at giving players such as centers Connor McMichael and/or Hendrix Lapierre, defenseman Alexander Alexeyev, and left-wing Beck Malenstyn shots at become full-time NHL players for 2023-24.
With some (or most) of the players under contract for next season, Washington could make deals to bring in more youth. Though, such deals would likely be made involving players who can make an immediate impact (like they did with Sandin).
While Washington’s prospect pipeline has improved over the past couple of years, it is likely no gold mine of possible game changers so help outside of the organization will be necessary.
Option 4: Make significant change(s) to core
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxoTnJLv3_w
Washington entered this season on the heels of four consecutive first-round exits, suggesting that they were bound for a further drop at some point.
It could very well be time for a key piece, not Ovechkin or Backstrom, to be traded. Kuznetsov reportedly had a request to be dealt on the table for two years, though he shot it down recently. Carlson could be another option.
The challenge for Washington and a team making such a deal with them would be a way to make the money work as Kuznetsov counts a hefty $7.8 million against the NHL salary cap for two more seasons while Carlson is signed up for $8 million for three more.
Washington would likely have to find a trade partner in a similar situation: needing a spark that could happen from a major move. Examples of possible types of shake-ups could include Kuznetsov in a package for a center such as William Karlsson of the Vegas Golden Knights, J.T. Miller of the Vancouver Canucks, Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues, or center Nick Schmaltz of the Arizona Coyotes; and Carlson in a deal for defensemen Jared Spurgeon of the Minnesota Wild-type acquisition.
The Nashville Predators took such an approach in 2016 when they traded captain Shea Weber to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman P.K. Subban, which benefitted them as they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history the next season and won the President’s Trophy the following campaign. 2017 was the first time in franchise history they broke past the second round of the postseason.
While Washington is in a much different position now than Nashville was then, a major shake-up could be a possibility.
Option 5: Blow it up
Washington has made it past the second-round one time with Ovechkin and Backstrom and is 7-16 (.304 winning percentage) in the postseason since winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. It was no secret before this season that the team’s contending window is nearing its end.
So, they could opt for somewhat of a fresh start. Under this approach, the six players mentioned previously in addition to anyone who just signed a contract extension would stay in Washington but looking past them, all other balls are in the air.
Some replacements would be promoted from within the organization while others could be acquired via free agency or trade. This would give the team more of somewhat a fresh start while keeping the parts that they value.
This offseason will be the most important Washington has seen in a very long time as the Capitals hope to make the most of Ovechkin’s final years while doing what is best for the post-Ovechkin team. We listed a lot of ways Washington could approach this season and there are many more possibilities as well. Ultimately, the team will have around two months to figure out what their plan is leading up to the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday, June 28. Whatever it is, expect a very different-looking team when Washington opens training camp in September.
By Harrison Brown