Capitals Mailbag: Coaching Search, Kuznetsov & Backstrom Future, Free Agency & Prospects

The Washington Capitals offseason has officially started, and there are quite a few outstanding items to address on the to-do list.

First off, Washington needs to find a new head coach, with Peter Laviolette and the team agreeing to part ways while also finding assistants to replace Kevin McCarthy and Blaine Forsythe.

Then, there's the task of evaluating the roster. There's likely to be quite a bit of change over the summer as the Capitals face the fallout of missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years. Whether that be through trades, new deals or other moves, general manager Brian MacLellan is likely to be busy.

On the bright side, though, there's a lot of potential in the pipeline, and some standout prospects could make things a lot easier for Washington when it comes to what the roster looks like next year.

Taking all of that into account, I opened The Hockey News' first Washington Capitals offseason mailbag, and now, it's time to answer your burning questions on what's next in D.C.

Note: Questions have been edited for clarity and convenience.

MacLellan made it clear that the Capitals will take their time and that a new coach doesn't necessarily need years of experience. He mentioned the prospect of interviewing assistant coaches around the league, and two names stand out big time: Spencer Carbery and Jeff Halpern.

Carbery, who was the Hershey Bears' head coach for a couple of years, left in 2021 to become an assistant for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has been there for the last two seasons and has made quite an impact while showing he has a future as a head coach. He has history with the organization and could be an interesting name to bring on board.

Then, there's Halpern. A Potomac, Maryland native who also laced 'em up with Washington and shared the locker room with the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and more, Halpern would be a strong candidate for the job. He has history with the team, roots in the area, and his resume as the assistant with the Tampa Bay Lightning (back-to-back Cups and three Stanley Cup Finals) isn't too shabby, either.

Reminder that assistants cannot be interviewed until their respective seasons are over: Halpern and Carbery are both in season, with their teams facing each other in the first round of the playoffs.

Ultimately, I see the Capitals going for an assistant, but that's just my gut. GMBM didn't seem overly committed to making sure that the next bench boss has a lengthy NHL resume already, but of course, the team will be thorough and a new head coach won't come on board overnight.

Reminder that assistants cannot be interviewed until their respective seasons are over: Halpern and Carbery are both in season, with their teams facing each other in the first round of the play

This is a loaded question but a great one to ask. It's no secret that the roster next year's going to look different, as changes have to be made in response to what transpired this year.

Most of those changes will likely be to the forward lines, as MacLellan got a lot of his work done on the blue line during the sell-off and leading up to the end of the year. GMBM pointed out that he will look to revamp the top-6, and he also wants the team to get younger while remaining competitive.

That being said, it's a big question as to whether or not a lot of those "top-6" names will be back.

Nicklas Backstrom is optimistic that having a full summer will work wonders as he continues to get back in the rhythm after hip resurfacing surgery. However, MacLellan isn't so sure, saying that he isn't sure how much better it gets from here and adding that No. 19 will have to make a decision about his career going forward.

Right now, it seems Backstrom is fully committed to getting to work and embracing a full summer to continue getting strength back in his left leg. He is pain-free, and I see him being at training camp come September. Backstrom is also one of the team's most important presences and leaders, so having him around is key.

Same for T.J. Oshie. He had a double ablation on his back, a five-minute procedure that he said has already made him feel "light-years" better. Injuries have plagued him over the last couple of years, but he did say that he is ready to start training whenever and, for the first time in a long time, can get to work earlier in the offseason. Oshie expects to be healthy for training camp, and No. 77 has also continued to show he can contribute with 19 goals this past season.

When it comes to Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha, their futures are very much in flux right now. MacLellan openly expressed that he was disappointed with both of their seasons, as neither could find consistency in their game or play to their highest potential.

Before the end of the season, Kuznetsov wouldn't dive too deep into rumors of a trade request, though he did say that he didn't know where those rumors came from and added that he sees himself having a future in D.C. In his exit interview, he wouldn't say much, either, though, and when MacLellan was told that Kuznetsov punted a question on his future, GMBM joked, "That's where we're at."

Right now, with the team needing to revamp things on the top-6, I think MacLellan will look to see his options and if the price is right, ship out Kuznetsov after he underperformed in two of the last three seasons.

As for Mantha, there's a bit more to wonder about. He hasn't thrived under Laviolette (Mantha said there wasn't anything between them but pointed out that Laviolette perhaps had a different perspective on areas of his game) and experienced quite a few healthy scratches, but has also admitted that he needs to work on his effort and finishing his scoring opportunities. He is now working with a mental coach and still wants to prove that he belongs with the Capitals and that the team acquired him for a reason.

Right now, the confidence -- and arguably the trade value -- for Mantha is not very high. I think MacLellan will explore what's out there, but when it comes to a move, I don't think he'll pull the trigger unless it's a decent return, especially with Mantha potentially able to benefit from a coaching change.

The main names to watch right now are on the Hershey Bears roster, as the top-ranked team is looking to pack a punch as they kick off their 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs run.

Connor McMichael has thrived since joining the Bears, as he's gotten more responsibility and ice time in various situations, including time on the power play and penalty kill. The 22-year-old is also playing a top center role and has shown that he still has a lot of upside and can log heavy minutes.

Hendrix Lapierre experienced some frustration this season, but overall, he had a strong rookie campaign and started to find his game again in the end. Seeing him continue to grow and flourish like McMichael is also promising, especially as he's been able to play at center.

Then, of course, there's Joe Snively, who looked good at both levels and is likely to make a run for a roster spot next season. Also, look out for Ethen Frank, who signed a one-year deal to join Washington next season after an All-Star campaign this year.

On the blue line, watch for Vincent Iorio and Bobby Nardella. The two are a strong pairing down in the AHL, and Iorio looked solid in his small NHL stint this season. Meanwhile, Nardella's deal turns into a one-way next year, and he has shown that he can be a standout player.

Besides that: Aliaksei Protas, Beck Malenstyn and Hunter Shepard are other players in the system to also keep an eye on. Alexander Suzdalev and Dru Krebs are up as black aces, though it's unclear if they'll play. Still, fun to see them getting a taste of life in the pros.

When it comes to next season, questions as to which players will make the jump will depend a lot on the acquisitions that GMBM makes this offseason and, of course, what they show at camp. I see McMichael potentially making the jump to full-time, and Iorio and Lapierre are close as well. I do see Frank and Snively getting longer looks next year as well, and Protas has also shown he can be a full-time NHLer.

There's a lot of prospect when it comes to who could be the team's assistant coaches, and to be quite honest, I'm not too sure. 

Honestly, one name I'd love to see join the ranks as an assistant: Brooks Orpik, but that's just me thinking out loud and seeing how much he means to the organization. He currently works in player development.

Emily Engel-Natzke is an excellent video coordinator and is returning next season along with Brett Leonhardt, Scott Allen and Scott Murray. Anyone could be interviewed for an assistant coaching position, so I don't see why she couldn't get an interview. It'd be great to see.

After returning to D.C. to take in a Washington Nationals game with Alex Ovechkin, some have wondered whether or not a reunion for Vrana and D.C. would be in the works, especially after a coaching change and Vrana thriving in WSt. Louis and getting back to form after time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.

Given his early success with the Blues, who like the player they've acquired, it would take a lot to get Vrana back in the District, and I'm not sure that a straight-up Evgeny Kuznetsov for Jakub Vrana trade would work here, especially with Kuznetsov's value somewhat being low and his cap hit very high up. Vrana's cap hit is also only $2.65 million, as salary was retained in the deal with the Detroit Red Wings.

As for Hathaway, MacLellan said back in March that it became clear during negotiations that he wanted to test the open market. The same was the case with Dmitry Orlov, leading to the trade to the Boston Bruins.

Considering that, and the team needing to make multiple changes, I don't see a Hathaway reunion in the cards, though I've been wrong before.

Rasmus Sandin proved to be a strong pickup for Washington at the deadline, as the up-and-coming blueliner is a strong puck-mover who can log time on the power play and log top-4 minutes.

Of course, while his scoring numbers were impressive, there were defensive struggles, though that improvement will come with time.

Still, GMBM is excited to see what Sandin can do, and the 23-year-old said that he hopes to remain in D.C. for a long time. I see them agreeing to an extension somewhere down the road, but I don't think it's high on the list of priorities, with Sandin having another year on his contract.