Capitals Mailbag: What’s Going Wrong, Trade Deadline Plan, Ovechkin, Carbery, Who Stays & Who Goes, What's Next

The latest edition of Capitals Mailbag discusses Ovechkin, Kuznetsov if it's time to blow it up and more.

This recent stretch hasn't been kind to the Washington Capitals. On a road trip that has the potential to decide the season, the Capitals have nothing to show for it. In turn, we felt it was time to re-open the Capitals mailbag.

You guys asked your burning questions, and I answered. That said, let's open things up, and let's chat.

The Capitals' current four-game road swing is one that has season-deciding potential, and three games in, there's nothing to show for it. Washington has dropped three straight games in regulation for the first time this season and was outscored 14-5 in those outings.

Offense is the biggest issue at both 5-on-5 and on the power play. Alex Ovechkin is struggling, Evgeny Kuznetsov can't find consistency and the team is lacking a true, top playmaking center.

Not only that, but the power play is out of sync and gave up two shorthanded goals and the defensive coverage in front of Darcy Kuemper and Charlie Lindgren is leaving a lot to be desired. Alex

The team can't maintain consistency through 60 minutes, adding to the issues.

When it comes to a solution, it's cliché, but the answer is to simplify. Stop forcing plays that aren't there, make good decisions with the puck, stick to the game plan and get pucks to the net and traffic in front. Classic hockey is what will get them out of this, as is a positive example set by the leadership group.

Right now, there's no clear direction as to which this team will head in. Washington is five points out of a playoff spot right now, but there's still plenty of hockey to be played and one bad stretch on this road trip isn't one that'll force the team's hand at this moment.

Granted, if this is the spot they're in on March 8, I think they lean toward selling. It's still very much up in the air, but it's still too early to tell since one hot streak is all it can take to push the Capitals back into the picture. Things are incredibly tight, and the players still have faith in where they stand now.

Unless things take an absolute spiral downhill, this team isn't headed toward a major rebuild at the moment, not with Alex Ovechkin still on the roster and chasing down Wayne Gretzky's record.

There's still a drive to win in the room. Veterans like Ovechkin, Oshie, Carlson and Kuemper all want to win, and Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael and more rising stars also want to make the playoffs.

I think until Ovechkin hangs up the skates, this team won't be trending toward a major rebuild. There needs to be patience, too, as it's still just the beginning of head coach Spencer Carbery's tenure. There are concerns and areas to address for sure, but a full-blown rebuild and immediately hitting the panic button isn't the way to go.

If Washington elects to sell, I think that several players are still on 

Taylor, you listed the following players and asked me to share the likeliness that they're moved: Carlson, Kuznetsov, Mantha, Kuemper and Jensen. I don't see John Carlson being traded at all, nor do I see them moving Kuemper.

A move for Kuznetsov will likely come in the offseason when there's more flexibility with the salary cap and when there's only one year left on his contract, but I could see the team moving him then if there's a move to be made. Given Anthony Mantha's success, if the team is selling, they could move him out as a rental, and with the influx of depth on the blue line, Nick Jensen could be a trade option as well.

Alex Ovechkin will finish his career with the Capitals. He's earned that, whether or not he breaks the record and whether or not Father Time is starting to take its toll. T.J. Oshie and John Carlson are also not going anywhere.

Those are the true "untouchables" at this point for me. There's also blueliners Rasmus Sandin, Martin Fehervary and Ethan Bear, who are trusted with establishing the future defensive core.

It continues to be a tough year for Ovechkin, who has eight goals — two of them empty-netters — through 43 games. His shooting percentage has also plummeted to a career-low 5.4 percent.

Watching Ovechkin, there's something going on, as he's just not able to get his game to the level it was at just a year ago. It wouldn't surprise me if he's dealing with an injury, though there's been no discussion about his health besides the recent lingering lower-body ailment that held him out for three games. The answer could also be as simple as age finally taking a toll.

But right now, the pucks just aren't going in for him. On the other side of the coin, he's still finding ways to contribute and ranks second on the team in points with 29. His 21 assists lead all forwards on the team to boot.

Ovechkin is a big fan of hockey sticks. To my understanding, he is not under contract with a specific sponsor anymore, giving him the freedom to change his stick.

That said, things aren't working on the scoring front, and so this has been the time that he has changed things up with his own custom sticks, his original Ribcor Trigger ASY, the Bauer Vapor Hyperlite, the Bauer Nexus Geo and even a Warrior stick.

As a gear geek myself (who owns 15 sticks and swaps through them at the speed of light), it's all about feel, comfort and preference. And sometimes, it really is difficult to make up your mind, especially when one may work one game and then not help you out the next.

Head coach Spencer Cabrery is doing whatever he can right now to try and spark something. This goes back to the areas that need fixing: the offense at 5-on-5 isn't producing much of anything, Ovechkin isn't in top form, Kuznetsov is inconsistent and there hasn't been a surefire top-6 combination that's worked besides Pacioretty-Strome-Oshie.

On defense, the team is navigating eight healthy defensemen, and the pairings continue to be changed up as Carbery and Mitch Love look for the right partners that can shut things down.

The changes have been more constant on this road trip, with the team struggling across the board and needing to bust out, one way or another.

Patience has always been the name of the game for me, personally, so I would wait and see where things stand before making the decision to buy or sell at the deadline. Overall, though, I'd be exploring ways to bring in a top playmaking center or a top-6 scorer to fix the offensive woes, and I'd also be looking at my options with regard to Kuznetsov.

I'm not trading Oshie. He's the glue and, like Ovechkin, has earned the opportunity to finish his career here.

Again: no.

T.J. Oshie loves Washington, and Washington loves Oshie. He has earned the right to retire a Capital, and that is the apparent plan. Beyond his on-ice play, which has picked up since his return from Minnesota, he is the glue and voice that keeps the team together.

He's not going anywhere, and there's no push from the Capitals to get rid of him. As for if he wants to leave, Oshie has made it clear that he wants to be a career-long member of this organization, so I doubt he'll want to leave simply for a chance to win as a rental on another team.

Mantha has completely turned things around this season and silenced critics; though there was a recent stretch without production, the 29-year-old has 14 goals and has scored the game-opening tally for Washington a team-leading 10 times.

If he's not dealt by the deadline, I could see the Capitals potentially checking in to see if he'd be interested in an extension, especially with scoring being a major issue for the group.

McMichael's also well-liked and has done a lot for the organization with his playmaking and ability to take on top minutes while driving a productive line.

When it comes to the other free agents for D.C. to pursue, Beck Malenstyn has earned a place on that list. The pending RFA is a top penalty killer and utility forward who has taken on an NHL role seamlessly, and the team loves his defensive play and how well he's fit on that identity fourth line.

On the topic of pending UFAs, it'll be tough to bring back Max Pacioretty, given his production and rise since returning from a re-torn Achilles that will likely earn him a major raise come July. Plus, with several young players waiting in Hershey, it'll be tough to hold onto him, Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Joel Edmundson.

As for Backstrom, no decisions have been made on his future yet. I don't think he'll factor heavily into extensions, either.

I don't see Leon Draisaitl leaving Edmonton behind. I think that the Oilers do have to accomplish what they've been the favorites to do for years, and only if things continue to go south do they have to worry about their stars. That said, they're on a heater right now and turned things around, and I think Draisaitl's more than happy being there with McDavid.

If, in some world, he was available and up for grabs, I think it'd be worth it for the Capitals to consider it since they currently lack an elite playmaking center. But again, don't think it happens, and D.C. doesn't have the cap space, either.

No. Scott Murray is well-liked by the organization, and both Kuemper and Lindgren, as well as up-and-comers like Hunter Shepard, Clay Stevenson and Mitchell Gibson, are big fans of him.

Goaltending is far from the issue for the Capitals. Lindgren has been having an impressive season, and despite the statistics, Kuemper's stolen a couple of games but, for the most part, is playing within expectations and making the saves he should make.

So no, the goaltending — or the coach — isn't a problem.

I've spoken on this before, and I think it's because of the spotlight on him. Kuemper signed a five-year deal to be the starter and your stats aren't great on paper; you're going to be on the radar. It's also easy for fanbases to point to the goaltender.

While Kuemper's play has not been great, the excessive blame isn't justified. Looking at his goals saved above expected, it's -1.1. He's not giving up drastically more than he should be, and for the most part, he's making the saves he should make. Washington not scoring magnifies things more.

As Charlie Lindgren pointed out to me, though, stats don't tell the whole story, nor does the scoreboard. Kuemper's stolen a handful of games for the Capitals this season, and he's not among the worst performers in the league. Not by a long shot.

That said, is there room for improvement? Yes. Is he thrilled with his stat line? Probably not. But by no means is he deserving of all blame, especially given the play in front of him.

I don't think it's a bad thing. Some tough opponents come out of the Metro Division, and those games weigh even heavier on the standings since those points go right to the opponents you're fighting with for a point.

Granted, this current stretch features the toughest stretch of opponents, and maybe not having as much control over your destiny by playing in-division opponents can be a bit anxiety-inducing. But no, it's not a bad thing.

It's tough to say because so much of it depends on the direction after Ovechkin finishes up in the next two and a half years. Washington is a group that wants to win and has voices in the room that want this team to be a contender, but given the inconsistencies and current position of the roster, it's not realistic to contend every year.

I think this team is in a direction of retooling at the moment, and that includes a decision on what to do with Kuznetsov while looking for more top-6 scoring and potentially a top playmaking center. I think a full-blown rebuild is off the table until the Ovechkin era officially comes to an end.

Still, even if the team is not turning into a contender overnight, there's a lot in the pipeline to be excited about with Ryan Leonard, Andrew Cristall, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Ryan Chelsey, Clay Stevenson and more young talent on the rise.

I think a lot is on the table for the Capitals, but general manager Brian MacLellan has made it clear he is looking for top-6 talent between 25-30 that can put up numbers, and I think that includes a playmaking center.

Washington hasn't had a true No. 1 playmaking center since Nicklas Backstrom and Stanley Cup-era Kuznetsov. One name I wonder about is talented Anaheim Ducks star Trevor Zegras, who isn't actively being shopped but has seen his name pop up in chatter.

I don't see the Capitals going after Lindholm, who is turning 30 next year. He'll be too expensive, and I see him going to a contender as a rental, and right now, D.C. is not in that position.

A first-year NHL head coach — the youngest in the league — who's well-liked by his players and is still just implementing his systems, adapting on the fly and working with a team that wasn't expected to make the playoffs or contend this year?

I think it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: his job is safe.

Carbery's a passionate coach. I'm sure it's not great when the team loses, and I'm sure he has areas of concern that he points out and goes over in a short spell. I don't think it's anything out of control, but I don't think it's calm or pats on the back, either.

The freshman bench boss is a hockey mind and has a love for the game and a drive to make his players better, and I'm sure that passion comes out after losses.

I don't think the systems are faulty, per se, but I do think that they're new and taking a lot of time to get used to.

Things just haven't clicked, and the veterans and young, rising stars are still working to find consistency within Carbery's systems. I think it's all growing pains and a learning experience, but it's way too early to put a label of faulty on them, no matter the recent stretch of hockey. 

I haven't heard a specific reason as to why Wilson earned the nomination over Strome or others, but he has the name, marketability and hometown ties to Toronto. Per Tarik El-Bashir, Alex Ovechkin informed the team he didn't want to take part in the festivities this year to rest, and he was the team's leading point scorer at the time of Wilson's selection.

Still, Strome deserves recognition; he leads the team with 18 goals and 30 points right now. As for Mantha, he's turned things around, but at the time of the nomination, he wasn't right up there with Strome in numbers.

As for Lindgren's glove, it's my understanding that Joe Beninati named the glove "Josie" to go with Lindgren's "Outlaw" moniker. Lindgren has caught on and taken to it.