We answer all your burning Capitals questions in our latest mailbag.
We answer all your burning Capitals questions in our latest mailbag.
With the Washington Capitals just a handful of points out of Wild Card territory and the halfway mark of the season coming on Saturday, it's time to re-open the mailbag.
There were plenty of questions this week, from the trade deadline approach to what's next for Alex Alexeyev. We answer that, and more, right here.
Who could the Capitals end up trading at the deadline? - @Jimcc95, @mragan32
It all depends, honestly, on where the team stands. If Washington is further out of Wild Card territory and playoffs don't appear to be realistic, then it'd be time to sell. That's when I'd start looking at the veterans across the board.
If Anthony Mantha keeps up his impressive play and keeps finding the scoresheet, he could be in the conversation at the deadline, with him set to become a UFA in the summer. Joel Edmundson, another pending UFA, could also be an option to consider dealing.
As for Evgeny Kuznetsov, I don't see him getting moved until the offseason, and that's if he gets moved at all. After this season, he still has one year left on his deal at $7.8 million, and given his inconsistency and play so far this season, the value may not exactly be high right now. That said, I could see the summer providing more flexibility for a trade involving No. 92, but I can't imagine a team picking up a player that expensive as a mid-year rental.
Other names mentioned in this question included Nic Dowd, Sonny Milano and Nick Jensen. Bear's signing may indicate that a right-handed defenseman could be on the way out, but there's not a lot of RHD depth in the system, so I'm not 100 percent sure of that theory.
As for Dowd, who has one year left on his deal at $1.3 million after this season ends, Daily Faceoff reported on Friday that "they will have teams lined up for Dowd," so he could be a name to watch if the team chooses to sell.
Sonny Milano signed a three-year deal last year and there's a lot to like about his game as a young player with upside, so I don't see them using him as a chip in a sell-off.
What's the deal with Alex Alexeyev? @neemeyer_j, @cpsfn93
The last time Alex Alexeyev played was back on Nov. 24 when Washington was dealing with some more injury issues, but since Joel Edmundson's full-time return to the lineup and Ethan Bear's signing, the defense has pretty much been set, with Bear able to help fill the void and the regulars able to maintain their spot with Rasmus Sandin the latest to exit with injury.
That said, head coach Spencer Carbery did express that Alexeyev could get a game in sooner rather than later, but that's unfortunately just the role that he's fallen into, considering the excess amount of cooks in the kitchen. It's nothing against his development or skill set, but he has yet to blossom into a full-time NHL defenseman, and when there are a number of regulars in front on the depth chart, it's hard to step up and win back a spot.
As for whether or not it'd be better to send him down to get some playing time, his AHL days appear to be behind him, and sending him down would involve waivers and possibly mean losing him altogether. At this point, it's not a great risk to take, especially with Sandin hurting and injuries bound to strike. Plus, the team is used to having eight defensemen, so it doesn't seem like there's any roster issue when it comes to keeping him on board.
Would the Capitals trade Darcy Kuemper, and could the team take a flyer at Elvis Merzlikins? @RealLuxury4 and @GaryBDail
Personally, I don't see the Capitals trading Darcy Kuemper. Have the numbers been everything the team has hoped for this season? No, but he hasn't been awful, and goaltending is not this team's main area of concern at the moment. What's more pressing is the lack of offense.
As for whether this team will take a flyer on Elvis Merzlikins, who hasn't requested a trade but said that he is working with the team on a "new scenario," I don't think that would fly over well. Merzlikins has not been consistent and has struggled with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and given his interaction with Tom Wilson and the team earlier this season, I don't think it's a name the organization is pouncing on. A 1-on-1 trade for Kuemper wouldn't be equal in value, either.
Is Alex Ovechkin's Goal-Scoring Woes A Concern For Spencer Carbery? - @patr0ne
Alex Ovechkin is on pace for just 17 goals this season, which would mark the first time in his entire career that he finishes with under 20 goals in a campaign. However, he's still finding ways to get on the scoresheet and leads the team with 27 points in 39 games. He is still on pace for a 50-plus point campaign.
The lack of offense isn't just on him; the whole team is struggling to score, and D.C.'s 2.39 goals per game is the third-least in th league. For head coach Spencer Carbery, Ovechkin is at least keeping up with the playmaking, so I don't think he is as concerned about the goal-scoring. Players also go through these moments, and it's normal as a coach introduces new systems in his first year.
Overall, the 38-year-old breaking the record remains important, but Carbery still sees a confident Ovechkin who is putting up points. The belief is that goals will start to drop eventually, and of late, Ovechkin has started to look like he's turning a corner. So no, I don't think that this is a major concern. But offense across the board is.
Will Nicklas Backstrom Play Again? @rashelle_wilcox
I haven't heard anything new on the Nicklas Backstrom front. The 35-year-old is unlikely to play again this season after announcing he was indefinitely stepping away due to his hip not responding to the hip resurfacing surgery he underwent in July 2022.
However, no decisions have been made regarding his retirement or how it will end for him. Backstrom is a proud player and person but is also someone who puts his team first. He's been around the facility and has even skated in a tracksuit, but a return this year doesn’t appear imminent.
My gut, though — and this is my gut — tells me he hasn't played his last game.
Should the Capitals tank? @lynchbj4888
No. No team should ever tank. It's not all doom and gloom for Washington either; three points out of Wild Card territory is hardly "game over" with half the season still left to be played.