With the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline approaching in five and a half weeks, the Washington Capitals appear to be sellers for the second straight season after going 5-9-2 (.375 points percentage, 28th in the league) between the holiday break and bye week. NoVa Caps does their annual trade tiers for Washington leading up to March 8’s 3 PM ET deadline.
** NOTE: Any player who has played an NHL game this season is included
Untouchable
- LW Alex Ovechkin, 38 (three years remaining on contract, $9.5 million cap hit) — While he has not been his usual self this season, Ovechkin is the heart and soul of this franchise and it would be wrong to see him pursue the NHL goal-scoring record in another jersey. His 31 points in 44 games this year still lead the team while his 22 assists rank second.
- RW Tom Wilson, 29 (one, $5,166,667 cap hit; seven-year contract extension, $6.5 million cap hit set to begin next season) — Expected to be Washington’s next captain, Wilson has tallied 12 goals and 21 points in 46 games. He has hit a bit of a dry spell offensively lately but brings much more to the table than production with his physicality, leadership, and compete level.
- C Dylan Strome, 26 (five, $5 million cap hit) — Strome has been one of the team’s best players all season as he leads them with 19 goals and co-leads the group with 31 points in 47 points. For a team that needs to integrate youth into its lineup, Strome is a critical piece.
Almost Certainly Staying
- RW T.J. Oshie, 36 (two, $5.75 million cap hit) — Oshie got off to a rough start but has been one of the team’s top contributors offensively for the last month with seven goals and 10 points over his last 12 outings. He is one of the leaders of this team and brings energy. While his injuries and age are reasons to be concerned, the Capitals need his presence in the locker room.
- D Rasmus Sandin, 23 (one, $1.4 million cap hit; pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights) — While averaging 22:00 per game (second among Washington blueliners), including 1:17 on the power play (second), Sandin has not lived up to his expectations offensively going into this season with just a goal and 12 points in 39 games. Defensively, he has tallied a 46.32% Corsi-for percentage, 45.69% expected goals-for percentage, and 46.35% scoring chances-for percentage. The team just paid up big to acquire him 11 months ago and need to pull off similar trades where they bring in young players to help them compete with Ovechkin on the roster before the deadline.
- C Connor McMichael, 23 (one, $863,333 cap hit; pending restricted free agent without arbitration rights) — McMichael got off to a productive start to the season but has come back down to earth as he has seven goals and 15 points in 45 games. The 25th overall pick in 2019 will likely see his role expand next season.
- C Aliaksei Protas, 23 (one, $789,167 cap hit; five-year contract extension, $3.375 million cap hit set to begin next season) — Protas has stepped up this season with three goals and 18 points in 46 games and the trust of the coaching staff for the better part of two seasons. Washington showed how much they value him by giving him a long-term contract extension earlier this month.
- LW Ivan Miroschnichenko, 19 (three, $950,000 cap hit) — The 20th overall pick from 2022 has posted eight goals and 21 points in 37 AHL outings and appeared in four NHL contests last month.
- D Ethan Bear, 26 (two, $2.0625 million cap hit) — While Bear has not performed up to expectations with a goal, three points, -5 rating, 42.18% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 33.81% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 35.54% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage in 12 games, he is just coming off of shoulder surgery that kept him out of about the first three months of the seasons and the team just signed him over a month ago. The Capitals will likely give Bear, who has averaged 16:30 per game (sixth among Washington defensemen), including 44 seconds on the man advantage (third), some leash.
Would Take a Great Offer
- LW Beck Malenstyn, 25 (one, $762,500 cap hit; pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights) — Malenstyn has blossomed into an NHL regular this season, posting four goals, 11 points, and a 37.21% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage in 46 contests while becoming a fixture on Washington’s fourth-line.
- D Martin Fehervary, 24 (three, $2.675 million cap hit) — While averaging 18:56 per game (fourth), including 1:54 with a man short (third), Fehervary has earned two goals, 10 points, a -3 rating, 46.79% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 47.82% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 49.48% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage in 41 games. The team has always thought highly of Fehervary, one of the youngest players on the roster and someone they need with the Capitals’ desire to integrate youth.
- C Hendrix Lapierre, 21 (two, $863,333 cap hit) — Lapierre has played well with more NHL opportunity this season with two goals and seven points in 25 games. The 22nd overall pick in 2020 has also posted two goals and nine points in 13 AHL games.
- G Charlie Lindgren, 30 (two, $1.1 million cap hit) — “The Outlaw” has been one of the league’s top netminders this season with a 9-6-4 record, .916 save percentage (ninth in NHL), 2.59 goals-against average (12th), and two shutouts (tied for seventh) in 21 games. However, he can become an unrestricted free agent after next season and with the team nearing a rebuild, could they pull the trigger if they get an offer they like? With Lindgren’s trade value at an all-time high, it’s possible.
- G Hunter Shepard, 28 (two, $775,000 cap hit) — After leading the Hershey Bears to a Calder Cup Championship last Spring, Shepard has gone 2-1-1 with an .894 save percentage and 3.19 goals-against average in four NHL games and 17-2-1 with a .911 save percentage, 2.26 goals-against average, and a shutout in 26 AHL outings.
- LW Sonny Milano, 27 (three, $1.9 million cap hit) — Milano has spent a lot of time this season injured and has not seen the same level of production he had a year ago when healthy, earning just four goals and eight points in 23 games. He has not played since December 10 due to an upper-body injury and likely does not have a lot of trade value at the moment, so Washington would be better off holding onto him for now.
- One of Ds Nick Jensen, 33 (three, $4.05 million cap hit), and Trevor Van Riemsdyk, 32 (three, $3 million cap hit) — After signing Bear, Washington has four right-handed defensemen on the NHL roster. Both Jensen (seven assists, -6 rating, 45.69% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 43.56% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, 45.6% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage while averaging 19:03 per game – third among Capitals’ blueliners, including 2:46 on the penalty kill – second, in 47 contests) and Van Riemsdyk (eight assists, a -9 rating, 45.94% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 47.92% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 47.49% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage while averaging averaged 18:28 per game, including 1:43 on the penalty kill, in 39 games) signed contract extensions around 11 months ago. The Capitals have to pick between which one to keep and the other to cut bait on.
Would Listen To Offers
- D John Carlson, 34 (three, $8 million cap hit) — Washington’s No. 1 defenseman has had a bit of a down year by his standards with only three goals, 28 points, an even rating, a 46.82% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 47.97% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 49.75% five-on-five expected scoring chances-for percentage in 47 games. Carlson has averaged a team-leading 25:41 per game, including 3:32 on the power play (second) and 2:47 on the penalty kill (first). It may be getting to the point where that cap hit is getting a bit pricey for the Capitals.
- G Darcy Kuemper, 33 (four, $5.25 million cap hit) — Kuemper has not gotten a lot of run support but has disappointed, going 11-11-2 with an .892 save percentage, a 3.21 goals-against average, and a shutout this season. Washington paid him big money less than two years ago and is expected to be the guy, even if Lindgren has taken the reigns in net for right now. With the emergence of Lindgren and Shepard, it would make sense for the Capitals to listen to offers on Kuemper but doubtful anything happens for right now.
- C Nic Dowd, 33 (two, $1.3 million cap hit) — Dowd, who has collected seven goals, 13 points, a 49.9% faceoff-winning percentage, and 41.14% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage in 38 games, has reportedly garnered a lot of interest on the trade market. He comes with a very team-friendly cap hit and is likely someone Washington would prefer to keep but if someone throws a tempting offer their way, they may have no choice but to take it.
- D Alexander Alexeyev, 24 (two, $825,000 cap hit) — Alexeyev has earned a goal, -4 rating, 43.65% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 43.23% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 43.81% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage in 13 games. Washington has shown that they do not trust the 2018 31st overall pick very much as he has appeared in only 46 NHL games over three seasons.
On The Block
- D Lucas Johansen, 26 (one, $762,500 cap hit) — The pending restricted free agent has earned an assist, a +1 rating, 35.76% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 29.59% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 31.51% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage in six NHL games. Johansen, the 28th overall pick in 2016, has tallied two goals, six points, and a +8 rating in 13 AHL games but the clock has appeared to have struck midnight on him.
- LW Nicolas Aube-Kubel, 27 (one, $1.125 million cap hit) — The pending unrestricted free agent has posted five goals, 13 points, and a 39.57% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage in 35 games.
- LW Anthony Mantha, 29 (one, $5.7 million cap hit) — The pending unrestricted free agent is in the midst of a renaissance season with 15 goals (second on Washington) and 23 points (fourth) in 43 games.
- D Joel Edmundson, 30 (one, $1.75 million cap hit) — The pending unrestricted free agent has a goal, three points, -2 rating, 45.97% five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, 44.62% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and 46.5% five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage while averaging 16:08 per game (seventh among Capitals blueliners), including 1:17 shorthanded (fifth) in 31 games. The team recently sat Edmundson, who was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens for third- and seventh-round picks eight months ago, as a healthy scratch.
- LW Max Pacioretty, 35 (one, $2 million cap hit) — The pending unrestricted free agent has scored a goal and seven points in 12 games since returning from a torn Achilles.
- LW Joe Snively, 28 (one, $800,000 cap hit) — The pending unrestricted free agent has nine goals and 34 points in 40 AHL games this season. He has also appeared in three NHL contests.
- D Dylan McIlrath, 31 (two, $775,000 cap hit) — In 34 AHL games, the 31-year-old has notched three goals, eight points, and a +4 rating. McIlrath has appeared in one NHL game this season.
- D Hardy Haman Aktell, 25 (one, $870,000 cap hit) — Haman Aktell has recorded an assist, a -2 rating, and 52.71% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage in six NHL games on top of the one goal, seven points, and a +5 rating that he has collected in 28 AHL outings.
- The other of Jensen or Van Riemsdyk
Salary Cap Casualty
- C Evgeny Kuznetsov, 31 (two, $7.8 million cap hit) — Kuznetsov is in the midst of the worst season of his NHL career with only six goals and 17 points in 43 games and running out of opportunities. He requested a trade last season and has not come close to the way he played during the 2018 Stanley Cup run since, with an exception of an impressive 2021-22 campaign. Kuznetsov sat as a healthy scratch on December 4 against the Arizona Coyotes. Washington will likely have to pay up for a team to take his contract but it may be getting to the point where the extra cap space could be worth it.
Injured Reserve
- C Nicklas Backstrom, 36 (two, $9.2 million cap hit) — Although Backstrom travelled with the Capitals on their last road trip, he is unlikely to play again due to an ongoing hip injury. He underwent a left hip resurfacing procedure on June 1, 2022 and last played on October 29.
By Harrison Brown
