Washington Capitals Rumors: Kyle Okposo A Perfect Fit
Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Capitals have not made it a secret that they are looking to add a top six forward (preferably a right wing). Since free agency is mostly devoid of top six forwards, the Washington Capitals will most likely try to acquire one via a trade. There are several interesting trade targets out there, but perhaps the most interesting and intriguing one is a division rival: Kyle Okposo.
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The Washington Capitals are very familiar with Okposo, as he has been an Islander since he was a 19 year old rookie back in 2007-2008. Up until two years ago, Okposo was a player who hadn’t figured everything out. He had all the talent in the world, but just couldn’t put it all together. However, something has certainly clicked for him as he has been great the past two seasons.
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In 2013-2014, Okposo set a career high with 69 points in 71 games. He also scored a career high 27 goals and had a career high 42 assists. In 2014-2015, Okposo had another impressive season despite missing significant time due to an eye injury. In 60 games in 2014-2015, Okposo had 51 points, including 18 goals.
The Islanders could be interested in moving Okposo, and I’m sure the Washington Capitals are interested.
The Caps don’t have a second-round pick this weekend, but with Mike Green set to test free agency on July 1, there will be cash freed up. However, there is no way that Washington could obtain Okposo for the long term. Is the Islander the type of player to accept a short-term deal to play on a team that has a great chance of winning the Stanley Cup soon? Some people will argue that the Islanders fit that cup-winning description. I’m not one of them. – The Hockey Writers
Why The Washington Capitals Should Trade For Okposo
I think Okposo would be a great fit for the Washington Capitals. He’d be an excellent addition to either the first forward line playing alongside Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom or on the second line playing alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov and Marcus Johansson.
Perhaps the biggest reason why the Washington Capitals should pursue Okposo is his cap hit. His 2015-2016 cap hit is a measly $2,800,000 (though he is due $4,500,000 officially). Considering that the Capitals will likely not have much cap space after they re-sign restricted free agents Braden Holtby, Marcus Johansson and Evgeny Kuznetsov, Okposo’s low cap hit could be just what the Washington Capitals need.
Okposo is an extremely talented wing who is a force to be reckoned with in the offensive zone. While he not might be as good as, say, Radim Vrbata, Okposo is still pretty darn good at not just shooting the puck, but consistently generating shot attempts.
Okposo could be the finisher that the second line desperately needs. Kuznetsov and Johansson are great at controlling the puck into the offensive zone and at making plays for other players. However, neither of the two are that efficient at finishing, or scoring goals. Neither of them have shown the consistent ability to generate shots for an extended period of time either. Okposo has. Here’s how he stacks up against other NHL forwards who had at least 750 minutes of playing time at even strength last season. For the record, Okposo had 891:50 of playing time. All stats courtesy of Hockey Analysis.
[table id=95 /]
The Downside
First of all, there’s the issue of Okposo’s eye. It is certainly a risk to trade for a guy who is coming off a pretty serious eye injury. He seemed fine, but eye injuries are funny. They can seem to go away and then come back when you least expect it. The other primary issue with Okposo? He’s basically a one year rental. He’ll most likely get at least $5,000,000 a year when he becomes an unrestricted free agent after next season. The Caps definitely can’t afford that.
Another concern is Okposo’s price. The Islanders won’t let him go without getting a nice return for him. I can’t speak for the Islanders, but if I were trading away a guy like Okposo, I would do pretty much whatever it took to trade him outside of the conference, or at worst, outside of the division. My guess is that it would take a first round pick and a B-level prospect in order to get Okposo. Of course, if more teams get involved, that will likely drive the price up.
Personally, I think the Washington Capitals should explore trading for Okposo. Certainly couldn’t hurt to kick the tires on him and see what the cost is for him.