Washington Capitals Returning From Injury Could Be Best Deadline Additions

Oct 28, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik (44) checks Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) while battling for the puck in the third period at Verizon Center. The Penguins won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

The Washington Capitals have been attached to trade rumors for several players leading up to the 2016 trade deadline. Here’s why several players returning from injury could be all the team needs down the stretch.

It is not often that a team possesses a 15-point division lead with two games in hand at the beginning of February. The Washington Capitals are in that territory, and they have had to battle injuries to key players for over a month now. All the while, they have continued to stretch their lead out as we inch closer to the 2016 NHL trade deadline.

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The division lead is so impressive, in fact, that oddsmakers have ceased taking bets for the winner of the Metropolitan Division this season. It really makes you wonder how much help the Capitals really need. At the same time, anyone could certainly nitpick and say that there is a hole here or there somewhere on the roster, and they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. With some of the names supposedly on the trade market this season, you have to at least be intrigued by the possibility of improving even more.

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The big hindrance for a team like the Capitals, obviously, is the salary cap. The team doesn’t have excellent depth by accident, it is because they have spent just about every penny of what they are allowed to turn this team into a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Now, the Washington Capitals do have about $5 million in cap space currently, but that is because defenseman Brooks Orpik is still on the shelf with a lower body injury. Given the prorated value of contracts by this point in the season, a player such as Dustin Byfuglien (that the Capitals have been rumored to be interested in) and his similar cap hit to Orpik ($5.2 million) could, theoretically, fit under the cap if Orpik remains out.

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However, it does appear that Orpik is getting close to a return. When he does come off of the injured list, the Washington Capitals will need to make a roster move to fit his $5.5 million cap hit. This will likely just be sending a player, likely Ryan Stanton, down to the Hershey Bears. That won’t be a problem, and Orpik’s reinsertion into the lineup will provide a boost to the Caps’ blue line.

That is not to say, though, that the Washington Capitals defensive corps couldn’t improve. If the Capitals wanted to add a player like Byfuglien, it would likely require Dmitry Orlov or Nate Schmidt to either sit in the press box or be going the other way (with other valuable assets) in said hypothetical deal. With a very real chance that Byfuglien would test free agency on July 1st, would it be worth it? Likewise, would it then be worth losing a more than serviceable under-25 defenseman?

I’m not sure it would, but imagining a Dustin Byfuglien – John Carlson pairing down the stretch and into the future is enticing. In any scenario such as this, the trade partner would likely have to take on Brooks Laich’s $4.5 million contract through 2017 as well. It remains to be seen if the Washington Capitals would want to part with their longest tenured player, regardless of his contract. If they’re truly serious about adding a big piece, it would be a necessity.

On the other hand, the Capitals currently are missing several important players. Marcus Johansson is out through at least this weekend, Jay Beagle has only recently started skating with his teammates, and the same can be said about Brooks Orpik. The emergence of Evgeny Kuznetsov this season, and more recently Andre Burakovsky, likely means that Johansson and Beagle will battle it out for the third line center role. Assuming Beagle ends up on the fourth line, the Washington Capitals will be able to roll four lines with confidence whenever they so please.

Beagle had been heating up before suffering an upper body injury that required surgery in late December, scoring five points in eight games. Johansson has been one of the Capitals’ best player since mid-December, which is just before he took over as third line center. In his 15 games played since December 18th, he has 15 points. Either way, when these two return from injury they will provide immediate boosts to Washington’s forward group.

One of the biggest concerns with making any further moves is the potential to upset the evident chemistry on this team. Not that adding a good player would detract from the skill level, but learning a new system with new teammates could be disruptive for both sides. Besides, if something isn’t broken, why fix it?

That is the argument you have to make if you are in favor of standing pat heading into the deadline. And given the caliber of players that are close to returning to the lineup, it would be a very convincing argument to make.

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Are the injured Washington Capitals that are set to return the best additions that the team could make to close out the season? Or, should they look to maneuver the salary cap and add a big name? Let’s hear what you think!

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