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Washington Capitals: Building a dynasty one player at a time

By Ron Juckett

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 07: T.J. Oshie #77 of the Washington Capitals skates with the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period of Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 4-3. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 07: T.J. Oshie #77 of the Washington Capitals skates with the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period of Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 4-3. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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By giving players a chance for a Stanley Cup, the Washington Capitals are assembling a dynasty. Loyalty goes a long way there.

If the rumors between Tom Wilson and the Washington Capitals are true, he will be the sixth player on the roster signed through the 2022-23 season.

Tuesday, Wilson’s agent Mark Guy told Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post that talks were focusing on an extension “something north of four years.” Caps General Manager Brian MacLellan is all ears. It is good to be the defending Stanley Cup Champions.

Although NHL free agency is not the free-wheeling exchange the NBA and Major League Baseball has, it is refreshing to see players want to stay when those precious rights are achieved. If Wilson makes a deal over four years, he will give Washington at least two seasons of his unrestricted free agency time.

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He would join fellow forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov, T.J. Oshie and Lars Eller in the five-year club along with defenders John Carlson and Dmitry Orlov. That is quite a core.

It also speaks volumes of where the Caps are as an organization. When players seek you out, recruiting other free agents is easy. Washington is not only poised to make another championship run this year, but the next three. If Nicklas Backstrom and Braden Holtby sign extensions before they hit unrestricted free agency after 2021, then the window stays wide open longer.

Nice problem to have.

With a solid core in place, this gives MacLellan time to restock their minor-league depth for the days when Ovechkin and others will leave or retire. The salary cap in the NHL and draft tilt against powerful teams. Top prospects in the draft, those who either can play now in the NHL or are close, are out of reach.

Instead, successful teams like the Caps must treat the draft like their baseball counterparts. As with the Washington Nationals, the key is finding players with good value who are ready within a couple years. Polish those diamonds in the rough and have them eager and able when the call to DC comes.

Madison Bowey is a great example. After a tremendous start in juniors, he adapted to the AHL and performed when given the chance with the big boys.

Next: Wilson worth more than stats

It will not last forever, but the Washington Capitals have discovered a formula to win, stay under the salary cap, keep players and restock their prospect depth. You, the happy fans, are the benefactors. Nice, eh?

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