Washington Capitals free agent target: Evgeni Dadonov
KHL forward Evgeni Dadonov is looking to re-join the NHL. Could the Washington Capitals be a fit for him?
The Washington Capitals are likely going to see some changes this offseason. Sometimes, change can be a good thing. While losing free agents like T.J. Oshie, Justin Williams, Daniel Winnik, Karl Alzner and Kevin Shattenkirk wouldn’t be ideal, the Caps will have some salary cap room to make some signings. One guy they could take a look at is free agent forward Evgeni Dadonov.
Drafted by the Florida Panthers in the third round of the 2007 NHL Draft, he only played 55 games for them, putting up 20 points. In 155 AHL games, Dadonov has 84 points. He went back to the KHL after the 2011-12 season. Since then, Dadonov has played in 311 games with 240 points (112 goals and 128 assists). Now he wants to re-join the NHL.
The Good
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Dadonov can play on either side of the ice, excelling as both a left and right wing. This kind of versatility would be very useful for the Capitals. While they haven’t had many injuries to their forwards over the past two seasons, Dadonov would provide some valuable depth on both sides of the ice.
He might be a good fit with fellow Russians Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin. Dadonov plays a very skilled game, which has developed a lot in the KHL over the past few seasons. The Caps could always use more scoring. Also, Dadonov could immediately replace Williams on the right side.
His advanced stats during his limited tenure with the Panthers suggest they were much better when he was on the ice. Keep in mind Dadonov was very young at the time.
The Bad
The Capitals are already at a disadvantage. Dadonov is friends with Vadim Shipachyov, who recently signed with the Vegas Golden Knights. He might be interested in playing for them and the Golden Knights have already expressed interest in him. Also, Dadonov is a bit of a question mark defensively. He’s very much an unknown quantity. A Stanley Cup contending team might not be interested in gambling on him if his price tag isn’t cheap.
The Verdict
Washington should definitely take a look at Dadonov. He will likely command about $2 million to $3 million in salary. For perspective, Shipachyov signed a two-year deal worth $4.5 million each season.