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Washington Capitals: Top 5 Offseason Predictions

By Michael Marzzacco

ARLINGTON, VA - JUNE 18:Washington Capitals General Manager Brian MacLellan announces the resignation of head coach Barry Trotz at Kettler Capitals Iceplex less than two weeks after the team won the Stanley Cup June 18, 2018 in Arlington, VA.(Photo by Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, VA - JUNE 18:Washington Capitals General Manager Brian MacLellan announces the resignation of head coach Barry Trotz at Kettler Capitals Iceplex less than two weeks after the team won the Stanley Cup June 18, 2018 in Arlington, VA.(Photo by Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: Andre Burakovsky #65 of the Washington Capitals skates during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Andre Burakovsky will not be back with the Washington Capitals and will be signed by another team.

Perhaps the biggest debate going on among Capitals fans is whether or not it is worth the money to re-sign Andre Burakovsky.

Part of that is the unpredictability of Burakovsky. When he’s on his game, he is an offensive weapon that can bolster the bottom-six or be inserted into the top-six.

But when Burakovsky isn’t on his game he goes on long droughts without scoring a goal. Sometimes this inconsistency makes him vulnerable to a healthy scratch for  a few games.

Burakovsky finished with identical numbers each of the last two seasons: 12 goals and 13 assists (25 points). Burakovsky was signed to a two-year, six-million dollar bridge contract in the summer of 2017.

The Capitals have to give Burakovsky a qualifying offer. In this case, they would have to offer him a one-year deal worth three-million. Three-million is the AAV he made the last two seasons.

It is highly likely the Capitals are going to spend that kind of money when there’s other signing priorities as well. That’s just the sad part about this business.

If the Capitals don’t give him the qualifying offer it opens the door for Burakovsky to test the open market and maybe a change of scenery is just what the 24-year old needs.

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