Washington Capitals: 5 players that won’t be back in 2022
We are one month into the Washington Capitals season. We already have seen some players make great first impressions. We might also have an idea of who might or might not be back next season. It is also way too early but it’s also never to early to have fun and speculate. Here are five players we think could be on their way out the door.
#5 Matt Irwin
Matt Irwin is a defenseman who could play on either the right side or the left side. Lately he’s been a healthy scratch all season long, taking rushes at practices and morning skates alongside Dennis Cholowski who the team recently claimed off waivers. Irwin carries a $750,000 cap hit this season according to CapFriendly.
No telling when Irwin will actually get a game. Head coach Peter Laviolette usually likes to keep his defensive pairs intact all season long. It’s why Jonas Sigenthaler didn’t last a full season under the Laviolette system.
Irwin had two assists in 24 games last season with the Buffalo Sabres. In 383 career games he has 22 goals and 62 assists for 84 points. Irwin was one of the Caps minor league signings over the summer. He will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
#4 Dennis Cholowski
Like Matt Irwin, Dennis Cholowski has yet to suit up in a game for the Washington Capitals this season. Cholowski was acquired from the Seattle Kraken off waivers the day after opening night. Last season he played in 16 games with the Detroit Red Wings recording a goal and two assists for three points while averaging 15:54 minutes of ice time. As pointed out in the previous slide, Cholowski is skating as an extra defensive pair with Matt Irwin.
Cholowski carries a cap hit of $900,000. He will be a restricted free agent. Why he will likely not be back is likely because he hasn’t played at all this season. In 104 career NHL games spanning three seasons, Irwin has recorded 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points but has a bad plus/minus of -47. He had a -1 lastt season.
Cholowski and Irwin were both former Detroit Red Wings which is pretty cool. Lots of Capitals connections between those two teams with Anthony Mantha and Nick Jensen former Red Wings as well.
Cholowski was selected by the Seattle Kraken over the summer in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. He is also a former teammate of Vitek Vanecek even though he only lasted with the team for about a week.
#3 Justin Schultz
This is another defenseman but this one is more high profile. The reason Justin Schultz won’t be back next season is simple: high price tag. The Caps signed Schultz in the offseason of 2020 and carries a yearly cap hit of $4 million. Brenden Dillon was traded last offseason. The Caps might not simply have enough money to re-sign Schultz.
Schultz has one goal this season which came on opening night against the New York Rangers. He averages 17:14 minutes of ice time while skating on the third pair with Trevor van Riemsdyk. Schultz and Van Riemsdyk have been a solid pair together.
Schultz’s advanced stats include a Corsi For percentage of 57.21 percent, a 56.88 percent Expected Goals For percentage, and a 50 percent High Danger Chances for percentage via Natural Stat Trick.
Schultz and TvR together have a Corsi For percentage of 60 percent, a 60.45 percent Expected Goals For percentage and a 53.66 percent High Danger Chances For percentage.
Schultz will enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent and will likely command a hefty raise, something the Caps might not afford. You might see early signs of them getting younger with Martin Fehervary in the mix as well as Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre.
#2 Lars Eller
This one is a wild card I know. Looking at the forwards Brett Leason and Daniel Sprong are set to become restricted free agents after the season while Nic Dowd will be an unrestricted free agent. I think the odd man out will be Lars Eller for a variety of reasons.
One is we’ve seen the early development of centers Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre before our eyes. Another factor is Eller’s slow start to the season.
I don’t think Eller gets sent out in the summer. I think he is a part of the conversation at the trade deadline. Evgeny Kuznetsov is off to a torrid start and is well on his way to redeeming himself. Trading Kuzy at this point seems foolish. Of course D.C. would riot if Nicklas Backstrom was traded and that leaves you between Nic Dowd and Lars Eller.
Eller has three assists so far this season. Lars Eller has missed to games but already has a goal. I don’t know, if I had to pick between the two I would re-sign Nic Dowd. He is better on the face off dot. Dowd has won 59.5 percent of his draws while Eller has won 47.8 percent.
#1 Ilya Samsonov
Finally, the one that everyone was waiting for. You knew I was going to save the best one for last. It it going to come down to the two goaltenders Vitek Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov. Both have done well so far this season and will continue to do so. But Vanecek’s early dominance and consistency will help him narrowly edge out Samsonov for the number one goaltender job with the Capitals.
But that doesn’t mean Samsonov will have a bad year or will do anything bad off the ice. So far, knock on wood, so good. No COVID lists yet, no ATV accidents and no tardiness at team functions. In fact, he along with everyone else participated in Halloween.
Let’s take a look at the early numbers. Samsonov is 3-0-1 following a shutout over the Arizona Coyotes on Friday night. It was the fourth shutout of his career. He has a 2.43 goals against average and a .904 save percentage.
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Vanecek meanwhile on the other hand is 2-0-2 with a 2.26 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. Those early numbers might be enough if he keeps this up to narrowly edge out Samsonov which would kind of be an upset. Those are the five players that won’t be back next season.