Top 3 players the Capitals should make sure to keep
The Washington Capitals are looking to make a trade for a top six forward but it has been a struggle. You’ve read the past few days lists of players I think the Caps should shop around. Today’s list is different in that I will list the top 3 players the Capitals should keep.
These players should be untouchable to the point where if another team calls for them, Brian MacLellan hangs up the phone. Let’s start with the obvious.
#3 Alex Ovechkin
This would never happen in a million years. Ok its sports. Maybe it could. But if it did it would be a darn shame. It’s not that Alex Ovechkin is a gifted hockey player, he’s a generational talent that has transformed this franchise and the surrounding area.
Not only would trading Ovechkin be straight up dumb but the Caps would actually lose a lot of money. This is the time to Ted Leonsis to pony up the stakes with his superstar about to chase a goal scoring record that many previously thought was impossible.
Ticket sales have been pumping for the last decade. Superstars also sell jerseys and lots of them. So yeah, don’t expect the great eight to leave the Caps until he’s done playing.
#2 Connor McMichael
The Caps may swing big for the fences when it comes to a top six trade but if they’re going to include a prospect in the package don’t include Connor McMichael.
He’s a versatile forward who already proved he can thrive in the Spencer Carbery system. He can play center or wing. If Nicklas Backstrom gets hurt or decides to hang it up, Dylan Strome moves into the second line while McMichael can center the third line.
If Evgeny Kuznetsov gets traded? Cool. Bump them up one more. Put Strome on the top line and McMichael on the second line. Maybe rotate the second line with McMichael and Backstrom if they decide to move on from Kuzy.
McMichael only skated in six NHL games last season and didn’t have stats that jump off your screen. But we all know why it’s the coach’s inability to play the youth. But there’s a new sherif in town.
In Hershey though McMichael tore it up in both the regular season and en route to the team’s 12th Calder Cup championship. In the regular season McMichael scored 16 goals and added 23 assists for 39 points. In the playoffs he addd 10 points with six goals and four assists including a goal in the Cup clinching Game 7.
#1 Tom Wilson
Dream on.
Tom Wilson ain’t going anywhere. He’s got the potential to someday be a team captain and despite the rumors going around, MacLellan slammed the door on any trade speculation involving the right winger and looked at the reporters like “who the bleep started this?” (Not us).
Wilson had 13 goals in 33 games and could’ve had his first 30 goal season if he didn’t miss the start of it getting over an ACL injury from the previous year’s playoffs. He had a career high 24 goals the season before.
This is a big season coming up for Wilson. Not only is he not having to deal with an ACL recovery but he is due for a big pay day one year from now. He has a $5.166 million cap hit and he will definitely get what he deserves which is an AAV close to nine or 10 million a year.
light. Related Story. Top 5 bold NHL offseason predictions for Capitals
If the Caps move on from Kuznetsov and Mantha expect a big role to come and more exceptions for Wilson.