The Winnipeg Jets and the Washington Capitals are in about the same place. Winnipeg is a few points ahead, but second in the standings. Washington leads the Metro, which is always a bloodbath. Two contending teams don’t often find major trades, but let’s take a look at who might be on the move between the two.
At this point, it looks as though Washington and Winnipeg will both qualify for the playoffs. Possibly even meet in the finals. That would be a whirlwind. Also because the Caps are among one of the NHL’s best at blowing it in the playoffs.
Being contenders, it’s doubtful these teams want to subtract from their rosters in a meaningful way. Any good player on either team is more valuable to them trying to win a Cup than elsewhere. The Caps aren’t the only team in the Metro that won’t match up. A trade proposal would have to be creative, but there’s a few scenarios in here for teams to make something happen.
The Jets are good for the first time in a while. The franchise, as it is now, has never won a playoff game. I assume Kevin Cheveldayoff wants to make a splash. It would make sense. Nothing to jeopardize the future, as this window is just opening. But enough to say he did something for the team that finally has a shot at winning.
Washington, on the other hand, is kinda stagnant. They are in NHL purgatory. Every year since ’07-’08, with the exception of ’13-’14. In that span, no Finals appearances. No Conference Finals appearances. At times (last season’s 118 points and President’s Trophy come to mind), they’ve looked like the team to beat. Every year, someone’s managed to do it.
One of the things to keep in mind for a possible trade: Washington’s cap space. According to CapFriendly, the Caps have less than $700k in available cap space. You uh, can’t really do a whole lot with that. Especially without subtraction.
Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik are both…defenseman. They play on the back end of a hockey team. The NHL is now, more than ever, a speed-driven league. Puck possession is also all the rage. Brooks Orpik excels in neither of these categories. He’s also 37 and makes 5.5 million
dollars. Orpik’s Corsi? 42.9% On a great offensive team (8th in the league in goals). Orpik may also have picked up a bit of a reputation for being dirty. He was suspended in the playoffs a few years back for a dirty hit, and it certainly wasn’t his first. I understand the Caps’ overpay, seeing as they tried to bring a championship drive to a team that was absent one. The Penguins won it all in 2009 with him.
After I unintentionally eviscerated Orpik, I’ll scale back from Niskanen. He’s younger, but costs a little more and is signed for two additional seasons, through 2022. It’s not a stretch to assume the Capitals would like to move one of those contracts. Why the Winnipeg Jets would take one, I’m not certain. Maybe they want more physical defense (I doubt it) and try and swap Enstrom for Orpik. That…doesn’t make much sense.
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On the forward side…I don’t see anything that matches up. None of the big money guys up front are under-performing in Washington. Let’s entertain the idea that the Capitals really want to shake things up and break free of the ‘Cloud of Disappointment’. Would they move Alex Ovechkin? Would the Winnipeg Jets want to acquire Ovie? Probably not, based on his salary commitment and what the Winnipeg Jets will have to shell out for Patrik Laine and other young stars.
Winnipeg would have to move one of their good young players to make this happen. Maybe Nikolaj Ehlers? Mark Scheifele? Josh Morrissey? A package to acquire Ovechkin would have to be monumental. I’m certainly not advocating it, but it would be the most astonishing move in recent NHL history. I wouldn’t bet on it, though.