Capitals GM sets offseason priorities with focus on team's RFAs
While hockey fans have been loving the wild speculation of a dramatic shakeup to the Washington Capitals' roster, general manager Brian MacLellan has a much more realistic focus.
MacLellan said Tuesday the team plans to focus on a group of restricted free agents, including forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andre Burakovsky, and Brett Connolly, defensemen Dmitry Orlov and Nate Schmidt, and goaltender Philipp Grubauer, according to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.
MacLellan is open to long-term deals for Kuznetsov and Orlov, while he expects to give Connolly a qualifying offer, reports Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.
As for the team's fifth-leading scorer, T.J. Oshie, the Capitals may not have total control:
On Oshie: MacLellan said they've just had some general talks. If he re-signs depends on what salary cap is. If it's 77 mill, decent chance.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) May 30, 2017
Oshie finished the regular season with 33 goals and 23 assists, before racking up four goals and eight assists in 13 playoff games. He will turn 31 years old partway through the 2017-18 season.
MacLellan also laid out his vision for the team's defense corps next season, which doesn't include two unrestricted free agents expected to land lucrative, long-term deals:
MacLellan referred to a top four with Niskanen, Carlson, Schmidt and Orlov multiple times. So, bye Alzner.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) May 30, 2017
Karl Alzner played all 82 games last season, but racked up just 13 points. He did rank fifth on the team with a plus-23 rating.
Kevin Shattenkirk played just 19 games after being acquired from the St. Louis Blues in advance of the trade deadline. He contributed two goals and 14 points in the regular season, and one goal and five assists in the playoffs.
MacLellan will face more pressure to secure his team's roster for next season with the Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft coming June 21. He has his mind made up, and said the Capitals will be going the route of protecting seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goaltender, according to Khurshudyan.