Because the Washington Capitals head into the offseason after a fourth straight disappointing first-round exit, they face challenges past deciding which younger gamers to belief with their getting old core and which skilled goaltender they’ll look to amass.
Washington
Besides aging core and goaltending, Capitals must answer injury questions
Backstrom, 34, handled a nagging hip harm all season. He had hip surgical procedure in 2015, however the concern flared up on the finish of the 2020-21 season. He took the summer season to rehab it and missed the primary two months of this season. Then he by no means regarded like his true self through the common season or in Washington’s six-game loss to the Florida Panthers.
Backstrom might have surgical procedure this summer season, and he stated Sunday that his hip will “by no means be one hundred pc” once more. Common Supervisor Brian MacLellan stated all the rehab Backstrom needed to do exactly to play this season will not be sustainable.
“We’ve some choices to make,” Backstrom stated. “These choices aren’t finalized but, so we’ll take it daily.”
When requested whether or not Backstrom’s hip harm might be career-ending, MacLellan averted the query, as an alternative saying Backstrom was going to “discover all choices.”
Winger Tom Wilson disclosed Sunday that he suffered a “fairly vital” left knee harm in Recreation 1 that prompted him to overlook the remainder of the Capitals’ postseason. MacLellan stated Wilson wouldn’t have been in a position to play at any level within the playoffs.
“My summer season sucks now,” Wilson stated.
The choice on surgical procedure will likely be made within the subsequent few days. If Wilson has the operation, MacLellan stated he doubts he should miss the beginning of subsequent season.
“There are lots of query marks,” Wilson stated. “For me, I have to get again to being the participant that I’m. That can occur. You simply wish to do all of the analysis and ask all of the questions and prep earlier than you make any drastic choices.”
Winger Carl Hagelin, who was hit within the left eye with a stick blade throughout apply March 1, ruptured the choroid at the back of his eye and had two surgical procedures. Hagelin stated he won’t ever get one hundred pc of his imaginative and prescient again. He’ll attempt to play subsequent season, however he has a protracted street forward.
“I’m staying optimistic. and I’m optimistic that I’m going to return again subsequent yr,” he stated. “It’ll be a grind, in fact.”
Captain Alex Ovechkin, who had one aim and 5 assists within the postseason, confirmed that he had a left shoulder harm that prompted him to overlook the ultimate three video games of the season. Ovechkin, who stated he’s flying to Russia on Monday to be along with his household, stated the harm is not going to require surgical procedure.
Past all of that, the Capitals will look to make some notable strikes within the offseason. MacLellan stated they’ll “discover adjustments” and nothing is “off the desk.” He stated including a veteran goalie is among the many priorities.
Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek are restricted free brokers and eligible for arbitration. The Capitals’ high unrestricted free brokers are forwards Johan Larsson and Marcus Johansson and defensemen Justin Schultz, Michal Kempny and Matt Irwin.
Samsonov and Vanecek have been the highest choices in internet for the previous two seasons. After one other first-round exit, Washington may not persist with each.
If it’s a selection between them to complement a veteran, it isn’t clear which one the Capitals favor. They made almost the identical variety of begins within the common season — 44 for Samsonov, 42 for Vanecek. Within the postseason, Vanecek began the primary two video games, then Samsonov acquired the final 4. Vanecek had the higher targets towards common (2.67 vs. 3.02) within the common season and had 4 shutouts. Samsonov, who exceeded expectations within the first spherical, has a better ceiling. MacLellan and Coach Peter Laviolette each stated goaltending was not the difficulty within the postseason.
“They’ve each been fairly good however not nice,” MacLellan stated.
No matter Washington decides can have ripple results on the wage cap. Samsonov was on a one-year, $2 million deal; Vanecek was nonetheless on his entry-level contract, which paid him about $717,000.
On the blue line, Washington should resolve to re-sign Schultz or let him hit the market. The Capitals signed Schultz in 2020 to a two-year, $8 million deal. That’s a hefty value for a third-pair defenseman who had 4 targets and 19 assists.
Among the many forwards, Washington has harm considerations with Backstrom, Wilson and Hagelin, however the group might use this offseason to get youthful at middle. If Backstrom’s second rehab goes as deliberate and he’s prepared for the season, Washington might transfer on from third-liner Lars Eller.
Eller has one yr left on a five-year, $17.5 million deal he signed in 2018. The 33-year-old had a down yr on each ends of the ice amid accidents and two stints on the NHL’s coronavirus listing. He completed with 13 targets and 18 assists in 72 video games.
If the Capitals resolve Eller is now not a match, they may make room for Connor McMichael, who had a promising rookie season, or usher in one other top-level ahead. MacLellan and Laviolette stated they wish to see McMichael usually play middle, his pure place, transferring ahead.
McMichael, 21, performed 68 video games in his first full season, plus 5 postseason video games. He notched 9 targets and 9 assists, and he made vital strides after he was a wholesome scratch within the first two video games of the season in favor of Hendrix Lapierre.
Lapierre, who scored one aim in six video games with the Capitals, was returned to Acadie-Bathurst of the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League in November. McMichael caught round and have become one of many Capitals’ trusted rookies to fill holes within the lineup. After Backstrom was sidelined, early accidents to T.J. Oshie and Anthony Mantha adopted.
In all, a league-high 9 Capitals rookies scored not less than one aim. The spark every participant introduced exemplified what the Capitals already knew: Youthful gamers are a welcome addition, and it’s all about how they’re combined in with the bigger, extra skilled group.
“We’re older,” MacLellan stated. “We’re a veteran crew. That’s what we’re. I feel we settle for that. Our core guys are older. We decided to go along with them. … I feel we want a youth injection greater than a velocity injection. I suppose I’m not at all times shopping for that we’re sluggish.”