Washington Capitals free-agency preview: Depth left wings

July 11, 2022 4:40 pm

As of noon on Wednesday, July 13, a bunch of hockey dudes will become unrestricted free agents in need of new deals. The Washington Capitals have some specific needs that must be met, and together we are going to figure out how best to do it.

In this edition: a left-wing grinder.

But first, recall if you will our data-driven analysis of the Capitals needs, based on position, and measured by your bad vibes. Here’s the Capitals lineup, color-coded based on how worried we are — and therefore perhaps how interested the front office should be in shoring up that position.

So. Fourth-line left wing.

Johan Larsson is an expiring UFA. If he were to re-sign, I could see him doing exactly what he did last season. I could even see him making some cameos at 3C if needed.

But if he and the Caps can’t make a deal, then a bottom-line winger is a not a player you should ever get excited about. They should be dull and comforting, like a rerun of Matlock. Just keep an eye out for marginal value on competent players.

So here are some free-agency options for a depth left winger:

Tyler Pitlick. He split time in Minnesota and Calgary last season, making a big impression for neither. The very nature of replacement level.
Projected: 1 year, $830k.
Nicolas Deslauriers. Your classic play-slower-downer. Deslauriers was a drag on both Minnesota and Anaheim last season, but tough guys like him tend to get deals. Hopefully not with Washington.
Projected: 3 years, $1.5 milllion
Zach Aston-Reese. Chris put it best: “when he’s on the ice literally nothing happens and that’s why he’d be a nice fit on that Caps fourth line that Peter Laviolette loves to deploy ultra defensively.”
Projected: 3 years, $2 million.
Johan Larsson. A better option that everyone else on this list, and all his stuff is already in Washington. He’s cheap, he drives play, he’s Swedish. He’s perfect.
Projected: 1 year, $1.9 million.