Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan has been open about his desire to make a change to his team’s top-six forward group this offseason. In theory, MacLellan has already done so with the addition of Max Pacioretty via free agency but he made it known on Monday that he still plans on exploring another move via trade.
MacLellan had multiple trade conversations with other GMs earlier this summer but despite his aggressive approach, nothing concrete panned out. The plan as of now is to keep checking up on the market as the opening day of Training Camp (September 20) approaches.
During his press conference with Tom Wilson, MacLellan was asked if Wilson’s deal was one of the last things on his offseason to-do list or if further roster considerations could be made in the coming weeks.
“There could be,” MacLellan said. “I think we’ve had a few discussions at the draft that might carry forward or might not carry forward. We’re comfortable with where we’re at but would still like to make a change. We’ll see where it goes here.”
MacLellan was then questioned about whether that change would still be to his corps of forwards. He replied in the affirmative and also added that despite the Caps being right up against the NHL’s $83.5 million salary cap, the team could contemplate inviting a player to camp on a professional tryout agreement.
The Caps have some done so in the past under MacLellan with NHL names like Craig Anderson, Alex Chiasson, Jyrki Jokipakka, and Derek Roy.
“We’ll see how it goes here as we get closer to camp,” MacLellan. “We’re still talking to agents, still talking to a few teams about trades. We’ll see how it pans out at the end.”
MacLellan has been walking a tight rope for the past handful of seasons, attempting to keep an increasingly aging Caps team competitive while also not mortgaging the future of the club. Until very recently, MacLellan seemed less keen on leaning on younger roster options to carry the load but that sort of thinking has waned. Especially, with the departure of veteran head coach Peter Laviolette and the introduction of rookie bench boss Spencer Carbery.
MacLellan commented on the tough balancing act that he is trying to accomplish after being asked about what moves like Wilson’s extension and the Pittsburgh Penguins’ recent acquisition of Erik Karlsson mean for their respective teams.
“It is challenging,” MacLellan said. “I like the draft we had this year, adding [Ryan] Leonard and [Andrew] Cristall. [Alexander] Suzdalev is coming. We’ve got some young guys that are still coming. But, our goal is to remain competitive. I think it’s a tricky balance but we’ll see if we can pull it off. I think it’s important for Ovi and for all our veteran guys that we remain competitive and give them a chance to compete.
“It’s [also] important for our organization to add young players and develop young players. So far, I think we’ve done a pretty decent job at it and we’ll see what it’s like going forward.”
While Pacioretty definitely fits more in the mold of the Wilson and Karlsson moves, MacLellan has been vocal about wanting to make additional moves more in the vein of what he did at last season’s trade deadline when he acquired Rasmus Sandin from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“We’re looking to add younger players,” MacLellan said simply at Carbery’s introductory press conference in June.
An already NHL proven forward around Sandin’s age profile (23) could be what the Caps are still after. The team could also explore another option for troubled center Evgeny Kuznetsov as they reportedly discussed a trade at the draft that would have sent him to Nashville.
Screenshot: @Capitals
