The NHL’s trade deadline came and went and the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals had a light day.
Washington added winger Anthony Beauvillier for a second-round pick before the trade window shut at 3 pm but did no other business.
The Capitals’ lack of activity can be partially explained by possible chemistry concerns or their reluctance to trade future assets. The prices of selling teams were also noticeably high this season.
General manager Chris Patrick revealed a fourth reason he kept more salary off the team’s books. The Capitals must account for top prospect Ryan Leonard’s possible cap hit in the spring.
“We had to proceed with enough cap space, should he decide to come out, that we could do it,” Patrick said. “That was definitely a factor in all our decision-making throughout the process.”
Leonard will be eligible to sign his entry-level contract with the Capitals once his sophomore season with Boston College concludes in the spring. The Capitals previously attempted to lure Leonard out of college last year ahead of their first-round playoff series against the New York Rangers. He declined their attempt but will likely depart BC this year no matter when the Eagles see their NCAA season end.
Due to being one of the many NHL teams utilizing LTIR cap space, the Capitals have to consider more than just Leonard’s base salary. His contract, likely to carry a $950k cap hit, will also include bonuses the team must factor in. According to PuckPedia, the Capitals currently have $3.175 million in space.
“Yeah, I mean, just given how tight we are with the cap and, like I said, saving room if Ryan Leonard does come out, it means if you’re going to get more aggressive than what we did, you’re moving bodies out to do it,” Patrick said. “And that’s something you really have to think about, how that affects things – it can really impact the room. I think what we did was probably the best way to keep this chemistry going.”
Leonard has 44 points (28g, 16a) in 33 games this season. He is the NCAA’s leading goal scorer and on pace to finish his college career with 66 goals, the second-most of any under-20 college player who played just two seasons, behind only John Mayasich (74). Mayasich’s two under-20 seasons came with the Minnesota Golden Gophers over 70 years ago (1951-1953).
Patrick admitted that the Capitals will rely on their 2023 first-round draft selection as forward depth heading into the playoffs. The club lost Jakub Vrana to a waiver claim, and Sonny Milano recently suffered a significant injury setback.
