2019 free agency

The Washington Capitals have had a near-perfect offseason

Last time, we unpacked all of the changes to the Metropolitan Division made so far this offseason, painting a picture of a division that will be much more competitive next season. Two of the Metro’s basement-dwelling teams, the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, have had a sudden, massive injection of talent, but one team was conspicuously left out of that conversation: the Washington Capitals.

Now it’s time to unpack the Caps’ summer moves, and how the team who suits up for 2019-20 should be even better than the 2018-19 model.

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By Peter Hassett 4 years ago

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The Metropolitan Division just got way tougher

The Washington Capitals have won the Metropolitan Division four seasons in a row. It’s been domination of a sort, but with two top draft picks and a flood of top free agents coming in, the Metro is shaping up to be the toughest division in hockey in 2019-20 — and a real threat to the Caps’ ambitions.

Here’s a breakdown of who’s tougher and who’s weaker after the free-agent frenzy of July 1.

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By Peter Hassett 4 years ago

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Free agency Canada Day overspending madness open thread

Happy Canada Day, friends. Today is the beginning, sort of, of free agency. To sign available players, NHL teams are about to spend obscene sums of money that are still somehow suspiciously low when compared to the other big-four sports.

Washington general manager Brian MacLellan articulated the team’s needs simply: a third-line right wing. The team is reportedly about to sign F Richard Panik to a four-year deal worth around $2.5 million annually. The team appears to have been priced out in the race to sign F Brett Connolly, who has been linked to Florida for around $3.5 million.

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By Peter Hassett and Donya Abramo and Elizabeth Kong and Ian Oland 4 years ago

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