Before joining the Capitals, Carl Hagelin was a known Caps killer as a member of the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
At this years upcoming trade deadline, Hagelin was almost a Penguin again according to Elliotte Friedman’s recent 31 Thoughts column.
By Julia Karron 2 months ago
It might be easy for fans to view hockey players as commodities. We put price tags on them and haggle over their value like they’re something able to be bought and sold, but the truth is that there is a real human person with real human emotions behind those business decisions. We had a reminder of that fact this week.
On Wednesday, the Capitals were practicing at the Leafs’ practice facility in Toronto when suddenly Devante Smith-Pelly was pulled off the ice and told that he had been placed on waivers.
Smith-Pelly is a Toronto-area native and his father had been watching him practice from the stands.
Another cruel detail to the spoiled homecoming: after practice, the Capitals were scheduled to tour the Hockey Hall of Fame before presenting the Hall with a Capitals Stanley Cup ring. Smith-Pelly, who had been instrumental to the Capitals success in the Stanley Cup playoffs, suddenly was on the verge of being discarded by the team that he loved enough to take a discount to stay with when he signed a new contract last summer.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was at practice and saw Smith-Pelly’s reaction to being waived, as well as his teammates’ reactions. He talked about it on the 31 Thoughts podcast.
By Elizabeth Kong 2 months ago
Monday is the trade deadline, and the Washington Capitals began what could be an active few days by putting 2018 postseason hero Devante Smith-Pelly on waivers.
“There’s a lot of movement going on, especially for teams that are salary cap strapped like we are,” head coach Todd Reirden said.
NHL sources told RMNB that the DSP move was made to accommodate a coming trade. On Wednesday afternoon, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported that the Capitals were looking at several forwards on the Los Angeles Kings, including Carl Hagelin, Trevor Lewis, and Kyle Clifford. This evening, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Caps are “interested” in Hagelin and surmised what a possible deal could look like: a third-round pick and Dmitrij Jaskin for the 30-year-old left winger.
The Washington Capitals have struggled over the last two months and are no longer in first place in the Metropolitan Division. Reinforcements may be coming.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Capitals are looking to be active ahead of the February 25 trade deadline and may be looking to have a reunion with a beloved former player.
By Ian Oland and Peter Hassett 2 months ago
Andre Burakovsky is in the final year of a two-year bridge contract that will make him a restricted free agent this summer. The Swedish forward, who has been a healthy scratch six times this season, has scored only six goals and six assists in 44 games, filling a role outside of the team’s top six.
After a season filled with trade rumors about the winger, Elliotte Friedman added a new wrinkle to those rumors Thursday in his 31 Thoughts column. The Capitals are reportedly interested in multiple high draft picks for the winger.
By Julia Karron 3 months ago
Over the summer, the Washington Capitals were close to the salary cap and had a glut of checking line forwards in the organization, like Travis Boyd, ready for more opportunity. The situation forced what for many was a sad situation. Veteran fourth-line center Jay Beagle, due for a pay raise after winning a Stanley Cup, left the only NHL organization he ever knew, signing a four-year, $12 million deal with the Vancouver Canucks in July.
Earlier this week, Beagle, who has played 21 games for the Canucks this season tallying four points (1g, 3a) and registering a 50.8 faceoff percentage, spoke to Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek of the 31 Thoughts podcast.
Beags spent a decent sized chunk of the conversation talking about his time in Washington and eventually signing with Vancouver. He found it especially difficult telling his now former teammates that he signed elsewhere.
“It didn’t go good,” Beagle said. “I’m not good at that. I’m not good at saying goodbye and I’m not good at, I didn’t wanna text. I didn’t want it to be a text. We still have a group chat that’s hopefully we never get rid of it. But I’m not a good guy at texting, especially my feelings.”
Beagle also revealed that Tom Wilson was the first player he called and told he was leaving. And his favorite Capitals coach was Dale Hunter.
By Julia Karron 3 months ago
Stanley Cup Champion and new dad Alex Ovechkin sat down with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Saturday. While the focus of their interview was on the summer of celebration, they also talked about Ovechkin’s marriage.
Ovechkin said he was lucky to have such an “unbelievable wife,” and that he hoped the interview would be short so that he could return to her and their young son Sergei.
“I hope this interview gonna be short so I can go home,” Ovechkin said smiling. He was also super serious.
By Brennin Weiswerda 6 months ago
Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson may be on the move to the Western Conference.
SportsNet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that talks to trade the All-Star defenseman have picked back up the last few days.
By Julia Karron 8 months ago
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, this is Barry Trotz’s last season as head coach of the Washington Capitals. The news comes via Barry Trotz himself.
Let me explain.
Friedman released his latest 31 Thoughts column on Thursday afternoon. In it, the analyst gave props to the Capitals’ success in the first round despite ample adversity. He then pointed his viewers to a video of Barry Trotz and John Tortorella during the handshake line.
By Ian Oland 12 months ago
Update: This afternoon, Elliotte Friedman reached out to RMNB with new information he received today. “Someone reached out to dispute that Washington blocked a Mahoney interview from happening,” Friedman said. “I went through my notes last summer and a different story was told, but this person was adamant a ‘window’ to talk to Mahoney was granted and, for whatever reason, he was not hired.”
Original article: Thursday, Elliotte Friedman posted his latest 31 Thoughts column on Sportsnet and included another interesting tidbit about the Washington Capitals’ front office.
According to Friedman, the Caps were either unhelpful or obstructed an interview between the Vegas Golden Knights and Capitals assistant general manager Ross Mahoney.
