Anything can happen at the NHL trade deadline as every year it is one of the most eventful times, as nobody truly knows what will happen until it has already happened. This year has been no exception, as with the deadline less than a week away, a handful of big names and veteran players have already swapped teams. But the biggest surprise so far is the decision by the Washington Capitals and general manager Brian MacLellan as they became sellers on Thursday night.
The Capitals traded away Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway to the Boston Bruins for Craig Smith, an assortment of picks that include a 2023 first-round, a 2025 second-round, and a 2024 third-round. It was a haul for the Capitals as they set their sights on a retool to keep the Ovechkin playoff window alive. What they decide to do with these picks is anyone’s guess, as MacLellan now has plenty of ammo to make a big splash if needed.
With the signaling of the retool, the possibility of the Capitals trading away more players is at an all-time high. Washington has several veteran players that will and have been garnering interest over the last few weeks. While not all will be traded away, it shouldn’t be expected that all will stay put as March 3rd quickly approaches. What makes this a reality is that the Caps are on the wrong end of a six-game losing streak and have fallen further out of the Eastern Conference Wild Card. They are currently sixth in the Wild Card race with a 28-26-6 record and 62 points but have played more games than Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo, all teams they trail. While they are not out of the race, it will be an uphill battle for them after losing two key members in the trade and the handful of injuries up and down the roster, especially with defenseman John Carlson who is still out indefinitely.
Here are five players that could find themselves on new teams in the coming week.
Nick Jensen
There surely will be a team out there looking to add a defenseman to their top four, and Jensen could be that guy. The 32-year-old has been solid for the Capitals this season as he drives possession modestly and has been particularly good at making plays. He has recorded two goals and 20 assists on the season while maintaining a minus-3 rating. What makes Jensen a prime candidate to be traded is the strong market for a reliable right-shooting defender, especially one on an expiring deal. The way the market has shaped up in years past and already this season with the Orlov deal, the Capitals may be able to receive a first-round pick for him.
Erik Gustafsson
Another aging defenseman on an expiring deal, the 30-year-old Gustafsson has driven his trade value up this season with the resurgence of his offensive game. He is enjoying the second-best season of his career, as he’s recorded seven goals, 28 assists, and 35 assists with a plus-8 rating. The left-shot defenseman is every contender’s dream as he not only drives play and produces on the ice his salary is near the league minimum, making it very easy to fit under the cap.
Trevor van Riemsdyk
If there’s one thing the Capitals have, it’s plenty of veteran defensemen on expiring deals. Currently, John Carlson is the only defenseman on the roster that’s signed past this season, hence why TvR is the third defenseman to make this list. Throughout 60 games this season, TvR has become the team’s most dependable defensive defenseman as he fields the lowest rate of opponent high-danger chances among Washington’s blue line. He can also add a little offense, as he’s contributed six goals and ten assists so far. The 31-year-old is past his prime, and with an expiring contract under $1 million, he will certainly be on teams radars as a viable defensive depth option.
Lars Eller
The 33-year-old forward is on the downswing, which has been evident this season. He has neither driven play nor finished well all year long, while his five-on-five point rate is nearly half of what it was last season. He is having one of, if not the worst, seasons of his career, as he’s only recorded seven goals and 16 points in 58 games. Even though he is having a down year, he is still a veteran forward on an expiring deal that a team could plug into their bottom six for depth. The only roadblock would be his $3.5 million cap hit, which Washington would almost certainly have to retain some of.
Anthony Mantha
It is safe to say the Mantha experiment has not played out in Washington the way many have hoped, and it seems it’s about time to cut bait. The only player on this list that still has term is the 28-year-old forward, who the Capitals acquired at the 2020-2021 trade deadline from Detroit. It’s easier said than done, as Mantha is currently on injured reserve and is set to get off of it three days before the deadline at the earliest. At this point in his career, he would certainly enjoy a new coach and system that plays to his strengths. If the Capitals can trade him before the deadline, there is still value as he is a strong driver of play, and his drop in production can be explained 100 percent by his drop in opportunity in Washington. If they can find the right buyer to take him on, it would be good for the player and team to move on and start fresh.
