The Washington Capitals mostly flew under the radar in the 2024 trade deadline season. With only three transactions made, the team remains mostly intact. General Manager Brian MacLellan explained the reasoning behind a low-key trade deadline day, indicating that they were hoping to add another young player to the roster after signing Rasmus Sandin. “We tried a couple,” MacLellan said. “We identified a couple players, a couple of young guys that we liked and we tried to be aggressive on our offers for them and it just didn’t materialize.” When it came to moving other players, especially those with high levels of interest, Brian MacLellan stated that the team “didn’t actively look to move players.” Prior to the deadline, there had been talk of moving forwards Max Pacioretty and Nic Dowd, as well as goalie Charlie Lindgren. However, three p.m. on Friday came and went, with only three moves made throughout the week– all involving trading players away for a combination of future picks.
Who did the Washington Capitals trade?
In 2024, the Washington Capitals moved three players elsewhere: F Anthony Mantha, D Joel Edmundson, and F Evgeny Kuznetsov.
Anthony Mantha
Related Post: Capitals Trade Anthony Mantha for a Pair of Draft Picks
After a bounce-back season for the 29-year-old forward, a trade deadline move came as a surprise. Though Mantha has struggled in the past, he has remained a fixture on the team since the 2020-2021 season, mainly joining the team’s fourth line or being healthy scratched. This season, however, he reached 34 points, his highest total with the Capitals, and was becoming a permanent and reliable fourth-liner. The roster move was good for Vegas, however, as they are looking for forwards to fill in the blanks as Mark Stone, William Carrier, and Tomas Hertl all battle injuries. Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy praised Mantha, stating, “Big winger, can score. Good hands, soft hands. Good on the breakout and on the walls. His defensive metrics were solid this year in Washington. At 6’5, 234 pounds, a player like Mantha is crucial on the forecheck and creates a more defensive style of offensive play. Mantha was traded for a 2024 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Capitals will retain 50% of his salary, freeing up some cap space for the team.
Joel Edmundson
The move of defenseman Joel Edmundson did not come as a surprise to either himself or Washington Capitals fans. With just one goal and five assists and a plus/minus of -5 this season, a move was necessary in order to free up cap space and allow more productive defenseman ice time and playing opportunities. He averaged just 16:26 TOI with the Capitals but has already been averaging 19:03 with the Maple Leafs. Joel Edmundson brings size and depth to the blue line that the Maple Leafs have been looking for, as well as playoff experience as the team looks to go for the Cup again this postseason. Edmundson was part of the Stanley Cup-winning Blues team in 2019 and helped the Canadiens make it to the final round of playoffs in 2021. At six-foot-five and 221 pounds, the defenseman brings size and power to the Leafs’ forecheck and defensive core. Leafs’ coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters, “He’s a big guy, competitive, protects the net very well. Not fun to play against. Adds depth to our defense. Gives us size and depth to our defense. We’ve been undersized.” Joel Edmundson was traded for a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick. The Capitals will retain 50% of his salary.
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Related Post: Kuznetsov Clears Player Assistance Program, Placed on Waivers
Hearts all across the Capitals’ fandom broke on Friday as the news broke that fan-favorite forward Evgeny Kuznetsov was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. The move came just three days after Kuznetsov reported to his first practice with the AHL’s Hershey Bears and less than a week after the team placed him on waivers. There have been rumors and talk for multiple seasons about Kuznetsov moving elsewhere, and he notoriously asked to be traded multiple times during his time under head coach Peter Laviolette. However, Kuzy appeared more satisfied with head coach Spencer Carbery and was not expecting to move anytime soon. Kuznetsov spoke about his time in Washington, saying, “I want to say thanks to the whole Caps organization, and the fans. It was 11 years. Both of my kids born there. That city is massive chunk of my heart. Unfortunately I had to leave that way on that note, but it’s life. No regrets in my life and I’m going to remember for rest of my life my time there. It was amazing. Amazing memories: bad, good. All kinds of memories.”
As far as Carolina is concerned, the addition of Kuznetsov has the potential to be a good pickup for the team. He joins longtime teammate Dmitry Orlov, who he played with both in Juniors and on the Capitals. The two have a good friendship already and hopefully will be able to click on the ice as well. Additionally, with the pickup of Jake Guentzel at the deadline, the Hurricanes acquired two powerful centers with a history of consistent and clutch play. However, the Canes made a big bet on Kuznetsov, as his recent play has been less than stellar, with just 17 points in 46 games played this season and a history of mental health and drug abuse issues. Should Kuznetsov be able to return to his old style of play and level of offensive production, though, he would be a player to watch in the offseason. The Washington Capitals retained 50% of the forward’s salary, making him a relatively cheap risk to take for the Hurricanes. He was traded for a 2025 third-round pick– a good return for Washington, considering they originally offered him up for free by placing him on waivers.
Final Thoughts
The future is bright for Washington after this year’s trade deadline. They now possess 26 selections over the next three drafts: eight in 2024, 10 in 2025, and eight more in 2026, with 14 of them coming in the first three rounds. While the Capitals may not be a scary team at this point, with the talented young core they have and plenty of opportunity to build on that in future drafts, the team is looking to be in good shape for another Stanley Cup run in the next handful of years. Washington is currently 3 points shy of a Wild Card playoff spot, and with no players acquired at the deadline, playoffs this year are up in the air. They could potentially continue the hot streak they have been trending toward lately as they bested the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-0 and the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Unfortunately, the team’s remaining regular-season schedule is not easy, as they will be facing multiple playoff teams including both the Winnipeg Jets and Boston Bruins. While the outcome of the 2024-2025 season is a question mark, in a few years’ time, we could see a completely different Capitals team in the best way possible.
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