THN.com Blog: Caps should shop Ovechkin
The Caps could get a great return if they traded Alex Ovechkin.
Mike Brophy
2007-12-17 12:41:17
It is generally assumed Alex Ovechkin will sign with the Washington Capitals and remain with the team that drafted him first overall in 2004. Even if another team signed him to an offer sheet next summer, assuming he doesn’t agree to an extension before then, the Capitals would match the offer regardless of the cost.
But what if Ovechkin doesn’t want to play in Washington any longer? What if the young superstar tells the Caps he’d prefer to play someplace a little more cosmopolitan than Washington? You know, it could happen.
And frankly, I think Caps GM George McPhee should, at the very least, explore the possibility of trading the 22-year-old sniper. Now, the notion of trading such a gifted young player might seem preposterous to some, but really it shouldn’t. Imagine the offers McPhee might field if he let it be known Ovechkin was available as trade bait.
Let’s face it, with Ovechkin in their lineup, the Capitals have shown no signs of being a playoff team. There are no guarantees re-signing Ovechkin will make the Capitals a successful franchise. In fact, if history has taught us anything, moving a young star just might be the best medicine for a struggling team.
Consider the Colorado Avalanche. When the franchise was still located in Quebec, Eric Lindros put a gun to the team’s head, demanding a trade. The Nordiques considered a few options and ultimately traded Lindros for a package that included Peter Forsberg, Ron Hextall, Chris Simon, Mike Ricci, Kerry Huffman, Steve Duchesne, a first round draft pick and $15 million. (Another offer of Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, Alex Kovalev, John Vanbiesbrouck, three first round draft picks and $12 million was tendered by the New York Rangers.)
We all know the results of that trade – Colorado won two Stanley Cups and the Flyers won squat.
It’s hard to say what the Capitals could expect in a trade for Ovechkin, but my guess is, even in a salary cap world, there would be a number of teams that would put together an impressive package to get him. And my guess is the Capitals would then be a heck of a lot closer to being a contender than they are now.
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Brian Habel (Posted 2008-05-04 12:12:53)
Spot on. Who wants the best player, anyway?
MFC (Posted 2008-05-04 10:31:02)
"Let’s face it, with Ovechkin in their lineup, the Capitals have shown no signs of being a playoff team. There are no guarantees re-signing Ovechkin will make the Capitals a successful franchise. In fact, if history has taught us anything, moving a young star just might be the best medicine for a struggling team."
So, anyone got a big old plate of Crow?
Brian Kemp (Posted 2007-12-31 13:13:11)
There is no way the Capitals should trade Ovechkin. Whatever they would get in return would be offset by the lack of the leagues most marketable player. They would suffer at the gate for it. As far as the comments on the south not having attendance problems, that's kind of ridiculous. Florida, Atlanta and Phoenix can't draw for anything, Nashville kepps threatening to move due to low ticket sales, and Tampa, Anaheim and Carolina are the las three Cup-winning teams. L.A. doesnt draw like they used to. Comparing attendance to Chicago is just plain laughable, since their owner thought a good marketing strategy was to not pay for talent and not let anyone see the games. Edmonton has the smallest arena in the league, so comparisons there are deceptive. The south does have attendance issues, hockey will always be more popular in the north, deal with it. Also, it's latitude, not longitude.
Ryan Mendes (Posted 2007-12-21 16:57:16)
It would be really interesting to find out what the Caps are going to do with Ovechkin. Whether they trade him or not, it is a huge risk. If they trade him then they have a better overall team, but they still wouldn't be a contender. They wouldn't be a contender because he is their future, and no matter what other team he goes to, he is going to make them better because they probably have a good player to centre him. If they don't trade him, it's a waiting game to develop more talent to actually help him out. I believe they shpuld trade Nylander at the trade deadline to a team like Montreal, or even to a team in the West like Minnesota or Dallas. That way, they don't have to wait as long to find talent.they could get maybe a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick, considering Nylander isn't really that good. If they include Kozlov, they might actually have a chance at a first round pick. But nothing is for sure. We will have to wait and see what the Caps will do, and how it will turn out.
Greg Schmidt (Posted 2007-12-20 16:56:10)
Mike. Normally I like what you say, and can agree with most of it. In this one, you're off base.
As you wrote this, the Caps have begun to move north in the standing. There is a new coach that has the guys thinking positively for a change. They've beaten NJ, NY, Philly, gave Detroit a run for the money and came out with a point. You don't start jettisoning your franchise player (unless it's Jagr) when the team is starting to get it together. If they were not doing better, then I'd consider it. I'd probably have to move if I were GMGM and actually did trade him. He wouldn't be able to show his face in DC, and probably wouldn't need a reason to, because he'd probably be fired on the spot.
Vinnie (Posted 2007-12-20 14:17:56)
Yes, I think that the Caps should trade Ovechkin to the Tampa Bay Lightning for their 1st round draft pick. Maybe even get the 2nd one thrown in, if they can.
Vince (Posted 2007-12-19 13:46:57)
I think trading Ovechkin would be the last straw for the Caps indifferent fan base. Horrible idea. considering the Caps have zero coverage in the local media we reallly don't hear much about whether he is frustrated that the Caps haven't lived up to Leonsis' "the rebuild is over" remark. I haven't read anything this year suggesting OA is unhappy. I think that when free agent time comes Ovie will be locked up. He's worth a truckload of money and Leonsis is going to give it to him.
Terry (Posted 2007-12-19 12:34:35)
Eric Cooney, your right on!
People need to pay attention to statistics. I have been in Raleigh 17 years (Freakin Great City and GREAT Sports Town, every team: pro, semi-pro, every university (Carolina, NC State, Duke) and minor league has won a championship). Hockey in Carolina is the best professional sport and the fans hear are tremendous (ie loudest fans in hockey and great team supporters - NOBODY tail gates like US). I have reluctantly watched (3) Detroit games this year, too many empty seats in the lower bowl (nobody moves to Detroit). Raleigh is growing at a rediculous pace ("100" people a day moving to this area), "The Triangle" deserves the Canes and the exposure (great atmosphere at the RBC Center and getting better every year) and will be able to support another pro team in the near future (bring on the NFL).
Oh yes, "Bring Ovechkin to Raleigh (where he was drafted in 2004)"
Fred Bartsch (Posted 2007-12-19 12:31:44)
Chris- I can only hope that the Leafs didn't make this offer, and if they did I can only HOPE that the Capitals wouldn't even consider it. Ovechkin must stay with the Capitals. The Capitals MUST have time to draft and develop their younger players in order to be a consistant contender. To do otherwise would only mean the Capitals will remain a "BRIDESMAID".
Chris Bell (Posted 2007-12-19 10:40:19)
I understand the Leafs have offered Raycroft, Stajan and 2 early round draft picks for him and the Caps are considering the move. the Leafs will then sign him to a long term deal.........Go Leafs GO!!!!!!!
nick karr (Posted 2007-12-19 09:53:43)
yeah right...why didn't brophy suggest the pens start shopping crosby after their bad start or iginla be shipped off after the flames looked like a bust early this year or wait i think luongo went from a team who never makes the playoffs to a team that now struggles to score maybe he's next..gime a break mike. There are not to many players like OV who play the game with such enthusiasm on and off the ice, he's so good to the fans and could teach a few things to the other players about appreciating the chance to be a nhler. Washington needs Ov to bring in the fans, i know i would rather watch one evening of OV than a weeks worth of 3/4's of the rest of the league. Leonsis and Mcphee know they have something special to build around and like all intelligent gms and owners consistent good teams take time..ask the present day unsuccessful rangers or Leafs. oh yeah mike, I think ottawa should of traded heatley when they started to stink it up for 7 straight fames... yeah right.
Oneal (Posted 2007-12-19 09:43:57)
Jim Hershberg, that is the best comment I've ever seen.
Oneal
Eric Berge (Posted 2007-12-19 08:32:33)
Ottawa's interesting. They'd probably never do it, but I'd assume getting Ovechkin means getting rid of Heatley, Spezza, or Alfredsson. Plus they have tons of young talent that I'm sure Washington would be interested in, like putting Vermette in the package. But like I said, I hope Murray isn't that stupid because Heatley and Spezza are already the future of the franchise, eventually all three of them are going to be huge salary cap munchers, and in the case of Wade Redden, they're already running into those problems.
Thadd Corbett (Posted 2007-12-19 08:17:32)
I agree. The Caps could trade him and get 2-4 players in return. Making them a much better team overall. At the same time Ovechkin could possibly be traded to a city that cares more about hockey, putting Ovechkin's skills on a bigger stage would be great for hockey. Imagine Lecavier, Thorton, Getslaf, Crosby or Spezza centering this guy. Ovechkin/Spezza/Heatly sound like such a scary line. I'd honestly be afraid to leave the livingroom to take a piss or grab a snack out of the fridge in fear of missing on or two goals. Same goes with any of the other possible combos listed above.
Cazman (Posted 2007-12-19 07:17:32)
Rebuilding does take time. Perhaps two more years, and a lot of patience, may make the Caps a playoff team.
Otherwise, trading Ovechkin is as useful as an ejection seat in a helicopter.
Bill Carroll (Posted 2007-12-18 17:38:11)
Here I have to agree with Fred the Rangers fan and John M. First let me say that insinuations/conversations like these are why THN.com blows NHL.com out of the water with simple fan interaction than so called expert analysis that has a gag clause in there reporters and editors to say anything close to bold. Yes, the Caps would be better off (contending in the league standings for years) by trading away Ovie for a package of players. But when you have a GM that rivals Rangers former GM Niel and Toronto's Ferguson (if you were good at you're job instead of listening to the people signing you're checks, I'd learn to spell you're name correctly) in franchise suicidal stupidity, you'd never think of doing it. Besides the facts the current GM in Washington is there to build a team from draftees for the future, not to be a contender now. And everyone is correct in the fact that no one would show up to a Caps game ever with him gone. And yes, trading Kolzig would be a good move, to get anything in return get closer to the bottom of the standings to get more good draft picks. But Kolzig is there because he brings fans to the stands. Period. Only reason he's still there-other than the obvious fact that is widely overlooked about Kolzig and Washington is that there treading him with the respect he should deserve for years of service and loyalty. He's got a win-win deal with the franchise because of it. I can't say I've ever liked any of Washington's past players (except Gonchar, no, not even Bondra ((Jagr rival)) except for Kolzig. When that team fell apart he was one player you respected to watch. Kinda like the Spartan stand at Thermmopolie, Wake Island, or Stalingrad. Heroism in perilous situations just commands respect. And facing as many shots per game as he did a few seasons ago was steller with his performances. These days there a ton more exciting to watch with both of them on the team than the Bondra days before. Than again, I do watch Devils games when I can for the excitement of watching Broduer play. And anyone knows Devils and excitement should be in a sentence together.
Louis-Emmanuel Warnock (Posted 2007-12-18 16:53:11)
This season isn’t over yet. If the Caps are out of playoff reach, they’ll decide what to do. In plus, this team has already racked up a lot of young prominent players. As GM that hasn’t maid the playoffs for a very long time and that ends up always trading his key or depth players for draft picks, the guy has to take chances. Ovie’s the key to this franchise and if the team lets him go, who knows what Washington while become. Instead, the Caps should make a blockbuster trade so they could build up the defense. Maybe use a draft pick! But not Ovie.
dmg (Posted 2007-12-18 13:45:27)
There are so many things wrong with this argument I can't post them all here. Thus:
http://capsblueline.blogspot.com/2007/12/all-cool-bloggers-are-doing-it.html
Hugo Ouellet (Posted 2007-12-18 13:21:43)
People should be aware that the fact is Patrick Roy made the Avalanche Stanley Cups possible, and never would've he been traded to that organisation if it remained in Quebec City.
tom steven (Posted 2007-12-18 11:57:28)
If I was the GM for chicago I would move .Kane ,sharpe,seabrooke.Chicago has a good core of players through the draft and denis would know how mold ovie to make him more effcent.Also this will not hurt the caps as a markey name as kane they recieve in return.a win for both teams
John M. (Posted 2007-12-18 10:49:56)
No way is this a good idea. The interest in the Caps as a whole right now is based entirely around the fact that Ovechkin is in DC. You trade him away, most likely, interest is going to plummet even farther.
Not to mention, I seem to recall watching the Caps last night take it to Detroit. Ovechkin doesn't need to go, Kolzig does. I love Kolzig and always have, but he is showing his age. We need to shop him around to a contender and get a good return on him.
If any high profile trade gets made this year, it ought to be that one.
And just for sake of argument, Boston would have to give up Bergeron, Kessel, and ________. I say _________ because Boston has no one else we're remotely interested in, and those two aren't enough, even with picks. No, if Ovechkin gets traded, it would have to be for a Phaneuf, Tanguay, Iginla or Datsyuk, Zetterberg package, which simply isn't going to happen.
Collin Fernandes (Posted 2007-12-18 09:35:52)
I think that this is a great idea. If the Caps were to trade Ovechkin to a to a team in need of a high profile scorer, Boston, they would be able to get some excellent young talent back for him.
K.G. (Posted 2007-12-18 09:32:17)
Check the L10. The Caps are in the thick of it since Bruce took the reigns.
F.J. Corrigan (Posted 2007-12-18 07:37:32)
Pittsburgh is little more than a .500 team with goaltending (even wth a healthy Marc-Andre Fleury) and defense issues. Perhaps the Penguins should shop Sidney Crosby.
Nate Reiber (Posted 2007-12-18 06:12:43)
I think that this is a stupid idea for many of the reasons previously mentioned. Most people are too quick to say that GMGM's rebuild is not going well
Jim Hershberg (Posted 2007-12-18 02:39:24)
Sorry, this makes about as much sense as suggesting a person trade one of his arms for an assortment of fingers.
patrick hastings (Posted 2007-12-17 22:06:47)
ovechkin is the type of player you build a team around, not build a team from. he wants to play for a winner, he's made that clear, but really, and this is someone that's been suffering the capitals for pretty much his whole life, there is hope in washington. green has shown flashes of outright brilliance, schultz is progressing well, backstrom is starting to live up to the hype (really). the majority of their prospects acquired from their
multitude of firesales have mostly been busts, and it's not like they don't need some additional pieces, but i'm willing to bet that, if the purse-strings were loosened, some of those pieces would be thrilled to get the chance to play along side ovechkin.
Chuck Nielsen (Posted 2007-12-17 19:39:12)
Sell off Ovechkin and expect 4,000 fans per game.
Padre (Posted 2007-12-17 19:19:31)
I agre, we should consider trading Ovechkin, but for other reasons, as we could get a top center and a goalie or winger in return. Then we could shop Kolzig while he has value, and add to our team.
Brian Pike (Posted 2007-12-17 18:28:50)
I disagree with the Caps/Avs comparison. Quebec/Colorado had a couple of major pieces already in place before the Lindros deal. I don't think the situation is remotely the same. The Caps do have some good players besides Ovechkin, but then again, Alexander Semin and Shaone Morrisonn ain't exactly Joe Sakic and Adam Foote. I don't think you'll ever see a trade quite like Lindros ever again. For one thing, the idea of including a young Peter Forsberg-type in such a deal like Philly did at the time with European scouting the way it is now is absolutely laughable.
Greg Schmidt (Posted 2007-12-17 17:17:17)
This is an interesting opinion, and is something that a GM should consider. It really doesn't matter whether this is a Franchise player as Ovechkin is, or a run of the mill player. You have to determine whether the team/franchise is better off with this particular player, or with a different one. If a different one, who would trade and what would I get.
Our problem (amongst many) is that the team is chronically underfunded, and we have a lousy GM that the owner loves. I wouldn't want GMGM deciding the fate of AO, because he'd probably take a few first round draft picks and a bag of pucks. Look at the deals he made over the summer. Poti hasn't produced anything to write home about. Neither has Kozlov or Nylander. As far as we can tell, Nylander is a marionette out there spinning in the corners, and Kozlov doesn't like being touched. Pothier is also underperforming. We traded good people for some of the long shot prospects that haven't panned out.
We NEED a GM that knows hockey and can spot value. We NEED an owner to stop squeeking when he walks and open up the purse a bit more.
Now, if you said this about Semin, I could see this actually happening. A trade for him and several high calibre players.
Fred Bartsch (Posted 2007-12-17 16:43:31)
I not sure if this statement of trading Ovechkin is nothing more than a "KNEE JERK" reaction. I have always been against NHL teams trading away it's younger players, as the team that I have followed for the past (51) years has had a LONG recond of doing just that and it has always FAILED. That team is the Rangers. With that being said, if the Washington Capitals did venture into this idea, then for the FIRST time I would love to see the RANGERS make a LARGE and SUCCESSFUL offer for this Very talented player. I agree that when you have a player of this "caliber", he should be playing in one of the LARGE MARKETS in the NHL. I would also feel very sorry for the Capitals fans as they would be losing one "SUPER" player.
Kerwin Mertz (Posted 2007-12-17 15:54:38)
If they trade Ovechkin they better get at least 2 players back that are relatively young and already established NHL players plus prospects and 1st round draft picks. Otherwise the Verizon Center will be 1/4 full instead of 1/2 full on most nights.
Rick (Posted 2007-12-17 15:45:25)
If Ovie leaves Washington, the franchise is pretty much done. There is no return that could keep the remaining fans coming to games. That said, there is plenty of young talent working it's way up the farm. The Hershey Bears have been in the AHL finals the last 2 years. Won one and lost one to a very hot Price (Habs) There is no need for a panic, knee-jerk trade. By the end of this season you'll be wondering why you were ever worried about the Caps.
Robert Marx (Posted 2007-12-17 14:46:35)
Ovie is one of the very few players in the league who is guaranteed to do something exciting every single game. As a season ticket holder he is the one player I want to go and see every game. Hopefully all Caps fans appreciate what they have while he's here.
Eric Cooney (Posted 2007-12-17 14:27:50)
Check your facts on the NHL "flailing" in the deep south. Maybe you're right with ATL, and Florida, but Nashville and Carolina have consistently beat many other markets considered to be better for hockey than the south (Chicago, St. Louis, etc.) It's far from flailing in Nash or Car. ESPN.com has a breakdown of attendance record, average, and earnings. Carolina ranked 15th last season, ahead of the usuals such as PHX but also Edmonton, Anaheim, NYI, NJD, Boston, and Pittsburgh. Surprise, surprise. You should check it out. The viability of the NHL in markets is much more complicated than longitude.
Drew Nauer (Posted 2007-12-17 14:21:30)
I disagree, Washington's struggling franchise needs all the help it can to stay afloat. Having one of the best players in the league gives them some help in that respect. Were he unhappy or under-performing and dragging the team down I would agree, however he's tied for second in the league in goals and is positive about the team and the Washington area. He has previously stated he likes the Washington area. I believe he likes the challenge and the fact that the team is being built around him.
Peter Richard (Posted 2007-12-17 13:13:27)
I agree in the Quebec/Colorado/Lindros deal analogy.
The NHL needs the Washington Capitals to prosper because with the product already flailing in the deep south (Atlanta, Nashville, Carolina and Florida), the league can't be losing teams in the northeastern U.S. as well. Fan interest in the Caps is almost non-existent since Ted Leonis moved the team into the D.C. area from Landover, Maryland and pretty much ignored the fanbase they had built up tapping into the Baltimore market. For cryin' out loud, Baltimore has some of the greatest sports fans putting up with a decade long slump by the Orioles and even embracing the CFL 'til the Ravens came to town!
Trading Ovechkin a la Lindros-to-Philly could bring the Caps back to being tremendously competitive as they were for much of the '80s and '90s.
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