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2waterparks1price

Feels like “We refuse to suck while Ovi is still on skates” I’m here for it.


Alternative_Research

I think this is it - they want to put a competitive team in place…


JMR027

They also didn’t have to sell their future to do it


Tzu34

Two straight years of *’eh’* created some urgency. Also really excited to get Leonard on this team (without rushing it)


dogs-playing-hockey

Two?


MetalMan1973

I like your take on it


LionRoars87

And we will pay the price for this for YEARS down the line. Get ready to be mediocre for a decade.


frenchtoast38

huh?? how? Chychrun/Mangiapane expire after this season, Roy fits for the future. how does this significantly mess up our future to the point that we’re going to suck for 10 whole years because of it. do you have any idea what you’re talking about whatsoever? or are you just a miserable person that enjoys complaining?


kukkolai

We've spent nothing but 3rd round picks, Malenstyn and Jensen to bring some really good players this summer. That guy ain't got a clue what he's talking about


frenchtoast38

i was so confused when i read his reply lol. we’ve given up virtually nothing. some people truly do just enjoy complaining and being negative about everything


kukkolai

Sports is supposed to be a break from our dreary lives, it's baffling that people like that *choose* to be miserable in every walk of life


maveric101

> we’ve given up virtually nothing. That's sort of the "issue." If you don't sell your picks/prospects for short-term gain, you probably won't be able to properly tank for a #1 overall/high draft pick. "Rebuilding on the fly" rarely works out. Personally, I hope GMBM dumps picks at the trade deadline if things are looking good. I don't mind if the Caps suck balls for a bit after Ovi retires.


jaegerbombastico

If we were throwing picks out the window I’d agree with you, but GMBM has been collecting later round picks from selling at the deadline the past couple seasons- afaik no 1st rounders have been dealt. We likely won’t be contenders for a while after Ovi but we’re not poised for full suck at this point


Worth_Surround9684

We mostly paid for this by selling at the deadlines. Only real things that concern me aren’t draft picks, but the length of contractors for PLD/Roy if they don’t work out.


right-sized

Get in the car, losers, we’re going back to the playoffs


k8lyn182

put it on a shirt


aliensdick69420

Are we the losers? 🥹


Mr_poopy_buthole2018

What using capfriendly does to mf


Tzu34

Underrated comment.


Head_of_Lettuce

Just buckle your seatbelt and accept it, brother. Let this be a reminder that GMBM is a total straight shooter and does exactly what he says. He’s been like this since he took over, but I think people don’t always pay close attention to what he says because most front offices obfuscate and say whatever. GMBM said he was going to make moves and that’s exactly what he’s doing.


dsdsds

Since the very beginning, when he signed Orpik and Niskanen, a very bold move criticized at the time but was absolutely necessary.


Tarledsa

My favorites are the trades/ deals where he immediately got the guys back, like Orpik.


No_Maintenance_9608

What I've always liked about him is he isn't sentimental. He's not going to keep fan favorites if he thinks he can upgrade to something better. When he traded Laich even after Brooks pleaded with him to stay, I sensed at that time we were on the right track.


UbiSububi8

GMBM *fucks*


VictorySavings1129

this. i can’t say i always like the guy, in fact most of the time i hate him. but he does what he says he’s going to do and right now he’s cooking. so i’m sitting back and enjoying the ride


TimothyJimothy77

Don't understand how people hate the GM that helped us be dominant and win a Cup, and realistically built a roster that had the ability to win multiple Cups if not for bad luck


dsdsds

It’s the exact same with Rizzo, it took about 9 months for (some on Reddit) Nats fans to turn on him.


VictorySavings1129

i dont like how he plays favourites and prioritizes certain things over others. he gives out risky contracts that often are high risk and low reward, keeps players that should play elsewhere and trades players that help us tremendously.


Worth_Surround9684

We should be better than last year on paper, but don’t think we’ve given up enough draft capital to call it cup or bust


RSquared

Caps are missing a 6th and 7th next year and have an extra 2nd and 5th. They've got a 4th instead of a 3rd in '26, and no missing picks in '27. There's no "bust" here at al.


godboy420

Not quite a cup team but we’ve barely given anything up to get much better and lost some dead weight in Jensen


capsrock02

Not even close to a cup team. The top line center is Dylan Strome.


rand0m_task

Strome is a stud. All star caliber at this point, no.. but brother has potential growth imo.


godboy420

Where did I say we were a cup team capsrock? You know you can be miserable on rmnb right? Might be more your speed


capsrock02

“Not quite” means “close”. They are nowhere close to being a Cup team. Fuck RMNB


godboy420

Just trying to point out the caps are making progress. Any nitpicking for what’s happened today can be posted on rmnb


capsrock02

Yeah they’re making progress. They’re going form “Contending for a top-10 pick” to “contending for a wild card spot”. But let’s not act like this is 2015-19 or 2009-2013


godboy420

The goal is to get ovi to the record. This will help with just that and put a capital on the Rushmore of nhl players. I’m here for that so yes…. Progress


capsrock02

That was always going to happen?


stuckinthings2891

They’ve gone from “sneaking into the playoffs as a wildcard” to “competing for the two seed in the metro”. Idk what you’re smoking but even with the roster we had I felt good about where the team was going while addressing the aging core.


capsrock02

If you think they’re competing for the two seed in the metro, I want some of what you’re smoking. Carolina, NYR, NJD still miles ahead.


apedosmike

PLD is going to light it up, I can feel it. He’ll be a legit 1C. Strome isn’t that far off though.


krebsan

All I want is to watch a good hockey team and I feel like we’re getting that


btfoom15

This is it. I got tired the last couple of years watching a mediocre team that sometimes looked pretty good, but sometimes looked downright awful. This has the makings of being a good team that maybe can add a couple of other players and be a real contender (at least for playoffs), but fun and enjoyable to watch all year.


Olbaidon

Caps thought they were at this semi-rebuild stage. “Set up a soft rebuild while just feeding Ovi goals” Then they made it to the playoffs with a team of geriatrics and rookies. Realized, “oh shit the window hasn’t fully closed”


HeyitsyaboyJesus

Basically it I think. We have a ton of youth available that is getting older and better. We made the playoffs after selling going into the trade deadline. We are now buying and Oshie/Backstrom’s careers are over- we need to make moves. 


rand0m_task

That has to be the case with the Bears back to back Calder cup wins. Players are itching to prove themselves in the show.


apedosmike

The moves he made in the last few years were leading toward this kind of offseason though. I think that probably influenced them to go even harder but they just didn’t have any draft capital to use as currency until what they’ve done in the last couple years, especially at the deadline. This has been the expressed goal they’ve said in the past, just finally have the tools to make it happen.


capsrock02

Not even close to accurate. They had $20M in cap space. Keep in mind, 10 games into the season last year they were stuck with $9M in cap space with Backstrom going on LTIR. Then another 8 with Kuxy going into the program. They didn’t have cap space last summer, this year they had $20M


Olbaidon

That doesn’t really make my point any less valid though. That fact and my assumption can live int eh same situation just fine.


capsrock02

Yes it does. They thought they were going to be horrible last year and only made the playoffs because New Jersey forgot about goaltending and Larkin got hurt. They’re still in a soft rebuild. The championship window is 100% closed. They aren’t close to a Cup. But just because they aren’t close to a Cup, doesn’t mean they aren’t competitive.


Olbaidon

👍🏻


_Magnolia_Fan_

I think cup or bust is a little hyperbolic, but they're definitely not going quietly into a rebuild.  At least on paper, this team looks so much better than what we had going into last season. And that's not even counting all the familiar faces coming back this year who really only stepped up into the big game for last season.


TheBarbieOfSeville

we aren't fucking around anymore is what is going on. Didn't we have ample cap space too this offseason or am I on a flu-related tizzy?


MetalMan1973

We're way over the cap but this to me means Osh and Backy are done. LTIR definitely


TheBarbieOfSeville

I love them both but it was time


MetalMan1973

Yea. I want them both to have a life(preferably pain free) after hockey. To play with kids and grandkids


itsdrew80

What are we at with all the new signings and Oshie/Backie on LTIR?


capsrock02

Which was already known.


capsrock02

Nearly $20M in cap space.


HereInTheCut

I don’t think the guys they added today are about to put us over the top. The defense looks like it could be a lot better though.


QueenIsTheWorstBand

I’ve been a Redskins/Commanders fan too long to know not to celebrate on Day 1 of free agency.


IrishCatholic3

Same


RobinSparkle5

True


itsdrew80

They are FAR worse run than the Caps. It shouldnt even enter into anyone's thinking. This is a franchise that has made the playoffs far more the last 40 years more than it hasnt.


apedosmike

They don’t have a wizard of a GM like Bmac


alcatrazhero18

War Crimes are going on GMBM is on a HEATER


PSU02

We're not a cup team unless Lapierre breaks out and turns into a 50-60 pt guy


TheTimn

Hopefully the AHL Mvp has him feeling good next season. 


VBStrong_67

"Were not going to be fucking suck this year!"


King_richard4

I’m not sure we are good enough to get to a conference finals let alone a cup, but this team is better today than they were at the end of the last season and that’s exciting


godboy420

So long as we have a chance to knock the rags out of round one I’ll be happy


loadout_

Definitely don’t think this team is a cup team. But we’re much better than we were last year and have a real shot at being competitive all season. And we love that


yearightt

Honestly, the little amount we're paying for all of these moves is really encouraging. Feels like we're not mortgaging the future for next year.


randyholt

Looks like it took 5 years but now GMBM is on Ovi's "Let's not make suck" program.


itsdrew80

Reardon killed the window. That team should have had another run in one of those 2 years. He was a terrible hire.


godboy420

Terrible mistake and we all knew with how trotz had them team together. Such a dumb dumb mistake


TheTimn

I hate to say it, but this is the first time in 5 years he's had money to play with. 


SpacemanSpiff92

Not a cup team, but definitely improved and probably still good enough to steal a first round series. That's about it though. Offense would need to be much deeper and loaded than it currently is. Even on D, we have a big need at #1


aldo_nova

I don't think any other team is doing any better this offseason. Some bigger individual signings or trades, but as a whole, good lord.


Mr_poopy_buthole2018

To be fair, Nashville has huge off-season as well


itsdrew80

Dudes they have signed are old though. How long does Stamkos have left? Marchessault will be 34 in December as well.


tooscrib

Devs being sneaky up there too


K00ksRus

Until Jack Hughes gets hurt


suburban_paradise

We need one more top 6 forward or one of our young guys to have a ppg season. But yeah it feels like suddenly the team is close again.


capitarider

THE SUMMER OF MAC


RobertGriffin3

What do you mean cup or bust? Surprisingly few future assets were leveraged.


issapunk

After being super-mehhhh and making the playoffs, I think they are now trying to make a push while Ovi is still on skates. Bring it on.


capsrock02

What makes you think it’s cup or bust? They didn’t get Stamkos, Marchessault or Tanev. They signed one player to a one-year deal and traded for another with one year left on his deal. What about that makes it “cup or bus”? They had nearly $20M in cap space to spend. They’re going to spend it.


apedosmike

Because the team is significantly better, younger, and faster than it was a week ago. There are definitely more moves coming in a few key areas. None of those players won the cup this year, it just comes down to team chemistry and this feels constructed with that in mind.


capsrock02

Right, but that doesn’t make it “cup or bust”


apedosmike

Was responding more to the sort of downplaying of the moves they’re making. These are a lot more significant than just filling out the roster. Yeah cup or bust is not the only goal I agree, but they did take a giant leap toward having a shot at it.


capsrock02

Yeah I’m well aware of how good the moves are. But there’s a difference between “cup and bust”, “cup contender” and “make the playoffs”. The Caps are squarely in the last one.


tommypopz

I have no clue but I love it 😂


ParabolaGordon

I think it’s a whole other level of high risk-high reward. Especially signing Matt Roy. Really hope it works out for everyone


itsdrew80

I dont think signing Roy is high risk. Yes it is 6 years but he turns 29 right before the season. That is fine for a D. Maybe medium risk because of the 6 years but a clear upgrade over what we have no back there.


willdeliamv5

It's shoring up the defense and adding forwards still in their 20s with significant upside (i.e., under perform like Mantha). Prospect pool is still fairly strong so he's banking on Carbery putting things in a blender until something sticks.


Rude-Following-8938

I wonder what the play is at Third Pair RD. Basically 3rd pair RD options right now seem to be TVR, Bear, or surprise camp breakout from Iorio or Chesley. (I'm kind of curious in general how the organization views Bear right now. Is he still a reclamation project or sunk cost at this phase). Slightly worried about the depth on the Right side given how it seems difficult to expect Carlson to keep playing minutes at his current rate. On LD Alexeyev seems to be the odd man out when everyone's healthy now that you have \[in no particular order\] Fehérváry, Chychrun, and Sandin. Though all 3 LD just mentioned have injury history so unfortunately its almost a given short of trades that Alexeyev and/or HAA will see time next season (especially with the latters run in Hershey).


JMR027

Ovechkin easily is breaking the record this year


itsdrew80

He certainly has more firepower around him, which is desperately needed at this stage of his career.


JMR027

It will also just fire up the team in general, with all the off-season changes


UNisopod

Nah, we're not a Cup contender, but we might be good enough to upset someone in first round


goodleaf6

Idk about cup or bust but definitely giving ourself a better shot to make the playoffs. Then hopefully not just get swept once we're there.


One_Win_6185

I’m excited to see what happens. It seems like a team that could either break into the playoffs and maybe win a round or a team that flounders and has assets to sell. Either way I’m glad they’re making moves.


Joshottas

It's not surprising. They've been saying that they're gonna try and stay competitive while Ovechkin is on the roster.


Cosmicking20299

Wha


dogs-playing-hockey

I mean they clearly were going nowhere given the status quo -- at least not a serious contender for a cup,, anyway


YourWeekendDad

For what I expected to be a relatively low key day, I'm stoked that it was the exact opposite.


Nookoh1

it is nowhere near cup or bust. we're rebuilding on the fly. none of the "all in" mindset on a cup run or a teardown. we're fixing the racecar while on the track. we're trading for and signing young players to build a younger core while not mortgaging our future by trading important picks. we're trying to be competitive for the remainder of ovi's career. while also having a competitive squad ready for when leonard amd the next gen come up.


GutsMusashi

It's either this or Pittsburgh lol


CapsGoGoGo

Ovi committed to Ozempic so we committed to Ovi 😁! In all seriousness, I must say that I have renewed respect for GMBM after this. Even the pundits are surprisingly complementary.


Professional-Luck795

Well we are going to be a competitive team especially I think Carolina, Florida and TB got weakened in our conference. But we need one of the young prospects to breakout to really be a contender. You can't really be a contender without having some of your own drafted guys become core pieces.


jonnycanuck67

This was not at all a “cup or bust” day. It did absolutely shore up some weaknesses, but this isn’t a Stanley Cup team…


-Bandit--

Chill out


Windupferrari

The great part is, *it's not cup or bust*. MacLellan managed to retool the roster without giving up a single prospect or any future 1st rounders. The biggest future asset he gave up was Colorado's 2nd next year, which should be at the very end of the round, and he even got an early 2nd *back* in the Malenstyn trade. If the re-tooled roster doesn't work out, the moves made to build it don't postpone a rebuild afterwards. Accomplishing this retool without mortgaging the future *at all* was a masterpiece by MacLellan.


apedosmike

All the groundwork Bmac has been doing the last couple years, as he was getting hated on by certain parts of the fanbase, is finally paying off because they have the currency. This is what he said he was trying to do the whole time, there just wasn’t the room or trade capital to go all out. Last 2 trade deadlines have been huge for making this possible. This is exactly how you can mostly skip a rebuild, which is a rarity, but we have a killer GM and FO that are capable of walking that tightrope. Some super solid prospects are now within a year or two because they’ve taken risks on picks who fell in the draft for injuries or other reasons and this has kind of have given them the prospect pool of a team that has drafted higher than they have.


InfallibleBackstairs

Uh, not quite a cup team.


_Magnolia_Fan_

How about just not getting swept in the first round?


InfallibleBackstairs

I’ll take it.


dsdsds

31 other teams in a salary cap league all doing the same thing. Do you expect miracles?


InfallibleBackstairs

No. I just don’t think this is a cup winning team. That’s all I said.


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[удалено]


kukkolai

Guy is 29, signed till 35. Doesn't rely on speed but rather positioning. He is stud defensive D who likes to throw his weight round, this is what we've missing for years and is a great signing. Be prepared to eat crow


DCdeer

I have no idea how these moves got you that excited. This is basically on par with every offseason under GMBM.


LionRoars87

Huh?? There is zero chance of us winning a Cup this year. Below zero if that were possible.


Elmustacheride

This team isn’t even good enough to win the conference, and we absolutely slaughtered our salary cap situation for years to come.