The Washington Capitals are assembling their troops for next season, as they upgrade their blue line and seemingly prepare to make a legitimate push in the Eastern Conference. General manager Brian MacLellan got an early start on the Fourth of July festivities, lighting off some fireworks around the league on Monday.
The team is adding a pair of defensemen, first acquiring Jakob Chychrun from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick, and then coming to terms with Matt Roy on a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5.75 million shortly after the NHL free agency window opened, per The Athletic's Chris Johnston and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, respectively.
Caps fans are surely fired up after seeing their squad wheel and deal. The last couple of seasons have left many wondering what is next for this franchise. With all-time great Alexander Ovechkin still on the roster, however, it is clear management wants to make some genuine noise before this era of Capitals hockey concludes.
These moves should give Washington a fighting chance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs following three first-round exits and a losing campaign in the last four years. Despite the impressive job that Spencer Carberry did in his first season as head coach, being swept by the New York Rangers in the 2024 postseason shows there is still much work to be done.
And MacLellan is chipping away at it this summer.
Capitals have been busy this offseason
Before beefing up their blue line, the Capitals completed trades with the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames to land center Pierre-Luc Dubois and winger Andrew Mangiapane, respectively. The organization also solidified their goaltending depth by pulling off a deal with the Vegas Golden Knights for Logan Thompson at the 2024 NHL Draft. Monday's maneuvering could bring the vision together.
Jakob Chychrun, a former first-round selection by the then-Arizona Coyotes, tallied 14 goals, 27 assists, 154 blocks and 72 hits for the Senators last season. He is entering the final year of his contract and should be motivated to play closer to the form he exhibited with Arizona in 2020-21 (career-high 18 goals in 56 games). The Capitals are counting on the 26-year-old's potential, just as they are doing with Dubois.
Although Nick Jensen offered valuable depth, Chychrun can potentially fit nicely with veteran John Carlson on the ice. Hence, Washington should have a more balanced defensive attack in theory, especially with Matt Roy coming aboard. The Los Angeles Kings leaned on the 2015 seventh-rounder when things were the most dire. He can hold his own in shorthanded situations and also recorded 197 blocks, which was seventh-most during the 2023-24 season.
The Capitals are taking some risks, but if all goes according to Brian MacLellan's plan, this team will be truly relevant once again. What more can fans ask for from a franchise that is supposed to be in a transition phase?
Follow Us
Subscribe