The Washington Capitals were the best team in the Eastern Conference in 2024-25, but have not been as good this season. The Caps are 29-23-7 on the season, which places them fifth in the Metropolitan Division. It also places them four points outside of a playoff spot. The front office needs to decide what their plan is for the future, and it could be trading one certain player.
The NHL Olympic trade freeze has come to an end, meaning teams can once again make trades with other teams. Front offices were able to discuss trades during the freeze, but could not finalize deals. The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Mar. 6, meaning teams have very little time to figure out the direction of their franchise. This means the Capitals have just four games before the trade deadline to make decisions.
Capitals general manager Chris Patrick has previously spoken of the short-term direction of the franchise, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com.
“I hope we can do something that helps us in the short term for this team getting into the playoffs again, for Alex to have another run in the playoffs, and also helps long term for whenever it is he’s not on the team,” Patrick said. “I think if you look at some of our history, even guys that looked like rentals when we acquired them, a lot of times we’ll end up signing them to deals after. So, I think that’s a situation we’ll look at, too.”
If the Capitals are looking for a player that can help now, but also long term, there are options, but it will also take trading the correct piece right now.
The Caps need to make a move, but not damage the future
The Capitals have some highly attractive pieces that they could move to get a big-time player in return, but the team needs to be careful not to mortgage the future for this run. The Caps were interested in Artemi Panarin, but did not want to move away from many of their young pieces. The one player that has been pinpointed as a sticking point was Ryan Leonard, who is a 21-year-old and has already made an impact at the NHL level.
Still, the team has a large group of young prospects that they should not be willing to part with. One of those is Cole Hutson, whom the Caps GM has also spoken about as not willing to move.
“I really like Cole Hutson and, for me, I want to see what he can do in a Washington Capitals sweater,” Patrick said. “So, that wasn’t a piece that I was willing to move in that kind of trade.”
Beyond Hutson and Leonard, other teams could be interested in Ilya Protas, Justin Sourdif, and Ivan Miroshnichenko, who could all be attractive for teams looking to build towards the future. The Capitals seem not willing to hurt their future in order to make a run this year. Still, they need to add to their offensive attack. The Capitals are 14th in the NHL this year in scoring, while also sitting 26th on the power play. To get a player who can impact their team immediately, they will have to give away a solid player.
Hendrix Lapierre should be moved
Hendrix Lapierre would be the perfect player to trade as part of a package to upgrade. Lapierre was the 22nd overall selection of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Capitals. He broke into the NHL in 2021-22, playing in six games and scoring a goal. He returned to the NHL level in 2023-24, playing in 51 games, with eight goals and 14 assists. Still, he struggled to find a spot in the roster in 2024-25, playing in just 27 games with eight assists.
This year, the former first-round pick has played in 56 of 59 games for the team. Still, he has been averaging just 8:27 of ice time this year, the lowest on the team. While not spending time in the AHL, he has also yet to break through and get consistent playing time. Regardless, Lapierre was a first-round pick, has scoring talent, and is just 24-years old. He could be a player who can play now at the NHL level, while also being a building block of the future for some teams.
The Philadelphia Flyers could be interested in Lapierre. This would give the Flyers another young player to add to their core, while also having someone who could play directly. Still, the Flyers may not have a player that the Capitals would be interested in. Bobby Brink may be an option, and would be an upgrade for the Caps, but it may not be enough. If the Flyers are willing to move a player like Matvei Michkov, who has run afoul of management at times this year, then Lapierre plus picks could be a great option.
Another option for Lapierre and the Caps would be to reach out to the Nashville Predators about Ryan O'Reilly. O'Reilly has been a player seen as a potential trade option for the Predators to move to get younger. He would fit the current style of the Capitals, could add to the penalty kill, and play on the middle six. He is also a physical two-way forward and would also add some scoring. Meanwhile, this would give the Predators an NHL-ready young player as they move forward.
One final option would be sending him to the Calgary Flames. The Flames are selling this year and could be moving Nazem Kadri. Meanwhile, while the Caps got Pierre-Luc Dubois back, they could use another center for the middle six. Kadri can be a major playmaker and drive plays, while helping out on both the penalty kill and power play. He would not be the same stylistic fit as O'Reilly. Regardless, he brings a lot of experience and could be a solid player for a Capitals run.
Regardless of where Lapierre is moved to, he will likely be a piece in a larger package. The Capitals could move on from a player who has not found his spot on the team, while getting better for what could be Alex Ovechkin's last run at a Stanley Cup.
