Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan has been busy during the last few days. He has signed two very sought-after players with very cap-friendly deals. It is almost like he went shopping and found Giorgio Armani and Louis Vuitton at Marshalls. On Thursday, MacLellan traded Troy Brouwer, goaltending prospect Pheonix Copley, and a 2016 third-round pick for T.J. Oshie of the St. Louis Blues. On Wednesday, he signed Justin Williams to a two-year, $6.5 million deal. MacLellan is making a bold moves to improve the Capitals roster, as well as presenting a solid case for GM of the Year.
From the business aspect of the Oshie trade, MacLellan gains some stability and retains a much better player without eating too much into his cap. Brouwer was a $3.667 million cap hit with only one year left on his contract. Oshie is a $4.175 million cap hit with two years left on his contract. Over the last three years, Brouwer has 65 goals, 54 assists, and 199 points, while Oshie has 47 goals, 88 assists, and 135 points. For roughly $500,00 more, this is a bargain of an upgrade. The Capitals could also trade goaltending prospect Copley since they drafted Ilya Samsonov in the first round with the twenty-second pick. And the cap is not affected by the pick, which, as they say, is giving up an unknown. The Capitals are gaining a known talent in Oshie. This is a very financially-savvy trade.
In Oshie, the Capitals gain a center who has the potential of being a consistent twenty-goal scorer. Last year, he had 19 goals and 36 assists for 55 points over 72 games played. He most certainly would have hit the 20-goal mark had he been able to play the full 82 games. Highlights of his 2014-15 season include three 3-assist games and a second career hat trick in the same game that tied another career-high four-point game (he also had an assist) on January 3, 2015 against the San Jose Sharks. In the 2013-14 season, Oshie had a career-high 21 goals and 39 assists for 60 points with 79 games played. Highlights from that season include his first career hat trick against the Minnesota Wild on March 27, 2014 and his first 4-point game, all assists, against the Colorado Avalanche on November 14, 2013. Over his career, Oshie has 110 goals, 200 assists and 310 points in 443 games played. He may be celebrating his 500th game with the Capitals this season.
MacLellan also swooped in for a bargain on Williams with a deal that carries a $3.25 million cap hit. In Williams, the Capitals are gaining the only current NHL player who has never played for the Chicago Blackhawks with three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe winner, and the holder of the NHL record for most Game 7 wins, at 7-0 he is also undefeated in Game 7s and has 7 goals, 7 assists and 14 points in those 7 games warranting the moniker “Mr. Game 7.” Normally, this Game 7 business is not such a big thing, but since the Capitals had a glaring, you guessed it, Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers in round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year, it is a talking point. By the way, the Capitals have only won four Game 7s in their entire history and are 3-6 since 2008.
In his career, Williams has 227 goals, 355 assists, and 582 points in 918 games played. He has had eight career 40-point seasons (which means he should notch the 600-point milestone next season), and he has only missed one game in the last four seasons, which is impressive because as of 2009 when he was traded from the Carolina Hurricanes to the Los Angeles Kings, he was considered injury-prone and had missed large parts of seasons. In the playoffs, he has 30 goals, 48 assists, and 78 points in 115 games played. So how is Williams a bargain? Well, under the Kings, he carried a $3.65 million cap hit. Yes, Williams will be making $400,00 less, which in a way offsets the difference in gaining Oshie. It is most likely because of Williams’ slight decrease in numbers last season that allowed for his market value to drop, although there were probably teams willing to pay more. However, with the way the Kings underachieved, it is not as though his lower production caused the team to flounder. That was really a team effort.
On the flip side, Williams was convinced to sign with the Capitals because he believes in that they are a team that can win him his fourth Stanley Cup. And he is not wrong. Within the last year, Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik were signed to long-term deals in order to boost blue liners Karl Alzner and John Carlson. Barry Trotz was brought in as head coach after the Nashville Predators parted ways after fifteen years. In fact, Trotz was really the tipping point for Williams in his decision. When Trotz called, he gave Williams the recruiting pitch of how he viewed the player to fit within the organization, what role the veteran right-winger would have, and what potential line mates he would have. Although not official, it is speculated that Williams would play opposite Alex Ovechkin with Niklas Backstrom or Evgeny Kuznetsov. Coincidentally, Alex Prewitt of the Washington Post revealed that Williams’ son Jaxon, who turns eight Friday, told his father, “You should play with Ovechkin because he’s the best,” about a month ago when the family where they might like to live next. That very well may happen come October. Both the Capitals and Williams feel that they are a perfect fit for one another. As strongly as the team wants Williams for his talent, he also believes that he can be a major contributor to the team’s success.
With both Oshie and Williams ditching the Western Conference to play for the Washington Capitals, this will most definitely be a fun team to watch considering the talent they already have in Ovechkin, Backstrom, Alzner, and goaltender Brayden Holtby. McLellan may be forming a championship team and at such bargain prices.
