The DFO Rundown: Frank Seravalli and Jason Gregor on the DFO Rundown podcast on the Washington Capitals.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Seravalli: “So Let’s look into our crystal ball. We’ve check a lot of pieces off the board on Sunday with this trade. Even just going back to my trade targets board from draft week and free agency, (Jeff) Petry and (Mike) Hoffman and all these guys that ended up moving.
What’s next? What’s left to tackle in the NHL? And I wanted to tie to two things, both with the Washington Capitals.
I don’t think there’s a huge likelihood or probability to it, but do think the Caps would like to find a way to move Evgeny Kuznetsov, still.
NHL Free Agency Worst Signings From The West
And I thought this Tom Wilson signing was really intriguing. 29-years-old, he turns 30 next March. He’s entering the final year of a six year, $31 million deal and he signs a seven-year, $45.5 million extension to stay with the Caps. I guy that had, you know, a real significant knee injury that he worked his way back from last season to be an impactful player.
But he’s almost 30 and you signed him for seven years. What are the Caps up to?
Gregor: “Honestly, I don’t know. I think Washington’s in a situation where they, kind of like Pittsburgh, they want to stay relevant, they want to stay competitive till Alex Ovechkin walks away.
I think they look at it and say, ‘This guys the face of our franchise. He’s made us millions and millions of dollars for many year, so..’
Seravalli: “Literally hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Gregor: “… we owe it to him to be competitive although they weren’t really competitive last year. And so that’s the challenge in Washington, is I don’t. Like Pittsburgh’s improved. We all think Buffalo and Detroit and Ottawa are coming. How does Washington find a way to get back in?
Seravalli: “It’s a damn good question, and more than that, and again it’s a similar one to what we asked with Pittsburgh, even if they get in, are they a true contender?
We know they’d like to move (Anthony) Mantha. Their D was influx. They basically re-signed a bunch of them. They added Joel Edmundson by a trade.
Max Pacioretty I thought was a great signing but he is not back until late November, early December. I mean, that’s a lot of, there’s a lot of ground to make up for the Caps. And a new coach by the way.
NHL Free Agency Value Signings
Gregor: “I see Pittsburgh in a better situation to be competitive this coming season than Washington Capitals.
Seravalli: “It’s a good, I think it’s a really good question.