Capitals' Trade Partners for Kuznetsov & A Chance to Improve
Plus, an archive on Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Gretzky, and the Goalies They Beat
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Welcome to the THW Washington Capitals Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Capitals writers.
In today’s edition, we look at where Evgeny Kutznetsov could be dealt, why the Capitals should pursue Nikolai Knyzhov, and Ryan Leonard’s star potential. Plus, we have an archive about the two greatest goalscorers in history.
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Now on to the good stuff…
3 Capitals’ Trade Partners in a Potential Evgeny Kuznetsov Deal
December 6, 2023 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
The Washington Capitals have gotten off to a surprisingly good start to their 2023-24 campaign after missing the playoffs last season. With an aging core who would like to win another Stanley Cup before they retire, the Capitals have been making moves over the past couple of seasons to try and give themselves an edge. With the acquisition last season of Rasmus Sandin and the offseason addition of Joel Edmundson, the Capitals find themselves in a good spot 22 games into the season, have a 12-8-2 record, and sit fifth in the Metropolitan Division.
One player that the Capitals could end up moving on from though, is Evgeny Kuznestov. He was a healthy scratch in the Capitals’ last matchup against the Arizona Coyotes where his team lost 6-0. While the coach stated the move was a “mental reset”, there is a chance Kuznetsov could be growing unhappy with the Capitals and would like a shot to win a Stanley Cup somewhere else. With that being said, here are three trade partners for the Capitals in a potential Kuznetsov deal.
Capitals Have Chance To Improve In Knyzhov Trade With Sharks
December 4, 2023 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
The Washington Capitals have had a strong start to their 2023-24 season and are hoping to ride that momentum into the playoffs after they missed the postseason last season. While they have had a surprisingly strong start to the new season, they have some small issues that will need to be dealt with if they want to become true contenders come the playoffs. One issue they’ve had this season is their defending and their lack of depth at the defense position. One player who stands out as a potential acquisition for the Capitals as he’s being underutilized with his current team is Nikolai Knyzhov.
The Capitals are coming off a loss to the Vegas Golden Knights but have built up an impressive record of 12-7-2 and remain third in the Metropolitan Division at this point in the season. They have had some injury issues but have reacted accordingly up until this point, but they still have a small issue with their depth on the blue line. With Knyzhov being placed on waivers by the San Jose Sharks, this allows the Caps to capitalize on the team’s low asking price and give him a change of scenery. With that being said, here’s a brief breakdown of a potential target for the Caps.
Gretzky, Ovechkin and the Goalies They Scored On (A Lot)
November 29, 2023 by Ryan Gagne
Hockey fans who were old enough probably remember where they were on Mar. 23, 1994. Wayne Gretzky, known as The Great One, took a pass from longtime teammate Marty McSorely and fired a snapshot past Kirk McLean to become the league’s all-time scorer with 802 goals.
For the last half-decade, many in the hockey world have believed that Washington Capitals’ captain, Alexander Ovechkin, will someday break Gretzky’s goal record. He’s currently at 827 (second all-time), and there’s no telling what that number could be if Ovechkin hadn’t missed significant playing time due to several NHL lockouts and a global pandemic. To date, Ovechkin has scored at least one goal against 169 goalies, with Henrik Lundqvist and Marc-Andre Fleury sharing the honor of being in net for 24 and 27 of them, respectively.
Capitals Prospect Ryan Leonard Showing Star Potential in NCAA
November 26, 2023 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
The Washington Capitals have been quite strong to start out their 2023-24 campaign. Looking away from their current team and into the future, there is a lot for Capitals fans to be excited about. The Capitals’ top prospect Ryan Leonard has exploded in the NCAA this season and he is beginning to show signs of being a future superstar in the NHL. Aside from his offensive output, he does the little things away from the puck right as well. He is proving that he slipped farther down the draft than he should’ve and that the Capitals got a steal when they scooped him up at the draft, as he’s living up to the hype that surrounded him last season.
The Capitals know that their window for their second Stanley Cup in franchise history is closing, so they’re trying to win with their current core within the next couple of seasons. However, if they’re unable to do so, they have at least one prospect whose future looks incredibly bright in Leonard, and hopefully, he can continue to fine-tune the little parts of his game and become a lethal weapon when he eventually gets his shot at the NHL level.