The Washington Capitals have had quite the offseason, as they've brought in some big names like Pierre-Luc Dubois and Jakob Chychrun to add more offense. Still, some are wondering if D.C. would express any interest in Patrik Laine as he remains on the market.
While it'd be an interesting pickup, it doesn't make the most sense — At least for right now. And here's why
There's no denying that Laine has talent and upside that could pay off big time. The 26-year-old knows how to score goals, and when fully healthy, has shown he can be a 30-goal scorer. He's struggled over the last few seasons but has taken the time to recover in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and appears ready to get back on track.
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Plus, with the Alex Ovechkin era coming to an end in a couple of years, Laine could potentially find his footing in the District and become a key member of the offensive core for years to come.
However, he doesn't come cheap, and that's a big issue at the moment for Washington. Laine carries a cap hit of $8.7 million, and though the Columbus Blue Jackets may retain salary on a trade, Washington doesn't have unlimited space to work with.
The Capitals are still waiting on word regarding T.J. Oshie's status for the upcoming season, and though him going on long-term injured reserve along with Nicklas Backstrom will help free up some room, D.C. would likely have to give up more or do more to free space for Laine's services.
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A decision on Oshie is expected closer to training camp, so for the time being, it would be wise to pump the brakes on the Laine talk.
Then, there's the question of where he'd draw in. Washington currently has an influx of centers, and Connor McMichael is the most likely candidate to move to the wing this season. That creates even more of a logjam on either wing.
Aliaksei Protas has also taken on a role on the wing, and then there's Sonny Milano, along with new free-agent signing Taylor Raddysh. Again, the only way to free up a spot on the wing is for Oshie to go on the LTIR, which isn't guaranteed.
Related: Capitals Believe They Can Get More Out Of Taylor Raddysh: 'Just A Matter Of Getting An Identity For Him'
All the while, prospects like Ivan Miroshnichenko, Ethen Frank, Pierrick Dubé and Bogdan Trineyev are waiting their turn for an NHL opportunity, and bringing in Laine would lead to a bit of a logjam in the prospect pool.
The Capitals are also coming off a busy offseason of additions that has them in good shape going into the year, and the team doesn't necessarily need to add Laine at the moment.
At the end of the day, while Laine would certainly provide another X-Factor on offense, the Capitals don't need to make another big move like this and should wait and see how things play out as training camp approaches.
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