The Capitals Wanted To Be Better. They Were Serious, And In Less Than 2 Weeks, Overhauled Their Roster

ARLINGTON, V.A. — General manager Brian MacLellan promised change for the Washington Capitals. He hadn't gone too deep into the details but said that the team was working on quite a bit in Las Vegas at the 2024 NHL Draft.

He wanted to send a message to his group and said that his plans included not only getting younger but remaining competitive.

"We're going to shop around," he hinted, adding, "We're working on it."

And on July 1, he completed an overhaul that revamped a good amount of the roster.

MacLellan kicked things off with the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, acquiring the 26-year-old in exchange for Darcy Kuemper. After that, he brought in Andrew Mangiapane and traded Beck Malenstyn.

His attention then turned to the crease as he acquired Logan Thompson to work with Charlie Lindgren.

Related: Logan Thompson Talks Trade To Capitals, Awkward Timing With Autograph Session At Same Time & Hopes To Keep Proving Himself

And finally, on the opening day of free agency, he made one last big splash to revamp the entire blue line.

MacLellan acquired puck-moving defenseman Jakob Chychrun for Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round selection, and then signed Matt Roy to a six-year contract to provide the blue line with another shutdown right-hand defenseman.

He then replenished the team's fourth-line forwards, replacing Malenstyn and UFA Nicholas Aube-Kubel, who also headed to the Buffalo Sabres, with Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh.

Related: Ryan Leonard, Terik Parascak Headline 2024 Development Camp Roster

To sum it up, here's a look at all of the moves that the team made:

IN: Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, Logan Thompson, Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy, Brandon Duhaime, Taylor Raddysh

OUT: Darcy Kuemper, Beck Malenstyn, Nick Jensen, Max Pacioretty, Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Chychrun and Roy provide the blue line with a whole new identity as the top 4 got a major revamping. Beyond John Carlson, there's another blueliner that can quarterback a power play and provide offense on his respective pairing. Roy also provides the team with some steady defense, as he's proven to be a reliable puck-mover and someone who can shut things down in his own end.

“Jakob is a 26-year-old offensive defenseman who has nearly 500 games of NHL experience. His unique skill set and experience will undoubtedly bolster our blueline, substantially increasing our offensive capabilities," MacLellan said.

"Matt is a steady right-handed defenseman who plays important minutes against the opposition's top players and is extremely responsible in his own end," he added of Roy. "We feel his addition will help strengthen our blueline for the next several years."

Up front, Mangiapane provides top-6 potential and is entering a contract year, and Duhaime also gives the team another top penalty-killer and hard-hitting player. Taylor Raddysh also has potential, as he's just two years removed from the 20-goal season he had in 2022-23.

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In net, Thompson draws into the mix and provides Charlie Lindgren with a solid partner. Though Lindgren has earned the opportunity to be the starter, Thompson could fuel a "competitive situation" in the crease, creating a 1A/1B scenario for D.C. and providing more stability in the crease.

Taking a look at the roster, there's a lot more potential and upside than there was just a season ago, though that underdog group still managed to sneak into the playoffs thanks to Charlie Lindgren's play and the resurgence of Alex Ovechkin in the second half of the season.

Here's how the lines could play out, too.

Alex Ovechkin-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Tom Wilson

Andrew Mangiapane-Dylan Strome-Sonny Milano

Connor McMichael-Hendrix Lapierre-Aliaksei Protas

Taylor Raddysh-Nic Dowd-Brandon Duhaime

Martin Fehervary-John Carlson

Jakob Chychrun-Matt Roy

Rasmus Sandin-Trevor van Riemsdyk

Alex Alexeyev-Ethan Bear

Charlie Lindgren

Logan Thompson

Of course, the biggest question that remains with D.C. now over the salary cap is whether or not T.J. Oshie returns. It seems less likely that he is back, however, no decisions have been made and MacLellan said he expects an answer at the end of the summer. The plan is for Nicklas Backstrom to remain on the long-term injured reserve.

Overall, MacLellan promised change and lived up to it. Ovechkin has two years remaining on his contract, and there was still a desire to remain competitive as he chases down Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record. With these modifications, the team looks to be in much better shape going forward.