Who adds what?
Joined: Jul. 2017
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Not the right fit or the right moment. The Caps currently have a sixty minute rotation at right defense, but because Ovechkin plays their power plays, they have about 56 minutes of endurance at left defense, where switching from Orpik to Chorney drops their average TOI at left D to 49. I'd make a joke about how they might do in a double overtime game, but they're not getting to overtime. Orlov already plays 23 minutes a night, so you're looking at asking two guys who average under fourteen minutes a night each to suddenly play nineteen a night each, in the playoffs. That's a lot more exercise at a higher level than they are used to doing. And to replace them before the playoffs, this Capitals team has.... negative 1.5M cap space.
While Weber's cap hit is admittedly a better value than Orpik's right now, Orpik's deal ends next year, and Weber doesn't fill a need in Washington, because Carlson plays tougher minutes than him this year and is in the top five of defensemen in points, while Weber is having an off year, offensively.
The Caps don't mess up chemistry in their top six to make that switch. If Weber is comfortable in a role at 2LD, Washington could certainly throw in picks and prospects, but the only problem with Orpik's contract is that, while he's still the toughest defenseman in hockey, he's only about 90% as good on defense as Karl Alzner.
Galchenyuk isn't really a center. He's 40% on faceoffs. He plays wing. There's something to be said for trading Backstrom for two great scoring wingers and auditioning Eller at 2C the way Eller is handling the puck this year. But as a Caps fan I'd rather see that audition happen this season, and consider trades this summer, since they have no one else in their system who could replace Backstrom at 2C, and would, in this scenario, have to trade Carlson to fill that need, and get a top left defenseman in that bargain. Maybe they could send him to Vancouver, maybe, just maybe on a sign and trade, for Edler and Gagner, but then the Caps are four million over the salary cap.
So, thank you for the offer of three excellent players, but the resulting team is not as balanced as what the Caps have going.