New York Islanders Metropolitan Division Stronger After Free Agency

Washington Capitals

It’s been an interesting offseason for the Perennial Regular Season Champion Washington Capitals. With their early departure from the playoffs, there was a lot of speculation as to what the Caps would do this offseason to regroup.

We’ll start with the good. The Caps signed both T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov to eight-year extensions. Oshie’s was a $46 million deal which gives him a yearly cap hit of $5.75 million a year. Not, bad for someone who scored 33 goals last year.

Washington Capitals Off-Season Moves:

Kuznetsov’s deal was a bit more it was for $62.4 million which gives him a cap hit of $7.8 million a year. That may seem like a lot but Kuznetsov is a budding superstar. After a 77 and 59 point season, he was handsomely rewarded.

When you dish out a couple of big contracts like that you’re going to have cap issues, which is exactly what happened to the Caps. They were forced to move Marcus Johansson for virtually nothing.

They traded him to the Devils for a second and third round selection. For the record, Johansson is 26 and coming off a 58 point season that’s a huge blow to the defending President Trophy winners. The Caps have definitely taken a hit but are still in better shape than the Islanders.

They have more forward depth and a better goaltender that’s for sure, although we all know what happens once April and May roll around.