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The Washington Capitals made some of the biggest moves in the NHL this offseason. They lost a heartbreaking semifinal series to the New York Rangers, marking the tenth time in the Alexander Ovechkin era they failed to make it past the second round of the playoffs. Management in the nation’s capital is starting to get anxious, knowing that Ovechkin’s prime won’t last forever.
The Capitals management made splash after splash this offseason. The first deal they made was to sign Justin Williams to a two-year, $6.5 million contact. For the money, this was an absolute steal. Williams was one of the biggest names on a very weak forward market. He is everything they need. After losing Joel Ward, they replaced a clutch player with arguably the most clutch player in the league. In the three years he lifted the Stanley Cup, he scored 58 points. When the team needs a goal or a pass that turns into a goal, you want Williams to have the puck. The Capitals now have that asset.
T.J. Oshie has been an asset that many teams have been after for years, especially after his performance in the Olympics. The Capitals pulled off a trade that brought Oshie from the St. Louis Blues for Troy Brouwer, a prospect and a pick. They made a major upgrade at right wing with two moves.
The Capitals made a ton of other moves throughout the offseason as well. They re-signed Evgeny Kuznetsov to a two-year deal worth $3 million each year. It was the perfect bridge deal to make him prove himself. They brought in fourth-liner Zach Sill on a two-way deal, and they also signed Ryan Stanton today from the Vancouver Canucks.
The Capitals had the best offseason of the entire league, especially with them signing Holtby long term. They became the favorites in a division that is getting increasingly better with every transaction. The Caps are a scary team going forward and really understand the urgency of their situation. They only have a few years as a Cup contender, and they plan to take advantage of it.
Offseason Grade: A
Nick Villano is the NHL feature writer for Rant Sports. He also adds to the site’s NBA, MLB and NFL content. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your Google circle.
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