The NHL Trade Deadline is coming up fast. What should the Washington Capitals do?
The NHL Trade Deadline is coming up fast. It'll be here on March 7 before we all know it and we'll all be wondering what the Washington Capitals will do to bolster their lineup. They're in a once in a lifetime opportunity. Forget the top spot in the NHL. There's bigger things to accomplish this spring.
The Washington Capitals should buy at the NHL Trade Deadline
The Washington Capitals should 100 percent swing for the fences at this upcoming trade deadline. A lot of folks including us think a bottom six center on the third line will be key. Adam Gretz of Bleacher Report recently wrote that he believes the Capitals should buy at this upcoming deadline.
"What an absolutely incredible story this season has been for the Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin is on track to break the all-time goal-scoring record, while the team itself has rapidly re-tolled itself into a bonafide Stanley Cup contender that enters the weekend with the best record in the NHL and a sizable lead for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference. Given the age of Ovechkin, the number of pending unrestricted free agents they have after this season, and the fact the Eastern Conference is there for the taking they should be as aggressive as they can be and try to get Ovechkin another championship. "
Adam Gretz/Bleacher Report
Gretz is right. I'll spare you the whole window is closing, aging core type talk because we all know Ovechkin is 39 and there's not much time left. We all want to see the record be broken and it very well could before the regular season ends. But over in these parts Caps fans aren't just happy with regular season success especially after witnessing Ovechkin lift a Cup over his head.
Fans want to see that again and that makes March 7 all the more important.
What do the Capitals do before 3 p.m. on March 7?
Well obviously someone will have to go in order to add on. Washington has good draft capital so teams might entertain the idea of the Caps giving up a first rounder in this year's draft.
Per Daily Face Off's big board some of the names mentioned were Brock Nelson, Dylan Cozens, and Bowen Byram. Those are just three of the big names. Among other mentioned in the same outlet, per Steven Ellis, are Zac Jones, Brian Dumoulin, Justin Brazeau, Trent Frederic, and Joel Armia.
Among those names, I'd go for Trent Frederic of the Boston Bruins. He can play both center and left wing so he can slide in either position in case an injury happens down the stretch. He's also just 26 years old and has a cap hit of $2.3 million. He will be a pending unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Here's just a snippet of what Ellis said about Frederic's services:
"He had a career high of 40 points and 69 penalty minutes last year, and while he won't come close to that in 2024-25, he's still an absolute pest. The 6-foot-3 physical forward has shown he can play just about anywhere you need him, and he's a solid two-way threat, too. This is the first year where Frederic won't see an increase in his offensive production, but he's still valuable in a bottom-six role and doesn't cost much, either. In the right situation, he has proven he can put up close to 20 goals. That's not happening this year, though, and with the 26-year-old set to become a UFA, the Bruins can move on and allow him to chase a championship this year before hitting the open market. "- Steven Ellis
He's got speed. He's got grit. He can chase the puck and as you can see in the video below, he has a wicked snap shot.
So far this season Frederic has eight goals and seven assists for 15 points. It's a far cry from the 18 goals he had the previous year when the Bruins captured the Presidents' Trophy. But those numbers could go up on an explosive offensive team that's brewing in Washington.
