Why is Shattenkirk being moved?

[Nyghtewynd]

The salary cap wouldn't be an issue if Army hadn't kept giving terrible contracts and making terrible trades. But I'm sure season tickets for next year are still on sale, so good luck!

[cardsfan04]

The salary cap wouldn't be an issue if Army hadn't kept giving terrible contracts and making terrible trades. But I'm sure season tickets for next year are still on sale, so good luck!

I'm not sure that's entirely true. Yeah, he hasn't been perfect. But, we'd have to clear like 3 mil in cap space to extend Shatty. And, doing that would mean we'd have either Pietro, Shatty or Parayko playing 3rd pairing minutes while getting paid. It also would mean we'd be giving Shatty $7mil+ when he's not worth that. If he gave Shatty $7mil, we'd be (rightfully) criticizing Army for not having cap space to help our top 6 forwards. Like glen said, there are plenty of things to criticize Army for. This isn't one of them.

[Oaklandblue]

I truly thought Army was going to let him walk. Figured at best we'd end up getting a First. I'm very happy for what we got back (Sanford is a solid, solid prospect and Malone iirc can swap between wing and centre) and losing Copley, well... we have Husso, if Husso got traded, I would have lost my s*it. Given the situation, I feel Army did fairly well. We haven't given up on this season, more that we decided to hold tightly onto resources and build up from within outwards (if that makes sense) is always the best course of action. After this season and the Expansion Draft, there will be a ton of players on sale and if Army can just dump trash contracts that we have, we could seriously boost up your chances greatly in the offseason.

[theohall]

On Sanford from Hockey's Future

Sanford has the ideal frame for the NHL, already coming in at 6’4, 190 pounds. With a frame that size, he could stand to add a bit more strength and weight, making him even more difficult to play against in the future. For a big man, his skating is solid though unspectacular. Sanford possesses excellent vision and playmaking ability and has shown an ability to make those around him better. At 20 years old, he is still very raw, but has all the makings of the gem the Capitals envisioned when they took him in the second round back in 2013
Read more at http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/ ... yWmAxfX.99

Sounds like the C the Blues need for Tarasenko to explode.

However, he played 26 games for the Caps this season and did nothing 2G 1A averaging 10 mins per night in those 26.

Isn't he a winger?

Caps announcers just pointed out they expect to see Sanford playing up the middle for the Blues. He just couldn't crack the lineup at C for the Capitals due to their depth, so they had him playing LW.

He's a C, first.

[glen a richter]

That blurb is two years old though, Sanford is 22 now.

[theohall]

That blurb is two years old though, Sanford is 22 now.

No, the Caps announcers just mentioned during the current Caps-Rags game that Sanford should be playing C, but couldn't crack the Caps lineup at C.

[glen a richter]

That blurb is two years old though, Sanford is 22 now.

No, the Caps announcers just mentioned during the current Caps-Rags game that Sanford should be playing C, but couldn't crack the Caps lineup at C.

I meant the one from Hockey's Future.

[Toasted Oates]

That blurb is two years old though, Sanford is 22 now.

No, the Caps announcers just mentioned during the current Caps-Rags game that Sanford should be playing C, but couldn't crack the Caps lineup at C.

And Armstrong said today he likes Thompson and Sanford down the middle for the next few years. Now granted that's Armstrong but I would agree that the intent seems to be playing him @ center.

Right now on the roster, though, you have 26/21/12/28 all playing that position (although 12 and 21 have played wing before). I'd rather give Barbashev or even Sanford a shot over Lehtera. Unfortunately Jori has been tough to usurp.

[glen a richter]

I'm not especially optimistic about the long term benefits of playing a guy who has 3 career NHL points in 26 games, though I guess a lot of that can be attributed to his lack of minutes and playing wing instead of center. So I guess time will tell, but I'd rather see Thompson, Kyrou and Musil getting first crack since we're rebuilding anyway.

[Toasted Oates]

Oh for sure and one always has to take what Armstrong says with a grain of salt. He seems enamored with Sanford's glory days as a center @ Boston College.

As you say, time will tell.

[JCShutout]

Not happy that the 2nd isn't guaranteed, but it is what it is.

I'm excited to see what Sanford brings. I know he isn't the next Jagr, but he seems like a solid prospect. For those not happy with his NHL production, he's 22.

[theohall]

One thing the Blues have now is a bunch of C prospects.

Now if a couple of them will just pan out.

[gaijin]

Saw a blurb that the Caps' conditional 2nd round pick doesn't exist. If that is the case, does the league punish them for an "illegal" trade?

I think the Blues should be awarded the Capitals' 1st round pick for the next five seasons as compensation.

[theohall]

Saw a blurb that the Caps' conditional 2nd round pick doesn't exist. If that is the case, does the league punish them for an "illegal" trade?

I think the Blues should be awarded the Capitals' 1st round pick for the next five seasons as compensation.

The conditional 2nd round pick is 2019, not 2018.

2018 2nd Rd conditional pick was mentioned in all of the "unofficial" reports. That is the pick which belongs to MTL from the Eller trade. When the official report came out, the 2nd round conditional is from 2019, not 2018.

Although, five 1st round picks would be nice.