Let’s start off by acknowledging the obvious: This is not a great summer to go shopping on the NHL’s free-agent market.
That said, the Capitals have needs, and general manager Brian MacLellan is under pressure to retool the Alex Ovechkin-led roster after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons.
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Here’s the current salary cap picture for 2023-24, per CapFriendly:
| Players | Salary cap | Cap hit | Overages | Bonuses | Cap space |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 | $83,500,000 | $76,975,834 | $20,000 | $82,500 | $6,524,166 |
Forwards
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
Alex Ovechkin ($9,500,000) | Evgeny Kuznetsov ($7,800,000) | Tom Wilson ($5,166,667) |
Anthony Mantha ($5,700,000) | Dylan Strome ($5,000,000) | |
Sonny Milano ($1,900,000) | Nicklas Bäckström ($9,200,000) | T.J. Oshie ($5,750,000) |
Aliaksei Protas ($789,167) | Nic Dowd ($1,300,000) | Nicolas Aubé-Kubel ($1,225,000) |
Defense
| Left | Right |
|---|---|
John Carlson ($8,000,000) | |
Rasmus Sandin ($1,400,000) | Nick Jensen ($4,050,000) |
Alexander Alexeyev ($825,000) | Trevor van Riemsdyk ($3,000,000) |
Goaltender
| Player |
|---|
Darcy Kuemper ($5,250,000) |
Charlie Lindgren ($1,100,000) |
The charts above show 18 players under contract and about $6.5 million to spend under the $83.5 million cap. It’s a safe bet to pencil in Martin Fehervary; the 23-year-old defenseman is a restricted free agent and probably will sign a bridge deal. With Fehervary in the mix, that’s 19 players and probably less than $5 million to spend. (The roster max is 23 players, though cap teams sometimes carry fewer.
MacLellan’s focus this offseason figures to be on adding one and, perhaps, a couple of top-six-caliber forwards. His preference would be to add at least one via the trade market, which we explored here last week. Winger Anthony Mantha comes in at No. 25 on The Athletic’s offseason trade board, while center Evgeny Kuznetsov is listed under “others we’re watching.”
Swinging a trade, however, is far from a sure thing. Which brings us back to free agency.
It’s probably safe to assume MacLellan isn’t going to pursue over-30 stars like Patrick Kane, Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko and that it’s much more likely that he’ll be on the hunt for younger players, preferably ones who won’t break the bank.
Yeah, the cap is tight. But if there’s one thing that has become apparent in recent seasons, it’s this: Don’t get too hung up on it. Whether it’s dumping a contract in a trade, buying out a player or burying someone in the minors, teams find a way.
Keeping all of that in mind, here are nine forwards who could fit the bill in D.C. Salary information is courtesy of CapFriendly, contract projections are from Evolving Hockey and ratings are based on colleague Dom Luszczyszyn’s top-50 UFA ranking.
(In alphabetical order)
- Age: 28
- 2022-23 stats: 20 goals and 20 assists in 81 games
- 2022-23 cap hit: $3 million
- Projected contract: $2.97 million for three years
- Luszczyszyn’s rating: Useful depth
The well-traveled forward (Detroit, Edmonton, Los Angeles and Chicago) adds speed to any lineup. He played a career-high 81 games and, after being shifted from wing to center late in the season, racked up six goals and seven assists in the final 11 games.
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- Age: 27
- 2022-23 stats: 16 goals and 29 assists in 82 games for the Blues and Golden Knights
- 2022-23 cap hit: $2.25 million
- Luszczyszyn’s rating: Useful depth
- Projected contract: $4.76 million for four years
Dealt to Vegas by St. Louis in late February, he’s been one of the Golden Knights’ most important players this postseason while skating on the first line alongside Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault. Entering Thursday’s game, Barbashev had five goals and eight assists in 14 contests.
- Age: 28
- 2022-23 stats: 8 goals and 22 assists in 50 games with the Red Wings and Bruins
- 2022-23 cap hit: $4.75 million
- Luszczyszyn’s rating: Strong support player
- Projected contract: $5.53 million for four years
After an injury-filled first half in Detroit, Bertuzzi was flipped to Boston at the deadline for a 2024 first-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round selection. In the Bruins’ surprising first-round exit, he amassed five goals and five assists in seven games — a performance that will no doubt make him one of the most sought-after players this summer.
- Age: 29
- 2022-23 stats: 0 points in four games
- 2022-23 cap hit: $3.6 million
- Projected contract: $2.54 million for one year
- Luszczyszyn’s rating: Useful depth
He suffered a torn ACL in the Caps’ fourth game of the season but is expected to be full-go come training camp. Washington’s decision-makers like his versatility and are intrigued by what he could add to an already strong penalty kill.
- Age: 27
- 2022-23 stats: 23 goals and 26 assists in 82 games
- 2022-23 cap hit: $950,000
- Projected contract: $5.44 million for four years
- Luszczyszyn’s rating: Strong support player
One of the league’s top players in terms of cost per point last season, Bunting’s next contract will be significantly more lucrative. He’s also shown the ability to complement high-end players, which might be exactly what the Caps end up seeking on the open market.
- Age: 28
- 2022-23 stats: 17 goals and 35 assists in 82 games
- 2022-23 cap hit: $3.5 million
- Projected contract: $5.7 million for four years
- Luszczyszyn’s rating: Strong support player
Compher had a solid regular season, racking up career highs in assists (35) and points (52) to go along with strong defensive metrics. But he was quiet in the playoffs, producing a goal and an assist in seven games as the defending champs got bounced in the first round by the Kraken.
- Age: 28
- 2022-23 stats: 20 goals and 36 assists in 80 games for the Blackhawks and Stars
- 2022-23 cap hit: $3 million
- Projected contract: $4.57 for three years
- Luszczyszyn’s rating: Useful depth
The leading scorer on a bad Blackhawks team, Domi was traded to the Stars at the deadline. It took a while for him to get acclimated but he’s been one of Dallas’ more productive players in the postseason, entering Thursday’s game with three goals and eight assists in 16 games while skating as the second-line center.
- Age: 26
- 2022-23 stats: 17 and 13 assists in 76 games for the Maple Leafs and Islanders
- 2022-23 cap hit: $2.25 million
- Projected contract: $2.9 million for three years
- Luszczyszyn’s rating: Useful depth
The versatile Swede, who turns 27 next week, recorded a career-high in goals and is a good skater for his size (6 feet 5, 219 pounds). He finished the season skating on the left side of the Islanders’ second line with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri.
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- Age: 29
- 2022-23 stats: 16 goals and 23 assists in 69 games
- 2022-23 cap hit: $2 million
- Projected contract: $4.84 million for four years
- Luszczyszyn’s rating: Strong support player
After back-to-back productive seasons with the Penguins and Avs, Rodrigues, who turns 30 in July, has solidified himself as a top-six caliber forward, earning himself a promotion from the useful depth category. In 16 career playoff games, he’s recorded four goals and seven assists.
(Photo of Tyler Bertuzzi: Jasen Vinlove / USA Today)
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