| 29 June 2009
The free agent period is a special time of year for a hockey fan, special because it begins a month of news and commentary on their favorite NHL team and because it reminds you that in just under 100 days the puck will drop again.
Just about every NHL team will be busy bolstering or securing their lineups, and the Capitals are no exception.
There is work to be done, work that was not achieved before the NHL Entry Draft or during it. Work that could literally make or break the 2009-2010 season when it comes to whether or not the Caps can be Stanley Cup contenders.
Here's a glance at the Caps as free agency approaches. For starters, here's the link to the Caps salary cap situation.
Exiting players
Sergei Fedorov - KHL bound
Viktor Kozlov - KHL bound
Rumored exits
Donald Brashear - Tarik El Bashir's last comment on Brashear revealed that the Capitals had yet to contact Brashear concerning a contract. Brash is expecting to hit the free agent market on July 1.
Brent Johnson - Johnson wants to stay with the Caps but the deep goaltending situation makes it hard to believe he will be brought back.
UFAs (Unrestricted free agents - The open market, free to go where ever they want.)
Alexandre Giroux, Graham Mink, Bryan Helmer, Staffan Kronwall, Brent Johnson
RFAs (Restricted free agents - Capitals get to match any offer a team gives these players.)
Shaone Morrisson, Milan Jurcina, Jeff Schultz, Steve Pinizzotto, Chris Bourque, Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon, Daren Machesney
It's going to be a busy July for George McPhee just keeping the Hershey Bears together and bringing back key personnel for the Capitals. Don't get your hopes up for a Theodore or Nylander trade right now; it's best to enter free agency with the monkeys on your back rather than believing they'll be gone in the morning.
Only one name sticks out as a certain exit and that's Shaone Morrisson. He took the Caps to arbitration last season, won a $1.75 million contract and will likely want more money or go back to arbitration. Playing armchair GM here, sayanora ShaMo. With Mo's cap gone, the Caps have room for Karl Alzner and some wiggle room for a call-up, but that's just me talking.
On the surface, the Capitals have only one glaring need as they enter free agency -- the lack of a second line center. With Fedorov and Kozlov exiting, the Caps are now missing two top-six forwards and while talent from Hershey could potentially fill Kozlov's shoes, there isn't a top-six caliber center ready to play pivot for Semin.
With free agents like Mike Comrie, Saku Koivu, Mike Camarelli, John Madden and even Mats Sundin on the market, the "sexy" signing is there, but whether the Caps go that route remains to be seen. From Kozlov and Fedorov alone the Caps get $6.5 million in cap space to use, but in the salary cap era of the NHL, you have to squeeze every penny.
It's going to be a busy, rumor-filled month, but at the very least it should make you long for the chill of the 2009-2010 season in the sweltering heat of summer.
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