NHL Rumors: Capitals interested in Fleury, top Chychrun suitors, and Giroux in Colorado?
Anthony Scultore
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The Washington Capitals have hit a bit of a rut lately. After being at the top of the Metro for the better part of the season, they are now in fourth place holding a Wild Card spot.
Their record in January is 3-5-2, and the rumor mill is churning in D.C..
NHL Rumors: Capitals goaltending
Over the weekend, Elliotte Friedman said that the Caps are considering adding unrestricted free agent Evander Kane. Per The Daily Faceoff Show, you can now add a much bigger fish to Washington’s trade list, Marc-Andre Fleury.
“The first one is definitely a goalie. I think, as everyone kind of knows, the Capitals are in on Marc-Andre Fleury,” Samantha Pell, who covers the Capitals for the Washington Post said.
“The Capitals definitely need a goalie… You have two pretty solid records from each guy, but when you look deeper into the numbers they’ve given up a lot of goals in a lot of starts. The Capitals have had no consistency from that standpoint,” she continued. “I would say at the trade deadline, it would definitely be a goaltender.”
Fleury, 37, will be a pending UFA this summer, and a valuable trade chip for Chicago to bring in younger assets for the future. He is 13-13-3 this season with a 2.76 GAA, and a .913 SV%. Washington will likely need to have Chicago eat 50% of his $7M cap hit and maybe take Ilya Samsonov ($2M, pending RFA) back in return.
Top Chychrun suitors
Jakob Chychrun’s name in the rumor mill is like a train coming down the tracks. It started as a rumble off in the distance but after Jeff Marek’s latest reporting sounds like it will blow through the station.
“The Coyotes are looking for a package that includes a young player, a prospect, and a first round pick,” Marek said on 32 Thoughts. “And they do have that package from one team in the NHL. Essentially, two former first round players, and a first round draft pick.”
Marek reported that L.A. Anaheim, Boston, Columbus, and Florida are in on Chychrun.
“The Rangers are in on it as well,” Marek added. “They have offered a package which includes Vitali Kravtsov.”
Of all the team’s mentioned above, the Rangers involvement have many around the NHL scratching their heads since it isn’t one of their needs. NY desperately needs another top six forward to compete for a title.
The consensus seems to be that the Panthers are really trying to land him, but don’t have a first round pick to complete the deal. That’s why plenty of people are narrowing down the final destination to be the Kings.
Los Angeles had a small army at the Rangers and Coyotes game Saturday night at MSG. They have the necessary assets and the desire to bring him in.
Chychrun, 23, has just 8 points in 29 games with the Yotes’ this season and was dealing with an injury. Last year was a breakout for him with 41 points in 56 games. The left-handed rearguard has three years left on a cap friendly deal of $4.6 million.
Claude Giroux in Colorado?
The Philadelphia Flyers are now tied for 8th place in the Metro Division and appear destined to stay there. Claude Giroux is a pending UFA and may be thinking exodus for a chance at the Stanley Cup.
“What’s one team in every trade rumor? Colorado,” Friedman said on his latest podcast. “Colorado could use a right-handed shot. The biggest challenge I have with that is can you make the math work. If Claude Giroux wants to chase a Stanley Cup, that the team you go to.”
Giroux, 33, is coming off a season where he scored 43 points in 54 games. This is the final year of a contract that comes with a $8.275M cap hit. He has 33 points in 39 games so far.
