Hopefully many of you, like myself, have enjoyed the excellent best on best hockey that’s been played on both the men’s and women’s side during these Winter Olympics. We also got to enjoy our Bears, who went 2-2 on their Canada road trip this season, including a critical, critical win over Toronto on Wednesday afternoon.

But, with the Winter Olympics ending, the NHL is nearly back in action. The roster freeze ends just before midnight on Sunday, and with the NHL trade deadline looming, many clubs will be in action immediately.

The Bears parent club in the Washington Capitals will be no different. In fact, the Capitals may well be at the forefront at some of the biggest discussions this year. Capitals General Manager Chris Patrick has made it clear that he is looking to acquire a top-six player, likely a winger, to both help make a playoff push this season, and help in future years.

Both elements are especially key this year because of the looming decision Alex Ovechkin has to make this offseason regarding his NHL future. If this is the end for Ovechkin, the Capitals will have all the more reason to not just build for a playoff push this year, but also make sure an immediate top six talent is on the team to replace Ovechkin and his still sterling offensive production next year.

A move of that scope would have a major effect on the Bears for both this season and potentially next year. So, with that in mind I wanted to use this article to go through some scenarios of players the Capitals could target and what that would potentially mean for Hershey.

First, the Easy Stuff

I should also mention that it looks like Washington, for really the first time this season because of an early year injury to Matt Roy, will be at full strength. Pierre Luc-Dubois returned to action after missing multiple months just before the break, and both Charlie Lindgren and Connor McMichael are fully participating in the practices leading up to the NHLs return after missing the last few games before the break themselves. 

Not only will that mean Garin Bjorklund returns to Hershey, but Washington will have to send down a skater. The Capitals have liked to keep two extra defensemen on the scratched list since Spencer Carbery became head coach, so let’s assume it stays that way and Dylan McIlrath is off the table to return to Hershey, even though I think he’d be a big boon to this group. 

That leaves Hendrix Lapierre and Sonny Milano as the two hypotheticals. Now, both average around the same amount of ice time per game when they’ve played this year, and Lapierre only has one more point (9) than Milano so far this season (8). So the counting stats don’t differentiate much here. And both would need waivers to be sent down, so no difference there either

However, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Capitals decide to put Milano on waivers over Lapierre for a few reasons. First, Lapierre provides more positional movability than Milano, as Lapierre can play both center and the wing, like he’s done this season, while Milano is strictly a winger. Second, Lapierre seemed to start to figure a few things out offensively right before the break, and that included finally breaking his goal drought, and as a 24 year old center, would have more value as a potential trade piece for Washington than the 29 year old Milano. And third, Milano has a much more expensive contract than Lapierre. The Capitals, whether Milano would be claimed on waivers or sent down to Hershey, would gain a bit of cap space if Milano’s last year of his $1.9 million AAV contract was not on the Capitals roster. 

As I said, I think it will be Milano who hits waivers on Monday, if McMichael and Lindgren are both taken off IR as they are expected to be. Milano would be a nice boost of high end talent if he makes it down to Hershey, something the Bears and their fans will always take more of. 

How Washington Can Still Help Hershey Through a Blockbuster

ne last thing before we start talking hypotheticals. It is still indeed possible for the Capitals to address needs in Hershey through blockbuster trades. My mind goes back to the 2017 trade where Washington traded for that year’s big deadline prize in Kevin Shattenkirk on February 27 of that year. At the time, Hershey had a win percentage of .546, which I will point out is only slightly better than the Bears current .542 win percentage they have right now. 

What the Bears desperately needed at the time was help in net. Veteran free agent signing Joe Cannata had not worked out, putting up a .876 save percentage in 22 games for Hershey up to that point of the season. Just to be clear- that’s bad. More than bad if I’m being honest, that’s horrific. But, because of those performances, then 21 year old rookie Vitek Vanecek was called on way more than expected. Vanecek performed admirably, but he had far too much of a load to carry for a rookie netminder, and he was unproven in critical moments at the AHL level, like the playoff push Hershey was about to do. 

So, the Capitals helped the Bears out and acquired goalie and old friend Pheonix Copley along with Shattenkirk. While Washington gave up both Zach Sanford (though Sanford only played 25 games with Hershey that year) and Brad Malone as well, plus their 2017 first, the acquisition of Copley was a huge boost for the Bears. Hershey would go 15-5 through their last 20 games after Copley was acquired, and the Bears nearly made another strong playoff push, falling in seven games in the second round that year to Providence. 

So, through this thought exercise I will also be considering players that the Capitals could acquire that would help out the Bears at the AHL level. 

With that out of the way, let’s get into the hypotheticals. 

The Hypotheticals

A quick note: I do not in any way have any inside information with what the Capitals organization is planning to do, nor am I qualified to be a NHL GM, though I am willing to learn if any organization is willing to take a chance on me in an entry-level role. 

Some rules as well: Neither Ilya Protas or Cole Hutson will be included in any trades. It looks like Washington is not willing to include them in any trade, and so I will not be including them in any of these trades. I will also be rating these hypotheticals on a 1 to 10 scale on how likely a trade for that player is before or at the deadline for Washington. 

Trade One: Washington Acquires Jordan Kyrou and Matt Luff from St. Louis in Exchange for Rasmus Sandin, Terik Parascak, and Hendrix Lapierre.

The Idea: I think Kyrou is going to be the name you hear the most around the Capitals the next two weeks. He fits the profile of what Washington is looking for, a speedy winger, in his prime at 27 and has high end offensive upside. My hypothetical may be slightly underselling his value, but Kyrou has a full no trade clause in his contract. Because of that clause, if St. Louis decides to make him available, Kyrou will have a huge say in where he goes, as he will have to approve any trade St. Louis decides to make that includes him. That will lessen his value a bit, but St. Louis gets a NHL proven defensemen under the age of 28 they are looking for in Sandin, plus an interesting prospect in Capitals 2024 first rounder Terik Parascak. Lapierre would get his restart in St. Louis for a team that does need some young forwards as well. By trading Sandin, Washington would be signing Cole Hutson straight to the NHL 

The Bears help: I’ve decided to include Matt Luff here. While I know that makes Hershey hypothetically flush on the wings with Milano staying around in this scenario, the idea of running a top nine wing group that includes Miroshnichenko, Cristall, Luff, Leason, Milano and Trineyev sounds very very fun. Hershey needs help more at the center position in my opinion, but Hershey’s offense would really get rolling with that wing group and would be a huge boon to an offense that has been inconsistent all season. 

Likelihood: 6/10. You’ll realize fast that I won’t be rating any of these moves as super likely to happen. Moves like the ones the Capitals are looking to pull off are hard, and that makes them much less likely to happen. I do think if St. Louis was looking for a package headlined by futures instead of an NHL ready defenseman, as has been rumored, this trade would be more likely. I just think the Capitals would buck at trading any of their young defensemen, even with Cole Hutson on the way, and are willing to put four left handed defensemen out there next season, swapping out soon to be free agent Trevor Van Riemsdyk for Hutson. Like I said though- I think Kyrou’s name is the one you’ll hear the most around Washington as we get closer to the trade deadline. It’s the move that makes the most sense and it’s the move I’d be the least surprised to see made by Washington this deadline. 

Trade Two: Washington Acquires Jason Robertson and Cam Hughes from Dallas in exchange for Washington’s 2027 First, Andrew Cristall, Leon Muggli, Washington’s 2028 Second, and Connor McMichael. 

The idea: Ooh boy, this hypothetical is a big one. I recognize this doesn’t necessarily make much sense. Robertson is an elite winger, the Stars second leading scorer just behind Mikko Rantanen, and Dallas is in the thick of a Stanley Cup hunt. But let’s also look at the facts. Robertson continues to be involved in trade rumors because his contract expires at the end of the season and Robertson’s rumored contract wants. If Tyler Seguin is good to go next season, which to my understanding he should be, Dallas will have just under $16.5 million in cap space to work with. That sounds like a lot, but not only does Dallas have to pay Robertson, they have to fill 3 more spots in their starting lineup. With Robertson reportedly asking for more than Mikko Rantanen, who makes $12 million a year, that would not leave a ton of cap room to fill out the rest of those spots. Through this trade, Dallas receives a cheaper top six option in McMichael, who will also be an RFA this offseason but will cost much less, two well regarded prospects in Cristall and Muggli, with Cristall being the highlight as someone who could provide cost controlled NHL production for two seasons, and some future draft capital. It would allow Dallas to make themselves a much less top heavy team and prepare the team around a talented defensive core, an elite goalie in Jake Oettinger and a well rounded forward group that would compete for Stanley Cups even without Robertson, while Washington would get their high level winger to replace Ovechkin. 

The Bears help: Again, a really fun idea in Cam Hughes. Hughes, an AHL all-star this year, is a dynamic top six center at the AHL level, and currently leads the Texas Stars in points. In this hypothetical, Hughes would be exactly what Hershey needs this year. A veteran, scoring center who can take some of the load off of Ilya Protas this year, and next year since Hughes is signed through next season. Hershey would lose both Cristall and Muggli in this scenario, but Cristall’s role as a playmaking winger would be replaced by Milano in this hypothetical, though he would be a player I’d hate to see go. 

Likelihood: .5/10: Yea, I know, much less fun. I will say, if Washington doesn’t pull the trigger on a big trade before the deadline and Robertson is unsigned by July 1, watch this space again regarding Robertson. But I just don’t see Dallas making this trade as they are prepped to make a run for the cup again and have to go through a gauntlet Central Division to do so. If they come up short of that goal again, like I said, watch this space in the offseason. But I think the likelihood of this happening now is extremely low. 

Trade Three: Washington Acquires Filip Forsberg and Jake Lucchini from Nashville for Ivan Miroshnichenko, Milton Gastrin, Hendrix Lapierre and Washington’s 2027 First Round Pick

The idea: This would be fun if only because it would fix the horrible, horrible mistake the Capitals organization made almost thirteen years ago when they traded then 19 year old Forsberg for Martin Erat and Michael Latta. 342 goals and 728 points in just under 850 NHL games later for Forsberg and the Capitals definitely lost what many call one of, if not the worst, trade of the post-lockout NHL era. But, there may be a pathway for the Capitals to fix that mistake by acquiring Forsberg now. Nashville seems primed to be one of the most active teams at the deadline, with their retool having failed and GM Barry Trotz stepping down at the end of the season, rumor has it Nashville is going to sell and they may be moving some of their bigger pieces. Forsberg would be included in that group, though a full no-move clause would make any move challenging. But, unlike a move for Kyrou or Robertson, Nashville probably would not be looking for contributing NHLers in a trade. They are rebuilding and are more likely to look for futures in prospects and picks or to take flyers on young players who need a change of scenery. The change of scenery would be good for Lapierre, who would likely continue to get NHL time with Nashville, especially if Ryan O’Reilly is also dealt. Miroshnichenko would also be someone who could get NHL time this year and would definitely make the jump next year. Milton Gastrin is a well regarded center prospect playing in Sweden this year, plus the Capitals 2027 first both make for good futures options. It’s a trade that would make sense for both teams considering where their ceilings are right now in my opinion. 

The Bears help: Jake Lucchini would fit the same role as Cam Hughes. A veteran, scoring center who would help take the load off of Protas. While Hershey does lose Miroshnichenko, which would stink, Milano again stays around in this situation and would help replace Miroshnichenko’s scoring output. Hershey would still benefit big time by gaining Lucchini, and he would provide an immediate boost to the offense plus some strong veteran leadership to the top six. He also started his AHL career with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, so it would be a pseudo-homecoming to the Atlantic Division in this hypothetical. 

Likelihood: 3.5/10: I actually think this trade would make the most sense for Washington. Like I said, Nashville is probably looking for exclusively futures even in a Forsberg trade, which means Washington wouldn’t lose a McMichael or Sandin and thus wouldn’t lose any of their crucial depth. But I’m not sure Nashville wants to part with Forsberg, at least not yet. Nashville has a lot of expiring contracts they will want to move first, plus they could get high returns for veteran center Ryan O’Reilly, who has a year left on his deal, increasing his value. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the emergence of Justin Sourdif at center for Washington this year, I think O’Reilly and Washington would have been a match made in heaven. But Washington is probably not looking for a center because of Sourdif’s emergence- I think they’re comfortable with him as the third line center. So, like Robertson, Forsberg may be one to watch more come the summer time and not by the deadline, but if Nashville doesn’t love some of the offers they get for their players on expiring deals, I could see them moving in the direction of a Forsberg trade, where Washington could be primed to pounce. 

Trade Four: Washington Acquires Bobby McMann and Vinni Lettieri from Toronto in Exchange for Washington’s 2027 First and Hendrix Lapierre

The idea: This trade does not include the same high level of players as the other three do. Bobby McMann is a good player, but he is not on the same level as Kyrou/Robertson/Forsberg. However, I think McMann fits the Capitals scheme and what they’re looking for really well. McMann is one of the fastest players in the league, with a max skating speed that’s in the 99th percentile of all NHL players at a top speed of 24.25 miles per hour (that’s good by the way). The Capitals are looking to add speed. McMann has it. The Capitals are looking to add consistent secondary scoring. McMann spends time on the Leafs second unit power play and has 19 goals this season and had 20 last year. The Capitals system depends on strong forechecking. McMann is a great forechecker. Oh, and he stands at 6’2, 217 lbs. If you squint a bit, I see a slightly shorter, but faster Tom Wilson, who doesn’t have the same scoring touch, but brings a similar high level of intensity. And man, does that sound fun next to Ovechkin and Strome. It may not be the most exciting add- but McMann brings exactly what Washington is looking for in players. McMann would also be the cheapest option for Washington, as Toronto is rumored to be looking for just a first rounder for McMann, meaning the Capitals could keep all of their well regarded prospects. 

The Bears help: I was thinking of either a Travis Boyd reunion or Vinni Lettieri as the options for Hershey. Both missed the game between the Marlies and Bears on Wednesday due to injury, and while a reunion with Boyd would be awesome, he was designated as a long term injury while Lettieri was designated as only day to day. So Lettieri is my choice in this hypothetical. More similar to Lucchini than Hughes in terms of style, Lettieri still fits my idea of a veteran, top six center, who’d take some pressure off of Ilya Protas and would add another element of offense to Hershey. Critically here, Hershey would not lose any of their current major threats here, plus would gain Milano and Lettieri. That would be a massive boost for this Bears offense, and would probably be the most helpful scenario for Hershey as they push for the playoffs. 

Likelihood: 4/10: The real question with this hypothetical is whether Toronto would actually sell McMann. Just before Christmas, Toronto looked dead in the water in a tough Atlantic Division and a cramped Eastern Conference playoff race. However, a ten game point streak around the holiday period brought Toronto back to life, and a three game win streak before the Olympic break has helped keep their season alive after they fell back to Earth with a six game losing streak through the middle of January. Similarly to the Capitals, what the Maple Leafs do at the deadline will depend heavily on how they play in their first few games out of the break. If they play poorly, McMann is one of the most likely options to be dealt and honestly I think Washington should be all over that. But if they play well and get themselves back in true contention for a wild card spot, they will keep McMann and go for a playoff push. That uncertainty is why the likelihood for this stays at 4/10. But, this is the type of under the radar move the Capitals have made in recent history that has led to success. McMann checks a lot of boxes for Washington and I think the price would make sense for this group.