Offseason Decisions Loom Ahead for Capitals, Bears
The party is just really getting started here in Chocolatetown. Celebratory beers are flowing, and the “woooooo’s” are flying as the sweetest place on earth rejoices in the Bears’ 13th Calder Cup Championship.
However, we are now entering the phase where business and pleasure mix in a bit more to prepare for next season.
The Capitals jolted the hockey world when GM Brian MacLellan acquired center Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Los Angeles Kings for goaltender Darcy Kuemper. That signaled the willingness and desire for the big club to have an aggressive approach to the offseason.
On Thursday, the big club also made a splash trade in acquiring winger Andrew Mangiapane from the Calgary Flames in exchange for the Colorado Avalanche’s 2025 second-round pick. On Saturday, the Capitals made two trades – sending former Hershey Bear Beck Malenstyn to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Buffalo’s 2024 second-round pick (defenseman Cole Hutson). The second move by DC involved acquiring goaltender Logan Thompson from the Vegas Golden Knights for two third-round picks (Islanders 2024 selection and Capitals 2025 pick).
Speaking of the draft, the Capitals used their 17th overall pick Friday night to select forward Terik Parascak from the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars. According to CapitalsPR on X, Parascak – a teammate of incoming Bears Zac Funk and Hudson Thornton – led WHL rookies in goals (43), points (105), shorthanded goals (4) and plus-minus (+49) while ranking tied for first in power-play goals with 12.
Tip of the cap to CapitalsPR for this note as well. Since the 2000-01 season, only Patrick Kane (145 on 2006-07), Sidney Crosby (135 in 2003-04) and Sam Gagner (118 in 2006-07) have recorded more points as a Canadian Hockey League (CHL) rookie than the Lethbridge, Alberta, native Parascak.
Without further ado, here are some Bears-related tidbits as we inch closer towards training camp:
The anticipation is that forward Hendrix Lapierre will graduate to full-time NHL status beginning next season. The 2024 Jack A. Butterfield Trophy winner led the AHL in postseason scoring with 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 20 games. In 51 regular season games played with the Capitals, he posted 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists). His smooth skating and playmaking skillset were on full display all season, and becoming a regular NHL is more than deserved.
Does 20-year-old Russian phenom Ivan Miroshnichenko follow Lapierre to DC? He certainly displayed poise and big-play ability in the playoffs for him to get an opportunity. Not to mention, he notched a healthy 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 20 playoff games as a rookie. With 21 games under his belt this season, there’s familiarity with Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery’s system. If he doesn’t make the NHL out of camp, he’ll have a bigger role in Hershey.
Speaking of the Russian contingent, I wonder if Bogdan Trineyev gets a long look to take over the fourth line right wing spot in DC. The 2020 fourth-round pick impressed as a reliable, hard-hitting forward who killed penalties and created tons of havoc. In my view, he was arguably the most impressive from beginning to end in terms of growth.
With Malenstyn heading to Buffalo, this could pave the way for Trineyev and Riley Sutter to seriously compete for a spot on DC’s fourth line.
The Capitals need more speed in their lineup. Ethen Frank, the AHL’s two-time fastest skater, brings that element in abundance. After registering 30-goal and 29-goal regular seasons, he led the charge in playoff goal scoring this season with 10. He was Hershey’s first double-digit goal-scorer in a postseason since 2010 (Alexandre Giroux, 14; Andrew Gordon, 13). He’s another player that could receive significant looks.
The backup goaltender job will certainly garner some attention. As it stands, Thompson will compete against Hunter Shepard and Clay Stevenson for the gig.
Based on guys with NHL contracts, there are nine Bears with expiring contracts – with five of them deemed restricted free agents. They are forwards Frank, Alex Limoges and Sutter; defenseman Hardy Haman Aktell; and goaltender Gibson. All of the aforementioned RFAs maintain arbitration rights.
The remaining free agents – forwards Joe Snively and Matthew Phillips, and defensemen Lucas Johansen and Chase Priskie – are unrestricted free agents. Coming into this season, Johansen and Phillips were RFAs. However, they’re now considered Group 6 UFAs because they did not accrue the games played minimum by age 25.
As for players with AHL-only contracts, those who will need new deals are forwards Matt Strome, Jimmy Huntington, Garrett Roe, Tyson Empey, Kevin O’Neil; and defensemen Logan Day, Dmitry Osipov, Nicky Leivermann, Colin Swoyer, Jon McDonald, Michael Kim and Benton Maass.
The next group of forward prospects to arrive in Hershey could feature the likes of Alexander Suzdalev, Ludwig Persson and Funk. Based on the AHL’s age requirements, Andrew Cristall, who registered 111 points (40 goals, 71 assists) in 62 games with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, would need to be granted an exemption by the league to play.
Once free agency comes and goes, we hope you have a great summer and enjoy the break away from the rink. Next season will be here before we know it.
