May 1, 2024 | 1:30pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

CAPITALS WILL HAVE CAP FLEXIBILITY NEXT SEASON

Capitals GM Brian MacLellan

For the Washington Capitals, the 2023-24 season may have ended in disappointment, but the team plans on rebounding for the 2024-25 campaign and will presumably have the financial means to do so.

The Capitals currently have $6.685 million in salary cap space for next season. With centre Nicklas Backstrom unlikely to play, that gives the Capitals an extra $9.2 million they can spend over the salary cap.

In addition, the future of star forward T.J. Oshie is in question and if he is unable to remedy his back problems, he will not play next season, which would give the Capitals another $5.75 million in LTIR overage space to spend if they so choose.

Oshie, who has one more year left on his contract, told the media this week he wants to play, but if his back issues are not mended, he will have to sit out.

“I’d love to play next year, but I will need to come back with somewhat of a guarantee that my back won’t be (a problem). It’s hard putting everyone through the situation – from my family at home to the team trying to figure out a lineup to young guys calling called up and down.” Oshie said. "I’d like to find just an answer and a fix to the problem before I make another run at it.”

Capitals GM Brian MacLellan acknowledged the team could be active this summer given their cap situation, and adding more fire power up front appears to be among the items at the top of his to-do list.

“I think we have more flexibility going forward here. We’ll see what the market is,” MacLellan said. “Salary cap will go up, a little bit, so it will give teams a little more room.

“We’re going to look outside, too. I think trades and free agency, I think we need to add something in that area. We need to get a little more skill, a little more goals.”

Forwards Max Pacioretty and Nic Aube-Kubel are set to become unrestricted free agents July 1 and MacLellan indicated the team will make decisions well before July 1 after management and the coaching staff discuss their lineup moving forward.