Coffee with the Caps, Friday November 11

11/11/2022 19:05

Good Friday morning Caps fans. It's been a long week here in the non-86 Forever work life and the impending weekend is most welcome — hope you all are getting a break as well.

In commemoration of Remembrance Day, a thank you to those reading this who may have served in the armed forces.

It was a busy week in Vancouver as well, with the team plunging into the offseason and all the various minor transactions and roster maneuvering that comes with it.

The biggest development comes ahead of the Expansion Draft, with each time forced to finalize their protected player lists. The good news for Vancouver is the decisions were pretty straightforward when compared with years past.

Given the international roster spot crunch Saint Louis FC is under, leaving mostly Canadian players or unconvincing international players unprotected makes a lot of sense. The only one I could see getting picked is Jake Nerwinski, who could be attractive as cheap-ish, domestic depth. Even then, one imagines you could find a better option and Vancouver would be able to live if he were to walk out the door.

Contrary to its intended purpose of helping the expansion team, well, build a roster, the draft has turned into a conduit for trades, as Vancouver well knows from last year when they acquired Tristan Blackmon.

Looking at the list of guys available, however, does not leave a ton of clear-cut options that fill either a) a position of need and b) are actually of quality. Most of the guys are on the list for a reason and some other options (Yuya Kubo) are either expensive or take up an international spot.

The possible exception might be at goalkeeper, with guys like Tyler Miller left free for the taking, but even then I don’t really see a viable deal to be worked out there either. Then again, I didn’t envision the Blackmon trade happening, so surprises are possible.

Speaking of international spots, the Caps have added another international slot in a blockbuster deal with Nashville SC, giving them four to play with. They clearly have some irons in the fire to get their winter dealings under way. What exactly might be cooking is unclear but the trade window has opened and I wonder if we’ll be learning the end result in fairly short order.

Personally, I’m hoping for another centerback and a goalkeeper to be the first priorities of the transfer dealings, though I’m of the “domestic goalkeepers please” transfer persuasion. CB doesn’t have much depth at the moment and goalkeeper doesn’t have much quality. Getting both straightened away so the team can hunt for a DP striker would be excellent.

Full credit, however, to Thomas Hasal, who earned his first call-up to the senior Canadian National Team after the injury to Maxime Crepeau, as the team prepares for a pre-World Cup date with Bahrain.

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