Fansided

One free agent every NHL team should sign this offseason

By C.L. Kohuss

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 18: Patrick Maroon #17 of the New Jersey Devils heads out to play against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 18, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 18: Patrick Maroon #17 of the New Jersey Devils heads out to play against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 18, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 21: Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny (6) moves the puck along the boards away from Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ian Cole (23) during the first round Stanley Cup playoff game 5 between the Washington Capitals and the Columbus Blue Jackets in April 21, 2018, at Capital One Arena, in Washington, D.C. The Capitals defeated the Blue Jackets 4-3 in overtime.(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 21: Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny (6) moves the puck along the boards away from Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ian Cole (23) during the first round Stanley Cup playoff game 5 between the Washington Capitals and the Columbus Blue Jackets in April 21, 2018, at Capital One Arena, in Washington, D.C. The Capitals defeated the Blue Jackets 4-3 in overtime.(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Washington Capitals: Ian Cole, Defenseman

Right now, the Washington Capitals are battling with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final. It’s the farthest they’ve gone since Alexander Ovechkin started with them. We won’t go so much into that.

What we do have to figure is what happens with defenseman John Carlson. The Capitals need to make some moves to sign him. He’s going to want at least $8 million and they only have $14 million available. That’s not enough to fill every void, like having three other free agents to capture on the blue line.

Let’s say that for the sake of argument Carlson in fact comes back to Washington for $8 million. It would need a cheap option that could come in and play decent minutes on the left side.

So for the third and final time, we give Ian Cole to the Washington Capitals. The Caps don’t need major penalty killing help. Yet they could still use it as they were 15th this year.

The odds are that Washington won’t have enough cap room to sign anyone of major import unless trades happen. Or if Carlson heads to another team. Even if Carlson doesn’t come back, $12 million isn’t much, if anything at all. It’s enough to make a push for a guy like James van Riemsdyk or James Neal or David Perron. Not enough to continue improving on the blue line. There simply aren’t huge defensive targets aside from a Mike Green, who will still cost a good amount at $5 million to $6 million.

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