[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

Thanks for the info Dirtbag. I am glad the Caps have some nice prospects. I was pissed the Habs kicked their keisters, but the Wings have had first round upsets the past decade also, only to bounce back and win the Cup again. Only team I cheer for more than the Caps is the Wings of course. We better win tonight or we are next on the chopping block.

No problem, good to see you still have the Wings who have little problem on defense with Howard and Lindstrom. In the meantime some other Caps news.

For Backstrom, $7 million?
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Nicklas Backstrom | Capitals Top Email

Nicklas Backstrom is set to cash in this offseason as an unrestricted free agent and, after making $2.4 million this season, analysts expect that number to perhaps triple in this new contract.

Backstrom will be priority No. 1 for the Caps, and he hinted to CSN that he doesn't have the urge to leave (so he won't go hunting for an offer sheet anywhere.)

So three times $2.4 million is $7.2 million, which is how much GM George McPhee should budget for Backstrom as he signs other free agents like Eric Fehr and Tomas Fleischmann. And what will make that number stay that high is how the Caps gave Alexander Semin a one-year, $6 million extension early this season. And by all accounts, Backstrom is the guy they want to keep for the long-term. Semin might even get traded before his contract is up.

Belanger's likely back
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Eric Belanger | Capitals Top Email

Eric Belanger is the only trade deadline acquisition the Washington Capitals are likely to retain for next season.

Belanger told the Washington Post, "It's my priority number one right now to see if we can get something done before July 1."

Scott Walker and Joe Corvo, the other two deadline acquisitions, probably won't be back. Part of it is that their collective cap hit was about $5 million this year, and the Caps will need that money to retain some other guys.

Meanwhile, Belagner, 32, came over from the Wild and made $1.75 million this season.

Theodore hitting the market
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Jose Theodore | Capitals Top Email

Despite the painful playoff loss to the Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals goalie Jose Theodore finished the regular season on an incredible hot streak.

However, Theodore probably won't be retained this offseason when he becomes a free agent. The Washington Post speculates that it doesn't, since he was replaced early in the playoff series by Semyon Varlamov, the Caps might look another direction this offseason.

Now, depending on what the Caps feel about their young goalies, they might sign a veterans free agent, if they think it's their one barrier to a Stanley Cup -- Marty Turco and Evgeni Nabokov are available. However, the Caps have both Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth so they may choose to go with these two youngster, although there is risk involved in going with guys who are barely 22.

I don't know why but ESPN Insider can't seem to fathom the fact that the Caps interest in taking on another veteran net minder is luke warm at best.