Center

Capitals

The Capitals down the middle have Girgensons Laughton Brodzinski Nosek Wingels Schaller and Cousins.  Carter Verhaege and Vinni Lettieri Impressed me on the farm for some bums I’ve never heard of that have produced in the AHL. 

Personally Larry did the best he could taking the limited young centers out there.  Sadly he is hoping Schaller Cousins and Laughton end up getting high DF ratings so they can be traded in the future.  Girgensons and Nosek have talent but look like they will be NHL tweeners.

Stoners

The Stoners signed Carter and then have Larsson Martinook and Rodriguez.  Rex will be retaining and trading Carter for a late 1 or high second as soon as he can.  The other 3 bums were picked strictly because they have good DF rating now.  Which won’t help him tank but will annoy us all on the trade block all year Kevin and Anthony style I’m sure.

Going into year 1 down the middle I like what Larry has put together over Rex but the pick he gets for Carter will likely end up being the most valuable thing on either teams.  Difference in strategy is already standing out.

Left Wing

Capitals

Remi Roussel Carrier Deslaurier Tuch and Simon is actually an impressive list for guys picked off the shit pile.  I like Roussel to have a good year in Vancouver and love the Simon pick.  He’s gunna put up numbers with Crosby or Malkin.  Remi has some upside to but is probably to small.  Tuch played well in the playoffs and is one of Larry’s big moves.  He traded a second and got a mid round 1 with lots of opportunity.  Well Done on the Left Side in Washington

Fiore and Marchement might have a chance to be added to the group. 

Stoners

Andreghtto Yakopov Frk Archibald Sheary Slepyshev.  Also looks pretty good on paper considering.  Andreghetto and Sheary will be given chances to produce this year and likely 1 of the 2 will do so.  Yakapov and Slepyshev jumped the pond.  One of them will likely end up back in the NHL but I doubt either have much of an impact.  Frk is still a wildcard.

I can see Klimchuck gutting out a decent NHL career and maybe having decent DF rates.  Rychel will also have opportunity to make a terrible Montreal team and has offensive upside.  Zykov will probably start the year in Carolina and could turn out to be a very good pick while Erne will likely bounce this year on a stacked NHL team. 

Didn’t expect this result on the Left Side before I did it but Larry is set up better short term and Rex has a couple high risk high reward guys.  Overall I like Rex group based on upside but both teams did fairly well.

Right Wing

Rex has Nick Baptist the RW Specialist!  Really went out of his way to make sure he had more specialized depth than Larry and I’m sure it’ll pay off in the long run ….

Defense  

Capitals

Mayfield Osterle Djoos Gudas

On the Farm Toews might get a chance soon and Gilmour is alright.  This is where I think Larry really fell apart.  He took young guys and I’ll admit I don’t know a lot of them but they project to be 5/6 dmen if they ever do make it.  There were quite a few better older options to take that are already 4/5/6 dmen or closer to the NHL.  Djoos is the only guy on the back end that I can see in Washington having any value 4 or 5 years from now and nothing in the middle that benefited the franchise via trade.

Stoner

Bogosian Antipin Subban Gryzlyk Dotchin Seeler

Right here off the bat Rex DESTROYED what Larry was able to put together.  All of these guys will contribute next year in the NHL and could all be moved for picks.  I assume Rex plans on eating both years on the Subban deal? 

On the farm he has Bystrom and DeAngelo.  Both are risks but have higher upside. 

Defense overall I think Rex wins in a landslide and is a huge difference in their rosters and make up.

Goalies

Capitals

Subban Gillies Comrie Hill Vanacek

Once again Larry went young and with guys who had high draft pedigree but none of them have had much success at any level since.  Subban I don’t think will end up cutting it just on size alone.  Gillies I think has the best chance out of this bunch but there are no sure things and I don’t like the strategy overall.  Lyon was left on the board and I think should have went before a lot of these guys based on the success he has had the last couple years.

Stoners

Kuemper Rittich Nedjelkovic

Kuemper has nice rates this year and I’m sure will be dealt for something useful.  Keeping him around will hurt the tanking process to much.  Nedjelkovic and Rittich are young goalies that both still have a chance of doing something but like Larry’s guys you are just throwing darts at a board and hoping.  I’m surprised Bishop wasn’t drafted to trade after looking at the quality of goalies that were taken.  Getting youth is nice but they still have to pan out and do something.

Rex picked first and took advantage of it while Larry went for youth.  Once again I think Rex has the edge and I just don’t see the love Larry has for Subban.

Overall – Rex used UFA and I’m sure will trade Carter and Subban for good/decent returns.  I know Larry has argued that he saved his money but at this point money doesn’t have much use to these teams.  By utilizing his (even if he broke the bank) Rex will kick started his franchise by adding VALUEABLE picks that Larry won’t be able to.  Rex will shed these salaries and likely do the same thing next year.  Being around for a while Rex knows that if he ices a 20 M dollar team he will bank money and be able to do it all again next year.  On top of that Rex used the draft to supplement and add many late round picks.  Who I’m sure Bryce will help out with and add some talent over the next couple years…

So sorry Larry despite being drinking buddies after analysing the teams I think Rex has set his team up to be quiet a bit ahead of yours in 3-5 years off the assets and approach he took drafting and using UFA to add picks and adding more NHL players over potential projects.