If they figure out a real option in net, I could see it. That's a good roster everywhere else. But... man, that goaltending was heinous this year, and really wasn't all that great the year prior if we're honest. Vitek Vanacek's trade to the Sharks was addition by subtraction- the less you have to lean on someone like that, the better. (I will never understand the love Capitals fans seem to still have for him)
I don't think that was entirely all on Vanacek. NJ had a fair share of injuries to multiple key players. Vanacek's poor post season in NJ (and one could say prior post seasons) made him easily disposable.
IMO the value in Vanacek as a Capital were:
1) his salary vs. performance. He wasn't exactly league minimum, but he was salary controlled for the forseeable future which allowed one to look past his short commings. At least for the regular season.
2) He wasn't Ilya Samsonov. Samsonov was/is a better goalie with a higher upside. However the items that in hindsight earned him no support from the fans are distant memories and from the team's perspective he was a discipline problem.
He got busted for violating COVID protocol during the bubble (along with more notable names from the team) which in turn resulted in the Caps being fined for it. He got in an ATV accident. And in his last season with the Caps he was late to a team function in the weeks leading up to the post season.
Granted not all fans are hockey smart or salary cap generals however one would figure they would have kept one of either Samsonov or Vanacek. It just kinda the way the NHL rolls traditionally when you have a player with a low cap hit. You make the qualifying offer and move on from there.
With the results of this season I can't complain to much. Lindgren was better than either of them this season which I suppose in the short term is good. Longer term had they made the qaulifying offer(s) they could have had the same results for potentially less salary. It's a small difference to be certain but the Caps haven't had all that much salary cap space.
If they can go shopping for a real net option this summer, that'll be huge for them, far beyond coaching needs. I'm not even talking a trade for Ulmark- the price would be huge for that, and strengthening another East team like Boston wouldn't be helpful for the Devils (or the Bruins, for that matter, sending Ulmark to a potential playoff opponent!). But a reasonable guy who can stop a puck once in a while- see if the Capitals are willing to part with Darcy Kuemper, for example (one year left on his deal and clearly the backup now, might be a reasonably cheap option), see if the Ducks are finally willing to make a realistic Gibson deal, etc., they could start making some real noise in the East again. But when you're constantly looking over your shoulder wondering if your goalie can have a good night and only let in four goals instead of five...
My belief is that anyone that is trading for Ulmark before the start of the season and doesn't have an extension lined up is going to make a rather foolish trade. If I were Boston I wouldn't care if he gets traded outside the division and would still be in the same conference. A healthy NJ teams this year makes the playoffs and probably not as a wildcard team.
The Caps and Kuempar I always thought were a bad match. I'm reasonably certain they were looking to trade him at the deadline and couldn't get the value back they wanted for him.
I don't know what he actually still brings to the table, but if you offered me another depreciating asset(s), I'd be willing to take it in return. Or give me some middle draft pick(s) and he could be yours. I don't even care if they don't mature for 2 years at this point. If part of his salary comes off the books and it makes way for someone else I'm fine with it.
Gibson is the wild card, however his preformance over the last few years is well below the numbers he put up earlier in his career. His contract is still a decent and affordable one, but he's years removed from having a good solid year and has been injured.
The UFA class this year isn't a great one. If I'm Jersey and I can't trade and sign someone for term I'd look at signing someone like Anthony Stolarz (assuming they let Kahkonen walk) for 2-3 years and then make a pitch for a long term solution next off season where Saros and Shesterkin will both be UFAs.
