The Washington Capitals need to add secondary scoring this offseason, specifically on the wing.
The Caps' once-promising 2014-15 campaign was cut short when they weren't able to find the back of the net often enough against the New York Rangers in the second-round of the NHL playoffs.
From the sounds of the most recent report, Caps GM Brian MacLellan is focusing his offseason efforts on upgrading that area of his roster and has thus far been paying close attention to the Chicago Blackhawks and veteran scorer Patrick Sharp.
"So the Hawks have started the process of looking at what they have out there in terms of trade partners regarding a Patrick Sharp trade. I know there have been at least preliminary discussions between Chicago and Washington - among other teams. That just happens to be one of the teams I know for sure have had discussions with Chicago. But again, very preliminary," TSN NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun said, while appearing on Edmonton's TSN 1260, via TodaysSlapShot.com.
Barry Trotz's lineup is fairly deep down the middle with Nicklas Backstrom and the emerging Evgeny Kuznetsov, but beyond Alexander Ovechkin, there is little in the way of strong talent on the wing. Joel Ward raised his game in the season's most critical moments and wound up having a good statistical season, but he's certainly not a scorer - ditto veteran Jason Chimera. Marcus Johansson has proven a more than capable finisher, but the group needs more than just Ovi and Johansson if they're to make a deeper postseason run next season.
Sharp just capped his 12th NHL season with his third Stanley Cup victory. While he's no longer the player he once was physically, he's still a highly-capable scorer that has become something of a luxury item for the Hawks and GM Stan Bowman, who are facing cap issues stemming from their consistent success and the dual, massive extensions handed to Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.
"Patrick Sharp carries a $5.9 million hit, so it's no easy deal. And yet he's still a very good player and he's a champion, so there's some real added benefit trading for a guy like that," said LeBrun.
The 33-year-old Sharp finished this year with 16 goals and 27 assists in the regular season and another five goals and 10 assists during the run up to the Cup. His AAV of $5.9 million is high, but the Caps have over $20 million in cap room at the moment, so making room for him under the cap and finding a fit for him in the lineup shouldn't be an issue.
What could be though is the price.
"So we'll see where that goes. Obviously, from Chicago's point of view, they traded away both their first and their second this year in all of those trades they made before the deadline in March to add depth to what ended up being a very good decision - they won the Cup again - but point being that I think in any Sharp deal they'd like to recoup a high pick of some sorts to help alleviate the lack of picks that they have," said LeBrun.
It was reported last week by B.D. Gallof of The Fourth Period that the Hawks are currently asking for a first-round pick, an "A-level prospect" and a top-6 forward on an entry-level deal for Sharp.
That asking price is, in short, insane and there's zero chance Chicago and Bowman will ever see that.
But that's likely intentional - as LeBrun notes, Bowman is probably setting the bar high, gauging the market and working backwards from there.
If his asking price doesn't come down, neither the Caps nor any other NHL team in their right mind will deal for Sharp. If something more reasonable can be worked out, it's entirely possible that Sharp could wind up a member of the NHL's D.C.-based franchise for 2015-16 and all but a certainty that he'll be playing somewhere other than Chicago.
