The Washington Capitals need to add some depth to their blue line if they hope for a quick turnaround and make it back into the playoffs next season. There are a few big names they could go after and I predict they will, but I’m fairly certain they will also look to make some depth signings to improve their bottom pairing and create some internal competition that could improve the team’s performance. One name that comes to mind as a potential candidate to be signed is Jordan Oesterle.
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Oesterle has never been a huge name around the NHL, but he’s always been a solid pickup to play as a sixth or seventh defenseman. He plays a sound, solid defensive game and puts up a decent amount of points, but nothing crazy. He will not be re-signing with the Detroit Red Wings as the team will let him walk, giving him an opportunity to enter free agency as an unrestricted free agent (UFA).
Oesterle has a defensive-first mindset and lets the play come to him. He doesn’t usually rush the puck as much as some notable offensive defensemen, but he isn’t scared to create a play coming out of his own end. A player with a bit of confidence is exactly what the Caps need heading into the 2023-24 season.
Who is Oesterle & How Would He Benefit the Capitals?
Oesterle is a 30-year-old left-shot defenseman from Dearborn Heights, Michigan having most recently played for the Red Wings. He went undrafted and signed an entry-level deal with the Edmonton Oilers in 2014 after an impressive stint with Western Michigan University in the NCAA. He has played for four teams in the NHL and has scored 19 goals and added 65 assists for 84 points through 349 games, which comes out to a 0.24 points per game average.
As mentioned, Oesterle played the majority of his junior career with Western Michigan University where over three full seasons, he scored seven goals and added 27 assists for 34 points through 113 games. In his final season, he played alongside current Vancouver Canucks forward, Sheldon Dries, and they both stood out as defensive-minded players that should be able to grind their way onto an NHL roster.
Oesterle would provide exactly what the Capitals need going into 2023-24, which is depth on their blue line. While he likely won’t take up any time on the powerplay, he could be utilized on the penalty kill and if he does slip to the seventh defenseman spot, he’s a trustworthy defender that the team would have no issue throwing into the lineup any night.
While his offensive numbers are not attractive by any means, he still finds the ability to make an impact away from the puck, which is exactly what the Capitals need. He can also separate man from puck fairly easily and played a solid role with the Red Wings last season, appearing in 52 of their 82 games.
What Would it Cost the Capitals?
Oesterle won’t be looking at much of a raise coming off his stint with the Red Wings. His two-year deal that expires this season carried an average annual value (AAV) of $1.35 million, which for his abilities is a good number. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t stand out as a player that is worthy of a raise, or even to stay at that number, so for that reason, I believe his value has dropped and he’ll sign for cheaper.
I think realistically, Oesterle signs a two-year contract worth $975,000 – $1 million AAV. While his value has in fact dropped, he’s still better than a minimum contract player. He’ll fill a hole the Caps had last season and becomes a low-risk, high-reward signing in the sense he has little to no expectations except to be a sound seventh defenseman, but he could end up providing more.
Overall, this seems like a slam-dunk signing for the Capitals. There is no reason they couldn’t pull the trigger on signing a veteran depth defenseman. While they may not be the only team vying for his services, Oesterle will likely be attracted by the idea of contributing to a contending team that’s close to making it back to being a Stanley Cup favorite.