The Washington Capitals have made it clear that their goal for the 2023-24 season is to make it back into the playoff picture after coming up short last season. With a strong team both offensively and defensively, the Capitals still don’t quite have a championship-caliber roster. If their goal is to push for a Stanley Cup, they’ll need to add some extra firepower that will push them past the current Stanley Cup favorites in the Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
While this is completely hypothetical, there is potential for the Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning to make a league-altering trade that benefits both teams moving forward. In what would likely go down as one of the craziest trades in NHL history, this article will go in-depth about Steven Stamkos being moved from the Lightning, while the return they get includes Evgeny Kuznetsov and Connor McMichael. With some issues between Stamkos and the Lightning as far as contract negotiations go, and the rumors of Kuznetsov wanting to be traded, this trade is entirely possible. While it’s a stretch, it’s possible.
The Trade & Who’s Involved
The hypothetical trade between the two teams is as follows. The Capitals would acquire Stamkos and immediately sign him to a short-term extension, likely a four-year deal, while the Lightning receive Kuznetsov, McMichael, a first-round pick in 2024, and a second-round pick in 2025. While a trade like this would shake the league up entirely, it makes sense for both sides. Stamkos is the more influential and stronger player, hence why the Caps would have to give up a bit more to get him. In return, the Lightning get another offensive powerhouse that can play in their top six, along with a promising young gun and two draft picks.
Both teams are able to stay competitive in this deal, and it’s not one-sided on either side. The Capitals have a superstar to pair alongside Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom giving them another opportunity to win their second Stanley Cup together, while the Lightning get Kuznetsov, who should have some chemistry with fellow Russian forward Nikita Kucherov, as well as McMichael who will fit into their bottom six nicely.
Stamkos is a legend of the game, with 517 goals and 543 assists for 1,060 points through 1,005 games in his career. At the age of 33, he is still producing at a consistent rate and would be able to elevate the play of the Capitals if he joins them. Kuznetsov is two years younger than Stamkos, and has put up 165 goals and added 386 assists for 551 points through 682 games in his career. McMichael is a 22-year-old forward with just 77 games under his belt but has always been solid on the defensive side of the game. Through those 77 games, he has scored 10 goals and added nine assists for 19 points.
Related: Capitals Missed Out on Future Stars at 2015 NHL Entry Draft
I’ve mentioned it before but it has to be mentioned again that this is simply hypothetical. There are a lot of factors that would go into this type of transaction happening. If this deal does happen, it will allow both teams to remain competitive and will benefit both sides.
Capitals’ Stanley Cup Window Closing Fast
Having won their first Stanley Cup in 2018, the Capitals are hoping to make one final push with their current core. A trade like this gives them the opportunity to make one last push with Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, and Backstrom before they begin to consider rebuilding.
Hopefully, even if it’s not a massive move like this, the Capitals will give their captain another opportunity to win a championship before he retires. It’s the least they could do for how loyal he’s been to the franchise since they drafted him. At the end of the day, their window to contend is closing fast. They will soon enter a rebuilding stage, and I think fans would love one more run before they start losing the fan favorites left and right.