The Washington Capitals lost a pivotal matchup with the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night, severely impacting their postseason chances. The Capitals have just three games remaining before the March 8 trade deadline and speculation around the team’s potentially available players is continuing to increase.
Two of those names, Nic Dowd and Anthony Mantha, are reportedly on the radar of the Cup-contending Edmonton Oilers. Hockey insider Elliotte Friedman revealed the Oilers’ apparent interest in the two veteran Capitals forwards during a radio hit on Oilers NOW with Oilers’ color commentator Bob Stauffer.
“I do think Dowd is on the [Edmonton Oilers’] radar,” Friedman said. “The one thing about Mantha is that I’ve gotten the impression that there’s a limit to what [the Oilers] are willing to do for Mantha. We’ll see. At this time of the year, you have to be so careful. What’s the price you’re willing to pay?
“I do think [they’re] looking at Dowd. I think he’s someone [they’ve] considered. Mantha, I think there’s a limit to the price [general manager Ken Holland] is willing to pay. I do think Dowd is very much on their radar.”
Dowd, who is currently out day-to-day with an injury, has 16 points (8g, 8a) in 45 games this season. The defensively dependable center is signed through next season at a very cheap $1.3 million cap hit. Mantha is in the midst of a bounce-back season with 32 points (18g, 14a) in 54 games and is an unrestricted free agent in July.
The Oilers have been one of the most heavily discussed teams in the league as the deadline approaches. Jeff Jackson, Edmonton’s CEO of Hockey Operations told The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman in late January that “anything is on the table” when it comes to potentially dealing valuable futures in return for short-term upgrades.
Edmonton is very short for cap space though. Any deal with the Oilers will likely involve salary retention and possibly taking back a player from the current Edmonton roster. Veteran defenseman Brett Kulak’s name has popped up most often regarding that latter requirement as he makes $2.75 million playing on the team’s third defense pairing.
Given how Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan operated at last year’s deadline, it’s likely that the Capitals will be seeking draft capital and/or younger, NHL-ready pieces in return for veterans like Dowd and Mantha. The price for Dowd has been rumored to be a first-round pick and the Oilers do have their first-round draft pick in both of the next two drafts.
Outside of just draft picks the Oilers also have younger players like Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, Raphael Lavoie, and Xavier Bourgault that could be on the move. All four are either first or second-round draft selections from the 2019, 2020, or 2021 drafts.
While Holloway moving is rather unlikely unless Edmonton receives a true game-changer in return, Broberg, the next highly touted on the list, has been heavily rumored to be on the move all season. The big, left-shot defenseman has played in 79 career NHL games but has been unable to permanently crack the Oilers’ roster.
The 22-year-old, former eighth overall draft pick has made it clear that he wants to play on a regular basis in the NHL. In 29 games for the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors this season, Broberg has recorded 19 points (1g, 18a). He is a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason.
MacLellan bet on the growth of Rasmus Sandin last year at the deadline and could do the same with Broberg. The Capitals will have room on the left side of their defense as soon as they either move Joel Edmundson in the coming weeks or just let his contract expire after this season.
The Oilers have also been rumored to have some interest in Edmundson.