The Capitals were unceremoniously swept in the first round of the playoffs by the New York Rangers, abruptly ending what was largely a disappointing season for the once-mighty franchise. This humiliating defeat makes it clear that changes must be made this offseason if the Capitals hope to regain their competitive edge. GM Brian MacLellan faces tough questions about who should stay and who should go as he looks to retool the roster. As hockey insiders Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman discussed, one player who could be on the move is goalie Darcy Kuemper. After the Capitals acquired him  with high hopes, Kuemper posted the worst numbers of his career in Washington, with a bloated 3.31 goals against average and an abysmal .890 save percentage. He finished with a losing record of just 13-14-3 and did not record a single win after February 26th. With three years remaining on his expensive $5.25 million per year contract, the Capitals may look to trade Kuemper in the offseason, though they would likely need to retain some of his salary to make him palatable for other teams. While Kuemper does have a Stanley Cup championship to his name from his time in Colorado, his poor performance this past season makes him a tough sell. The emergence of backup Charlie Lindgren is a key factor here. Lindgren excelled when given the starting reins, playing in 28 of the last 35 games and leading the entire league with 6 shutouts. His unexpectedly strong play suggests he could take over as the starter next season, making Kuemper an expendable asset. With promising young goaltenders Clay Stenson and Hunter Shepard waiting in the wings as well, the Capitals have internal options beyond Kuemper. In addition to their goaltending quandary, the Capitals also face pressing questions about the roles of superstars Alex Ovechkin and TJ Oshie going forward. Ovechkin's ice time was managed carefully down the stretch this season as the aging captain chases down Gretzky's career goals record, and that strategic load management could very well continue into next season and beyond. Oshie, meanwhile, has battled mounting injury issues recently, playing in just 52 games this past disappointing season. Now 37 years old, retirement is not out of the question for the ailing yet inspirational leader. Losing Oshie's veteran presence would leave another gaping hole in the lineup that would need to be addressed. After their embarrassing early playoff exit, MacLellan and the Capitals clearly have a long offseason ahead as they look to reconfigure their aging roster and modify their strategy to make this team a true Stanley Cup contender once again. Many tough decisions await, but substantial change is clearly needed to reverse their downward trajectory.

 

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