Caps forced to make a trade and shocking player lands on the block!

Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan couldn’t hide it anymore… The Caps are more than $1.3 million over the salary cap and will have to find a way to shed salary before the start of the season. Everyone has been expecting a trade when MacLellan finally admitted on Tuesday he had no other choice. 

“I think we’ll probably have to move someone,” MacLellan told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. “Injuries and all the stuff that happens in training camp and exhibition season probably dictates it a little bit, but we’re going to be patient. We’re not in a rush. We’ll wait and let it play itself out.”

While the Caps are indeed forced to make a trade, the name of a surprising target has recently come up in speculations. J.J. Regan of NBC Sports believes Dmitry Orlov could be the one to be moved… 

“Trading away a top-four defenseman, which Orlov absolutely is, and expecting no drop off from the defense is not realistic. “But wait,” I can already hear you asking, “Didn’t the Caps already trade Matt Niskanen?” Trading away Niskanen was only possible because the team had a replacement for him in Nick Jensen. Plus, analytically speaking, Radko Gudas may prove to be the better player at this point in their respective careers.”

There remains a few other options for the Capitals, however, they will need to decide quickly. They could see if there is any interest for Chandler Stephenson, Travis Boyd, Brendan Leipsoc, Radko Gudas, Christian Djoos and Jonas Siegenthaler, but something will have to give in Washington to get them under the cap. 

Who do you think will go?