Rumor: Highly touted 1st rounder goalie hitting the trade market!

The start of the 2017-18 season has shown that some teams needs to fix some lineup lacking elements, and the Washington Capitals have revealed a desperate need for a blueline's boost. 

After losing Kevin Shattenkirk, Karl Alzner and Nate Schmidt during the offseason, the Caps believed things would be alright as they counted on veteran Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen. However, Niskanen hit the long term injury reserve with an upper-body injury and the young prospects do not appear all that ready to fill big shoes. 

So many suggest, including Matt Larkin of The Hockey News, that the Capitals should hit the trade market to find help for the back end, and he even suggests that Washington put a huge piece on the trading block to get what they seek. 

Larkin thinks the Caps might look to move highly touted goalie prospect Ilya Samsonov. He suggest that the Capitals target Vancouver’s Chris Tanev, anyone of the Vegas Golden Knights or Arizona Coyotes' Niklas Hjalmarsson. 

Samsonov, who was drafted in the first round back in 2015, is facing heavy competition for a starter role against Braden Holty. 

Though many agree with the fact that the Caps need to get some help to boost the blueline, J.J. Regan of NBC Sports Washington disagrees with the idea of trading off such a top goaltender like Samsonov, especially if they only get back a short-term return. He believes that trading away a potential franchise goalie seems shortsighted. 

However, many rival clubs might want to pull the trigger to land a talented starting netminder to ensure their team's future. It could be a bidding war out there for the young goalie. 

Samsonov is killing it in the KHL, and the Caps might want to think it twice before placing him on the block...