🔥 Why the CAPITALS Are All-In on Sourdif, Chisholm & $9M in Cap Moves

🔥 Why the CAPITALS Are All-In on Sourdif, Chisholm & $9M in Cap Moves

on today’s show why are the Capitals all in on Justin Sordiff your Locked On Capitals your daily podcast on the Washington Capitals part of the Locked On podcast network your team every day well hello and welcome into this edition of Locked On Capitals part of the Locked On podcast network your team every day my name is Dan Holy i’ve covered the Capitals for the past three seasons for Locked On and various other outlets before that i’m also the host of the weekly show called The Capitals Minute Cast available wherever you find your podcasts and as always I want to thank you for making this your first listen of the day so in this edition of Locked On Capitals we talk about there are still a lot of questions for the Capitals to answer listen they wrapped up the draft and are set up in a good position for the future but the questions that remain cap space free agents and roster questions I’ll talk about that a bit later we’ll talk about Declan Chisum uh adds needed depth on defense uh we know the Capitals made it into the playoffs and the blue line big picture last season was pretty bulletproof uh but then what happened martin and Farravari got injured and well things changed the Capitals don’t want to go down that road again that is why they acquired and traded for Declan Chisum but just to get it going here we’ll talk about the man of mystery and Justin sort of and people are like who is this guy and and why did the Capitals give up two draft picks to acquire him does he have something on Chris Patrick does he know something okay maybe a little bit of hyperbole there but uh in any event there was a lot of question uh surrounding Justin Sordiff that uh I’m going to say if you aren’t an NHL fan uh big picture or a Panthers fan you probably don’t know who Justin Sordiff is or maybe make make that a little bit more clear if you’re not an AHL fan uh as he has spent a line share of his time playing in the AHL a relative unknown but what are some of the things that we know is that the Capitals have been allin on him for quite some time and that’s the case sometimes you don’t know uh that the Capitals are all in on players until after that was the same thing about Chick and a lot of different other players that they’re kind of on the Capitals radar not the right time now nope not then now’s the time sees the day and uh according to Chris Patrick there was a bit of a feeding frenzy that there were apparently other teams that were interested in this relative unknown player let’s dive into the latest with the Capitals and who is Justin Sordiff uh again a lot of questions and kind of lit up social media that you gave up two draft picks for who was that again let’s talk about the man himself and what happened here somewhat recently on uh June 26th the Capitals send a second rounder and a sixth to the Cats to get him and uh let me tell you uh like a like Chris Patrick said they’ve been trying to land this guy for a while um he’s 23 can play center or wing and uh as far as production put up 34 points in 43 AHL games uh plus 10 more in the color cup playoffs and he’s nasty in the dirty areas and uh what are some of the things that we know is that there is going to be a change and I’ll talk about that a bit more in segment three but we know there’s going to be change to the fourth line and I think you could take out your pencil and kind of pencil him on on the fourth line uh because we know that Taylor Radish uh could be on to the next one we know it’s Nick Dow stirring the drink at that fourth line center position with Brandon Duame that they need a running mate and I think that he could fit the bill uh at least let’s say pencil him in uh Chris Patrick said it straight up underline this with a highlighter bold print sort of is going to play in the NHL fulltime next year there is no ambiguity there he said it matterof factly make no mistake about it that you better get used to the name Justin Sortif in the NHL and uh you know I think that people um and you know fans of the NHL that you know if they don’t if they’re not familiar with the name you’re like wait you traded draft picks for who was that i think there’s a lot of that and uh um you know sometimes it’s just reading into players you know Pier Luke Dubois is another guy like wait a minute you traded Darcy Kemper and we took on a how manyear contract didn’t he sign an 8-year deal with the Kings that I think that we just need to trust the system this isn’t Chris Patrick out on an island going “Yes I’m going to make this bold move that no one’s going to understand that the amateur guys were involved in this.” There were a lot of moving pieces behind the scenes uh before this was facilitated but him saying sort of is is is going to play in the NHL full-time next year that is a huge vote of confidence i don’t think I’ve ever heard that uh or at least recently from a Capitals GM saying a matterofactly they will kind of opens the door if they don’t work out and you know constant pressers hey remember that time you said he was going to play so I guess uh that’s open to interpretation um I guess relatively speaking but uh I it’ll be remain to be seen i don’t want to peg him in any negativity uh when I you take a look at the back of his card if you take a look at why the Capitals made the move they did I understand it i do but I also understand the fans perspective as well uh now you take a look at him he’s not just another callup he’s a middle six guy uh could be the next Lars Eller um okay and when I say Lars Eller I’m talking about like 2018 Lars Eller not current day not that there’s anything wrong with that well kind of um or maybe a Tom Wilson light down the road uh as there is a bit bit of physical snarl to his game and again there’s a lot of lines drawn to Tom Wilson because well you know he fills a lot of shoes doesn’t he uh I like his bite i like his motor and he’s only getting better and I like this and to me it doesn’t come as any surprise because we know that this if this would have made it to uh what is it July 1st on Tuesday uh that he could have easily uh you know demanded the King’s ransom and he very well could have got it and why uh didn’t the Florida Panthers want him if Dan’s saying he’s so great and if Krisp Patrick is saying he’s so great then why uh because there’s a bit of a log jam with the Panthers as well uh that they have some big names that are due for new contracts and some of them taken care of somewhat recently here uh that um I think that they are trying to uh re-evaluate their organization winning backto-back Stanley Cups is pretty good on your resume but how do you keep that thing running down the road i think that this was an important part for them and the draft picks the Capitals gave up you know you take a look at it future pieces lower draft picks i think it fills a need that was uh open and you know like I said I think that oftentimes people are looking for the big sexy names but if you take a look at the Capitals historically sometimes it isn’t the sexy names uh that got the Capitals where they wanted to be uh big picture I put my stamp on this i think that Chris Patrick made a wise decision and uh he must know something that a lot of us don’t know if he said emphatically he will play in the NHL more specifically for the Capitals all season long an exciting storyline to follow that is for sure all right so coming up here after the break we’ll talk about Declan Chisum uh adding needed depth on the blue line the Capitals will not go into another playoffs without needed defensive depth who is J uh Dlan Chisum i’ll talk about him straight ahead summer sports are in full swing and whether you’re all about baseball under the lights golf on the green or high stakes soccer action FanDuel is the best way to make every game more exciting you’re already following the action why not make it a little more thrilling with FanDuel you can get in on the game while your friends are getting sunburned at the beach uh I’ve been using FanDuel to track all my favorite matchups and the apps keep fresh with new daily promotions and fun ways to bet it’s easy to use fast to pay out and makes even regular season games feel like mustwatch events and what I like is our favorite team the Nationals or maybe the Orioles if you’re listening to this it is a great way to get in on the action so no matter what team is your favorite FanDuel makes it that much more fun so new to FanDuel new customers can bet just $5 and get $150 in bonus bets if your first bet wins open the FanDuel app today or visit fanduel.com to get started all right welcome back into this edition of Locked On Capitals part of the Locked On Network your team every day you can find me over on Twitter it’s dancaps218 you can find the show on Twitter it’s locked on caps so in segment two here we’re talking about a man from the Minnesota Wild to Clan Chisum uh adds some needed depth on defense and uh you know that’s that’s the thing you know and if we recall back uh to last season it wasn’t too long ago it should be pretty fresh up there um is that the move on the trade deadline was for Anthony Bavilier and well that’s that’s crickets that’s all they did and what was what did the press corps what did everyone say you didn’t want to mess up the chemistry you didn’t want to mess with the vibes man everything’s going so good why do you want to mess it up what happened is Marty Farravarti got injured they broke the glass pulled out Alexiov and well his date had been expired and what do I mean by that He didn’t really live up to potential the Caps will not make that mistake again uh that is why the move that was made to acquire uh Declan Chisum and to add some needed depth is he going to revolutionize and change the blue line for the Capitals no but when they need to crack open the cupboard in emergency ah I have a viable option at least on paper let’s dive into that in segment number two here and uh you know it was a move that was made uh on day two of the draft and uh you know one of the things that you know I didn’t really anticipate I had was more keyed in on the the selections that were going to be that be uh made there but let’s talk about the other key piece the clan chisum so this deal is kind of flew under the radar uh if you follow you know the NHL or the Capitals on Twitter X you know you might see different things and in the mix and all of that when you saw all the draft you know selections for the Capitals or whoever else you probably lost that one in the mix or if you did see it you’re like “Wait who?” Uh so that’s they get to Chisum uh from Minnesota he’s 25 uh and 12 points in 66 games plays nearly 17 minutes a night so you know not not a sexy name not really a sexy player if you will not flashy but the guy can move the puck uh he can skate well and he’s a lefty uh which the team needed badly uh after Far Aari went down so this is plugandplay depth as far as I’m concerned is he going to get a sweater on a nightly basis no they might put him out there to keep him fresh but I think he is going to be emergency break glass and pull him out that’s where he could fit in and I think the Capitals last season got lucky you know you take a look at Chron was injured briefly excuse me matt Roy was injured briefly and there wasn’t a whole lot so the Capitals got lucky but that is definitely not uh you know a carbon copy you cannot book it you know year to year that that is the the what the Capitals will have because if you rewind time you remember John Carlson getting injured missing a large chunk of time so you need players that can step up and and step up and play well uh the Capitals have plenty of options in Hershey which some they might utilize but you need to check it off so Chris Patrick said it best he said quote “We didn’t want to overpay in free agency chisum’s the right age the right fit and ready to grow.” Unquote so another good move again is it one of those things where you know you’re setting up to bat and knock it out of the park grand slam didn’t say that but a solid move a good base hit if you will move the runners down the line a little bit i think that I like it and uh you know where does this all fall in what does this mean for Alex can’t he be the guy next year in in case of an emergency is that what we want did Did you see anything from Alex that jumped out at you um not nothing for me really did that it’s not really you know a fair shake on him either as he spent a lion’s share of the season uh in the cryogenic deep freeze but big picture the Capitals do as a matter of fact need something a player rather that they can put out there that can step in if injury uh or inconsistent play arises so that’s the follow alexia probably done with the Capitals uh the rumblings are uh just following along that it doesn’t appear that he is going to get a qualifying offer and big picture happy for Alex doesn’t appear that this is his forever home uh a lot of hope year after year after year that it was going to be his time let it be his time somewhere else you know sometimes a change of scenery uh sometimes a change of zip code uh can be what the doctor ordered but the thing that we know for sure is that there is depth that we’ve heard about for a long time down in Hershey uh that it’s Vinnie Iorio and Chase Prrisky before he got dealt those were going to be options you know if injuries arise but when injuries did arise they didn’t reach for them they reached for Alexia and I think their hesitancy to reach for players down in Hershey uh kind of spoke volumes of their depth even though we were told that there is a lot of blue line depth it was made glaringly apparent that when the Capitals made it to the playoffs after Farravari went down that the best that they had to plug in um was Alexia i don’t want to go down that road and uh it appears that the Capitals and Chris Patrick don’t want to go down that road either and Chisum uh he’ll compete right away for that six to seven spot if someone gets hurt he steps in boom no panic that’s covering all your bases that’s Brian Mlelen kind of GMing and I I kind of use him as a guy that did things really well you know planning for you know I guess you know maybe that’s what a lot of GMs do but I think that Brian Mlen did it really well and uh Chris Patrick working under him i think um develop some of that that you need to have contingencies out there uh when you know things that you didn’t plan for arise you know the Capitals make it to the playoffs again that’s a good thing going into the playoffs without the needed depth that is not a good thing so I’m glad they got it taken care of and ultimately I’m glad that they didn’t wait uh until July 1st when they would have had to give up far more all things considered you take a look at the lineup fairly unscathed um in the next segment here I’ll talk about the players that could potentially be on the move but as far as Chisum is concerned a great addition but it does appear that Alexia might be on to the next one all right so coming up here after the break we’ll talk about cap space free agents and roster questions i’ll discuss straight ahead all right welcome back into this edition of Locked On Capitals part of the Locked On podcast network your team every day the best way that you can help grow the show is to subscribe to Locked On Capitals on YouTube and comment anything down below in the final segment here we’re talking about Capace free agents and roster questions and you can kind of see Chris Patrick tipping his hand a little bit about who is going to be here and who is not going to be here and uh in the last segment I talked about the addition of Declan Chisum uh to this team for added depth and it does appear that Alexiov could be on to his next NHL adventure so it’s not just him there are a lot of players that could be on the move let’s talk about him here in segment number three uh so the Caps have about $9.3 million in cap space and there’s still a lot they would like to do and there it’s a we’re at the point now where they need to prioritize which player they want to give the full court press let’s start with the free agents anthony Bavilier Andrew Mapani Taylor Radish Lars Eller uh I would prioritize them in that order as a matter of fact if I had to pick one that they go all in on it would be Anthony Bavilier and uh if you’re not familiar the only trade that the Capitals took place in at last season’s trade deadline and all things considered played pretty well um I don’t think the ceiling or the projection on him was that high um I think that uh the feeling was that he was going to play on the third line had some experience at center on the wing uh but when we saw it in the playoffs he stepped up and played a huge role uh played on the first line uh at times with Dylan Stro and Alexi or Alex Ovetchkin excuse me and that’s a vote of confidence as well but you know it shouldn’t really come as any surprise as he was build with top minutes with Sydney Crosby in the Steel City as well uh the second option Andrew Majapani does seem like his foot is out the door but if the Capitals could finagle a way to keep him here I think you know there’s I hate to say it but there’s worse options out there andrew Majapani wasn’t great he wasn’t poor he was kind of meh and uh I guess if you need a meh player if you don’t have a better option then I would push my chips in as far as Radish and Eller we have some lovely pardon gifts for you um not to say they played a poor job but we’ve got to see someone better so Anthony Pavilier pushing your chips on him if a deal can be done and with Andrew Mapani me okay but if not I would be happy with seeing what is behind door number two um but still talking and Patrick made it clear uh if it’s not a fit financially they’ll move on so I mean I just rattled off um four players there there is the distinct possibility that all four of those players could be out the door possible um again I have just a hunch an inkling that the Anthony Bavilier deal gets done either on July 1st or before July 1st um I just uh I think that uh he’s worthwhile and I really hope that’s the case but it’s not only about that it’s about flexibility too because Conor Mcichael uh he can play wing or center uh so a lot of balls in the air is is what they say that we know that Conor Mcichael playing center is his native position he wants to play center but ultimately he’ll play wherever he’s needed probably not goalie but you know what I’m talking about that I think that he is the front runner uh to play that third line center position but what are some of the things that we know is that he excelled at that second line wing position as well so a great option there and uh I think that is ultimately why the Capitals made some of the moves and we will see other potential moves as well uh so the Caps could spend big on a top six guy or sp uh spread that money across two or three role players um you know so they do have a decent amount of money to spend just kind of my Spidey sense my my hunch is that they don’t go out and pick up a big big name and I guess you know big big name means something different to everyone um but if you’re thinking marquee name probably not um and then there’s the RFAS hendrick Lapier sounds like a bridge deal is coming still seen as part of the future again seeing is believing uh that Hendrickk Lapier has been given every opportunity possible to exceed to succeed and what has he done with it he has not made the most now to be clear here you know he started the season as the answer on the third line center position didn’t work out got sent down to Hershey didn’t sulk didn’t moan just really kind of knocked it out of the park with the Hershey Bears and that’s encouraging um I think that if he would have gone down there and just kind of had an attitude then I think that he wouldn’t be a capital right now or he would be on the move so I think that he is going to be able to you know get a kick at the can if you will uh at that third line center position and maybe maybe um to see what happens there but as far as a contract is concerned with him uh he’s at the point of his career where it’s like a one-year deal minimal amount of money go out there make us believe you belong here uh because we’ve tried to retread that tire year after year after year this year it’s over so either they move him or they give him a one-year deal a prove it deal to say make us believe that we made a good decision or we have some lovely parting gifts for you as well uh I’m I’m ready to cut bait with Hendricks Lop here uh I’m sick of the perennial story that he’s going to be good next year next year he just needs more development ya ya he’s had the development make good on what kind of player you truly are uh Alexia like I talked about likely not qualified like we said probably Gonzo um and players to keep an eye on Ivon Mirnenko and Andrew Crystal crystal as we know one of the last players cut you know I’m here to say very well could have probably been on the team you know entry- level deal couldn’t play a certain amount of games you’re going to burn the first year enough we don’t I’m not talking about that anymore that Andrew Crystal I think is one of the front runners uh to make this team again not 100% for sure we saw what he did with the Spokane Chiefs last year boom goes the dynamite really really good um but it’s not always a straight line to the moon right as we saw with Ryan Leonard when he got his opportunity the feeling was that once Ryan Leonard is here he’s going to change everything um that sometimes these t these guys it’s a slow build and you know they it takes a while for them to find their footing so Andrew Crystal very well and Ivon Mir Schnoshenko only continues to get better i think that there’s a distinct possibility that he makes the team as well um but there’s only so many positions available i guess it depends on who is on the move and you know is is Ivon Mirnenko at the point that what he’s doing on the ice is sustainable we’ve seen glimpses in glimmers of greatness on the Capitals better with the Hershey Bears we need to see more from him on the big team with the Capitals so a lot of questions you know I know the draft is done and there is some time i am recording this on Saturday evening uh that things could change and uh you know we could see some deals take place um it’s going to be interesting to see what the Capitals do uh on July 1st it is free agency and things open up but what are some of the things we know it can be a feeding frenzy and I don’t want the Capitals to spend too much on one player that’s a maybe um I I’m not too worried about it to be honest with you chris Patrick the Capitals have knocked it out of the park this team is only getting better there is a lot to be happy about i think this team will just get exceedingly better uh in the near future here all right once again I want to thank you for joining me on this edition of Locked On Capitals your only daily year- round podcast covering the Capitals and I want to thank all of you that listen on the audio side and watch this on YouTube you are what makes this show successful when you’re done here head on over to Locked on NHL as they have you covered 5 days a week available wherever you find your podcasts and on YouTube all right once again I want to thank you for joining me on this edition of Locked On Capitals part of the Locked On Network it is your team every day my name is Dan Holy and I’ll talk to you again next time

In the aftermath of the 2025 NHL Draft, the Washington Capitals wasted no time shaping their roster for next season. They acquired 23-year-old forward Justin Sourdif from Florida, a player they had long targeted, giving up a second- and sixth-round pick. Sourdif, who tallied 34 points in 43 AHL games and added 10 more in the playoffs, is expected to play full-time in the NHL next season. The move signals a strong belief in his potential as a middle-six forward with grit and offensive upside. The team also traded for 25-year-old defenseman Declan Chisholm, adding needed depth on the blue line after playoff injuries exposed their vulnerability. With Alex Alexeyev unlikely to be qualified, Chisholm is now poised to compete for a key spot in the bottom pair.

The Capitals are navigating over $9 million in cap space heading into free agency, weighing whether to pursue one major addition or spread that money across several versatile pieces. Conversations are still ongoing with UFAs like Mangiapane, Beauvillier, and Raddysh, while RFAs Hendrix Lapierre and Ivan Miroshnichenko are expected to push for bigger NHL roles. Prospect development and roster flexibility are key themes, and with Connor McMichael’s position versatility, the Capitals have options. With a mix of veteran targets and rising prospects like Andrew Cristall ready to challenge for a spot, Washington’s retooling effort is just getting started.

Exclusive content for Locked on Capitals insiders here:
https://joinsubtext.com/lockedoncapitals
Follow Dan on Twitter: https://x.com/dancaps218
Follow Locked on Capitals on Twitter: https://x.com/LockedOnCaps
Leave Dan a voicemail with your thoughts on the Capitals: https://www.speakpipe.com/LOCaps

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOCapitals?sid=YouTube

Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL

For you next listen, check out out the Locked On NHL podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

eBay Motors
For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotors.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

FanDuel
FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. As playoffs wind down, the sports stop sporting like we want them to. But this summer, FanDuel is hooking up ALL CUSTOMERS with a boost or a bonus, DAILY! That’s right, there’s something for everyone, every day, all summer long! Visit FANDUEL.COM and add a big win to your summer bucket list!

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

#WashingtonCapitals #Caps #NHLHockey #allcaps #ovechkin