00:00Tarek, how are you, buddy?
00:02Good morning.
00:03Doing great.
00:04Feeling very good about the Capitals.
00:06Really?
00:07Yeah, so any vacation that you had, you know, that you were on currently
00:10was probably disrupted not only by, you know, them acquiring two players,
00:14but before that happened, Spencer Carberry re-ups with the team
00:18on a multi-year extension.
00:19It was something we knew was going to happen.
00:21He's a young star in the coaching biz.
00:24Did you see this coming for, you know,
00:26how long was this in the works before they put pen to paper recently?
00:31For Carbs, I think you were right on track there.
00:34I mean, it was a no-brainer to re-sign, you know,
00:37the 2025 Jack Adams award winner.
00:39Look, you know, last year was what it was.
00:43A lot of injuries ended up missing the playoffs by a point,
00:45but you're right.
00:46At 44 years old, he's one of the best coaches in the game.
00:51I don't think there's any question about that.
00:54And, look, you see this at the big sports, whether it's NCAA or pros.
01:00You don't want decision-makers, coaches, general managers,
01:04going into the last year of their deal, you know, air quotes,
01:07lame duck situation because, you know,
01:10it can undercut their authority a little bit.
01:13And when you have a coach, when you have a guy that's your guy,
01:17you definitely don't want them to go into that situation.
01:19And so they re-upped him.
01:22And, you know, the thing that really strikes me about Carver,
01:26he's such a great communicator.
01:27He's able to get the trust of his veteran players, you know,
01:31get them to believe in what he's preaching.
01:33But he's also really able to connect with younger players
01:36and get them to reach their potential.
01:38You know, I'm thinking about Alexi Protis, you know,
01:41Conor McMichael, obviously, a couple years ago before he got traded.
01:45Ryan Leonard last year getting to the 20-goal plateau.
01:48And they've got a bunch of young players still coming, right?
01:50So, you know, Ilya Protis, Lil Pro, and Cole Hudson, and, you know,
01:55Carbs is just really good at getting the most out of young players.
01:59So you mentioned Mikey.
02:00He's on his way out, obviously, with Jordan Kairou coming in from St. Louis.
02:04I'm guessing you weren't really that surprised by that.
02:06I wasn't stunned by it because he was a guy who seemed like he was floating
02:10between center and playing wing, didn't really have a full-time position
02:14where he excelled.
02:17I think they liked him.
02:18They clearly didn't love him because they put him in this package
02:21to acquire Jordan Kairou.
02:23Talk about getting rid of Mikey and bringing in Kairou
02:26and what sort of upgrade that is.
02:29Yeah, I think there was a lot going on there with the decision
02:32to include Conor McMichael in that trade.
02:36You know, my first reaction, and we still haven't spoken to General Manager
02:39Chris Patrick about the moves, us being media,
02:44but he was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
02:48He was a very interesting case when you think about what he should earn.
02:55He had a great year two years ago, 26 goals, had a down year last year,
02:59albeit a little bit snakebit.
03:02He still had some pretty good analytics and underlying numbers.
03:05That said, with the cap going up and you've got a player who had a really good year
03:11and then a down year and he's got arbitration rights, do you want to risk signing a player
03:17you aren't all in on to a big contract, or do you want to go get a three-time 30
03:25-goal score,
03:26three-time 70-point getter in Jordan Kairou, a player that had been the apple of their eye for a
03:31while?
03:33And, you know, to get something, you've got to give something.
03:37And, you know, moving that first-round pick in McMichael is what was necessary to get that deal done.
03:42I do think Jordan Kairou is an upgrade.
03:46You know, like I said, he's hit 30 goals three times.
03:50He's hit 70 points three times.
03:51Why do you only have 18 last season?
03:54Why do you only have 18 last season?
03:56He got off to a slow start last year, admittedly.
04:00The team, the Blues in general, were not playing very well at the start of last year.
04:06And, you know, players are always very reluctant to blame injury or playing through anything,
04:11but he did have a minor knee procedure at the end of the year, it's my understanding.
04:15And, you know, he acknowledged in his media sessions a couple days ago that, you know,
04:20it wasn't a big deal, but it was something that was bothering him.
04:23So, look, down year for the team, down year for him individually.
04:27He said he's hungry and, you know, really wants to prove himself.
04:33And, you know, one other thing I want to point out is he waived his no-trade clause to come
04:38to Washington.
04:40You know, that speaks to a couple of things for me.
04:43Number one, he probably felt like it was time to turn the page and maybe get a fresh start somewhere
04:48else.
04:49But also, he looks at Washington as a team that can contend, a team that he wants to be a
04:55part of.
04:55So, really, really happy about the move.
04:58And like I said, Jordan Tyrell's name has been, I don't want to say directly linked to the Caps for
05:04a year,
05:05but, you know, in quiet conversations in back rooms, I'd heard his name quite a bit.
05:12So, they finally were able to get that elusive top six fast scoring winger.
05:17And then they got another one.
05:19Yeah, and you mentioned that the key word there, I think, was fast.
05:23Kairou in 2022 won, like, fastest skater at the All-Star Game competition.
05:28This is a team that for the last few years needs to get quicker and younger.
05:33Now, he's not super young.
05:34He's 28, but he is fast.
05:35He brings that element that we know the Caps covet.
05:39Yeah, absolutely.
05:40I mean, you know, bringing a player with his skill, he's also got a heck of a shot.
05:45I mean, you don't score 30 goals three times without having a really good release.
05:49But I'll tell you this, in the games that I've covered in recent seasons from ice level,
05:55where you really get a feel for who can boogie, who can really move,
06:00Jordan Kairou has always stood out to me.
06:02Like, he'll be at the glass and I'll be watching what's happening on the ice.
06:06He'll come to a complete stop in front of me.
06:08I noticed this a couple times.
06:09And that burst, those first three steps, it's like, I mean, everyone on the ice is fast,
06:15but he stands out as an outlier.
06:16Like, oh, my God, he can really, really fly.
06:20And so, yeah, adding a player like him, you know, can prove to be a game-breaker.
06:25You know, this is a Capitals team that wishes it could have scored a little bit more last year
06:31and obviously needs to get more out of its power play.
06:34And Kairou is going to be on that power play and play a big role on it.
06:39So, Kairou led the Blues in goals and power play goals.
06:42Tuck, 33 goals last season.
06:44What does this mean for Ovi?
06:46And what should we expect?
06:47And what does it mean salary-wise?
06:49Because both these guys are getting a lot of money.
06:51I think Kairou is going to be making over $8 million annually.
06:55Tuck, over $10 million annually.
06:57But they still have, I think, $11 or $12 million in cap space,
07:00even by bringing those guys in.
07:02And I think that I've read that correctly.
07:03That's about right.
07:04Yeah.
07:05That's about right.
07:06And that number will go up a little bit as other contracts burn off on June 30th.
07:11But, look, I was always of the opinion that Chris Patrick was going to be very aggressive
07:18this offseason.
07:19And he's proven to be that way, regardless of what Ovi decides,
07:23whether he's going to come back or whether he's going to hang him up.
07:26You know, it's harder to connect with people in the offseason.
07:30You know, that said, I do check in on him periodically.
07:34As recently as last week, before these two moves were made, you know,
07:38the vibe that I got was that the Caps were preparing, essentially, for Ovi to come back.
07:44And, you know, knowing Ovi the way I do, you know, having covered him for, what, 21 years now,
07:49he's hyper-competitive.
07:50And he's always wanted that one more kick at the can.
07:53And if he were leaning one way or another, watching the team go out and acquire Kairu and then talk,
08:03has to be like, oh, my goodness, this team is really committed to being good next year.
08:08Remember, he was really missed by the team trading away Carlson and Dowd at the deadline last year.
08:16He felt like that kind of took some wind out of the sails
08:19and might have been the difference between the Caps making the playoffs and not.
08:23You know, the Caps have to make, you know, a man who has to make decisions based on, you know,
08:26kind of the big picture.
08:28And, you know, by going out and getting Kairu and talk,
08:33I think that sends a very strong message to Ovi.
08:35If he's still on the fence, hey, we're serious about this.
08:39Come join us.
08:40Come on back.
08:42And, again, knowing Ovi as competitive as he is, he's got to be looking at that.
08:47Plus, you know, some of the young players that are coming of age here, you know,
08:51I mentioned them earlier, Cole Hudson and Lil Pro, he's got to be going,
08:55hey, this might be the best team on paper that the Capitals have had in a couple of years.
09:00I want to be a part of this.
09:01Tarek, I think you summed it up really well on your Twitter,
09:04at Tarek underscore L Bashir from 17 hours ago.
09:07GM Chris Patrick isn't messing around this summer.
09:11Do you think other teams are like, whoa, the Caps are really, these are bold moves.
09:15The Caps are going for it in what could be Ovi's last year if he's brought back.
09:20I do think that it has caught the attention of the league.
09:24I'll tell you guys a funny story.
09:26So last night I was filling in for West Hall on the Mystics game.
09:30So, of course, the Caps go out and make a massive trade,
09:34second trade in 24 hours while I'm, you know, figuring out the WNBA.
09:39But I had to put my phone on mute because of all the people who were going,
09:45oh, my God, wow, what is going on?
09:47These are friends, you know, inside the game and people who work inside the game.
09:51I think a lot of people heard Chris Patrick say he wanted to be aggressive.
09:56He said that last year, and they weren't able to close the deal on Nikolai Ehlers,
10:01if you remember, I think Chris went into this offseason knowing that he had to deliver,
10:10you know, really wanting to close deals.
10:11And that's why I think you saw Chris and you've seen other teams jump to the front of the line
10:18here
10:18before free agency opening and acquire players like Tuck,
10:21even though you've got to send a player and a pick.
10:23But you want to make sure that this highly coveted player, Tuck,
10:26was set to be the best player, the best player on the free agent market.
10:31Not a great free agent market this year,
10:32but he was going to be the number one player on just about everyone's list.
10:36And the Caps jumped to the front of the line and made a move
10:40and got him into the fold right after getting Kyru.
10:43I mean, if you're a Caps fan, you've got to be really excited about,
10:48particularly the forward group right now.
10:50I mean, it's an embarrassment of riches.
10:52It's really good.
10:53There's some question marks on the back end, particularly with Rastor Sandin,
10:57you know, nursing that ACL injury.
10:59But, you know, there's still time.
11:01Free agency hasn't even started yet.
11:04Something tells me the Caps are still going to be busy.
11:06And, you know, I just hope I'm not on a beach when Ovi decides to give an announcement.
11:12Well, Tarek, we appreciate the time.
11:14We know you're busy with the Caps
11:15and apparently busy filling in with the Mystics as well.
11:17You're a jack of all trades, my friend.
11:19Thanks for the time, man.
11:21Anytime, guys.
11:21Yep, that's Tarek El-Mashir, Caps Insider for Monumental Sports Network.
11:26When we come back, we'll talk to his colleague on the Wizards side,
11:30Tony Massenburg, who covers the Wizards for Monumental Sports.
11:33He'll join us next.
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