Leading into the NHL trade deadline, there was much discussion as to the direction the Washington Capitals would take: Would they load up again for another run at a Stanley Cup? Would they try to flip some veterans for young players and draft picks?
GM Brian MacLellan made it pretty clear by his moves which way the franchise was headed, trading away Dmitry Orlov, Lars Eller, Marcus Johansson, Erik Gustafsson and Garnet Hathaway, and picking up Rasmus Sandin along with a bevy of early-round picks.