Coming up now on five weeks before NHL free agency begins July 1. The Caps have a few guys set to hit the open market, including forward Brooks Laich. Sporting News’ Craig Custance had a short article on Friday where he writes that Laich “might be” the second-best forward in free agency this summer behind Dallas Stars center Brad Richards. Of course, by all accounts it is a weak free-agent class. But that won’t make the Caps feel any more comfortable as the clock counts down. Have spoken to Laich’s Ontario-based agent Roland Thompson in recent weeks. He isn’t one to negotiate through the media so not much to report based off that conversation. Those strong comments he gave to Sporting News speak for themselves and jive with what he told me. Caught him just after the season ended and am still waiting to hear back if the two sides have started talking seriously. Obviously, Thompson is selling Laich’s versatility. But while we rightly take what agents say about their clients with a gigantic grain of salt he also isn’t the only one who views Laich as a two-way asset.
“[Laich] won’t make any system mistakes – like nothing,” Caps assistant coach Dean Evason said. “If you ask him ‘Forecheck this way’ or ‘Do this in the neutral zone’ or ‘Here’s what we do on the power play’ or ‘This is how we want to forecheck on the penalty kill’ he does exactly what you ask him to do. And he does it to the fullest of his ability. He trains hard. He’s the perfect hockey player in the sense that he plays both sides of the puck. He’s so good defensively. He’s so aware. And yet he has the speed and the offensive ability to create offense and score goals.”
That’s not an unbiased opinion. Evason has coached Laich since 2005, after all, and both men are often complementary of each other. But it’s also not Laich’s agent, either. Evason’s job depends in large measure on how well his players perform so his desire to see Laich return has meaning. But it also isn’t up to him or the rest of the coaching staff. It’s up to general manager George McPhee and assistant general manager Don Fishman. And they will have their own assessment of Laich’s value. Maybe to them his skills are valuable at $3.5 million – especially with the salary cap likely increasing. But maybe at $4.5 million they are replaceable.
At some point the Caps will hit their limit. This negotiation will then become a balancing act between Laich’s professed desire to stay in Washington and finish the job here, his need to win and his ability to find another team willing to pay more than the the Caps. Thompson is likely to find a suitor who will go higher. Just my opinion, but I don’t believe Laich will make a cash grab and simply take the highest offer from a rebuilding team like Edmonton. That prospective club must be a legitimate contender – or enough of one to sway Laich. While we’re speculating, how about Toronto? Brian Burke has some cap room and could use that kind of player. If a $4.5 million offer for five years is there does that trump a $3.5 million offer from the Caps for four years? Just a thought exercise. No idea if either of those teams would even make a run at him. But I was assured by multiple sources that some team will, whether they’re overpaying or not.
The coaching staff has preached to Laich in recent years that old maxim from UCLA basketball coach John Wooden: Be quick, but don’t hurry. Too often early in his career Laich was on a mission to prove he could be a top 6 center. It took a while for him to figure out where he best fit with this group and how to use his speed without taking himself out of the proper position on the ice.
“He found a way to take it in a little bit,” Evason said. “He plays the game really fast, really quick. But he was in a hurry to get to places. So once the puck goes somewhere now he’ll use his speed. I think that’s how his whole game is now. He’s not in a rush to be the No. 1 center iceman or the No. 2 left winger on our team. He just takes everything in stride every day. Wherever the coaches put him he plays the game hard.”
Not trying to make Laich out to be more than he is. That’s Thompson’s job and he doesn’t need me for it. I’ve had a few NHL coaches/front office personnel question Laich’s hands around the net. And his points did drop this past season from 25 goals, 34 assists (59 points) to 16 goals, 32 assists (48 points). He’s never been an elite faceoff guy – or even above average – with a career best 51.9% (2006-07). He’s also never taken more than 666 draws in a season. The coaching staff did play Laich more than any other forward when short-handed (2:18 per game) and he was third among forwards in total power-play minutes (245:39). But while the numbers say he exceled a man down he wasn’t exactly a point machine with the man advantage (four goals, nine assists). I’m nit-picking now. Laich is a fine, versatile, durable player. How much is that worth? We’ll find out soon.
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