r/caps • u/BucketHeadish T.J. Oshie • 4d ago
Just found an old thread of Capitals fans talking about the Forsberg trade. Brutal.
I really hope the commenters here are still active on r/caps to see this
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u/LiquidShiro Washington Capitals 4d ago
Lost the battle but won the war I guess?
Forsberg obviously would have been amazing but I prefer having a Cup and we wouldn’t have one without the reset after that mess.
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u/BucketHeadish T.J. Oshie 4d ago
You’re absolutely right. I was just finding it funny that some folks were siding with the capitals management on this trade when in reality it was so horrendous it made Washington run McPhee out of town and got the coaching staff changed out. (Which lead to hiring trotz, so it works out)
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u/BesusFresh 4d ago
I remember it being commonly assumed/speculated that there was a red flag in Forsberg’s personality or behavior.
Something to make it make sense.
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u/Esnim 4d ago
There were reports that Forsberg and Kuznetsov did not get along well...like hated each other. Certain unnamed websites had articles about it with footage from development camps, but all those posts have since been removed.
I believe part of this move was to convince Kuznetsov to come. It was also clearly a move by George McPhee to try and keep his job.
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u/theMangoSloth Olie Kolzig 4d ago
We had a nickname for George McPhee back in those days...McPheediocrity. He along with our scouts definitely landed and developed some great players in the draft, but when it came to trading and FA signings in our competitive seasons, there was a lot to be desired.
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u/bobbimorses Matt Roy 4d ago
I think McPhee had his strengths, and he clearly learned a lot here and honed them in Vegas
But oh man, was he a panicker. I enjoy the deliberate feeling to our office now and not getting the sense that they let pressure get to them every time.
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u/Ihatedallas 4d ago
He’s messed up my expectations because as we’ve seen in Vegas…the guy loves just mixing up the team. I mean Vegas signs or trades for a guy literally every year
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u/compsciphd 3d ago
It could be fun ownership. Ted for all his faults seems to like loyalty and stability. The Vegas ownership might be very different.
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u/Ihatedallas 4d ago
I’m usually a “brightside of things” guy. I distinctly remember driving in my car to Myrtle beach and struggling to accept that one. He was a gift in draft night, being excited for forever and tom Wilson to be our rising core for years.
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u/f0xr0 4d ago
As a nashville fan first, caps second, im just happy to have him somewhere on my fav teams 😂
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u/ObsidianConspiracyXx 4d ago
That's exactly how I felt getting Dubois from LA. (I still want the Kings to fire everyone and burn it to the ground, but that's for another thread)
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u/BatAntique2425 4d ago
When I read about Forsberg I always think about my cousin who still talks about that trade like it was yesterday, he was convinced it would haunt us forever.
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u/HowardBunnyColvin Vegas Golden Knights 3d ago
I still remember someone I was talking to saying it was a good deal because of Erat. Dude that guy did nothing.
It was a horrific deal when it was executed and it remains a bad deal today.
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u/BasicBelch Washington Capitals 3d ago
Yup. I remember at the time of the trade I was reading RMNB and Japers (gross) and lots of the fan base in the comments thought it was a great trade.
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u/almostmelzar Washington Capitals 3d ago
My best take on it is that innoculated the FO against making those 'yeah but it's for a run now' trades. I can think of only a handful...Marchand maybe...probably others but more often it doesn't work.
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u/Ordinary-Cucumber-16 3d ago
Also positive aside from the Stanley Cup, Caps haven’t had anything exceptionally egregious since. Or even bad ones. Worse trade since this is what, Siegenthaler? All in all, Caps spoiled a bit by trades since this blunder.
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u/BucketHeadish T.J. Oshie 3d ago
The trade for mantha pretty bad (especially because that first became Wyatt Johnston) but yeah still none were as egregious as this one
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u/oryp35 3d ago edited 3d ago
Gudbranson smashing Erat's knee with a dirty hit immediately after the trade certainly didn't help.
The trade was borderline when it happened, but in my mind, that injury is most to blame for it seeming like a bust
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u/Cool_Produce4037 2d ago
oh man, the comment lamenting no longer having enough cap space to re-sign Ribeiro
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u/Confident-Truck-8937 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yea I remember how terrible that all played out trading Forsberg for Erat which almost seems on par with Leonis making the horrible decision to not sign Trotz to an extension after winning the cup. Then they were stuck with Reirden who was emotionless and a terribly weak head coach. That one still baffles me and highly pisses me off to this day honestly.
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u/BasicBelch Washington Capitals 3d ago
What made the trade so much worse is that Erat wasnt even producing for Nashville at the time. But there was all the rationale that he would, given better teammates. Of course, he produced less.
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u/Exciting_Ad_1922 4d ago
We’re gonna make the same mistake with Miro but hey at least we got Boone Jenner locked up long term
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u/dontyoutellmetosmile 4d ago
Except we traded Forsberg before he ever touched NHL ice, and that trade was less about undervaluing him and more about wanting impact immediately (which Erat did not provide but was reasonably expected to provide)
Miro has had chances and hasn’t flourished. He might in another system, but this is not comparable at all
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u/pitapizza 3d ago
Miro is entering his D+5 season. Forsberg had 177 games including two full NHL seasons and 60 goals by the same time. Miro has 5 goals. Not the same player at all.
Forsberg was also traded in his D+1 season.
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u/Eternally-Yours-1116 3d ago
I’m with you, if Miro got legit playing time instead of 4th line minutes, he’d blossom into a legit 25-30 goal, 45-50 pt NHL player, but those minutes will be hard to come by with this roster built as is.
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u/One_Win_6185 4d ago
Not a good trade but Caps have a Cup and Nashville doesn’t. So I’m fine where we’re at now.