Implications of Today's Trade

Now that Scott Hannan is officially a member of the Washington Capitals, and his praises have been lauded, it's time to get down to the nitty-gritty: who is Hannan going to play with, what does it mean for the roster overall, and are there other moves coming?

The newest Cap, who is going to be wearing No. 23, should be paired with Mike Green. It's a formula that has worked well under Bruce Boudreau: an offensive-minded defensemen playing with a rearguard who tends to be a bit more conservative. Karl Alzner and John Carlson are the epitome of this combo and, although Carlson is better defensively than Green, it provides a good basis from which to start. Another possible partner is Tom Poti, but there would be too much speed lost there and that's not ideal.

The Hannan acquisition makes Tyler Sloan even less useful even though he's signed for another season beyond this one. So far, he's played in 17 games -- mostly due to the injuries that have befallen the Caps -- and continues to be the epitome of a depth player. The other person this impacts is John Erksine, who hasn't missed a game yet and is arguably enjoying one of his better seasons as a Cap.

Hannan's durability was stressed today in comments by GM George McPhee as was his shot-blocking ability. These are qualities that aren't present on the roster, which is why today's acquisition was so key. It also makes sure that depth defensemen such as Erksine and Sloan do not have to be depended on as regulars.

It's still possible -- if not likely -- that McPhee will pull the trigger again before the Feb. 28 trade deadline. Those moves may not occur until much closer to that date, but with eight pending unrestricted free agents still on the roster, and approximately $2.4 million in space under the salary cap, something else could be down the road.

The Caps' biggest need is a center, although Marcus Johansson is still getting a shot at that gig. Here's betting that at least one forward is added to the roster and, with the recent trends, the player probably has some grit mixed in with speed and skill.