Report: Capitals Were Among Teams To Call About Deslauriers Before Wild Trade

With the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline under 48 hours away, reports indicate that the Washington Capitals are already making calls, and one of them was regarding a depth center.

Per Sportsnet’s Nick Alberga, Washington was among the clubs to reach out to the Anaheim Ducks about Nicolas Deslauriers, who ultimately went to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 2023 third-round draft pick. Alberga added that the Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers were also in the running.

Deslauriers, a veteran, would have been an interesting depth option as a gritty, experienced and versatile forward. The 31-year-old is a heavy-hitter with a good shot who can also generate pressure on the forecheck, and he’s also willing to stick up for his teammates and drop the gloves if need be. He has five goals and five assists through 61 games this season.

General manager Brian MacLellan discussed his trade deadline plans earlier in the month of March, saying that the team wouldn’t be as aggressive as it had been in the past given a couple of months of inconsistency that took away from their potential to contend. However, Washington has since righted the ship. The Capitals have made a complete 360, and are 7-0-1 in the month of March and undefeated in regulation since MacLellan’s comments.

READ MORE ON WHN: Takeaways From Capitals’ 4-3 Shootout Victory Over Carolina

With Washington recently turning things around and showing it can be a contender, MacLellan may want to change his approach. And per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, he is still interested in the goalie market and was also looking at forward options. Max Domi’s name has been floating around. Also, Marc-Andre Fleury continues to remain at the center of speculation.

The Capitals have quite a bit to ponder over the next couple of days, especially after losing a couple of players over the last few games. T.J. Oshie suffered a lower-body injury against Columbus and is day-to-day. Meanwhile, Nic Dowd and Trevor van Riemsdyk suffered ailments in Washington’s 4-3 shootout victory over Carolina. In addition, Lars Eller remains on COVID-19 protocol.

Washington returns to action on Sunday for an early evening tilt with the Dallas Stars. The trade deadline is on Monday at 3 p.m., right after the Capitals practice at noon.