Caps trade Brooks Laich, Connor Carrick, and a 2nd to Toronto for F Daniel Winnik, and a 5th

 The Caps longest tenured player is now a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Late last night the Caps traded Brooks Laich, Connor Carrick, and a second round pick to Toronto for 4th liner Daniel Winnik and a 5th round pick.

 This is not a surprise as Brooks Laich has only scored 1 goal this season with 6 assists. Brookie was around for 10 years and was a class act, it will be weird seeing him in another uniform but it is a business and the Caps want to go all in.
  Now for Connor Carrick he has been very good for Hershey but the truth is he is not as high up in the franchise depth chart has he hoped. With Madison Bowey in Hershey, and a very solid group of defenseman at the NHL level he wasn't going to make the Caps. I think it will be a good situation for him in Toronto.
  So, the Caps got Daniel Winnik who this season for the Maple Leafs scored 4 goals and 10 assists in 56 games. Winnik, 30, is not going to be a big time scorer for the Caps. However, he will had beef to the 4th line and will be slotted with Jay Beagle and Mike Richards. Winnik signed a 2 year contract with the Leafs at the beginning of the season so he will be with the team next season as well unless he was moved.
  Overall I like the trade because it will give the Caps some more cap space which they did not use today but can use it in the offseason. It is hard to see someone like Brooks Laich go but it was time, the Caps need to go in for the long haul. The most important thing is the Caps did not give up any prospects except for Carrick and still have their 1st round pick for next season. Now we have out team for the stretch run.