Why Caps made right move in trading Burakovsky

Around 2:30 p.m. Friday, June 28, the Washington Capitals traded RW Andre Burakovsky to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a second and third round pick.

It was a polarizing move amongst Caps fans across social media. Some who had grown tired of the Swedish forward’s frustrating lack of consistency praised the move, while others were distraught at the idea of their favorite player being traded. However, it is important to remember that sports, above all, are businesses, and Burakovsky was no exception.

When Washington drafted Burakovsky 23rd overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, he was highly touted for his quick feet, puck handling, and laser-like shot.

Having played with Connor McDavid on a juggernaut Eerie Otters team, it was widely expected that Burakovsky would become an elite scorer in the NHL, and Capitals fans were very excited to see him. These feelings were only exaggerated, when Burakovsky scored the opening goal of the 2014-15 season for his first career NHL marker in an eventual shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

After that however, Burakovsky struggled to find his stride. He sustained multiple injuries that kept him out of the lineup on multiple occasions, leading him to post just 12 goals in each of his previous two seasons, after scoring his career-high of 17 the season before.

The young forward grew distraught in his play, leading him to seek the help of a sports psychologist to assist him with his confidence issues and strained mental health.

Burakovsky was a Restricted Free Agent at the end of the 2018-19 season, and while the Capitals did tender him a qualifying offer in order to retain his rights, the slotted $3.25M cap hit that Burakovsky would carry was simply too much for the cap-strapped Capitals to shoulder.

Burakovsky will be missed in Washington. He won the Stanley Cup with them in 2018 and will always be remembered for his heroics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Tampa Bay, when he scored two goals in quick succession in the second period, putting the Capitals up 3-0 and burying the Lightning in the process.

It is not uncommon for a player in any sport with raw talent and high upside to benefit from a change of scenery. Hopefully this will once again be the case with Andre, and he will flourish with new teammates in a new city.

We certainly know he has the skills to do just that, and hopefully the two picks that the Capitals received for him will become a trade chip for GM Brian MacLellan to use on bringing in a new player to fill Burakovsky’s spot, or by drafting a hidden gem in the coming drafts that will truly make this a win-win for both sides.

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