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Capitals 2023 Free Agent Targets: Luke Schenn

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jesse Courville-Lynch | Last updated 6/21/23

The Washington Capitals will be making a few changes to their roster during the offseason in hopes of making it back to the playoffs sooner rather than later. One player that might hit the free agent market on July 1 is Luke Schenn. After he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline, many believed he was going to finish his career with the Maple Leafs but that may not be the case anymore. With no new extension agreed upon yet, there is little time to make something happen between the two sides before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

If the Capitals want to go back to being competitive after a really rough season, they’ll need to fill the biggest holes they have and improve on their weaknesses. It’s no secret that the Caps had defensive issues all season that led to them being near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division, so bringing in a guy like Schenn could immediately improve the team’s depth on the blue line.

Schenn was a solid defensive player for the Maple Leafs during the playoffs and while they didn’t go very far, he stood out as an important piece of their roster. He ended up being one of the best deadline pickups from around the NHL and will have a few teams interested in him come the opening of free agency.

Who Is Schenn & How Does He Benefit The Capitals?

Schenn is a 33-year-old right-shot defenseman from Saskatoon, Canada most recently having played for the Maple Leafs. He was drafted in the first round at fifth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and has since played 933 games over 15 seasons for seven different teams. Through 933 games, he has scored 42 goals and added 149 assists for 191 points which comes out to a 0.20 points-per-game average.

Schenn played his junior career with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) where over three seasons he had the opportunity to play alongside Jamie Benn, Tyson Barrie, and Tyler Myers. He played 189 games scoring 12 goals and adding 56 assists for 68 points which comes out to a 0.36 points per game average. He quickly earned a reputation as a shutdown defenseman who could stop anyone that tried to beat him one-on-one. He has always been a smart player and transferred his game quickly from junior hockey to the professional level.

“He has the strength to keep attackers away from the crease and is more than willing to put his body on the line to block shots. Is limited offensively but does own a heavy shot”
– Sports Forecaster (Luke Schenn Profile) – 2023

Schenn would bring the Capitals exactly what they need, a defensive-minded shutdown player that keeps the puck out of their net. They lacked the defensive strength to make a deep playoff run last season, but bringing in Schenn would immediately boost their chances of being a contender next season. His experience on contending teams in the past makes him the perfect candidate for the Capitals to bring in.

What Would It Cost The Capitals?

As I mentioned, Schenn will be an attractive asset on the free agent market when it opens on July 1. He will have quite a few teams interested in acquiring his services which may lead to someone slightly overpaying in order to bring him in. Every team would love to have a veteran shutdown defenseman that can play a top-four role, but I would lean towards Schenn wanting to choose a contender to play with. The Capitals are only a few pieces away from being back at the top of the Metropolitan Division, so they would be a team he considers.

I can see Schenn signing a two-year contract with the Capitals worth $1-1.5 million a season. He is worth that number and it would be a steal if they’re able to sign him for that. He would slot into the third pairing easily with the opportunity of moving up throughout the season. While he won’t be brought in to provide offense, he’ll provide depth on the right side and likely end up being one of the key reasons the Capitals make a run at the playoffs next season.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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