Capitals' Orlov trade signals a crossroads in Washington

Hathaway was in the midst of his fourth season in Washington. He was a reliable enforcer on the fourth line during his time as a Capital. His grit and toughness will be missed in D.C.

But it's Orlov's departure that's more notable. He had been with the Capitals his entire career, dating to 2009, and was a part of the 2018 team that won the Stanley Cup. He is also a close friend (and countryman) of Alex Ovechkin.

Aside from goaltender Braden Holtby, most of the primary core that helped win the Cup remains intact. However, with the Caps dealing Orlov, for how much longer that will be the case is in question.

Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznestov, John Carlson, T.J. Oshie, Tom Wilson, and Lars Eller are the remaining holdovers from 2018. All have contributed enough while in Washington that it would be more than understandable if they remain Caps for life.

That being said, all besides Wilson (28) are on the wrong side of 30. The Caps need to get younger, and there are some tough decisions that might need to be made.

Of the aforementioned players, Eller seems most likely to be the next one packing his bags. He will always be known as the man who scored the series-winning goal in the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, but this season he has struggled to keep a spot in the lineup. He has only 16 points in 58 games.

The Caps also have many other veterans whom they could sell off. Anthony Mantha, Marcus Johansson, Conor Sheary, Trevor Van Reimsdyk and Nick Jensen come to mind.

Washington has a number of promising young prospects such as Connor McMichael, Alex Alexeyev, and Alexei Protas. Those players could benefit from more playing time, and the Caps could also look to acquire more young talent at the deadline for their veterans.

The Caps' primary objective must be maximizing the twilight years of Ovechkin and his longtime running mates. But to do that, an injection of youth around them is sorely needed.