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Capitals, Johansson talks ‘status quo’ as hearing looms

Marcus Johansson

Marcus Johansson

Lance Thomson

The Capitals were able to come to terms with goaltender Braden Holtby before an arbitrator had to rule on his value, but will Washington be able to pull that off again with its final restricted free agent, Marcus Johansson?

“I think they’re status quo from last time,” Capitals GM Brian MacLellan said of the Johansson contract negotiations, per NHL.com.

Johansson’s arbitration hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. He’ll presumably be seeking a decent raise from his old two-year, $4 million contract after recording 20 goals and 47 points last season.

MacLellan is willing to go through the arbitration process if necessary, but of course his hope is to avoid that.

The good news is that Washington has some cap flexibility after inking Holtby to a five-year, $30.5 million contract. If Holtby had been awarded $8 million for the 2015-16 campaign as he was asking an arbitrator for, then signing Johansson while staying under the ceiling might have been a balancing act. As it is, Washington has about $5 million in space.

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