The hockey world has always been active in armchair managing, utilizing whatever tools and information they have available to them to figure out their ideal trade scenarios. Matthew Wuest's website CapGeek revolutionized this hobby for many fans, which opened up a major door of transparency to NHL fans. Unfortunately, the website had to shut down after the illness and eventual death of its founder in 2015.
However, the void left by CapGeek's absence was quickly filled by CapFriendly, who after merging with HockeysCap, was run by Jamie Davis and Dominik Zrim. Unfortunately, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the two decided to sell it to the Washington Capitals who are set to shut the site down in July.
Unsurprisingly, more than a few hockey fans were upset by this news. Without CapFriendly, transparency dwindles and armchair GM-ing is no longer an accessible hobby for many following the NHL.
Given how quickly CapGeek's space on the internet was filled, there is little doubt an alternative will pop up. Many users have already shared the advantage of PuckPedia, which is constantly being updated.
With GM Brad MacLellan and the Washington Capitals officially set to privatize the website in July, it is safe to say goodbye to CapFriendly. Hopefully, fans are able to retain enough transparency from the NHL to continue their involvement in hockey as they best see fit.
