why did the caps let go of Scott Stevens?

Um....money

Stevens was paid $235,000 in the 1989-90 season. Washington offered him 5 years at $750K/season and St. Louis offered him a 4 year deal worth $1.3MM a year (there are rumours that LA offered him a bigger deal to have him play with Gretzky but no confirmation). Washington chose not to match the offer (the reality is that they couldn't afford the $750K at the time let alone $1.3MM) and took 5 first round draft picks instead.

The picks ended up being

1991 Trevor Halverson

1992 Sergei Gonchar

1993 Brendan Witt

1994 the pick (and Mike Ridley) was traded to Toronto for Rob Pearson, Quebec's first round pick (#10 - became Nolan Baumgartner) and pick #15, became Alexander Kharlamov

1995 Miikka Elomo

Keep in mind the average salary in the 1989-90 season was $168,000 and that Washington's highest paid player that season was Mike Liut at $525,000. They were forced to trade Mike Gartner and his $485K salary the year before because it was excessive in Abe Pollin's eyes.

To the guy below me.....Nolan Baumgartner was a Quebec pick obtained in a trade, not a St. Louis pick

Bob - Stevens was definitely a top-tier defenceman in 1990....3rd in Norris voting in 87 and 89, 4th in 88, 5th in 90...and finished 4th in Central Scouting ratings in 86, 87, 88, 89, and 90. When you consider that even making $1.3MM a year didn't put him in the top 5 in 90-91 (Bourque, Coffey, Housley, Chelios, and MacInnis were all above $1.3MM at the time) he was well worth what St. Louis offered him

A variety of factors came into play.

-The Blues overpaid him by a long shot. 5.1M over 4 years was kind of obscene for him at that time, he was good but wasn't considered among the top tier guys.

- They had a pretty solid top end blueline even with letting him go. Kevin Hatcher, Calle Johansson and Rod Langway were all capable.

- He was an alledged rapist........along with 3 other Caps. Dino Ciccarelli....Geoff Courtnall and one other Caps player (who is escaping me right now) sexually assaulted a teenager after a team outing. I think they all got shipped out within the next year or two.

Had he stayed, the Caps still don't win the cup.....they did well with the compensation when they did not match the offer. Well, they did well with some of the draft picks anyways-

1991, 21st overall: LW Trevor Halverson

1992, 14th overall: D Sergei Gonchar

1993, 11th overall: D Brendan Witt

1994, 10th overall: D Nolan Baumgartner via trade

1995, 23rd overall: LW Miika Elomo

So, considering the only time they came close was in 1998 and I believe that Gonchar, Witt and Baumgartner were all with the team....besides, one player does not a winner make. Big difference of the players that Stevens had to work with in NJ, a guy named Brodeur in particular.

The St Louis Blues were throwing money at anyone and everyone back then, and made an offer sheet to Stevens which the Capitals chose not to match. In return, the Caps received five 1st round draft picks. The players selected by the Capitals were: Trevor Halverson, Sergei Gonchar, Brendan Witt, Nolan Baumgartner and Miika Elomo. The other issue was Stevens was involved in some bad publicity from the 'limo incident'. He, Dino Ciccarelli, Geoff Courtnall, and Neil Sheehy allegedly were partying after the '90 season ended and sexually assaulted a 17 year old girl in the limo they rented. Charges were never filed but many think it played a role in the Capitals not matching the St Louis offer sheet. All four players were eventually traded or sent packing. St Louis later signed Brendan Shanahan from New Jersey to a lucrative offer, and had to send Stevens as compensation to them since they did not have the !st round draft picks to give to New Jersey because of the Stevens signing from Washington. It's hard telling if they would have won a cup with him. The Capitals back then had a deep farm system, but Gonchar and Witt developed into very adept defensemen as well. They could never seem to get past Pittsburgh in the playoffs. Could they have won a cup with Stevens there? One man does not a team make, so I think not. that's just my opinion though.

WHEN YOU GET RID OF A PLAYER LIKE STEVENS IT IS MOSTLY ALWAYS ABOUT MONEY

because they did'nt want him, plus washington was got draft picks.

if you havent noticed he doesnt play anymore so the answer is no