Alex Ovechkin The tall, skilled Russian winger became the new face of the Washington Capitals franchise when they selected him with the first overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft more than two decades ago.
He is now 40 years old and finishing his 21st season with the team. He was named Stanley Cup Playoff MVP in 2018 and last year by Wayne Gretzky As the league’s career goals leader.
advertise
Ovechkin has yet to say whether that’s the case or if he wants to play again in 2026-27, so the front office is preparing for both contingencies. At the same time, a youth movement was building in Washington; Trade for 36-year-old organizational cornerstone John Carlson It’s the latest step in turning a new page for a generation of players that not only won a championship but made 16 playoff appearances in 18 seasons.
disappeared Longtime No. 1 center Nicklas Backstromgo all out Winger TJ Oshiegoaltender Braden Holtby and now Karlsson, who has been the team’s top defenseman almost since his debut.
“These are the people (who they come from), and sometimes they don’t even have shaving tools to get married, start families and have the careers that they have now,” assistant general manager Ross Mahoney said in a phone interview. “Things won’t last forever.”
Capital built around new core
Since the start of the salary cap era in 2005, the Capitals have done something rare in the NHL: replenished talent while continuing to compete. Brian MacLellan, General Manager 2014-24, and successor chris patrick Buying and selling were made at the same time at times, with some savvy offseason trades and free agent signings being made along the way.
advertise
The result is a new core of players in their mid-to-late 20s and early 30s, all signed until at least 2029: goalkeeper Logan Thompson, defenders Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy and Martin Fehervary, and forwards Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson, the latter of whom is Possible replacement for Ovechkin As captain.
“This is a really good starting point for a competitive team, a Stanley Cup championship team,” Patrick said. “We just felt that before the deadline came, if we were going to make a move, we should keep that in mind – to give us assets that we can use to try to add impact players to this current group.”
Send Carlson to Anaheim Less than 15 hours until trade deadline A sad day for former teammates. He was with the Capitals for 17 years, so Ovechkin said this was probably the toughest day of his career from a personal perspective.
The first- and third-round picks the Capitals received in the trade were among the best returns any team has received for a pending free-agent loanee. That trade and trading for a mid-30s fourth-line center Nick Dodd flies to Vegas Increased draft capital reserve: 13 picks in the first three rounds over the next four years.
advertise
Some of those picks will be used and others will be given immediate help. The rapidly rising salary cap has reduced the number of high-end free agents available on July 1, making the trade market a destination for talent as teams have enough room to re-sign their best players.
“Starting this summer, there’s not that much room to buy, so I think it’s good to have tradable assets,” Patrick said. “Are these deals going to happen? I don’t know. We hope so. There tend to be names that come up for one reason or another.”
Washington already has a lot of elite talent brewing
A rare playoff miss and sell-off allowed Mahoney and his staff to inject the team with prospect from all over the world.
advertise
Ryan Leonard, the No. 8 overall pick in 2023, and winger Ivan Miroshnichenko, the previous year’s first-round pick, have already joined the NHL. Defenseman Cole Hutson, drafted 43rd overall in ’24, will join them this week Sign an entry-level contract His college season at Boston University just ended on Sunday. Ilya Protas, the No. 75 pick in the same draft, led the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears in scoring at 19 and is about to follow his older brother to Washington.
“I’m very happy with where we are right now,” said Mahoney, director of amateur scouting since 2000. “My guys have done a great job trying to restock the inventory.”
Protas, a 6-foot-5 center, could take Dodd’s old spot as soon as next season. Hutson is a dynamic, offensive right-handed shooter, and his impending arrival partly paves the way for Carlson to head to the Ducks as a succession plan is already in place.
“If we had to let a guy go who is near the end of his career and in his 30s and get good assets in return, then we’d feel a little more comfortable and hopefully we’d be in a good position,” Patrick said. “We’re not going to do that right away, but over the next couple of seasons, hopefully we’ll be in a really good position with the younger guys coming in.”
advertise
Mahoney, just as he did in the late 2000s when the likes of Ovechkin, Backstrom, Mike Green and Alexander Semin were just 20 and 21 years old, respectively, is looking to “speed up the clock” and fast-forward the next batch of rookies to NHL readiness. He knew it was impossible and admitted, “You have to be patient and let it develop.”
For now, however, the expectation remains to win — whenever Ovechkin hangs up his skates. The Capitals are confident that the players who have learned under him will maintain a positive culture and that the front office will continue to make moves to replenish the existing core of players.
“No one can replace Alex Ovechkin and everything he brings to this team,” Patrick said. “Those guys, they just want to know that we’re going to be a competitive team and when it comes time to put the chips down, we will.”
