ARLINGTON, Va. – The NHL season has passed the halfway point, and amid a period of inconsistent play, the Washington Capitals still aspire to secure a playoff spot.
Ovechkin’s Future
The big question about Alex Ovechkin’s future remains. Will the Russian star be back next season?“He seems very focused on the short term, on this team trying to make the playoffs and have another chance to win the Stanley Cup,” said General Manager Chris Patrick. “So yes, they will have to keep waiting.”
Chris Patrick, General Manager of the CapitalsOvechkin is in the final year of his contract and, at 40 years old, has managed to score 20 goals again, as he did in each of his previous 20 seasons in the NHL. The decision to end his career with the Capitals remains uncertain. Patrick, in statements to the press, revealed that the conversations with Ovechkin have not focused on the player’s plans beyond the 2025-26 season.The Capitals have maintained their competitiveness despite Ovechkin’s age, missing the playoffs only once in the last 11 seasons and avoiding a complete rebuild. This is partly because Ovechkin has remained a productive scorer, scoring 44 goals last season and breaking Wayne Gretzky’s career record. Ovechkin has 917 goals in his career, but after a good start, the Capitals haven’t managed consecutive wins since the beginning of December. Currently, they are fighting for a playoff spot, and Patrick made it clear that Washington will seek reinforcements before the March 6 trade deadline.“We haven’t really had that conversation,” Patrick stated. “We talked a little bit about the team situation, what he feels we need and what I think we need. But we didn’t go into much depth about his future beyond this year.”
Chris Patrick, General Manager of the CapitalsThe New York Rangers have expressed their willingness to trade players, according to a letter from General Manager Chris Drury. The Capitals, on the other hand, are tied for third place in the Metropolitan Division, despite injuries to some key players. Pierre-Luc Dubois has not played since October 31, but is already skating again. Tom Wilson has not played since January 3.“We are definitely actively looking for an addition,” Patrick said. “With so many teams in the playoff hunt right now, I think teams are trying to figure out their schedule and what they need to do and when they want to do it.”
Chris Patrick, Capitals General Manager“We believe our biggest need is a skilled, high-level winger. Those aren’t always available at the deadline,” Patrick said. “We’re going to continue to try to get those players if they’re available.”
Chris Patrick, Capitals General ManagerAlthough Ovechkin’s future is uncertain, it doesn’t seem like this will significantly affect the Capitals’ plans for the deadline. Washington is in contention for the playoffs and was the top seed in the East last season, so it makes sense for them to be buyers. Even if Ovechkin’s retirement is imminent, they have many key players with long-term contracts, so there’s no reason to mortgage their future too much.
“I hope what we do fits in both aspects,” said Patrick. “I hope we can do something that helps us in the short term, so this team gets back to the playoffs, so Alex has another chance in the playoffs, and that it also helps in the long term for when he is no longer on the team.”
Chris Patrick, General Manager of the Capitals
