How the Capitals won the offseason -- and Ovechkin...
Key takeaways
- The league's all-time leading goal scorer (929 in 1,573 games) will return for a 22nd season.
- His declaration was a surprise to those who misread the Capitals' busy offseason as a transition away from Ovechkin.
- "The Ovechkin thing was independent of it," Patrick told ESPN this week.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The league's all-time leading goal scorer (929 in 1,573 games) will return for a 22nd season. The captain of the Washington Capitals, who turns 41 in September, will not hang up his gold-laced skates quite yet.
His declaration was a surprise to those who misread the Capitals' busy offseason as a transition away from Ovechkin. It was never about that. Nor were the team's moves made to persuade Ovechkin to return next season, though he indicated that it was essential to him that the Capitals improve their roster after missing the playoffs last season. That he's satisfied with their moves is an ancillary benefit to what GM Chris Patrick and his staff sought to accomplish this summer.
"The Ovechkin thing was independent of it," Patrick told ESPN this week. "Ovi or not, to make ourselves a playoff team, we needed to add some more forward talent. And that's what we did."