Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Capitals and Alex Ovechkin have been together for 10 years now, and in that time expectations have been high and results have been less than satisfactory. Especially in the playoffs. With the recent firing of longtime General Manager George McPhee, maybe it is time current GM Brian MacLellan changes the direction of the Capitals franchise by considering moving on from the Alex Ovechkin era in Washington.
Ovechkin is obviously one of the best goal scorers currently in the NHL. With 430 career goals and five 50-goal seasons, he’s a sure bet to put the puck in the net. The Sidney Crosby-Alex Ovechkin rivalry has been one that has dominated for the majority of the 21st Century; the intensity between the two players never fading.
The Capitals have tapered off a bit since their 2009-10 President Trophy winning campaign, making the glory days of the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals rivalry a thing of the past. The Capitals haven’t been able to compete with the elite teams of the East and maybe it’s time to take a new perspective on how to get things done by moving Ovechkin.
Ovechkin, being one of the top five players in the league, is an elite talent with a huge return. Teams would give up a lot in order to get Ovechkin, and Washington could get a couple decent talents and maybe even some good drafts picks. There is also the possibility of trading Ovechkin for the No. 1 overall pick in June’s draft, giving the Caps an opportunity at Connor McDavid. If you want to trade for that pick, you are going to have to move a guy like Alex Ovechkin, plus maybe even more.
If the Capitals got some players who are capable of playing alongside Nicklas Backstrom, scoring may not go down significantly due to Backstrom’s elite passing ability. One of Washington’s reoccurring problems is a lack of depth in scoring. Moving Ovechkin could bring back a number of players capable of putting the puck in the net, giving them that much-needed depth.
For the next seven seasons, Ovechkin will have a cap hit of over $9.5 million, the highest cap hit in the NHL. Moving this kind of contract allows for finical liberation for the Capitals. Guys like Matt Duchene and Jordan Eberle each have a cap hit of $6 million, so theoretically Washington could get a goal scorer like Duchene or Eberle and still have room to spare for free agency. The Capitals could also acquire a proven No. 1 goalie with better playoff results, and again have room for free agency. The opportunities are endless when you have money to spend.
The Washington Capitals have relied on Ovechkin to provide a majority of offense for the team. When it comes down to it, you can’t expect one guy to get you through the NHL playoffs, it’s just too hard. With Ovechkin only getting older, the Washington Capitals need to consider moving the Russian winger in an attempt to add depth in offense.
Nicklas Backstrom is an elite playmaker and anyone could score a back-door tap in off his pass. Maybe it’s even time that Ovechkin himself wants a change of scenery, starting out fresh. While moving Ovechkin would be one of the biggest trades in NHL history, Washington has proven it can’t have long-term success riding on the back of one guy.
It is time for a change in the Nation’s Capital.
Shaun Lavery is a Calgary Flames writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, or add him to your network on Google.
