The Capitals have spent the offseason loading up, but the biggest question hanging over the team still comes back to Alex Ovechkin.
Washington general manager Chris Patrick said the club has not closed the door on bringing back its captain, even after a busy stretch that brought in several established players. Patrick made clear the team still has the flexibility to make a deal work if Ovechkin decides he wants a 22nd NHL season.
"I think we can do something that would work for Alex based on conversations we had with him prior to him leaving," Patrick said. "There are ways to get him the money that he needs because of his age and the kind of contracts you can do."
Ovechkin, who turns 41 in September, remains an unrestricted free agent and has not announced whether he plans to keep playing. The NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer has said his choice will hinge on his health and on whether he feels the Capitals are built to compete next season.
"He hasn't made a decision yet," Patrick said. "I think part of it was seeing where we are after today and that we're trying to do as much as we can to improve the team."
Washington’s roster makeover has been significant. The team landed winger Jordan Kyrou in a blockbuster trade, then completed a sign-and-trade for Alex Tuch. The Capitals also added Boone Jenner, Jonny Brodzinski, Justin Holl and Vincent Desharnais as they reworked the group ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Patrick also pointed to the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement as a path that could help keep Ovechkin in Washington on a more team-friendly setup. Players 35 and older can sign one-year contracts with performance bonuses that ease the immediate salary-cap hit.
He cited Evgeni Malkin’s recent deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a model for how that kind of arrangement can work.
"There are enough levers for us to pull," Patrick added. "I think that we can do something that would work for him."
For now, the Capitals have checked every box on their end. They’ve improved the roster and kept room available for their franchise star. The only question left is whether Ovechkin feels he has one more season left in him.
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