Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin may be aiming high on his next contract, with Darren Dreger saying on TSN’s First Up that the word is the RFA is seeking a five-year extension carrying a $9 million cap hit.
That’s one of the bigger contract numbers floating around the rumor mill right now, and it lands at a time when teams are also already eyeing the trade market. The Washington Capitals, in particular, sound like a club that could keep pushing chips in as the season rolls on.
David Pagnotta of Daily Faceoff said the Capitals were built with an all-in mindset even before Alex Ovechkin announced that this would be his final NHL season. In other words, this wasn’t some sudden change of direction. Washington went into the year expecting to contend, and Ovechkin’s decision only sharpened that focus.
“They feel their depth on D is good. They, they love their goaltending, and as I said, they’re stacked up front, depth-wise, especially.”
Pagnotta pointed to the Capitals’ offseason additions - Alex Tuch, Boone Jenner, and Jordan Kyrou - as the kind of moves that signaled real intent. The idea was to give the roster enough firepower and balance to challenge not just in the Metro, but for the Stanley Cup.
He also noted the mix in the room, with veterans alongside younger names such as Ryan Leonard, Cole Hutson, and the Proitras Brothers. That blend, Pagnotta said, has helped create confidence inside the team.
“And if, you know, Ovi’s last year or not, before they even knew that they were, they were poised to make a run or or at least you know take a shot at it. And I think this, this certainly enhances that to a degree. But I think the mission coming into this season, regardless of Ovi’s decision was going to be, let’s go get ourselves another Stanley Cup for this organization.”
With Ovechkin now officially saying this is his last NHL season, Pagnotta said the Capitals are likely to stay alert for ways to improve, especially as the trade deadline approaches. The expectation is not that they’ll force a move immediately, but that Chris Patrick and company will be watching the market closely for an opportunity to add another piece.
In Other News...
Capitals Showed Fans Something Different In Pittsburgh Win
The Capitals home opener against Pittsburgh offered a little of everything, and a few of the new-look pieces fit together in a way Washington had to like. In the 5-3 win, Tom Wilson filled the box score with three points, Ryan Leonard added his second goal of the season, and the penalty kill did its part in keeping the Penguins from getting comfortable for long stretches.
What stood out most was the way Washington generated offense beyond the usual names, with Wilson, Alex Tuch and Pierre-Luc Dubois driving plenty of the nights momentum. Alex Ovechkin did not record a point, but the Capitals still found enough scoring and enough structure to put away a division rival in a game that hinted at a different kind of balance up front. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Suddenly Look Like Real Contenders For One Big Reason
The Capitals first week has offered plenty of reason for optimism, with two wins in their first three games and an offseason that already looks a little sharper on paper. Additions like Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou have given Washington more pop, while the core still runs through captain Alex Ovechkin, goaltender Logan Thompson and Pierre-Luc Dubois, a blend that has analysts Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton sounding more bullish than they were before camp opened.
The bigger question is whether the roster can stay intact long enough for that upside to matter. Washington does not need every part to go perfectly, but it does need the lineup to keep its key pieces on the ice and functioning at the level that makes the rest of the East take notice. Dubois, in particular, is the swing factor, because the Capitals ceiling looks very different depending on which version of him shows up over the course of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Fans Have A Real Matthew Poitras Trade Question Again
Alex Ovechkins place in Washington has been one of the leagues quiet storylines for a while now, and the conversation around his future is getting more layered as the Capitals keep reshaping the roster around him. Even with the franchise icon still central to the room and the identity of the team, the way Washington has handled its personnel has created a different backdrop than the one that existed when his retirement timeline first surfaced.
The latest wrinkle is that the Capitals evolving mix has only sharpened the focus on how long Ovechkin wants to keep going and what his role looks like as the team changes around him. With additions such as Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou part of the broader context, the question is no longer just how Washington supports its captain, but how those moves affect the final stretch of his career. [Read more 🡒]