Hockey
Washington left Ovechkin without a contract. Capitals circled the NHL around the finger
The conscious risk of the leadership of the metropolitan squad was justified five days later.
Russian hockey player Alexander Ovechkin, throughout most career, publicly announced the desire to speak at the NHL only for Washington. But the club at a critically important point left the striker without a contract for the sake of saving another player. The incredible multi -family leadership “Capitals” quickly paid off.
“We will come up with something soon”
The season-2025/26 will be the last to Ovechkin according to the current contract with Washington. Now there are various conversations regarding the future of Alexander the Great. There is a possibility that the new agreement “Capitals” will not wait, which clearly forces them to be nervous.
Fans experienced similar emotions in 2021, when the parties were in no hurry to sign under a new contract even after the end of the season. The situation was also complicated by the fact that a new team appeared in the League. Seattle with an empty payment statement could offer Alexander a fabulous fee. But Ovechkin reassured the fans, declaring the desire to stay in the club.
– We still have time. Of course, I want to end my career here. I am almost sure that we will come up with something soon, ”Alexander said in an interview with Associated Press, which was published in late May.
But neither in May nor in June the contract was signed. It became even worse for the fans when, in the July list, Ovechkin was not Ovechkin, among the protected players, among the protected players. This meant that the leadership of the new team could freely lead the Russian hockey player from under the Nose Capitals.
A cunning plan
In this situation, however, there were enough pitfalls. Ovechkin became a free agent, which meant that the Seattle, if I decided to choose Alexander, was obliged to agree with the striker on the new contract within seven days. Otherwise, the hockey player had the right to negotiate with any team.
Seattle did not risk in this situation, given the player’s desire to stay in Washington. The metropolitan team still had unprotected players who could be useful to Krakens. As a result, club residence in the expansion draft was replaced by the goalkeeper Vitek Vanekek.
Such a tricky scheme “Washington” and Ovechkin had to turn to avoid a possible transition as many players as possible. The NHL set some restrictions so that Seattle could choose better hockey players. Two protection schemes were provided to the clubs: eight any field players and goalkeeper or seven forwards, three defenders and a goalkeeper.
Washington chose the second option. As a result, it was possible to protect against the exchange of the following forwards: Nilelsa Baekstrem, Lars Eller, Evgenia Kuznetsov, Anthony Mantu, Ti Jay Mlag, Daniel Spond and Tom Wilson.
After the expansion draft, Ovechkin once again demonstrated the devotion to Washington. Five days later, the captain signed a new five -year contract, fulfilling which became the best sniper in the history of the NHL regular championships, bypassing the great Wayne Gretzka.
Source: Sportbox
I’m a sports enthusiast and journalist who has worked in the news industry for over 8 years. I currently work as an author at Sportish and my work focuses mainly on sports news.