ARLINGTON, Va. — Alex Ovechkin stated Saturday that he intends to return to the Washington Capitals for his twenty first NHL season after breaking Wayne Gretzky’s profession goal-scoring file earlier this spring.
Ovechkin joked about becoming a member of the minor league Hershey Bears for his or her playoff run and indicated the query wasn’t whether or not he could be again however quite whether or not he had what it takes to earn a spot.
“To start with, [I have] to make a roster at 40 years previous,” Ovechkin quipped on locker cleanout day, lower than 48 hours after he and the Capitals have been eradicated within the second spherical by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Ovechkin, who turns 40 in September, has one season left on the five-year, $47.5 million contract he signed in 2021. He stated he’s approaching the summer time like some other, planning to coach the identical means within the offseason and see the place issues go.
“I’ll use these couple months [in the offseason] to relaxation, get pleasure from my life, then again to work,” Ovechkin stated. “Me and [trainer Pavel Burlachenko are] going do our job to prepare for the season and simply do my finest.”
Ovechkin is coming off a whirlwind season during which he overcame a damaged leg to attain 44 objectives — the third most within the league — and move Gretzky’s profession mark of 894 that lengthy appeared unapproachable. The Russian famous person has 897.
“For him to come back again this 12 months and play the way in which that he did, chase down this file, the beginning that he had, breaking his leg, getting back from that, and simply persevering with to not solely do issues he did individually, statistically, however lead our crew — that is a part of the story that will probably be a minor a part of it, however it’s a giant a part of it,” coach Spencer Carbery stated after the Sport 5 loss to the Hurricanes on Thursday night time. “He did what he got here again this 12 months to show and present, and he did it within the playoffs as nicely. I tip my cap to ‘O’ and the season that he had and as our captain main the way in which.”
Ovechkin led the crew with 5 objectives in 10 video games this postseason however had only one objective within the second spherical as he and the crew fell in need of the Japanese Convention finals for the fifteenth time in 16 appearances throughout his profession. The opposite time was their Stanley Cup run in 2018, when Ovechkin received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Going into subsequent season, Ovechkin needs to work towards chasing a second championship.
“I am wanting ahead for subsequent 12 months,” Ovechkin stated. “I’ll attempt to do my finest to play, and my crew goes to assist me too. … I simply need to come again subsequent 12 months and see the crew who’s able to profitable the Stanley Cup.”
Past that, he is undecided what the long run holds when his contract involves an finish.
“I have not considered it but, however we’ll see what is going on to occur,” Ovechkin stated. “I’ll attempt to do my finest to have the ability to do nicely subsequent 12 months, and we’ll see.”
Longtime teammate Tom Wilson, guesses “900 and past” on the objective counter is coming subsequent for Ovechkin.
“At no level am I pondering in my head that there is ever going to be a day with out Ovi on the Caps,” Wilson stated. “He is nonetheless flying on the market. He had an unimaginable season. I feel he in all probability exceeded expectations and past. You possibly can by no means rely that man out. He is such an incredible chief. I am positive he’ll maintain buzzing.”
