ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Right now, the Washington Capitals' offseason feels like a big flow chart, with arrows at the top pointing in two very different directions.
The front office is just waiting to be told which direction to take.
Alex Ovechkin's decision on whether to return for a 22nd season is the biggest loose end facing general manager Chris Patrick and president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan as they look ahead to 2026-27. The Capitals have said repeatedly they aren't going to pressure their 40-year-old captain or rush him, but they obviously have to think ahead and consider a lot of different scenarios.
“We're giving him some time here to get away from the season a little bit and think things through and talk to his family," Patrick said Monday. "We'll continue to support him in however his decision process plays out. We'll be able to have a plan with or without him.”
The NHL draft begins June 26, with free agency starting a few days after that.
“Ideally, we would know going into the draft, but again, I think he’s earned the right to do the process how he wants to, and so we’ll just work with whatever we get from him, information-wise," Patrick said.
Ovechkin, the league's career leader in goals, scored 32 last season and showed he could still stay healthy for all 82 games. He indicated last week he was hoping to keep playing, but he also said Washington's outlook next season could factor into his decision.
The Capitals missed the playoffs this year, but their situation is hardly dire. They tied for the 12th-most points in the league, with a poor shootout record and a brutally competitive race in the Eastern Conference keeping them out of the postseason. Much of their core remains under contract, and youngsters like Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson offer hope for the future.
“We're in a window where we're trying to win," Patrick said. "We have a good team here, and we're hoping to add pieces.”
With John Carlson's contract no longer on the books, the Capitals figure to have plenty of room to include Ovechkin, whose expiring deal carried a $9.5 million cap hit this season.
“We're in a good spot cap-wise going into this offseason to have flexibility to do different things," Patrick said.
If Ovechkin does retire, that would leave the Capitals with even more space to maneuver, although it would certainly bring about a new era in Washington.
“I think his presence is huge," MacLellan said. “When he decides to leave, it’s going to be a big hole, personality-wise, leadership-wise.”
Patrick also said Monday defenseman Rasmus Sandin's leg injury could carry over into next season, and the team is still eager to make a significant addition at forward. Whether that type of player will be available in free agency is not clear, but Washington is in good position to pursue a trade.
“I think we're really in the best spot we've been in as far as having the stuff to trade that a team might want. We've got picks, we've got some good prospects. There's obviously some prospects that we're not going to move in these deals," Patrick said. "From that perspective, our wallet's full. If there's an opportunity there, we'd like to jump on it.”
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