- Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals discussed a two-year contract before he signed for one season
- Elliotte Friedman believes Ovechkin’s shrinking role helped push him toward retirement
- Read below for his ice time numbers through three games
Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals talked about a two-year contract this summer before settling on a one-year deal.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared the detail on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast. He wasn’t sure how serious the talks were, or whether Ovechkin simply pitched the idea himself.
Friedman talked about Ovechkin’s recent interview explaining his retirement decision, and one part surprised him.
“The only thing that kind of surprised me a bit (was that) he said he decided in the summer,” Friedman said. “Initially, the word was that Ovechkin and the Capitals were potentially talking about a two-year deal. Whether they were seriously talking about it or it had just been pitched by Ovechkin, a two-year deal had come up.”
Watch the full episode:
Ovechkin signed for one year, with a $1 million salary, a $3.25 million signing bonus and up to $4.75 million in performance bonuses. He told his teammates on Oct. 5 that this will be his final NHL season, per the Capitals:
His role is part of the story, according to Friedman. Ovechkin has averaged 13:28 of ice time through three games, including a career-low 12:46 in the opener against Carolina. He played 13:34 against Tampa Bay and 14:05 against Pittsburgh.
Last season, he didn’t play fewer than 14:05 in a game until his 59th appearance. In Wednesday’s 5-3 home-opening win over the Penguins, he got two third-period shifts and wasn’t on the ice after Pittsburgh pulled its goalie.
Friedman explained how the roster changed around him.
“I would suspect that one of the things that Ovechkin kind of realized here was that it wasn’t going to be the same for him,” Friedman said. “Eventually, you’re going to slow down. Father Time is undefeated. We’re seeing that here.”
Friedman said the Capitals had to change after a slow season where goals were too hard to come by. They added Tuch and Kyrou, and in his words, “you could see where this was going to go.”
Ovechkin’s lowest average for a full season came last year at 17:26 a game. He’s nowhere near that now.
He has also said he wants his final game to come with Dynamo Moscow. The Capitals marked his final home opener with his two sons introducing him.
