It’s a GR8 day to be a Caps fan: left wing Alex Ovechkin announced today that he signed a one-year contract to return to the ice.
“I’m back!” Ovechkin said in a press release. “Thank you to everyone for giving me and my family the time to make this decision. I’m healthy. I love playing hockey and competing to win. I’m excited to come back and join my teammates so we can fight for a playoff spot and have a chance to win. See you in September, DC!”
Ovechkin, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest professional hockey players ever, has recorded 1,573 games played, 929 goals, 758 assists, and 161 playoff matches. He was the Caps’ first overall pick in the 2004 draft, and has stayed loyal to the team ever since. He also led the Caps to their first-ever Stanley Cup in 2018, and has won 19 individual NHL awards, the second-most in history behind Wayne Gretzky.
His contract includes a $1 million salary, $3.25 million signing bonus, and a $4.75 million games played bonus that will kick in after 10 games played. The games-played bonus will allow the team to defer paying him the majority of his contract until the end of the season, thus avoiding issues with their salary cap. His contract will carry an average annual value of $4.25 million.
Last season, Ovechkin led the Caps with 32 goals, continuing his 21-season trend of leading or co-leading the team in goals. The upcoming season looks a whole lot brighter with Ovechkin on the line, though there’s definitely room to improve. The Capitals were 43-30-9 last season, placing them solidly in the middle of the Metropolitan Division and thus dashing their playoff hopes.
“As we look ahead to next season, we are incredibly excited about the work our hockey operations group accomplished this summer to position our team to compete for a playoff berth and contend for the Stanley Cup,” Ted Leonsis, founder and chairman of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, who own the Capitals, said in a press release. “Our fans expect nothing less, and our organization has made the investments and difficult decisions necessary to build a new and exciting team. Having the greatest goal scorer in NHL history and the most important player in Capitals history return for another season means so much to our organization, our fans, and our city.”
Ovechkin is set to be one of the only remaining members of the Capitals’ old guard, with longtime players such as center Nicklaus Backstrom, wing TJ Oshie, goaltender Braden Holtby, and defender John Carlson lost in recent years to retirement or trades. He’ll be responsible for leading a significantly younger team than in years past as the Caps hope to rebuild and set the stage for long-term success.
