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Capitals: 3 ways Alex Ovechkin can become NHL’s all-time top scorer

By Michael Marzzacco

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 04: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates after scoring his third goal of the game for a hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings in the third period at Capital One Arena on February 04, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 04: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates after scoring his third goal of the game for a hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings in the third period at Capital One Arena on February 04, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, VA – JUNE 7:Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) and Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) hoist the Stanley Cup after winning Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday, June 7, 2018. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, VA – JUNE 7:Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) and Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) hoist the Stanley Cup after winning Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday, June 7, 2018. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /

A contract extension

As superhuman and amazing as Alex Ovechkin is, it’s impossible to score 200 goals in a season. If Ovechkin wants to continue to pursue this record, he needs to sign an extension to stay in Washington beyond the 2020-21 season.

It looked like the Caps took the first step in that process of extending Ovechkin when they re-upped Nicklas Backstrom’s contract to five more years. In the process of that negotiation, which Backstrom took care of himself, Ovechkin was checking up on him on a constant basis to see how the contract talks were going. Does this sound like a player that wants to play somewhere else?

I hate to say it to some Caps fans, but I don’t see Braden Holtby coming back after this season but the silver lining is that the Caps can have more money to re-sign Ovechkin when the summer of 2021 hits.

So what can a new contract for Alex Ovechkin look like. If Backstrom’s was five years and $46 million, maybe a four-year, $50 million deal depending on how the salary cap looks?

A four year extension would give Ovechkin four extra years to break the “impossible” record and give the Ovi and Nicky duo a chance to skate off into the sunset.

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