We all knew this day would be coming sooner or later, but that doesn’t take away the severity of the impact on the Washington Capitals and their faithful fanbase.
Sometimes all it takes is one question and the ensuing answer to send ripple effects across a widespread group of people. In this case, Alex Ovechkin was asked about his long term plans by the Russian Television International (RTVI). His response sent shockwaves through the Washington Capitals community:
"There are certain goals that I want to achieve after my career. But my career is not over yet. I’m still in my prime. I think I will definitely play for a few more years. God grant that my health is good. I would finish in Russia at Dynamo Moscow."
In the same breath Ovechkin did his best to ease the immediate response when hearing the above quote. He quickly backpedaled on any notion of leaving the Washington Capitals anytime soon, by emphasizing money not being a factor and gave us at least an idea of how long we will be lucky enough to observe arguably the best natural goal scorer ever:
"No, it is not a question of money. It is just a matter of principal. I have only played for two teams, Dynamo and Washington. Obviously, I will stay with Washington for another two… three… four… five years. And then I would like to finish on a high note, to play my final game with Dynamo."
So now that we have an idea for the timeline. Let’s take a comprehensive look over the various topics covering the remaining timeline we still have with Alex Ovechkin as a Washington Capital and what impact each might have on his legacy and the team’s championship aspirations.
First things first, a contract has to be signed to continue this journey.