This past summer marked two years since Alexander Ovechkin signed a five-year extension with the Washington Capitals worth $47.5 million.
Ovechkin was closing in on his 36th birthday when he signed the deal. As such, the lucrative extension felt like a virtual guarantee that “The Great Eight” would finish his career right where it started.
But the Capitals haven’t won a playoff series since they captured the Stanley Cup in 2018. They missed the postseason last year for the first time since 2014 and look like a bubble playoff team at best.
At this rate, it already feels like the Capitals would be wise to begin a tear-it-all down rebuild and deal Ovechkin. Yes, it’d be nice to see him break Wayne Gretzky’s goals record in a Capitals’ uniform, but trading “Ovie” while his trade value is at its peak is undoubtedly the best move for the franchise long-term.
Enter Rod Brind’Amour’s Carolina Hurricanes, who have emerged as an Eastern Conference heavyweight since he took over as bench boss in 2018-19.
Though Carolina has reached the postseason in five straight years under Brind’Amour, they’ve lacked that one prolific superstar forward that can move the needle in the big games. Imagine if they had an impact forward like Matthew Tkachuk, who willed the Florida Panthers to a four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference Final last year.
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Carolina could use a superstar of Ovechkin’s caliber. Imagine if the annual 40-goal scorer played with Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, Martin Nečas and Jespero Kotkaniemi up front.
The Hurricanes could offer Washington a package centering around budding star and center Seth Jarvis, veteran blueliner Brady Skjei, plus future first and second-round picks. That’s a fair price for a consistent 40-goal scorer who’s now 40 year of age.
And while he’s chasing Gretzky’s goal record, Ovechkin would surely be further motivated by the chance to win a second Stanley Cup. Why should he finish his career on a sinking team that’s nowhere close to playoff contention?
Washington gets four assets to accelerate the rebuild, while the Hurricanes land that one final piece needed to help them get over the playoff hump once and for all. It’s a win-win.
