Free agency is still a week away, but the frenzy around the NHL has been chaotic. We finally got the trade deadline we've all been asking for, just a few months later. Big names have moved, and many draft picks have changed hands. And some of the biggest names have not only landed in the Eastern Conference but specifically in the Metropolitan.
The Flyers haven't gotten involved yet, though rumors have continued to fly about Rasmus Ristolainen and a potential fit with the Senators. And as always, Owen Tippett's name will not leave the rumor mill. But Philadelphia is not in any position to make a rash move. They are going to be patient and strategic, something Danny Briere has stressed since taking over. They won't make a move just to say they did, but only if they truly believe the player in question can have a real impact.
That's why it isn't the worst thing possible for the Flyers to let the chaos continue to happen around them. But they should be keeping a close eye on their divisional rivals, one in particular, for a very specific reason.
The Capitals appear to be preparing for life after Alex Ovechkin
The Capitals are still waiting to hear from Alex Ovechkin about the status of his NHL career. And while news isn't expected to come before free agency, their recent moves may have spoiled the answer. They first pulled the trigger on Jordan Kyrou, who had seen the writing on the wall for a move from St. Louis. Of note, he has a cap hit of over 8M until after the 2030-31 season. That wasn't their biggest acquisition, though.
As it became more and more likely that Alex Tuch was not going to re-sign in Buffalo, the Sabres needed to recoup some assets before he hit the market. Turns out the Capitals were a willing participant, acquiring him with a fresh eight-year deal and a 10.5M cap hit. So, in just over 24 hours, they added almost 20M in salary from two players alone.
That doesn't mean they can't still bring Ovechkin back. The Capitals, because of his age, can sign him to a one-year deal heavily based on performance bonuses, similar to Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins. And they could be making these deals to entice Ovechkin to come back for one more run. That is just a theory, though.
It's more likely that the Capitals are building their team to withstand Ovechkin's possible retirement. He led the team in goals (32) and points (64) this season. Tuch's stats alone nearly match what Ovechkin did this season, and he's proven to be rather consistent over the last four seasons. While Kyrou was far off that pace this past year, he's shown to be a 30+ goal scorer as well.
The Flyers should have their eyes on this. Ovechkin has tormented them over his career, posting 54 goals and 86 points in 82 career games against Philadelphia. He has only been held pointless in a season series once, and that was back in 2019-20. And in the rare times the two have met in the postseason, he's done even more damage with seven goals and 14 points in 14 games.
Even at 40, he seemingly hasn't lost a beat. But what else is there left for him to accomplish? He's played over 1,500 games, won a Stanley Cup, has taken home numerous awards, and is the greatest goal scorer in NHL history. Everything else he accomplishes is icing on the cake at this point. Does he want one last run in the playoffs? The Capitals have made the playoffs in 16 of his 20 seasons with the organization, so it's not like they've been lacking in that area.
Even with the Capitals beefing up their offense, no one can truly replicate what Ovechkin brought to the league. So while the Flyers can't decide for him, they most certainly would be happy to see him go, especially from a production standpoint.
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