The Capitals have two plans in place depending on whether or not Alex Ovechkin returns.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — Washington Capitals general manager Chris Patrick would've usually already met with captain Alex Ovechkin to recap the season and discuss the future. Instead, that meeting's been put on hold until Ovechkin is ready to have it.
For Patrick, it's important now, at this point in Ovechkin's career after finishing his 21st NHL season, that he gets some time to himself to not only reflect, but decide on what's next as he ponders whether or not he wants to return.
"We could have met with him the day after the season ended. I don't think he was ready at that point to have that conversation. I think he needs to take some time and just get away from it, right?" Patrick explained. "Like, he just played 82 games in a really hard season. Just have a few days with his family and kind of veg out a little bit, and then you can start thinking about what the future holds."
Ovechkin said on Thursday that he is "pretty sure" he hasn't played his last NHL game, and while he's also already spoken with owner Ted Leonsis and president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan about what he's thinking, he still hasn't come to a firm decision.
That said, Washington is giving him the time and space he needs to come to terms with what's next, however long that may be. While the team would like to know his plans by the NHL Draft in late June, Patrick has two plans in place: one if he does return, and one if he doesn't.
"I think he's earned the right to do the process how he wants to," Patrick explained. "We'll just work with whatever when we get that information.
"It's no different than, really, any offseason where you have some players expiring and you go down different paths," he added. "Same thing with him, even though he's the greatest goal scorer of all time. If he wants to stay, we'll go one way. If he decides he wants to retire, we'll go a different way."
At the age of 40, Ovechkin again led the Capitals in scoring this past season, netting 32 goals and totaling 64 points, while continuing to be a vital leader that helped D.C. make a strong final push for the playoffs.
When it comes to Ovechkin's decision-making process, he said it depends on how he feels and what his family has to say, but he also noted that, if he does come back, he wants Washington to be a contender.
The front office is on the same page, and there is "a lot" of cap space and flexibility to make that happen.
"We're in a window where we're trying to win. We have a good team here and we're hoping to add pieces to help be a competitive team, a Stanley-Cup contending team," Patrick said. "That's always our goal and will continue to be our goal."