Though his role may look a bit different, captain Alex Ovechkin is still set to play a pivotal role for his Washington Capitals in 2026-27.
After Washington made a handful of blockbuster moves to revamp the roster, mainly the forward group, Ovechkin signed a one-year extension as he decided to return for another go in D.C. It will be his 22nd NHL season, and one where he hopes to have another legitimate shot at a Stanley Cup.
"When you look at our roster, it's Stanley Cup contender... I know I can still play and bring energy to the locker room, energy on the ice and give what I can give," Ovechkin said.
So, what exactly can be expected of the soon-to-be 41-year-old?
First, his role will likely look a bit different.
With Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou joining the top-6, and young key pieces like Ryan Leonard on the rise, Ovechkin will no longer have to carry the brunt of the offense, and instead, his minutes can go down and be more balanced, meaning he can be ultilized more effectively at both 5-on-5 and the power play.
At even strength, Ovechkin could find himself potentially on a middle-6 combination, where he could continue to get significant time alongside longtime center Dylan Strome. Adding Kryou or another name to that mix could also reignite their chemistry and add something else to that line.
On the power play, which is expected to change quite a bit under new assistant coach Ray Bennett, Ovechkin will also have a modified role. He said himself earlier this offseason in an interview with FONBET that the lack of right-hand shots meant him having to play on both units, but the new additions up front solve that issue.
Ultimately, Ovechkin still has plenty to provide on offense, and has shown that he's still a capable top scorer following another 30-goal campaign last season. All the while, he still has history to make as he sits 11 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time record of combined regular season and playoff goals.
The Hockey News Yearbook is also projecting another strong year for the Great 8 with 31 goals and 30 assists for 61 points.
That being said, Washington is still expecting him to bring his scoring prowess and booming shot to the table, while seeing him continue to lead the way off the ice, too.
"He can still continue to defy odds and be a very productive, good NHL player for the Washington Capitals and help us win a lot of hockey games," coach Spencer Carbery said of Ovechkin. "That's the way that I see it going. And then also continue to be the leader that he's been through his career as our captain and continue to help a winning team — hopefully a playoff team — and young players inside of that continue to grow their game and develop and get to the next level."
