"I think he deserves that respect... I think we need to respect his status in the game and his status in the organization," MacLellan said.
ARLINGTON, V.A. -- The Washington Capitals and general manager Brian MacLellan have an interesting offseason ahead of them, as they work to find a new head coach anad retool the team on the fly. On top of that, they want aid Alex Ovechkin in his quest of Wayne Gretzky, while also keeping him in the loop of what's happening in the organization.
Still, there's a fine balance to strike between keeping the captain happy and restructuring the team based on organizational needs. MacLellan is well aware of that, and has a plan in place to handle both.
The general manager said that he will reach out to Ovechkin about upcoming moves and changes, just as he did at the trade deadline when the team decided to sell with the postseason out of reach.
"I'm going to communicate wtih him, 'Here's what we're thinking, here are the strengths of the guy coming in, here's where he might need help.' We'll have those discussions."
MacLellan is in the market for a new bench boss after head coach Peter Laviolette's departure, and he also wants to revamp the top-6 and make the team younger.
Ovechkin did tell Ted Leonsis and the organization that he was not interested in being a part of a big rebuild as he goes for the all-time goals record, giving MacLellan the tall task of remaining competitive while trying to restructure the team after the Capitals failed to make the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
For MacLellan though, the plan is to keep the 37-year-old up to date on what direction things are headed in rather than letting him decide on different moves.
"I don't know that it's an opinion; it's more of keeping him informed what the strategy is and what we're thinking, 'how do you feel about that?' I don't know that he has, 'I like this guy over this guy,'" MacLellan empashized.
After another 40-plus goal season, Ovechkin sits 74 goals away from breaking Gretzkys's all-time goals record. He has three years remaining on the five-year extension he inked back in 2021.
Ovechkin has gone back home to Russia for the summer and will take time away from the ice to focus on family and recovery from injuries suffered over the course of the regular season. Then, he will return to training with longtime trainer Pavel Burlachenko.
All the while, MacLellan will remain in the District working the phones, and when the time comes to make a move, he will dial Ovechkin and hear him out.
"I think he deserves that respect... I think we need to respect his status in the game and his status in the organization," MacLellan said.