The soon-to-be 38-year-old commented on Orlov's departure from the Capitals and more on a new podcast.
The soon-to-be 38-year-old commented on Orlov's departure from the Capitals and more on a new podcast.
The Washington Capitals have made quite a few changes over the last season and a half, taking part in a trade deadline sell-off last year while also making a coaching change. And though captain Alex Ovechkin didn't mind weighing in on those decisions, he reiterated that he doesn't overstep when it comes to the direction of the team.
Ovechkin appeared on the "It's Hockey, Brother" podcast before returning to the U.S. and discussed longtime friend and ex-teammate Dmitry Orlov, who was traded to the Boston Bruins at the deadline and signed with the Carolina Hurricanes in July. Orlov hadn't ruled out a return to D.C. but ultimately chose to sign elsewhere.
While Ovechkin was sad to see his countrymate leave the team, he said he accepted the reality of hockey as a business and explained that he does not take on a management role with the club.
"Dima's a good friend. It's a pity he left, but again, it's a business. The general manager [Brian MacLellan] did what he had to do," Ovechkin said, per a DeepL translation. "If he didn't want to sign a contract, there was no point in letting him go for nothing."
When asked if he could have asked management to hold onto Orlov, Ovechkin again reiterated that isn't his job and said he didn't know if Orlov could've come back after all.
"That's the salary cap. I'm not a general manager; I can't manage a team. My job is completely different," Ovechkin added.
Hosts Artem Batrak and Alexey Shevchenko pointed out that there have been reports that Sidney Crosby has influence when it comes to keeping certain players with the Penguins (the reality is that Crosby rarely intercepts when it comes to GM decisions). While Ovechkin said he would love to have Orlov remain on the team, he shut down any comparisons and said that he'll only give input when he's asked for it.
"I don't know what's going on there in Pittsburgh, how it all works," he added. "In Washington, if any advice is asked for, I give it."