The Capitals traded experienced players and will play out the season.
Minus Samsonov and Orlov
Washington has entered an era of great change. The team, which in recent seasons has been associated with the Russian rock and roll gang, is gradually rebuilding its lineup. The Capitals certainly won’t follow the lead of Chicago or Los Angeles by trading top star Alexander Ovechkin. The Great Eight is a living legend of the club. Leader, captain and locker room keeper. In 2005, Washington began an affair with Alexander, and for 17 years there is no doubt that they will go together to the end. Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record. And the Capitals, as an organization, are certainly interested in conquering the achievements of the great Canadian.
“Washington” traded friend Ovechkin and wants to rebuild. What’s next for the team?
The Russian gang of “Washington” began to disintegrate last summer. “Capital” parted ways with goalkeeper Ilya Samsonov. The club got tired of waiting for progress from the first-round goalkeeper and reassembled the tandem before the season. The team was left not only by the Russian, but also by the Czech Vanechek. Both, by the way, successfully took root in the new teams. Samsonov is the first number of Toronto, Vanechek is the soloist in New Jersey. The Capitals’ move confirms both goaltenders needed a reset. Parting with Ilya was predicted and did not come as a big surprise. Like, for example, the exchange of Dmitry Orlov.
The first hours after the deal with Boston, he was in a slight shock. I didn’t represent the defense of the Capitals without a pupil of the Forge. Orlov will turn 32 in July. Hockey players of this age usually form the core of teams. And Dmitry did not look like the most obvious candidate for a trade if Washington started a roster restructuring. As it turned out, the management had other plans for the defender. Orlov did not help the protection of Ovechkin, who, commenting on the deal, did not hide his disappointment from parting with a friend and already a former teammate. “It is sad. Great teammates, good friends, good players. It’s hard … this is business, this is life, so I wish them good luck, we must move on, ”the Washington captain said about the exchange of Orlov and Garnet Hathaway.
Rasmus Sandin and John Tavares.
Photo by USA Today Sports
course for rejuvenation
The Capitals’ renewal has been going strong in recent days. The team left not only Orlov and Hathaway. Erik Gustafsson has been traded for 22-year-old defender Rasmus Sandin. Marcus Johansson for the third round draft pick. Lars Eller is a 2nd round pick. All transactions confirm the vector chosen by “Washington” for the rejuvenation of the composition. The championship window of the “Capital” was closed. The team runs the risk of being left without the playoffs this season – and then the situation will only worsen, since the club’s bosses have started a restructuring.
Orlov is not the first player Ovechkin will regret parting with. Alexander has been playing for the Capitals since the 2005/06 season – and over the years of his career in the NHL, he has experienced more than one parting with Russian partners who have become friends. Viktor Kozlov, Sergei Fedorov, Alexander Semin, Semyon Varlamov, Ilya Kovalchuk – each of them left a mark on the history of “Washington”. You can remember the Lithuanian Dainius Zubrus. And only Semin stayed for six seasons. Recently, Samsonov and Orlov joined the players who left the club.
Ovechkin’s team started perestroika? Washington Capitals traded Orlov to Boston
Of the Russians, not counting Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alexander Alekseev is developing in the system – and, in fact, that’s all. From the prospectuses, let’s remember Ivan Miroshnichenko (20th draft pick), Alexander Suzdalev (70) and Bogdan Trineev (117). However, it is not known when the guys will reach (and whether they will reach) the main team and whether they will find Ovechkin. “Washington” is changing – this is an obvious fact. The team is rejuvenated and loses the status of the most Russian club in the NHL. What attracted many neutral fans of our country. General manager Brian McLellan, having turned the exchange of Orlov, made it clear that there are no untouchable players in the team. And friendship with Ovechkin will not protect against an exchange to another club. In the coming seasons, we will see a new “Washington”. And it is not necessary that the Capitals will be associated with the Russians. Perhaps by the end of the contract, Alexander will remain the only Russian player on the team.