Eklund: Caps Extend Backstrom...Will Ovechkin Follow? Holtby Gone?

Horrible contract for a player on the decline!! As a Pens fan, I love it!!

OV is going nowhere. Give your head a shake it’s not even remotely happening. Going for Gretzky’s scoring record.

ZERO PRESSURE

Eklund: Caps Extend Backstrom...Will Ovechkin Follow? Holtby Gone?
- Eklund

the KHL is a league that is burning through cash and seeing teams fold faster then Japanese origami .

Caps look good on paper even if Ovie goes - but I can't see the guy leaving the NHL until he cracks a few records; 50 more goals and he's 5th all time - 100 more and he's 3rd, 120 and he's 2nd. I'd give it 3 more seasons to make that mark. Unlike Kovy/Dats, Ovie never had a serious early career urge to go back to the Motherland, only returning during the lockout shortened season and I suspect given his trajectory he'll play out his career in the NHL before playing his twilight in the K.

Signing his friend and longest line/teammate in Backstrom is a sign the Caps are rolling out the carpet to lure Ovie back as best they can. I suspect Ovie re-ups, and if they win another cup this year or next, I'd surmise he might even sign for 2-3 more years. There's also the question of how much money he stands to make in the K; Dats/Voynov make 4.5M in the K; Kovie made 5.5M. It stands that Ovie could make a ton more in the NHL in 2 years if he can keep potting 30+.

Come on Ek....haven't you heard, Ovie is going to sign a hometown discount with the Leafs!

Terrible contract. Never give that much $ and term to a guy declining until he's 37.

Backstrom is still playing at a high level and is great in both O and D zone. Think it will be a decent value/ not great value in a few years. F

Ovie has already done interviews in Washington and has said he wants to play is whole career here with Backy. I expect him to sign a 4 year deal 7/1 and then him and Backstrom have 5 years to get the goal scoring record.

Horrible contract for a player on the decline!! As a Pens fan, I love it!!
- pier6687

Still a better contract than that Jack Johnson deal

Holtby played himself out of a Contract this year. Ovi will stay and its a good Contract for Backstrom. A guy like Thornton is still playing at a high level, took a bit of a back seat this season at 40 but he was still elite at 37. No reason Backstrom can't. It isnt like his game takes a toll on his body like Ovi's game.

the KHL is a league that is burning through cash and seeing teams fold faster then Japanese origami .
- Alexzanki

Salary cap next year of approx. $14.4 million.

Although I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Putin and his buddies could figure out a way to get around it.

Maybe.

Money isn't going to be a factor of Ovechkin playing in Russia. He's already made more money than he'll ever be able to spend, and he's never going to get to the obscenely rich level.

If he wants to finish his career in Russia, then take over Russian hockey, he'll do that. Russia isn't going to have to outbid the NHL. He can do whatever he wants.

Holtby will go to the Hawks for Lehner and Kirby Dach!!!!

Literally not one single person has reported that Ovi is interested to jump ship to the KHL after his contract ends. In fact, he just reiterated in a recent interview that will go for the goal title.

Irresponsible false rumors are another level. E4

Literally not one single person has reported that Ovi is interested to jump ship to the KHL after his contract ends. In fact, he just reiterated in a recent interview that will go for the goal title.

Irresponsible false rumors are another level. E4
- Blackstrom2

lol there is ZERO speculation Ovi is going to Russia. Him and Backstrom are super close and have been open about wanting to retire together and Ovi catching Gretzky. Assuming Ovi hits around 45-50 goals this year, he will need to average 37 goals for the next five seasons to do so.

As far as the Backstrom contract goes, I dont mind it at all! Backstrom doesn't need to light up the scoreboard to prove his worth. The NHL players already voted him the most underrated player in the league and he is just that. He has incredible puck awareness. He can enter the zone, keep zone time, make the extra pass, etc. He does all the little things collectively well to create scoring chances and opportunities.

Straight from the Capitals and RMNB

"Since his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2007 against the Atlanta Thrashers, Backstrom leads the NHL with 668 assists despite ranking 17th in games played during that span. Additionally, Backstrom’s 295 power play assists rank first during that span and his 368 power play points rank second only to Ovechkin’s 389. Backstrom’s 295 power play assists are tied for 40th on the NHL’s all-time list. Backstrom has assisted on a franchise-high 255 of Ovechkin’s 686 goals (37.2 percent). Only three players in NHL history have set up a teammate more: Wayne Gretzky (364; Jari Kurri), Bryan Trottier (310; Mike Bossy) and Henrik Sedin (280; Daniel Sedin)."

Considering he was making what like $6mil a year prior? He deserves the raise and honestly he prob could have got more somewhere else.

lol there is ZERO speculation Ovi is going to Russia. Him and Backstrom are super close and have been open about wanting to retire together and Ovi catching Gretzky. Assuming Ovi hits around 45-50 goals this year, he will need to average 37 goals for the next five seasons to do so.

As far as the Backstrom contract goes, I dont mind it at all! Backstrom doesn't need to light up the scoreboard to prove his worth. The NHL players already voted him the most underrated player in the league and he is just that. He has incredible puck awareness. He can enter the zone, keep zone time, make the extra pass, etc. He does all the little things collectively well to create scoring chances and opportunities.

Straight from the Capitals and RMNB

"Since his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2007 against the Atlanta Thrashers, Backstrom leads the NHL with 668 assists despite ranking 17th in games played during that span. Additionally, Backstrom’s 295 power play assists rank first during that span and his 368 power play points rank second only to Ovechkin’s 389. Backstrom’s 295 power play assists are tied for 40th on the NHL’s all-time list. Backstrom has assisted on a franchise-high 255 of Ovechkin’s 686 goals (37.2 percent). Only three players in NHL history have set up a teammate more: Wayne Gretzky (364; Jari Kurri), Bryan Trottier (310; Mike Bossy) and Henrik Sedin (280; Daniel Sedin)."

Considering he was making what like $6mil a year prior? He deserves the raise and honestly he prob could have got more somewhere else.
- BrenosBagels

EK, Sabres need a new Blogger I am nominated myself.


My first Blog:

Yeichel:

The Sabres are bad, Captain/Coach/GM Jack Eichel not pleased.
Trying to work out three way sign and trade.

Moar to Come.

Still a better contract than that Jack Johnson deal
- jake020881

Sad, but true...

He's not a $9M player NOW. that will not age well

Breaking that goal scoring record is way more important than being the KHL ringmaster, stop smoking sherm sticks

Terrible deal, I like Backstrom, but this will set the organization back a few years. Should have been offered no more then 7, but whatever.
I think Ted stepped in can't see Mac giving him this much.

OV is going nowhere. Give your head a shake it’s not even remotely happening. Going for Gretzky’s scoring record.

ZERO PRESSURE
- Nighthawk

modern nhl is so exciting nah! zeen?

Breaking that goal scoring record is way more important than being the KHL ringmaster, stop smoking sherm sticks
- BeadyEyedDouche

Lol sherm

Honesty. Ovechkin will not go anywhere. I’m not a caps fan, but this is total speculation. Number 1, the guy is set on beating The Great ones goal record. Number 2, he has made it clear that his goal was to win multiple cups with Washington. The fan base idolizes him and he loves them back. If I’m a caps fan, I would not worry about this at all.

On a side note when the caps won the cup. What I remember most was Backstrom and OVi not letting each other go. They were so close it basically looked like they were kissing at one point. There is a true bromance there and I’m convinced Ovi would want to finish his career with Backstrom. That is speculation, but when those two won the cup their actions told it all.

Happy for Backstrom. Don’t know how he pulled that contract off negotiating with out an agent. Seems like Washington’s ownership did it right with Backstrom that he didn’t feel like he needed an agent to get a fair deal done. Wish I had owners like that in NJ.