Alex Ovechkin’s agent makes big revelation about the star’s return to the Capitals ahead of upcoming NHL season

The preparation for a new NHL season is about to begin, and with it, the hope of several franchises to arrive in the best possible shape for their debut. Alex Ovechkin, who became the all-time leading scorer in the sport’s history last season, aims to make a big impact with his Washington Capitals.

There has been a lot of speculation in recent months regarding the future of Spencer Carbery’s team star, with some even casting doubt on what he would do in the short term. However, Ovechkin will play his 21st season, and everything indicates he will do so alongside his teammates.

In a recent conversation with Sport-Express, agent Gleb Chistyakov made it clear that Ovi will join the rest of the team once he concludes all his previously arranged commitments, and he is expected to be available in early September.

“He will immediately start training. Everything will be as usual,” Chistyakov said, per a DeepL translation.

Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates against the Anaheim Ducks.

Although the preparation for the upcoming NHL season has not officially begun, players of the caliber of John Carlson, Sonny Milano, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Logan Thompson, and Matt Roy have already been seen doing some workouts at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex.

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Capitals GM Chris Patrick sends clear message about Alex Ovechkin’s future in Washington

Ovechkin’s contractual situation

Alex Ovechkin signed a five-year, $47.5 million contract extension with the Washington Capitals on July 27, 2021. This deal has an average annual value of $9.5 million and will expire at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Now Ovi is currently in the final year of this agreement and has not yet made a decision about his future beyond this season. Capitals general manager Chris Patrick has stated that he will give him the right to decide when he wants to discuss a potential contract extension.

Improving on last season’s performance

After a phenomenal regular season that saw them finish with the best record in the Eastern Conference and watch Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record, the Washington Capitals will be looking for redemption. Their promising campaign came to an abrupt end in the second round of the playoffs, where they were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Now, as they prepare for the upcoming season, the Capitals know that regular-season success is no longer enough. The challenge for coach Spencer Carbery and his squad will be to build on their past achievements and go further in the postseason, proving that they have what it takes to win when it matters most.