Hockey

Alex Ovechkin Explains Why He Likes Capitals Offseason Moves

Published: Aug 12, 2024, 5:42 AM
3 min read
Updated: Jul 8, 2025, 6:40 AM
Fact checked by:
Marco D'Amico
Alex Ovechkin

Alex Ovechkin (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Alex Ovechkin texted the Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan a thumbs-up emoji for acquiring forward Pierre-Luc Dubois. In July, Dubois was traded from the Los Angeles Kings to the Capitals for goaltender Darcy Kuemper. But this was not the end for MacLellan. He also got a goaltender, Logan Thompson, and a defenseman, Jakob Chychrun. He also signed blueliner Matt Roy and forwards Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh in free agency.

"Compared to the last season, we have significantly strengthened the roster," Ovechkin said exclusively to RG on August 10th. "More experienced players have joined us. Again, this is business. It was very difficult when Washington traded Orlov [defenseman Dmitry Orlov went to Boston and then moved to Carolina]. Then they traded Kuzy, who moved to the Hurricanes. We lived close to each other [in Washington', our families were friends, and we always stuck together."

"But I repeat, this is big business, and you can do nothing about it. Well, what could I do here? I liked these trades. Skilled guys joined us. That's why I sent a thumbs-up [to MacLellan]."

Washington made the playoffs last season but lost to the New York Rangers in the first round in four games. Since 2018, when the Capitals won their first Stanley Cup, they have not advanced past the second round of the playoffs.

"By the end of the season, everyone saw that we had a good, hard-working team," Ovechkin said. "We made the playoffs, although no one believed it. And there, we lacked depth. In the series with the New York Rangers, we played in two lines, you might say. Injuries started to happen again, and achieving something was very difficult."

Ovechkin is 42 goals from passing Wayne Gretzky with two years left on his contract. He had eight goals in his first 43 games of the last season but then scored 23 goals in 36 games.

"I didn't have any panic," Ovechkin noted. "We had a new coach, and we had many injured players before the start of the season. We lost Becky [Niklas Backstrom)], Kuzy [Evgeny Kuznetsov] was injured. It is clear that we needed to find some chemistry and build mutual understanding. I hope the next season will be more successful".

Head of News Department
Sergey Demidov is Head of News at RG.org and has covered global sports since 2007. His work spans the Olympics, FIFA World Cups, IOC events, and Stanley Cup Finals. A former sports department deputy chief editor at Gazeta.Ru and TASS News Agency, and current senior editor at NHL.com/ru, Sergey has interviewed stars like Alex Ovechkin and Jaromir Jagr, former WADA and FIFA presidents Craig Reedy and Sepp Blatter, and coaches like Fabio Capello. He specializes in hockey and publishes in English and Russian.
Interests:
NHL
EPL
FIFA
UCL
NFL
NBA
BWF
Hiking
Reading
Movies
Food

More RG Exclusive Interviews

Hockey
Interview
NHL Agent Thinks Owners Are Holding up Offer Sheets

An NHL player agent believes owners are one of, if not the biggest, reason the expected summer of offer sheets never happened.

7
08/01/2025
James Murphy
James Murphy
NHL Agent Thinks Owners Are Holding up Offer Sheets
Hockey
News Report
Jimmy Vesey Weighs KHL Offers as NHL Future Uncertain

NHL veteran Jimmy Vesey is exploring a move to the KHL, with SKA St. Petersburg emerging as a top contender for the 32-year-old forward.

4
07/29/2025
Daria Tuboltseva
Daria Tuboltseva
Jimmy Vesey Weighs KHL Offers as NHL Future Uncertain
Hockey
Analysis
Top 10 Greatest NHL Players of All Time According to AI

RG asked four AI models to rank the top 10 NHL players ever using a weighted formula. The results reveal both consensus and controversy.

16
07/28/2025
Quinn Allen
Quinn Allen
Top 10 Greatest NHL Players of All Time According to AI
Hockey
Interview
Beckett Sennecke Trusting Ducks’ Plan For His NHL Journey

Beckett Sennecke is coming off a dominant season and says he’s open to whatever path the Anaheim Ducks believe is best for his NHL development.

7
07/26/2025
Andrew Knoll
Andrew Knoll
Beckett Sennecke Trusting Ducks’ Plan For His NHL Journey
Prev
...
Next

Our Authors

Paruyr Shahbazyan

Paruyr Shahbazyan started his business career as an entrepreneur in 2000. Over 13 years, he learned business and leadership, which laid the foundation for his career.

In 2013, Paruyr entered the sports and betting industry as the founder and president of Bookmaker Rating, an online media platform he led until 2020. The platform focuses on in-depth analysis and insights in sports betting and has gained a reputation for quality content.

In 2022, Paruyr co-founded Azuro, a decentralized betting protocol. This shows his commitment to technology in the sports betting space. Through all these experiences, Paruyr has been shaping and influencing the betting industry, setting new trends and standards.

Innovation in sportsbetting comes from a deep understanding of both technology and the human element of sports.

Strategic Vision

Paruyr's vision is to revolutionize the sports entertainment industry by integrating technology. He sees the future of sports entertainment as a blend of traditional sports knowledge with innovative tech solutions, like decentralized protocols, to enhance user experience and fairness. He aims to create platforms that are not only user-friendly but also uphold the highest standards of ethical reporting, contributing to a more responsible and enjoyable sports culture.

Meet All Our Experts
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Read our
Privacy Policy
.