Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby is set for unrestricted free agency following this season, but the team has no plans to trade him before he could hit the open market.

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan told reporters Holtby will still be on the team following Monday's trade deadline.

"He's our guy, and we're going to try to compete for a Cup," MacLellan said.

Holtby led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup in 2018 and is a five-time All-Star with a Vezina Trophy and William M. Jennings Trophy on his sparkling resume. However, he has a 3.11 goals-against average and .897 save percentage this season, both of which would be career-worst marks.

"His play has led to speculation that 22-year-old rookie goalie Ilya Samsonov, who is 16-4-1 with a 2.38 GAA and a .917 save percentage, might take over the starting job," Tom Gulitti of NHL.com wrote.

Despite Holtby's overall struggles this season, MacLellan showed plenty of trust in his veteran goaltender. There have also been signs of improvement of late, as Holtby has a 2.07 GAA and .933 save percentage over the past four games.

"I think at the end of the year we'll sit down with Braden and talk about where we're at," MacLellan said. "Samsonov's been great, but still, he's a young goalie. This is his first year, still developing. So we'll sit down and evaluate everything at the end of the year."

Holtby is the proven goaltender who has ascended to the Stanley Cup mountaintop in the past. Washington is trusting he can do the same, even if his long-term future with the franchise is something of a question mark.

Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin passed Pittsburgh Penguins legend Mario Lemieux for 10th place on the NHL's all-time goal scoring list with a tremendous third-period goal in Saturday's game against the New York Islanders.

Here's a look at the 33rd goal of the 2019-20 season for Ovechkin, who also scored in the first period for the Caps to bring his career total to 691:

He later completed the hat trick to match longtime Detroit Red Wings superstar Steve Yzerman, who currently serves in the Wings' front office, for ninth place at 692.

Next up is Mark Messier, who tallied 694 goals across stints with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks during his Hall of Fame career.

The real question is whether Ovechkin can break the all-time mark of 894 by Wayne Gretzky.

Although the Russian sensation is 34, he's showed no signs of slowing down. He recorded 51 goals last season, marking the eighth time he hit the 50-goal plateau, and is on pace to reach the mark again this year.

So even if his pace slows a little bit in the coming years, perhaps into the 30-35 range, he could still make a push toward The Great One around the age of 40.

Ovechkin's elite shooting talent and power-play prowess makes that a reasonable target, especially if he can go on some more scoring binges like he's on right now.

The Washington Capitals announced Tuesday they signed veteran center Nicklas Backstrom to a five-year, $46 million contract extension:

Backstrom, 32, is enjoying another strong season for the NHL-leading Caps with nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points in 39 games.

In addition to being second on the Capitals' all-time scoring list behind only Alexander Ovechkin with 908 career points, Backstrom is Washington's all-time leader in assists with 668.

The Swedish veteran is the only player in the NHL with at least 50 assists in each of the past six campaigns. Overall, he has reached the 50-assist mark on nine occasions, including a career-high 68 in 2009-10, which was also his only 100-point season.

In addition to his regular-season production, Backstrom has been a major contributor for Washington during the playoffs. In 123 postseason games, he has 36 goals and 70 assists. He was especially productive en route to Washington's first Stanley Cup win in franchise history when he registered 23 points in 20 games during the 2017-18 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Backstrom isn't often recognized for his consistent excellence, with just one career All-Star nod to his credit, but he has more than lived up to his status as the No. 4 overall selection in the 2006 draft.

Ovechkin and Backstrom were the clear go-to guys for the Capitals for many years, but thanks to the depth general manager Brian MacLellan has helped assemble, they arguably have more help than ever before.

Defenseman John Carlson leads the team this season with 56 points, while forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov, Jakub Vrana, T.J. Oshie and Tom Wilson all have at least 30 points as well.

The Caps are tied for the NHL lead with 67 points so far this season, and they undoubtedly have a roster capable of competing for a championship. Their experience in big games should come in handy, and Backstrom is among the most experienced players head coach Todd Reirden has at his disposal.

He would have been an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but now with Backstrom, Ovechkin, Oshie, Wilson, Vrana, Kuznetsov and Carlson all signed through at least next season, there is no end in sight to Washington's status as one of the NHL's top teams.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league is going to "address" the trend of superstars skipping the All-Star Game with the Players' Association.

Daly told Greg Wyshynski on the ESPN On Ice podcast the decision by Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin to sit out the event for a second straight year is a "concern":

"In terms of player participation, is that a concern? Yes, I think it is a concern. I was the first to defend Alex Ovechkin's decision last year to take a year off, because he's been fabulous in terms of helping the league in promoting the sport, including the All-Star event every year. Last year, I was much more willing to look the other way on something like this. But two years in a row is probably something we do need to address with the players' association so it doesn't become a trend."

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has also announced he'll skip the 2020 All-Star Game, which will take place Jan. 25 in St. Louis, while Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has sat out the contest on multiple occasions throughout his Hall of Fame career.

The decision to skip the All-Star festivities results in an automatic one-game suspension, but for players on championship-contending teams like Ovechkin's Caps or Crosby's Pens, that has not proved a deterrent to increasing their midseason rest by a few days.

"I have to listen to my body," Ovechkin told reporters last month. "I have to get ready for the second half of the year. I have to be healthy and focus on different things. It's a hard decision, obviously, being the captain and missing the All-Star Game, but I have to do best for me and for my team."

It's a major loss for the NHL for a variety of reasons.

Not only is the 34-year-old sniper one of the league's most exciting, dynamic players, but he brings an extra audience to the All-Star Game given his large following from his native Russia.

Ovechkin's past appearances in the skills competition, which takes place the night before the game, have also been a smash hit since he's one of the NHL's most charismatic personalities.

Add in the fact that the league has a limited number of opportunities to showcase its stars—since it has backed away from participation in the Olympics, and other international tournaments featuring pro players have failed to gain a significant foothold—and skipping the All-Star Game becomes an even bigger issue.

It's unclear how much further the NHL could push punishments, though. Teams won't take kindly to losing their top players for multiple games just because they want to rest instead of playing an exhibition three-on-three tournament that requires more energy and commitment than the traditional five-on-five game.

Individual fines would probably be the next step, but it's unclear whether the Players' Association would allow that to happen. Even if it agrees, the financial setback would likely need to be significant for players like Ovechkin ($113.2 million in career on-ice earnings, per Spotrac) to change their stance.

The Capitals currently lead the NHL with 65 points (30-9-5 record), and Ovi is tied for third with 26 goals, putting a ninth 50-goal campaign within reach during the season's second half.

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin will sit out the 2020 NHL All-Star Game to rest up for the second half of the regular season, per Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic:

Ovechkin explained his decision after his team's 2-1 overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.

"Thanks, first of all, fans, for voting me," he said per ESPN's Emily Kaplan. "It's a hard decision, but I have to listen to my body. I have to get ready for the second half of the year. I have to be healthy and focus on different things."

"You don't have extra days off during the year, but you have to take what you have to take," Ovechkin added.

"If I was 21, yeah, I'm healthy, I'm good, but I have to think about the second half of the year and the playoffs. That's the most important thing for me and for this organization, as well."

The 34-year-old has 23 goals and 14 assists for the 26-7-5 Caps, who have the most points in the NHL. The 15-year veteran has played 38 games.

Ovechkin has never missed more than 10 games in a season and only sat once over the past four years. However, Adam Gretz of NBC Sports explained Ovechkin will have to miss a matchup because of his All-Star Game decision:

"League rules dictate that Ovechkin will have to sit out one game either before or after the All-Star break due to his withdrawal from the game. The Capitals’ game before the break is January 18 at the New York Islanders. Their game immediately after is January 27 at the Montreal Canadiens. Given that the Islanders are a divisional opponent they might rather have him for that game.

"Either way, not playing in the All-Star game, combined with the one regular season game he sits out, will give him more than 10 days off in the middle of the season."

Ovechkin also decided to sit last year's All-Star Game and missed his team's 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Feb. 1 as a result.

This year's All-Star weekend will take place in St. Louis from Friday, January 24, through Saturday, January 25.

The 12-time All-Star and three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner is looking to guide the Capitals to their second Stanley Cup win in three seasons.

Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said Thursday he expects star forwards Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom to remain with the Caps for their entire NHL careers. 

"Alex is a very, very loyal person and so is Nick Backstrom and we want to create something where we're in it together," Leonsis told reporters. "Alex and I have spoken often about his career arc and the narrative and both those players have said they want to be different, they want to finish what they started, and they would like to be in this community for their entire careers. So we'll work on that."

The Backstrom situation is more pressing in the short term. He's in the final season of a 10-year, $67 million contract signed in 2010 after he posted a career-best 101 points during the 2009-10 campaign.

Although he's never reached triple digits in scoring again, he's remained a key cog in the Capitals offense for the duration of the deal. His 636 points since the start of the 2010-11 season rank ninth in the NHL, six spots behind Ovechkin (715 points), per Hockey Reference.

Signing his first major contract so early in his career means he's still at an age (32) where he could command lucrative long-term offers should he hit the free-agent market next summer.

The Capitals clearly want to keep him, however, and his faith in a deal getting done is evidenced by entering contract talks without an agent.

"I feel like I've been here long enough and I feel like I've seen everything, and I don't think it's anything to hide," Backstrom said in early December. "We will see what happens here moving forward. We will see what happens. I just believed that I wanted to do this myself. I feel like I have a good enough relationship with the organization that we can be honest and talk, and that is how it is."

Meanwhile, Ovechkin is in the penultimate season of his 13-year, $124 million contract with the Caps.

Washington was lucky to strike gold with both its decade-plus investments, but other teams weren't as fortunate (see: Rick DiPietro), which led to the maximum contract length being reduced to seven years (eight if a player is re-signing with his current team).

Ovechkin is 34 but remains the NHL's most lethal goal scorer. He led the league by lighting the lamp 51 times during the 2018-19 campaign and is on pace for 52 goals through 33 games this season.

He was named the MVP of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final after leading the Capitals to the first championship with a five-game triumph over the Vegas Golden Knights. Winning a title cemented his place as one of the best hockey players in history, if it wasn't solidified already.

Washington is rolling right along again this season with an NHL-high 51 points. The team success paired with continued strong play from Backstrom and Ovechkin leaves little reason to believe either player would leave as a free agent over the next few years.

The championship window is still wide open in the nation's capital.

The NHL announced a three-game suspension of Washington Capitals forward Garnet Hathaway for spitting on Anaheim Ducks defenseman Erik Gudbranson on Wednesday. 

Hathaway spit on Gudbranson in the second period of the Capitals' 5-2 win over the Ducks on Monday, earning an ejection. 

"That's about as low as you dig a pit, really," Gudbranson told reporters. "It's a bad thing to do. It's something you just don't do in a game, and he did it."

Hathaway said his actions were "wrong" and attributed them to a heat of the moment reaction to being "sucker punched."

"Unfortunately, spit came out of my mouth after I got sucker-punched, and it went onto him," Hathaway said. "It has no place. It was an emotional play by me. You don't plan any of that stuff in your head, and it was a quick reaction and unfortunately the wrong one for me to a sucker punch."

The suspension will result in Hathaway forfeiting $24,193.53 in salary. He will be eligible to return for next Friday's home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Capitals were already one of the NHL's most shorthanded teams due to injury. It's unclear what the team will do over this three-game stretch to replace Hathaway, who has registered seven points in 23 games this season. 

Washington Capitals forward Garnet Hathaway was regretful after he got ejected from Monday's 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks for spitting on Ducks defenseman Erik Gudbranson.

Following the game, Hathaway explained the incident to reporters: "Unfortunately, spit came out of my mouth after I got sucker-punched, and it went onto him. It has no place. It was an emotional play by me. You don't plan any of that stuff in your head, and it was a quick reaction and unfortunately the wrong one for me to a sucker punch."

Cameras clearly showed Hathaway spit in the direction of Gudbranson, which elicited a heated response from the blueliner:

Hathaway received a five-minute match penalty, which carries an automatic ejection from the game. Washington was leading 3-0 at the time of the penalty late in the second period, and it managed to both kill off the penalty and hang on to win the game.

After Hathaway assisted on a goal from Chandler Stephenson that made the score 3-0 in favor of Washington, a wild brawl broke out that involved several Ducks players, including Gudbranson, Derek Grant and Nick Ritchie, the latter of whom was also ejected.

Gudbranson made it clear after the game that he didn't appreciate Hathaway's actions: "That's about as low as you dig a pit, really. It's a bad thing to do. It's something you just don't do in a game, and he did it."

The 27-year-old Hathaway is in his fifth NHL season and his first with the Caps. He has seven points through 23 games as a fourth-line depth player, which has him on pace for his most productive offensive season to date.

A suspension could be forthcoming for Hathaway, although it likely wouldn't have a major impact on a Capitals team that tops the NHL by a wide margin this season with 36 points.

Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Jakub Vrana, Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom are all enjoying huge offensive seasons for the Caps, so they have more than enough firepower to overcome the temporary loss of a bottom-six forward.

As for the newly formed Caps vs. Ducks rivalry, they are scheduled to meet again Dec. 6 in Anaheim. The relatively short turnaround time between meetings means there could be some residual bad blood.

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov has been suspended from international competition by the International Ice Hockey Federation for four years after testing positive for cocaine at the 2019 IIHF World Championships, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.

Per Kaplan, the IIHF revealed Friday that Kuznetsov "didn't require the analysis of his B-sample and was provisionally suspended on 13th June 2019."

The 27-year-old Russian will be eligible to return June 12, 2023.

Kuznetsov was at the center of controversy in May, when video of him sitting nearby two lines of white powder surfaced. He told Russian outlet Sport-Express (h/t the Washington Post) that he has "never" used drugs and that the video dated back to the summer of 2018.

The NHL investigated the situation and ultimately "found no basis to question his representations with respect to what did—and what did not occur."

When the investigation concluded, Kuznetsov issued a statement to publicly apologize while also denying ever doing illegal drugs:

"I would like to address the video of me that appeared online on Monday. While I have never taken illegal drugs in my life and career, I would like to publicly apologize to the Capitals, my teammates, our fans and everyone else, for putting myself in a bad situation. This was a hard lesson for me to learn."

Kuznetsov represented Russia since 2009, helping the senior team win two gold medals and three bronze medals at the World Championships. Russia finished third at the 2019 World Championships in Slovakia, with Kuznetsov tallying two goals and four assists in 10 games.

Kuznetsov had 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists) for Washington last season.

Barely a year after his team won its first Stanley Cup, Washington Capitals vice president of communications Sergey Kocharov scored an even more notable victory.

According to the Virginia Lottery website, Kocharov won a $1 million Powerball prize on what he called an impulse buy.

Russian Machine Never Breaks noted Kocharov's position with the team.

"I saw the Powerball sign and said, 'I may as well try it,'" he said.

The Virginia Lottery website noted Kocharov had a computer randomly select his numbers of 1, 19, 31, 48 and 61 for the July 27 drawing, and it clearly served him well.

If the Capitals are looking for some extra cash to sign any more notable free agents in the coming months, they know where to turn.