Report: Caps, Ovechkin table contract talks until April originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Now nearly halfway into the final year of Alex Ovechkin's contract, there reportedly remains little urgency between the two sides in terms of getting a new contract done.
Bob McKenzie talked on the ongoing contract talks after the first period of Wednesday's game between the Capitals and Boston Bruins on the NBCSN broadcast. After "multiple conversations" talks between Ovechkin and Washington have been put on hold until April.
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It is usually a bad sign when a superstar player remains unsigned in the final year of his contract and talks are now getting pushed back even further into the season. At least it is in most situations. But it is known that Ovechkin does not want to play for another NHL team other than Washington and the Caps, of course, want him back.
McKenzie reiterated that there remains no concern at this point over Ovechkin possibly leaving for another team.
But McKenzie also brought up the issue of money and that will be significant. Ovechkin's current cap hit is $9.5 million and it's not a question of if his next cap hit will be higher, but how much higher?
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"Anything above $9.5 million, for every million dollars you’re asking for, that’s a million you've got to subtract somewhere else," McKenzie said. "So it’s really up to Alex Ovechkin in terms of determining how much is necessary for him to come back and play for the Caps, but to try and do so without diminishing the strength of the Caps as a legitimate Cup contender."
