Washington commented on the possibility of extending the contract with Ovechkin.

Chris Patrick, general manager of the Washington Capitals hockey club, commented at a press conference on April 20 on the possibility of extending the contract with Russian hockey player and forward Alexander Ovechkin.

"The team's position is that we are giving him some time so that he can take his mind off the season, think about everything and talk to his family. Then he will meet with us, and we will continue to support him, no matter how he decides. I think we'll have a plan, regardless of whether he's on the team or not," the Russian Machine Never Breaks portal quotes Patrick as saying.

At the same time, the general manager is ready to motivate the Russian athlete to stay in order to win the Stanley Cup, which HC Washington Capitals is striving for. At the same time, Patrick repeatedly speaks in his answers about the attentive attitude in the interaction of coaches and athletes. They are ready to build on the wishes and decisions of the team member.

At the same time, Washington President Brian McLellan noted Ovechkin's importance as a team player.

"I think his presence is very important, and when he decides to leave, it will be a big loss. From the point of view of his personality, from the point of view of leadership qualities. <...> He is very important to the team, and I think this is his main contribution at the moment," McLellan stressed.

Answering the question "about the salary cap," Patrick said that in the offseason, the team has such a "good situation" in this matter that they can be flexible in certain situations.

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Ovechkin himself said after the final match of the National Hockey League (NHL) regular season against the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 15 that he hopes to continue his career. As before, he plans to make a final decision on his future in the summer. Washington did not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2023, finishing ninth in the East (93 points).