NHL Rumors: Alex Ovechkin talking KHL again; and Gabriel Landeskog singing the Blues
Anthony Scultore
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So about that Alex Ovechkin contract extension.
The Washington Capitals didn’t seem to concerned at the end of the season, and Ovi brushed off any doubts himself. Yet here we are with another hint at a possible return to Russia for the Great 8.
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NHL Rumors: Alex Ovechkin talking about KHL again
Alex Ovechkin is in Russia and in a wide-ranging interview with MatchTV, he spoke of his planned hockey school opening up in his home county. He did not provide too much detail because he didn’t want to jinx it until the doors opened.
Everyone knows Ovechkin loves Russia and will one day return to it. When asked about the status of his contract he provided a candid response.
“No worries [on not having a contract yet]. Because technically, if I don’t sign a new contract with Washington, I will become an unrestricted free agent,” he said. “But, of course, I would like to stay in Washington. Negotiations are still underway. So let’s wait and see.”
The follow up question asked was if there’s even a small chance he would come back to Moscow Dynamo in 2021-22.
“Next season? Yes, anything is possible!”
I’m fairly certain this wasn’t the answer Caps fans wanted to hear.
Gabriel Landeskog could land with Blues
The Avalanche captain is not hiding his disappointment with the fact he does not have a new deal yet. Landeskog really believed he would have a long-term deal in place, but at this point it hasn’t happened.
Joe Sakic apparently has made several offers, but none have moved the needle for Landeskog. According to Andy Strickland there’s been a 4 and 5 year offers but the 28 year-old forward wants 8 years. When the terms were met, the salary dipped to only $5.125 million which is not what Landeskog was looking for.
So what happens if he hits the market? One team that may go after him are the St. Louis Blues.
“I think that Gabriel Landeskog is very well aware that St. Louis would be interested,” Elliotte Friedman said on his latest podcast. “He’s very tight with Ryan O’Reilly. They’ve kept in touch..through the whisper network of the NHL he know St. Louis is interested.”
Depending on how the Blues handle Tarasenko, they could definitely get it done. Also mentioned as interested would be the Kings and Predators.