Malkin Deal Puts Ovechkin Under The Clock

Evgeni Malkin's contract situation has given the market a fresh reminder of how these veteran stars can still shape the summer. Now the spotlight swings to Alex Ovechkin, because once one big name starts moving, the question around the next one gets louder in a hurry. The real tension is not just whether he signs, but whether he does it before July 1 and changes the entire conversation.