They did it again, they made him get out of his worn-out lazyboy. Its time again for everyone’s least-favorite uncle, Uncle Sour. Just like his frustration from the Claude Julien and Daryl Sutter to Vegas reactions, the overreaction of a possible Alex Ovechkin to the Golden Knights trade is getting silly. I ask one simple question, does it make sense for Vegas or Washington?
That’s a team (Vegas) that can take anybody. But what are they going to give. That’s the problem, they have nothing to give. If ownership is ready for that, there’s your chance. Here’s your chance and it’s not coming every year. –Renaud Lavoie, Sportsnet
Lavoie suggests the Golden Knights are a open for other team’s trash. The idea of an expansion team taking “anybody” is bad business, especially for the future development of the franchise. The team is blessed with a fresh cap, why would they want to instantly weigh it down with a contract like Ovechkin’s? Lavoie also mentioned Vegas would have nothing to trade back. Which is another reason this deal won’t happen. The organization has plenty to offer but it’s not mortgaging the future for a 31-year-old winger. The former Caps GM was brought to Las Vegas to build a wining franchise long term, not a three-year fading All-Star team.
Imagine McPhee builds Vegas around Shipachyov, Dadonov, Kovalchuk and his old pal Ovechkin?
— Ian McLaren (@iancmclaren) May 11, 2017
What other GM in the NHL will be given the leeway to build a roster like McPhee? He knows this and will be patient building a wining franchise. Sending future first-round picks to the Capitals for their HoF sniper is goes against the strategy he’s been preaching since he first got here. Possibly, in a few years when McPhee’s sitting on a potential playoff team Ovechkin could make sense. By then, his contract length will be much more manageable and the price tag on Ovi will have gone way down.
Ovechkin is making $9.5+ million per for the next five seasons. I’m not bringing up #8’s stats, cause well, it’s not breaking news that Alexander Ovechkin is really good. I’m strictly talking about financial sensibility. It’s beyond ridiculous for Vegas to take on that contract. Fans have to remember, adding Ovi still won’t be enough to win a Stanley Cup, and maybe not even enough to get them to playoffs in year one. Washington would ask their old buddy McPhee for a bundle of future picks plus an Expansion Draft favor in exchange for the 558 career goal-scorer. It would be outrageous if Vegas were to agree to that… but don’t worry, they won’t.
It’s panic mode, I get it. Ovechkin’s being blamed again for another playoff exit. Fans believe his stock has plummeted and they want to trade him away. The Capitals front office might be silent now but they are aware of the public perception. If Washington crumbles to its fans displeasure, teams will pitch them lowball offers. But why trade a known commodity at it’s lowest point? The Caps wouldn’t get anything close to equal value in return. Which means Ovechkin stays put in D.C and Vegas laughs off the click-baiters.
Uncle Sour, signing off… unit next time the stupid Internet forces him back into action.
Phisig150
Is Uncle Sour the secret identity of Captain Obvious?
Phisig150
Is this where we submit inside scoops to Uncle Sour’s Hot Take Hotline. I have it on very good authority from multiple team sources that Vegas isn’t in play for McDavid and the Oilers may not trade Conor this off-season. Also Im hearing out of Pittsburgh that the Penguins may hold on to Crosby even in the event they don’t win the Cup.
Willy702
#6 pick in a weak draft, 2nd rounder next year, maybe one more pick down the road and keep the middling players of your choice to get a HOFer still with prime years left to go? Sorry that’s a no brainer. Nothing at all wrong with his contract, still won’t be anything wrong with it when he’s 36. Guy brings instant credibility to a new franchise, becomes the face of the franchise for a long time and you don’t want to give up tickets to the crap shoot? Please that’s a deal you just have to take. I don’t know what the actual picks they will want and hard to say how highly McPhee values someone in the Caps organization who won’t get protected but come on getting a superstar is a no brainer. No you cant win a title with just one guy, but you sure can make the team a much better competitor and maybe make it as the go to place for KHL talent looking to come over.
Phisig150
I’ve been a Laker fan for over 30 years and even during the last 4 years there’s certain fans that think we’ll land every top free agent and pull a trade for every franchise player. Don’t be that guy for the Knights.
James
@Phisig150
Let me preface this by saying that I think Ovechkin stays put in D.C.
I don’t think it’s outrageous. I’m saying, this is a reasonable discussion for us to have. One can argue that Ovechkin has lost a step and his best days are behind him. Belichick always gets rid of players a year too early rather than a year too late.
James
@Willy702
I understand where you’re coming from, but would rather build through the draft. I have visions of the Celtics trading their breaking-down stars to the Brooklyn Nets for first-round draft picks.
Phisig150
My apologies Uncle Sour. Turns out this article was actually necessary
RJ
99% agree. Ovechkin’s value is at an all time low and almost no other team can take the salary cap hit. The asset we have IS cap space, and if Washington really is shopping Ovechkin we might be the only team that answers the phone. If they want to offer Ovechkin to us for next to nothing (2019 6th round pick?) as long as we take his contract then it is worth considering, but I wouldn’t move anything of actual value in exchange.
PhiSig 150
Uncle Sour is right everyone is being knee jerk reactionary. Ovechkin coming anytime soon is a purely a pipe dream. The Capitals aren’t going to completely blow up their team and start from scratch. This is ridiculous. Come on now guys. A 2019 6th round pick really???? Washington is going to wants picks and cap space which we have but I’m assuming they’re also going to want an all star caliber player back in return which we currently don’t have. Instead of waiting for some pie in the sky move that aint happening I’m going to enjoy our premier Ruskie we just signed and the top notch goalie we’ll land in the expansion draft, get excited about the young guys we draft in the upcoming entry drafts, and fall in love with whoever on our roster is closest to being the “enforcer” or “goon” (praying to the hockey gods for Reaves). But you guys are more than welcome to keep pining for Carmelo on Ice.
RJ
If they want cap space and picks and a player then no one can offer that. If cap space is what they are looking for then we have the advantage in negotiations, something McPhee and McCrimmon are always going to be on the look out for. I’m not saying it is realistically going to happen, but I’m also saying there will never be another time in our franchises history that we have such a unique set of opportunities. I hope they explore them, rather than dismiss them.
PhiSig 150
Dude if we some how implausibly land him I’ll take you out for a beer in my Ovi jersey. I just don’t see how getting rid of a superstar that leads you to the playoffs every year makes business sense for the Washington. Kind of reminds me of Kobe’s last years. Yeah we all knew he wasn’t going to win another ring but we still sold out games and tuned in on TV in droves just to watch his greatness. Superstars are very rare to come by and if you happen to be lucky enough to ever land one you hold on to him at all costs. Sometimes that name on the back of the jersey does become as important as the name on the front. How do you sell this move to Capitals fans? We got cap space and picks and can tank for a top pick hoping lighting strikes twice? Aren’t you Mr. Anti-Tank???
Now this going to fly right in the face of my Hinkie Frozen Money Puck Process on Ice that I’ve been arguing with you for months but if we could some how get him I say go for it. I’m all in. Let’s go get all of his comrades. A Las Vegas Russian Army would be a fun identity. It might hinder us in the long term which I’m generally against think about the buzz that his star power could create and all the new fans that would come out of curiosity. Not sure how else we get our whole city excited and talking about this team (the Knights don’t seem to care about this) a star like Ovi just might do the trick.
RJ
I understand that the possibility of Ovechkin in Las Vegas is next to none. But did you listen to the interviews of the Caps players following game 7? This is a legitimate watershed moment for the franchise, there was so much talk about this season being ‘now or never’, well it wasn’t now, so what next?
The Capitals have 11 expiring contracts going into this post season. These aren’t fourth liners either. TJ Oshie, Justin Williams, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andre Burakovsky, Karl Alzner, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Dimitry Orlov. All with expiring contracts, and they finished this season with <$40k in cap space. This is a team that is getting deconstructed, nothing can be done to prevent that.
This isn't like the Lakers and Kobe because they got plenty of rings, and the last few years of Kobe in LA was a farewell and thank-you tour. Nothing like that is happening in DC right now. Washington is going to be in panic mode and they absolutely should be. Now is the time for them to do something stupid and I want to benefit from that.
Can George McPhee take advantage of the chaos? I don't know, but I absolutely hope he is using every advantage and opportunity he can find. This is much more about the motivation and mindset of McPhee and McCrimmon than it is about Ovechkin.
PhiSig 150
Still think cooler heads will prevail. Everyone is too caught up in the emotion of the moment. You don’t trade a player of Ovechkin’s caliber for cap space. Not at 31 you don’t. They’ll lose a few players that’s just the reality of the salary cap. They might move back a spot of two in the standings but next year they’ll be right back in the playoffs where everyone has a puncher’s chance. Uncle Sour is right this really isn’t the time for us to add a dude like Ovie. You build the team through the draft slowly and the right way. There really isn’t a direct shortcut we can take straight to the top. Although it would be fun to try to assemble the Las Vegas Russian Premier team and see what happens.
I now see why we need a man like Uncle Sour to pump on the brakes, temper our expectations, and to routinely piss on our collective parade. Foley needs to walk back the playoffs in 3 and Cup in 6 talk because he’s setting up everyone, including himself, for bitter disappointment. I’m afraid it’s going to give our fan base unrealistic expectations and put too much pressure on the front office to the point where they make a dumb ass Herschel Walker/Ricky Williams type trade that sets us back for years. So you’re right I hope the two fine Irishmen have the right mindset and motivation to not completely blow up our future for instant gratification.
Jason Pothier
Guys,
Your fine conversation has made Uncle Sour somewhat less sour… oh wait, there’s another article on Ovie to Vegas, nevermind.
James
@PhiSig 150
‘Dude if we some how implausibly land him I’ll take you out for a beer in my Ovi jersey. I just don’t see how getting rid of a superstar that leads you to the playoffs every year makes business sense for the Washington. Kind of reminds me of Kobe’s last years. Yeah we all knew he wasn’t going to win another ring but we still sold out games and tuned in on TV in droves just to watch his greatness. Superstars are very rare to come by and if you happen to be lucky enough to ever land one you hold on to him at all costs. Sometimes that name on the back of the jersey does become as important as the name on the front. How do you sell this move to Capitals fans? We got cap space and picks and can tank for a top pick hoping lighting strikes twice? Aren’t you Mr. Anti-Tank???’
You can’t afford to be loyal in a Salary Cap World. The Los Angeles Kings are a prime example of rewarding past performance. In order to stay at the top, you have to be ruthless like Bill Belichick.
With that being said, I’m not quite ready to write off Ovechkin’s career after one bad year.
PhiSig 150
He’s 31 not 40. His “bad” year would be a career year for like 90% of the league. The Spurs are pretty loyal and it seems to work out great for them. Much rather be like Pop than the New England Evil Empire.
RJ
You keep using NBA teams that have won multiple championships (Lakers, Spurs) as an analogy for Ovi, that just is NOT accurate. The more accurate analogy was when you called Ovechkin Melo on ice. That’s what he is. Should the Knicks move Anthony if they can? Do they wish they had moved him a year ago? Do YOU think Melo is going to bring a ring to NY? Forget about a cup, Ovechkin has never gotten the Caps to the second round.
That’s why Ted Leonsis and Brian MacKlellan should be considering moving Ovi. I’m not saying they should do it. Im not saying they will do it. Im saying if they are looking for a relief valve we might be the only place that pressure can go. And they are feeling more pressure than they’ve ever felt right now.
PhiSig 150
Fair enough. The Spurs can afford to be loyal because they’ve been champions. No I don’t think Melo will bring NYK a ring but at least he’s entertaining without him why would anyone even bother watching Knicks? The older I get the less I seem to obsess about my team winning championships and the more I get into just the entertainment value sports provides. I think I might be content if the Knights became the West Coast version of the Caps. Got a mega star, fun to watch for months during the regular season, year after year you get playoff excitement, and who knows the Cup might be just around the corner. I guess we argue the Caps end of this all day but in the end f**k Washington we’re Knights fans. So hypothetically Ovie to Vegas becomes a real possibility (relax Uncle Sour this is purely hypothetical) what’s the most you’re willing to part with? I have a feeling they would looking for a bit more than a straight salary dump. I’m thinking it would take several high draft picks. So let’s make a deal. I might be willing to part with say a 1st a 2nd and 2 3rds. Maybe. I don’t know. Not sure about draft value in the NHL. That would pretty much get done in the NFL.
RJ
I don’t think you are assessing the value of Ovi correctly. If they decide to move him (huge if) there are going to be VERY few potential landing spots for him. There are three MAJOR factors that make Las Vegas a real possibility.
1. Ovechkin has a NTC, but not a NMC. This might seem minor, but if the deal happens prior to the expansion draft it is huge. Any other team and Ovechkin has the ability to limit where he goes, making it even more difficult to move him. To Las Vegas, they could just work out a deal where he is left exposed and we take him. This is massively preferred to a trade due to his NTC. Additionally, this gives Washington another virtual asset. If they protect Ovi then we take Lars Eller or some other asset.
2. We have the cap space. Period, that is a massive bargaining chip, not just for Ovi, but for any team that is looking to get some breathing space. Only a single team (Carolina) in the NHL ended last season with the cap space to absorb the entirety of Ovi’s contract. If Washington wants to unload the contract clean, then there are only a very few places than can do that, no place as easily as Las Vegas.
3. George McPhee. It is pretty well known that Ted Leonsis has great affection for Ovechkin, even to the point of a paternal relationship. If Ovi is getting moved, he will want him to go to a good home. I absolutely have to assume that McPhee and Leonsis still have a close relationship and Leonsis could make the move with a clean conscience.
So what is Ovi worth to us? Well, we are building a franchise and he is one of the most recognizable names in the sport worldwide. We get immediate legitimacy, and there will be virtually no pressure to win immediately. Realistically I’d say our 4th round pick the next two years.
That does not sound like much, but there is a lot of value in that for the Caps. The trade sheet looks like this:
We get: Alexander Ovechkin (14th in goals, 19th in points)
Caps get: $9.5 million is cap space over the next 5 seasons, Lars Eller or whomever else we would have taken, an immediate mid-round draft pick, a mid-round draft pick next season, no financial responsibility over Ovi’s remaining contract; and maybe best of all, Ovi moves to a different conference instead of a potential playoff opponent.
Is it likely? Hell no. But, it is absolutely possible. I’d even go as far to say that if they do decide to move him, Las Vegas might be the most likely destination.
James
@PhiSig 150
I don’t like the direction how people are trading for all the wrong reasons. Trying to sell the game in the desert – We should be trying to build a championship caliber team. I would rather draft a mega star than trade for one in his early thirties. It seems short-sighted to expedite the process.
#TeamHinkie
Phisig150
I want us to land a super star player. I still think the draft is the way to go. I can’t see is being able to trade for one or one coming via free agency in the first years. That said if we ever get a chance of landing one of Ovechkin’s level for a mid round pick you got jump all over it. As Uncle Sour has pointed though this is all a moot point anyway because he ain’t coming so we should all become draft junkies and enamored with Russian culture because those look like our realistic pipelines for talent for the forseeable future.
James
@RJ
‘One can argue that Ovechkin has lost a step and his best days are behind him.’
The same could be said of Shea Weber, look what the Preds got in return. P.K. Subban! I’m unsure of Ovi’s trade value around the league right now.
‘It is pretty well known that Ted Leonsis has great affection for Ovechkin, even to the point of a paternal relationship.’
That’s why it’s just a pipe dream.
PhiSig 150
Landing HIM would help solve the who’s jersey do you buy dilemma which is both dumb but really important at the same time. Jerseys are really expensive but also really cool. Probably the best jersey is sports and the one I look least lame in as I approach middle age (did wonders for Kevin Smith). I really got into Fluery and started following him more closely when he was tossed out as a good possibility. Plus goalie in my view is a great jersey for a new fan to by. So strong possibility for a goalie purchase. An oldie but a goodie like Jagr who brings me back to the good old days of NHL 94 (think Ken was still breastfeeding) is also a distinct possibility. If we draft Ryan the Grim Reaver Reaves that you turned me onto a few months back #75 is almost a lock also any guy who’s a favorite on hocketfights.com is definitely in the running. Ovecheckin would seem like a natural. I like 8 because that was the Mamba’s original number so I almost have to buy Ice Mambas. Yeah it would be the number everyone would be wearing but in the Knights infancy I think there’s some charm in that. Later on you go more obscure to show how hardcore you are. I don’t really like getting your own name. Face of the franchise until a fan favorite emerges. Who is going to be the face? Someone has to take even as we’re missing the playoffs every year. So James and RJ who’s jersey are you hoping is available. I’m going to go #1 Reaves (Boll/Clifford/Lucic) this is my If you want blood you got it slot #2 Ovie bandwagon slot #3 Jagr legend slot #4 Fleury/Murray goalie slot #5 Ruskie slot best Russian with cool Russian name
RJ
#1 Jason Zucker, maybe the best NHLer with any sort of local Las Vegas roots, and a real possibility to be available in the expansion draft
#2 hopefully Fleury, but he will be too valuable to not trade, so I think there is little chance he comes to Las Vegas. I think our opening day Goalie might be either Semyon Varlamov (Avs will probably protect the younger, cheaper Pickard), Jimmy Howard, or, lord help us, Kari Lehtonen.
#3 Ovie. The hype is real.
#4 First Las Vegas sports draft pick ever Michael Rasmussen
#5 Sir Sal Sagev, the name of our mascot, probably.