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Report- Ovechkin Signs
by Paul on 01/10/08 at 02:55 PM ET
Comments (19)
via RDS (translated),
Alexander Ovechkin is in Washington to stay. RDS a appris que le jeune attaquant russe vient de signer une prolongation de contrat de six ans d’une valeur de 54 M$ avec les Capitals. RDS has learned that the young Russian striker recently signed a contract extension of six years with a value of $ 54 million with the Capitals.
Update 3:02pm ET: From On Frozen Blog (*sourced at SovetskySport):
Earlier today, Alexander Ovechkin, accompanied by family and an attorney, walked into the Washington Capitals’ team offices in Arlington, Va., reviewed with counsel terms for a new contract with the club, and agreed to a six-year pact that will pay him $54 million.
Update: 3:18pm ET: TSN is citing the same reports.
update 3:31pm, TSN added to their link…
Contract negotiations between the Capitals and leading scorer Alexander Ovechkin continue a deal has yet to be reached.
added 4:04pm, from the AOL Fanhouse,
But hold one one second: TSN is now reporting that no deal has been reached and that negotiations are continuing. The bottom line: Stay tuned as we finally learn the fate of the player who has scored more goals in the NHL over the last three years than any other.
UPDATE: Kurt Kehl, the team’s Vice President of Communications is denying the story. Stay tuned for updates.
Update 4:25pm From Tarik El-Bashir, Capitals Insider:
I checked with one of my sources late last night at Verizon Center and was told that “the atmosphere is right” for a deal to come together, but he stopped short of confirming that terms had been reached or that a deal was imminent.
Update 5:32pm More from Capitals Insider,
Update:I can confirm that talks are going on right now at the Caps headquarters. But I’ve been told by my sources to refrain from going with the numbers that are out there right now.
added 5:52pm, via the Washington Capitals,
The Washington Capitals will announce a new contract with left wing Alex Ovechkin at an 8:30 p.m. news conference at Verizon Center, immediately following the team’s Meet the Team Party for season-ticket holders.
added 6:59pm, 13 years, $124M!!!
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, contract,
Comments
Good for Ovy, and good for the league…
Next up, I want to read breaking news about a long term signing involving Phaneuf and the Flames 
Posted by dash_pinched from Calgary on 01/10/08 at 03:14 PM ET
Sorta glad he stayed in Washington, maybe this team will finally improve in the standings, although I cant see that happening this season.
Posted by PuckHound61 from Speckville USA on 01/10/08 at 03:14 PM ET
Not surprised. Did anyone really think Washington would let him go?
Posted by K24 from NYC on 01/10/08 at 03:16 PM ET
Everyone has got this wrong, I heard from my brother’s sister nieces monkey’s uncle’s inside source that he was traded to Nashville with Kolzig for a share of the Minnesota Wild. Honest its true I even heard this report on the radio this morning by some guy that read it on the internt.
Posted by Hockey1919 from Montreal on 01/10/08 at 04:40 PM ET
H1919, been a long day and I needed a good laugh. Thanks!
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 01/10/08 at 04:42 PM ET
foxsports.com/nhl says that Ovechkin is representing himself.
Not sure what that means…
Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 01/10/08 at 05:24 PM ET
Well done Caps. Now its time to resign Green and Mo, please!
Posted by Jon on 01/10/08 at 06:16 PM ET
Indeed, Jon. Ovechkin, Green, Semin, Backstrom, and Michal Neuvirth are the future of the Caps. Keep them together and they will have a successful future.
Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 01/10/08 at 06:25 PM ET
Team 1040 in Vancouver is sayings it a 13 year, 124 million contract…
WOW, if thats true
Posted by PuckHound61 from Speckville USA on 01/10/08 at 06:50 PM ET
Interesting.
Wonder what will happen if the contract doesn’t meet the terms of the next CBA. Grandfather it in somehow?
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 01/10/08 at 07:11 PM ET
Unlike, say, Mike Richards or Rick DiPietro, even, this one is worth every penny, and the fact that he agreed to take about $500K under the cap max of $10.06 million (Ovechkin will make $9,538,461.54 per season) to do so is a real feel-good story as far as I’m concerned, because that’s another player’s worth of salary.
Good for him for kicking Meehan to the curb, good for him for getting the deal. He’s one of the few players who you can say will earn every penny of what he’ll be making 12 years from now.
If this doesn’t meet the terms of the next CBA, the NHL will have to grandfather in the DiPietro, Richards, and Ovechkin deals. They generally can’t “undo” contracts, so it’s highly unlikely that these guys would take salary hits unless there’s another demand for a roll-back, and that would take a third lock-out to achieve.
Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 01/10/08 at 07:20 PM ET
I’m with George on this, on all his points. Yeah thats alot of money. But Alexander the Great is nothing but fantastic as both a player and an ambassador for the NHL. He is just an outstanding player in every respect. He fills seats everywhere.
The fact that he too took less money than the cap max is extremely admirable. $500k times 12 = $6 mill—thats a ton of money he left on the table. Good for him, good for the caps, good for the NHL!!!!
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 01/10/08 at 07:25 PM ET
SYF - re: representing himself… AO fired his agent and has been negotiating his own deals.
Posted by Jennifer on 01/10/08 at 07:44 PM ET
Pour vodka, time to celebrate!
That’s ‘Stumblin In’, in Russian translation
http://alexovetjkin.blogspot.com/2008/01/time-to-celebrate-davaj-nalivaj.html
Posted by alex on 01/10/08 at 09:26 PM ET
I like how people are lauding Ovechkin for being such a magnanimous guy for only going within 500k of the individual cap max when he’s on a team which is never going to spend to the cap max.
By signing that great value of a deal he’s just guaranteed he’s never going to play for a Cup champ, since he’s going to be around 20% of the teams salary each year.
He’ll be plenty rich, though. I’m sure he’ll be HUGELY motivated in year 6 of his deal when the Caps have been a collective .450 team for half a decade.
Posted by HockeyinHD on 01/10/08 at 11:07 PM ET
Pic of OV tonight at the Caps’ meet and greet:::
http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj198/letsgocapitals/Caps Meet and Greet/?action=view¤t=Picture116.jpg
http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj198/letsgocapitals/Caps Meet and Greet/?action=view¤t=Picture117.jpg
Posted by sig from DC on 01/11/08 at 12:11 AM ET
Let’s try that again…
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj198/letsgocapitals/Caps Meet and Greet/Picture117.jpg
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj198/letsgocapitals/Caps Meet and Greet/Picture116.jpg
Posted by Sig on 01/11/08 at 12:15 AM ET
When is the Wings’ meet and greet? 
Posted by millsz on 01/11/08 at 07:44 AM ET
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Congrats to Ovechkin!
That’s gotta break poor Larry Brook’s l’il ole heart.
Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 01/10/08 at 03:06 PM ET