Washington Capitals

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to make moves ahead of the NHL's March 3 trade deadline.

Toronto has traded defenseman Rasmus Sandin to the Washington Capitals in exchange for defenseman Erik Gustafsson and a 2023 first-round pick, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Washington initially acquired the 2023 first-round selection in the deal that sent defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway to the Boston Bruins.

Gustafsson is on a one-year, $800,000 deal. The Capitals are not retaining any of his salary, per TSN's Chris Johnston.

In addition to Gustafsson, the Maple Leafs have also acquired Ryan O'Reilly, Noel Acciari, Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty this winter as they load up for a deep playoff run in an increasingly difficult Eastern Conference.

Toronto acquired O'Reilly and Acciari from the St. Louis Blues earlier this month in exchange for prospect Mikhail Abramov, forward Adam Gaudette, a 2023 first-round pick, 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick.

The franchise also added McCabe, Lafferty and a conditional fifth-round draft pick in 2024 and 2025 from the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday in exchange for forwards Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev.

Sandin, 22, was selected by the Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2018 draft. Through 52 games this season, he has posted four goals and 16 assists for 20 points and is a plus-10.

The Swede signed a two-year, $2.8 million contract with Toronto in September 2022 and will become a free agent following the 2023-24 campaign.

Gustafsson, meanwhile, will become a free agent following the 2022-23 season. The 30-year-old veteran has notched seven goals and 31 assists for 38 points in 61 games and is a plus-nine.

The 2012 fourth-round pick's experience will be much better for Toronto in the postseason. He is also averaging 20:22 of time on ice this season, compared to Sandin's 17:59 TOI, though fans should expect him to be used in a depth role.

In addition to playing for the Capitals, Gustafsson has played for the Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers.

Friday's NHL trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun remains available.

The talented 24-year-old has been the topic of trade buzz dating back to last season and would seem like a terrific target for playoff contenders looking to buy.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, however, Chychrun could also be a target for the Washington Capitals—a team not at all in the postseason mix:

On Monday night, The Fourth Period's Dave Pagnotta reported that the Capitals were still in the mix for Chychrun:

At first blush, Washington's reported interest might seem odd. This is, after all, a franchise that is sitting on 29 wins and just dealt Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway to the Boston Bruins.

When looking at the long-term picture, though, Chychrun would also make a ton of sense for the Capitals.

As Dreger pointed out, general manager Brian MacLellan is looking to rebuild quickly with young high-upside players who can, ideally, return the team to contention as early as next season.

As The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir noted, Chychrun is just the sort of player MacLellan is seeking.

"It's unclear if MacLellan is willing to meet the Coyotes' asking price, but Chychrun is exactly the type of player MacLellan hopes to add in the coming days, I'm told by a league source," he wrote.

Chychrun won't turn 25 until March 31, but he's already an experienced veteran who can contribute immediately. He's a quality defender with offensive skill (28 points in 36 games this season) and a strong all-around game who can log notable minutes with the first or second unit.

Additionally, he is under contract through the 2024-25 season with moderate cap hits of only $4.6 million each year.

Chychrun would also be a logical replacement for the departed Orlov, also a left-handed defenseman. He could also serve as an insurance policy for defensemen Nick Jensen and Erik Gustafsson (another lefty), whose futures aren't quite certain:

According to El-Bashir, MacLellan is listening to offers for players such as Jensen, Gustafsson, Conor Sheary and Trevor van Riemsdyk, though he's open to re-signing all of them for the right price and if he cannot get a quality return in a trade.

The cost of acquiring Chychrun, of course, will be a major factor. Washington should be hesitant to overpay, especially considering his injury history—he has never played a full season. For a team that was heavily hampered by injuries this year, that's a real concern.

According to The Athletic's Eric Duhatschek, Arizona is seeking "the equivalent of three first-rounders" in a Chychrun trade—a sizeable package of picks, prospects and/or players.

However, that isn't an unreasonable price point, given his combination of age, talent and contract status.

With several solid defensemen on the trading block, including Vladislav Gavrikov and Mattias Ekholm, the Coyotes may be willing to settle for less than they would in a less-saturated market.

MacLellan can get part way to the asking price by including Boston's first-round selection, though, per El-Bashir, he's unwilling to trade Washington's own first-rounder.

"It's believed MacLellan is willing to include Boston's pick in a deal to land a player like Chychrun since the selection is likely to be late in the first round," he wrote. "MacLellan does not, however, want to move his own."

Washington could include a second-round pick, a future draft pick or two and/or a prospect like Connor McMichael or Hendrix Lapierre. If the Capitals can hang onto their own first-round selection, which could be very high, this seems like a very reasonable trade.

MacLellan would essentially be trading a couple of picks/prospects to swap out the 31-year-old Orlov—who will be a free agent this summer—for a much younger defenseman with upside, a lower cap hit and two full years of team control.

For a franchise that is looking to rebuild quickly, that's a deal that should be viewed as a big win and one that warrants heavy consideration over the next few days.

Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin has returned from Russia and is back on the ice with his teammates for an optional practice following the death of his father, Mikhail Ovechkin, on Feb. 15.

Ovechkin, who had been on a leave of absence since Feb. 14, has missed Washington's last four games. His status for Thursday's game against the Anaheim Ducks is unclear.

Ovechkin announced the death of his father on Instagram last week. The 71-year-old had a huge influence on his hockey career, though he wasn't able to travel to the United States over the last several years due to health issues.

Last week, Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said Ovechkin would have as much time as he needed before returning to the ice.

"It's just really sad," he told reporters. "You feel for him and pray for him and his family and obviously tough news. … He's got our full support. He's dealing with his family right now and he has our support to be there."

Ovechkin's absence in the Washington lineup over the last four games has been glaring. The Capitals have gone 0-4 without their captain and have been outscored 16-7. They now sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a 28-25-6 record.

Ovechkin, a nine-time Rocket Richard winner as the NHL's leading goalscorer, leads the Capitals with 32 goals and 54 points in 54 games this season. His impending return will be a significant boost to Washington's offense.

The Capitals have some ground to make up in the standings, too, as they currently sit out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture with 62 points.

While it's unlikely Washington earns one of the three Metropolitan Division playoff spots as the third-place New York Rangers have 75 points, the team is within striking distance of a wild card berth.

The Florida Panthers currently occupy the East's second wild card spot with 64 points and the New York Islanders have the top wild card spot with 65 points. Washington has a game in hand on both teams.

The Capitals are entering a critical stretch with games against the Ducks, Rangers and Buffalo Sabres coming up.

The Ducks and Sabres are out of the playoff picture, and Washington must capitalize on the opportunity to build up some points. If Ovechkin returns, doing so will be much easier.

Mikhail Ovechkin, the father of Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin, has died, the franchise announced Wednesday.

The news comes after the Capitals announced Tuesday that Ovechkin would be stepping away from the team "to attend to a family matter and the health of a loved one."

At the time, Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette told reporters he was expecting to be without the captain for the "foreseeable future." It's unclear when he might return.

Capitals forward T.J. Oshie also told reporters Ovechkin addressed the team before he left Tuesday morning.

"He came and talked to the boys," Oshie said. "Definitely it's nice to get to see him and give him a hug and let him know that we're here for him in person rather than over text."

Nicklas Backstrom, his longtime center, added: "We're here supporting him. We're on his side and hope everything goes well."

Ovechkin has been a significant part of Washington's success since being selected first overall in the 2004 NHL draft. The nine-time winner of the Rocket Richard Award as the league's leading goal scorer has tallied 32 goals and 22 assists for 54 points in 54 games this season for the Capitals, who occupy the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a 28-21-6 record.

The 37-year-old Russian's absence comes at an unfortunate time for the Capitals, who are 7-8-1 in 2023 and begin a tough stretch of games with matchups against the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers coming up.

With Ovechkin out of the lineup, the Capitals are going to have to find a way to maintain a playoff berth. Players like Oshie, Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dylan Strome are going to have to carry the offense.

The NHL's March 3 trade deadline is also coming up, which means the Caps could look to make some additions before then to help weather the storm. However, it's unclear if the franchise has any intention of making acquisitions this winter.

Alexander Ovechkin has put together one of the most distinguished careers in NHL history, and he added another milestone to his collection Friday.

The 37-year-old scored his 801st and 802nd career goals during the Washington Capitals' 4-1 home win against the Winnipeg Jets at Capital One Arena, tying and then passing the legendary Gordie Howe for second on the NHL's all-time scoring list.

Ovechkin gave the Caps a 1-0 lead with a snap shot at the top of the right faceoff circle in the first period before adding an empty-netter late in the third to grab second place by himself and cap the evening's scoring.

Ovechkin now trails only Wayne Gretzky, who scored 894 goals in his career. Gretzky is also the all-time leader in assists with 1,963, over 700 more than the next-closest player in the category, Ron Francis (1,249).

Ovechkin won't be getting anywhere near either player in that category, with just 649 in his career.

As for whether he might catch Gretzky in goals, it's still a possibility. He's under contract with the Capitals through the 2025-26 season and has scored 46 or more goals in a campaign 12 times in his career, including 50 last year and 20 through 35 games this season heading into Friday.

It isn't out of the question that Ovechkin might catch Gretzky during his current contract. Granted, at some point, the Russian is going to slow down. And he may simply choose to retire before mounting a serious push for the all-time goals record.

One thing is for certain: If he does catch the Great One, that will be all she wrote for Ovechkin's career.

"You're probably never going to see me on the ice again," he joked during an ESPN interview in 2019 when asked what he would do if he surpassed Gretzky's record (h/t NHL.com). "Right away. See ya."

After becoming the third player in NHL history to score at least 800 career goals, Alex Ovechkin is marketing his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky.

Per ESPN's Emily Kaplan, the Washington Capitals star has trademarked "THE GR8 CHASE" as he goes after the NHL's all-time goals scored record.

Kaplan noted the first phase of Ovechkin's "THE GR8 CHASE" merchandise will be available to fans during Thursday's home game against the Dallas Stars.

"Ovechkin's family was heavily involved in the creation of the logo, as well as the trademark name," Kaplan wrote. "'THE GR8 CHASE' is a triple entendre, alluding to Ovechkin's nickname ('The Great Eight'), Gretzky's nickname ('The Great One') and Ovechkin's chase of history."

Ovechkin's hat trick in Tuesday's 7-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks gave him 800 for his storied career.

Gretzky (894 goals) and Gordie Howe (801) are the only players ahead of Ovechkin on the all-time scoring list. He hit the 800-goal mark in 1,305 career games, while Gretzky scored his 800th in his 1,116th game.

If Ovechkin continues at his career pace, he could surpass Gretzky during the 2024-25 season. He signed a five-year contract extension with the Capitals in July 2021 that runs through the 2025-26 campaign.

Washington Capitals superstar winger Alexander Ovechkin joined an exclusive group Tuesday night, scoring his 800th career NHL goal.

The historic goal came in the third period of a 7-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, and it also completed a hat trick for the 37-year-old veteran:

Ovechkin is now one of only three players in NHL history to score at least 800 career goals, joining Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801).

Per ESPN's Kristen Shilton, Ovechkin appeared on SportsCenter after the game and suggested he was relieved to reach the milestone: "It's a special night. To get two goals right away, I could feel the game. I'm really proud that it's over. Now, we can move on and focus on the next one."

Ovechkin also gave a speech in the locker room, telling his teammates: "This ... it's huge. It's huge for hockey, it's huge for the organization. And to do it with you guys, it's special."

The Russian star's 800th career goal also gave him 20 on the season and made him only the third player in NHL history to score 20 or more goals in at least 18 consecutive seasons.

Aside from the COVID-19-shortened season of 2020-21, Ovechkin has never scored fewer than 32 goals in a single season in his career.

Ovechkin is on pace to score nearly 53 goals this season if he plays in every game, which would give him his second consecutive 50-goal season and the 10th such season of his illustrious career.

It was long thought that no player would ever come close to touching Gretzky's career goals record, but now it feels almost inevitable that Ovechkin will be the one to break it.

Despite being in the midst of his 18th NHL season, Ovechkin isn't slowing down at all, and he is in the mix to potentially lead the league in goals for the 10th time in his career.

Ovechkin has already done it all with nine Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophies (leading goal scorer), three Hart Memorial Trophies (MVP), one Art Ross Trophy (leading point scorer), one Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year), one Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) and one Stanley Cup to his credit.

However, scoring 800 goals is one of his biggest accomplishments yet, and it may not be long before he cements himself as the greatest goal scorer in NHL history.