Is 2025/2026 season going to be the last for Capitals star Alex Ovechkin? The Washington Capitals head into the 2024–25 season with a crowded center depth chart and a major question at third-line center. Hendrix Lapierre is looking to rebound after a disappointing stint in the NHL last year, while Pierre-Luc Dubois is coming off a resurgent season that solidified him as Washington’s No. 1 center. With Dylan Strome likely holding down the second line and Nic Dowd entrenched on the fourth, Lapierre will need to outshine Connor McMichael and Alexei Protas to seize a full-time role. Meanwhile, the blue line looks revamped with the additions of Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy, and the Capitals’ forward group has added speed and grit through Brandon Duhaime and Anthony Beauvillier.
Amid all this roster movement, speculation continues to swirl around Alex Ovechkin’s future. Rumors suggest the 2024–25 campaign could be his final NHL season, as he nears the end of his contract and the long chase for Wayne Gretzky’s goal record winds down. While the team remains committed to competing now, there’s a clear shift toward youth and long-term planning, with top prospect Ryan Leonard expected to make his full-time NHL debut. All eyes will be on training camp as the Caps balance legacy, transition, and the fierce battle for ice time down the middle.
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5 Comments
I'm going to die on the Hendrix La Pierre Hill! He started last season slowly but Eller didn't add that much more IMO. He only stayed in the lineup because he was a veteran. I remember La Pierre during the late run to the playoffs the year before last being one of their better forwards. Give him a legit chance next season to play and I believe he will develop on the lines of Wilson, Protus and Mc Michael. I would love to see him with Leonard and Miroshnochenko on a Kid Line to provide the Caps with a line with speed and skill.
It would not make sense to me to have either Mc Michael or Protus move to third line center after each had a breakout season on the wing. Leonard could be a possibility but he's been a wing throughout his young career. I don't want another expensive or marginal vet to fill a bottom six forward position because that's an irresponsible waste of salary cap resources.
I was a huge detractor of the PLD trade. The only good thing about that trade at the time was getting rid of the terrible contract given to Kempher. I rationalized it by exchanging a bad contract for another bad contract. He proved me and many others wrong by being a terrific two way center and an ideal second line center. The Caps brain trust really knew something a lot of us didn't.
I think they could McM and Lappy between 2nd line LW and 3C for most of the year until one of them really take charge of the 3C position
I’m hoping Lapierre having a long offseason gives him some time to put on some more muscle and work on some stuff he hasn’t quite had the time to work on with the long playoff runs
Hey new viewer here. Love the show man. I respectfully disagree about the caps being lucky in 2018. I mean I think every team has to have some puck luck to win a cup, but the capitals just had the skill, grit, coaching, and determination to win that year. Some of those games against Pittsburgh you could just tell it was a different team that year. And then that game 6 against Tampa in the conference final was probably the best game I've ever seen them play in the playoffs. I really hope we can get another cup for Ovi before he retires. 2018 was the most fun I ever had watching sports. Even more fun then the 2013 playoffs for the Ravens.