We do have a plan. We've had it for years already. These are the expiring contracts.
2024 summer:
Wilson (gone/extended)
Mantha (gone/traded before)
Edmundson (gone/extended)
Backstrom (possible retirement)
2025 summer:
Backstrom (gone/retirement)
Kuznetsov (gone/traded before)
Oshie (gone/retirement)
Dowd (gone/extended)
Roster after those contracts expire:
Ovechkin - Strome - Wilson(/X)
X - X - X
Milano - X - X
X - X - X
Fehervary - Carlson
Sandin - Jensen
TvR - X
Kuemper
Then after the 2026 summer:
Ovechkin (plays if he wants to)
Milano (gone/extended)
Carlson (gone/retirement)
Jensen (gone/retirement)
TvR (gone/extended)
This is the roster signed beyond that:
X - Strome - Wilson(/X)
X - X - X
X - X - X
X - X - X
X - X
X - X
X - X
Kuemper
Fill the roster with prospects and RFA's however you like, but that's a lot of cap space. How you decide to spend that cap space will determine how long the rebuild is going to be. Unless we hit nail on with some of our future picks, the plan should be to load up on picks and target Michael Misa and Gavin McKenna to take the torch from Ovechkin.
