Ovechkin KHL Bound?

[VicVinegar]

So if the Caps do win the cup (this year or before Ovechkin's contract expires 2021), and with the NHL not participating in the 2022 Olympics, is there any way Ovechkin doesn't leave for Russia/KHL?

What if he had stuck to his word and played in the Olympics this year, then the Caps win the cup? Ovechkin could've been part of the Triple Gold Club, which for some reason I could never imagine.

If the Caps do win this year, I think we only have a few more years of OV in the NHL.

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[Midnight Judges]

I think Ovie plays until 40 in the NHL and then does a year or two in the KHL at age 41 just for the hell of it. He has a chance to become the all-time goals leader (which is insane considering the low scoring era he played in). If his pace continues, he can't pass up on that possibility.

 

[Cane mutiny]

If I were him and win the cup this year, I think I would retire from the NHL and go home to play a few years in KHL, then retire and coach or something.

 

[BonAppleTea]

If I were him and win the cup this year, I think I would retire from the NHL and go home to play a few years in KHL, then retire and coach or something.

I don't really think the mind of an elite athlete thinks the same way as us bystanders about their own careers fortunately.

 

[HabsQC]

No way. He'll want to get to repeat like Crosby did and even get a 3rd like Crosby did, which is not impossible at this point.

 

[CanuckGame39]

I think OV wants to gun for some records. I see him playing out his whole career in the NHL. He seems like the type that wants his name to he remembered forever.

 

[Cane mutiny]

I don't really think the mind of an elite athlete thinks the same way as us bystanders about their careers own careers fortunately.

I said IF he wins the cup. It will be the high point of his NHL career, that has eluded him for so long. Unlikely this team will get there again. I'd go win another cup in my own country, too. Not saying he's gonna pack it in. He might want to win a cup as a coach, too!

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

Pretty sure he’s gonna stay for the long haul.

 

[Section88]

Id bet my bank account he plays in the NHL atleast until hes 39

 

[discobob]

My sources say he's going to retire and open a froyo stand in Moscow...

It's big there in the winter time

 

[Afterburner]

My sources say he's going to retire and open a froyo stand in Moscow...

It's big there in the winter time

I figured them for a Slurpee crowd

 

[discobob]

I figured them for a Slurpee crowd

Close second, but Vladdy Putin is squarely in the yogurt camp... that tips the scale in my book

 

[rent free]

most likely not.

 

[VicVinegar]

Wow, surprised at the responses here.

Everything I've seen or read from OV is that a Olympic Gold is just as important as the Stanley Cup. So my next question would be, does OV play in the next Olympics?

 

[HockeyThoughts]

The NHL will be at the 2022 Winter Olympics. I have no doubts about that.

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

I think a more interesting question is will ovechkin ever play for a different NHL team?

I think he will always be NHL or nothing.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

If that does happen, I think he'll want to break more NHL records. Otherwise I think he'll try gunning for gold in 2022 and probably want to play at home in Russia. But I also think he could play hockey until he's 45. He's strong and built.

 

[Roshi]

Its a tough one. He loves his home country and his home country loves him. And olympics means a whole lot to him.

Lets say he wins a cup and they have a kid with his wife, its not hard to see him heading back to home to participate in the olympics and ”give back” to his home-team. He would also still make 4 mills tax free and some heavy advertising/sponsorship income so money is definately not a problem.

On the other hand, he loves to compete on highest level and he has a thing for personal records aswell. He has it all good in DC and DC loves him too. Its not hard to see him stay for longer either and retire from NHL at his 40’s. Wouldnt even be suprised to see him go full Jagr to break some records if he still has it going.

Some sort of middle line might go down aswell. Play the current contract to the end, go to KHL for a year or two to take part in the olympics and come back to NHL for a cup/records chase after that. If there is another lockout in his final contract season 2020-21, i think the chances for the middleline approach is very real, play 20/21 and 21/22 in KHL and participate Olympics, then sign for a cup contender in NHL.

Who knows?!

 

[HugginThePost]

Nah....the next CBA will address the Olympic issue. The players want to be there, and as such, Gary will take them out to the wood shed and make them pay for it.

Ovi will be looking for records......he seems the type.

 

[koyvoo]

One day. Not soon though.

 

[Panthera]

Not in the near future I wouldn't think. Even if he wins the Cup he'll want to do it again. He also probably will be happy to stick around in the NHL in the hopes a deal can be worked out to allow NHLers to participate in the 2022 Olympics. If that passes, especially without Olympic participation, THEN maybe he starts considering leaving the NHL early. Might depend on how good a team Washington is at the time and how realistic it is for him to reach number one in career goals (or just 800), if the Caps suck and he's not scoring so much he'd probably be more willing to head home to Russia whereas if the Capitals are contending and he has a legit shot at hitting 800 goals and challenging the record he might want to go for it.

 

[Bleedred]

Why do people assume that every Russian wants to leave the NHL for the KHL? One guy (Kovalchuk) did it and almost everyone else that did it was either not good enough to play in the NHL anymore or were middling players. Datsyuk was the only other guy of prominence, who was still NHL caliber to do this fairly recently and he was 38. Jagr did it at 36, but that was now a decade ago.

Ovechkin will be 36 in 2021 and Jagr did leave the NHL for the KHL at 36, before coming back 3 years later.

I doubt Ovechkin leaves the NHL at 36 to play in the KHL. Maybe when he's 38-40 he might, but I highly doubt he does it any younger than that.

Besides, I think the NHL will go to the Olympics in 2022.

 

[Sun God Nika]

I can see him playing till 43 if he can stay conditioned and he stays with the caps, he is gonna try and get to 900 goals.

 

[Licentia]

KHL salaries are going down in order to ensure that teams remain competitive. That's why Jagr came back, I believe. I'm not sure why Ovechkin would go play for less in Russia.

 

[Future GOAT]

I think he's too competitive to go to an inferior league. He would most probably continue to want to extend his legacy as one of the best wingers to ever play the great game of Hockey, in the league that has the best competition available.

He may have a stint in the KHL further down the road when his age catches up with him and he isn't able to compete at the top tier anymore.