Capitals GM: Alex Ovechkin focused on playoff push, not future

Washington Capitals general manager Chris Patrick does not plan to have an update of any substance on his franchise player's future until season's end.

Patrick called Alex Ovechkin "very focused on ... the short term" in an interview with reporters Friday, as the Capitals are squarely on the bubble in the playoff chase.

It appears the same goes for the front office.

"He seems very focused on kind of the short term here, and this team trying to get into the playoffs and having another shot at winning the Stanley Cup," general manager Chris Patrick said. "So yeah, you guys (reporters) are going to continue to have to wait."

Ovechkin, 40, is in the final year of his contract and blew past Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record. Late last season, the Russian scored his 895th career goal to break Gretzky's longstanding record; he's since put the record further out of reach, upping it to 917 and counting.

That includes 20 goals through 48 games this season, showing Ovechkin is still able to score at an elite level. But Washington signing him up for a 22nd NHL season has not been discussed yet, according to Patrick.

"Haven't really had that conversation," Patrick said. "We talked a little bit just about where the team is and what he feels we need and what I feel we need. But it didn't really get too much into his future outside of this year."

Ovechkin has also said in the past that he'd like to suit up for his old KHL team, Dynamo Moscow, once more before hanging up the skates for good.

The Capitals (24-18-6, 54 points) have shorter-term goals to worry about. Before Friday's action, they sat just two points out of a wild-card spot and tied with the rival Pittsburgh Penguins for third in the Metropolitan Division. Pittsburgh has two games in hand and owns the tiebreaker for that playoff spot if the season ended Friday.

The Capitals plan to be buyers ahead of the March 6 trade deadline, possibly giving Ovechkin one more run at a second Stanley Cup.

Ovechin piloted Washington to a championship in the 2017-18 season.

"I hope that whatever we do kind of fits both," Patrick said. "I hope we can do something that helps us short term, for this team getting in the playoffs again, for Alex to have another run at the playoffs, and also helps long term for whenever it is he's not on the team."

--Field Level Media