Capitals GM Says 'Maybe' Alex Ovechkin Could Be Traded for 'Legitimate' Deal

Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan revealed Tuesday that the Caps could trade superstar left winger Alexander Ovechkin if someone offered a "legitimate hockey deal," but for now, he expects the forward to remain a "big part" of the team moving forward.          

Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press passed along MacLellan's full response concerning Ovechkin's potential offseason availability:

The three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner as the NHL's Most Valuable Player has been the focus of speculation since Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins eliminated the Capitals in the second round of the 2017 NHL playoffs.

Ovechkin, who's scored 1,035 points in 921 games over his career, wasn't his usually dynamic self during the postseason run. He tallied eight points (five goals and three assists) in 13 games. His wife, Nastya Ovechkina, later disclosed he was dealing with a leg injury during the playoffs, via Russian Machine Never Breaks.

Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports passed along comments NHL Network insider Elliotte Friedman made in mid-May about the dynamics of a possible blockbuster trade.

"I think if the Washington Capitals wanted to trade him—and that's an if—I think they'd have no problem finding a partner," Friedman said. "Alexander Ovechkin would sell tickets. He would sell out buildings. And even though we're talking about this being a down year for him, he still scored 33 goals, and he can make your power play lethal. I don't think they would have any trouble trading Alexander Ovechkin if they wanted to."

The two biggest concerns are a dip in production and his contract.

Ovechkin scored 71 points during the 2015-16 campaign and 69 points this past season. Those represent two of the three lowest full-season scoring totals of his illustrious career. He tallied more than 100 points in four of his first five seasons but hasn't cracked 90 in the seven years since, though it's fair to argue the game has changed over the past decade to a more defensive style.

Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Russia native carries a cap hit of just over $9.5 million until 2021 in his contract. That's a large percentage of the salary cap to sink into a single player who ranked tied for 20th in the league in scoring this year.

MacLellan's refusal to rule out an Ovechkin deal should make for an intriguing summer of storylines in Washington. That said, a trade would still qualify as a major long shot.