Sports

 

 

 

Tie Washington Capitals have made
a large investment in their future by
locking up superstar sniper Alexander
Ovechkin, 22, to an astronomical 13-
year contract worth a staggering $124
million. The deal runs through the 2020-
21 season, and by the time it expires,
Ovechkin will be 35. The contract
averages out to $9.5 million per year, but
like many long-term deals these days, is
front loaded. He will make $9 million
for the next six seasons, and $10 million
for the following seven years after that.
After several seasons, a selective trade
clause kicks in, where the team can only
trade Ovechkin to a destination of his
choosing.

Astonishingly, Ovechkin
negotiated directly with Washington
owner Ted Leonis without an agent. This
means that he won’t have to pay a penny
In representation fees.

The deal is definitely a gamble
for Leonis, who, as many will remember,
is still suffering the repercussions of
signing Jaromir Jagr to an albatross 8-
year, $88 million contract back in 2001.

Ovechkin’s massive contract is
the most lucrative in NHL history and
the first deal to surpass the $100 million
mark. However, it is not the longest
ever. That honour goes to Rick Dipietro
of the New York Islanders, who earlier
this year agreed to terms of a 15-year
contract worth $4.5 million per season.

Lengthy contract extensions
have been the norm this season in the
NHL. Recently, the Philadelphia Flyers

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Ovechkin signs biggest

 

Mike
‘Richards to a 12-year, $69 million pact,
and the Anaheim Ducks penned their
young star, Ryan Getzlaf, to a five-year,

signed franchise cornerstone

$26.625 million deal. Some league
observers have criticised the length of
these deals, saying that it takes away
some of the excitement factor as it makes
the said players virtually untradeable.

“I’m a risk taker, and if you're
going to make a long term investment,
who else would you do it with? This
takes away any of the issues of how
committed we are to winning a Cup,
how committed we are to keeping a team
together.” Said Leonis.

During his two and a half
years in the NHL, Ovechkin has firmly
established himself as the far and away
best goal scorer in the league. Drafted first
overall by Washington in the 2004 NHL
entry draft, Ovechkin won the Calder
Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year
in 2005, beating out last season’s MVP
Sidney Crosby. In his rookie campaign,
Ovechkin finished in a tie for third in
the scoring race with a remarkable 103
points. Crosby finished one point behind
with 102.

That same season, Ovechkin
blew past Crosby in goals, finishing in a
tie for third in the league with 52. Crosby
notched 39. Besides winning the rookie
of the year award, Ovechkin was also
named to the NHL’s first all-star team at
left wing.

Alexander the Great set a
number of records in his rookie season.
He led the league in shots on goal (425)

which set a record for freshmen; his 103
points were the most ever by a Russian
rookie in the league, and the most by a
first-year left winger. Ovechkin recorded
at least a point in his first eight NHL
games to set a record for the longest
career opening scoring streak by a first
overall pick.

Ovechkin’s second NHL season
wasn’t quite as productive as his first,
but he was still phenomenal, he picked
up 92 points to finish 13" in the scoring
race, but his 46 goals placed him alone
in fourth in league goal totals. He was
again named to the league’s first all-star
team, led the NHL in shots on goal, and
for the second straight season was the
recipient of the Kharlamov trophy, given
annually to the NHL’s top Russian born
player

At the time of his monster
contract signing, Ovechkin was tied for
ninth in scoring with 52 points, tied for
second in the NHL in goals with 32, and
leading the league in power play goals
with 13

Since his inception into the
league, Ovechkin has scored more total
goals than anybody. Through 206 NHL
games, Ovechkin has 130 goals, 120
assists, and 250 points. He was recently
named to the NHL all-star game for the
second consecutive year. He is the only
player in more than fifty years to play in
the all-star game in his first two years in
the league. There was no all-star game
during Ovechkin’s rookie season due
to the NHL’s participation in the 2006
Winter Olympics.

deal in NHL history

By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor

During his tenure in
Washington, Ovechkin’s play has clearly
made him the greatest Capital of all
time. He scored 100 career points in
just 77 games, and reached the 100 goal
mark in only 169. During his first three
seasons with the club, Ovechkin has led
the team in goals and points every year.
At the time of his signing, Ovechkin was
leading the franchise in goals, power
play goals, points, shots, hits,

Outside of the NHL, Ovechkin
has been equally dominant on the
international scene while playing for
Russia. He has played in three World
Junior Championships, winning gold
in 2002, and silver in 2004. He was the
captain of the 04 squad, and was named
that tournament’s top forward, with 1]
points in six games.

Despite his young age,
Ovechkin has already represented
Russia at the Senior World Hockey

Championships tour times, in ‘04, OS,
‘06, and ‘07, taking the bronze medal in
2005 and 2007. At the ‘06 event, he was
named to the tournament's all-star team.

Ovechkin also played for Russia
at the ‘06 Olympics. helping the team t

 

to the all-star team for the games.
also competed in the ‘04 World Cup ot
Hock« y

1

Only time will tell
or not this deal will be remembered 2
a masterpiece or as a colossal waste of
money, but at this moment, it looks like
the Washington Capitals have a super
they can count on for

whethei