In today’s NHL rumour rundown, we start with Alex Ovechkin. After a tremendous career, the clock is winding down, and he could be set to play his final games in the league. Next, we look at Cale Makar, who is eligible for an extension in the offseason. He is one of the best players in the league, and is set for a significant pay increase – how can the Colorado Avalanche make it work?
Finally, we go to the Detroit Red Wings, who have plummeted down the standings and appear to be missing the playoffs. Is Steve Yzerman the right person moving forward? Do they already have their replacement?
Ovechkin Undecided on Retirement
There has been a lot of talk about Ovechkin being in the final three games of the season, and potentially his career. There are a few options for him to choose from regarding his future, which does include one last season, as a farewell tour.
Ovechkin is in the final year of a five-year deal, which he signed in 2021, and while any potential extension would be more about him playing than making money, it is still a hard decision. If Ovechkin is looking to come back, the Capitals would gladly welcome him back, and the cost wouldn’t be a concern.
Chris Johnston reported that nobody is certain about what is going to happen, stating, “My honest belief is he hasn’t made the call yet. The organization doesn’t know. They did bring extra folks on the road, they’re documenting it behind the scenes just in case.”
After being drafted 22 years ago, Ovechkin has indicated multiple times that he would like to finish his career in Russia, playing for Dynamo Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). If he does, it may be a short stint, rather than a full season, but anything is possible.
Makar Eligible for Extension in Offseason, What Now?
The Avalanche’s executives have been very vigilant about keeping enough salary space to negotiate the Makar contract when the time arrives. This is what led to the Mikko Rantanen trade and fallout. As of right now, the Avalanche have a projected $37 million in cap space for the 2027-28 season, meaning they could essentially give him a blank cheque and tell him he can have what he wants.
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Of course, they will have other deals to figure out, too, so that money won’t just be allocated for Makar. Luckily, with the rising cap and having the rest of the core of the team locked down, it shouldn’t be too complicated.
The question will boil down to whether or not Makar wants to stick around.
On the same episode of The Chris Johnston Show as cited above, the insider stated that there is no reason to believe that he will want to go elsewhere or test the free agency market.
The Avalanche have a pretty enticing offer, even without the dollar figure being a part of the equation. They are the best team in the league.
Throughout Makar’s tenure with the club, there has been an outstanding amount of success, and he has developed into the undisputed best defenseman in the NHL. There are quite a few reasons he would want to stick around.
Red Wings May Have Potential Yzerman Replacement Waiting
Hiring the greatest player in franchise history, or at least one of them, is almost always going to end poorly. At some point, the question of the future is going to come up, and in Yzerman’s tenure as general manager, he has been unable to bring them to the playoffs through seven seasons.
There is a lot to like about the Red Wings, and they have proven that they can hang with some of the top teams, but their annual collapse in March has them on track to miss the playoffs yet again in 2025-26.
Yzerman has made some additions to the team that were too early. The signings of Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher, Ben Chiarot, Justin Holl, and others are all decent moves to bring in veteran players to support the youth, but at the time of their acquisitions, they weren’t ready. Now, the team is locked into a lot of middling forwards and is having a tough time improving some positions.
That brings the conversation to Kris Draper. Another player who had a great career with the Red Wings could look to continue his path to a general manager spot if Yzerman is relieved of his duties.
There haven’t been any indications that the Red Wings will move on from Yzerman, but Draper has spent 15 years in the organization, spending time as a special advisor to the general manager, the director of amateur scouting, and as an assistant general manager. He certainly has two feet in the door, and could be looking for a bigger position, whether that is with the Red Wings or another destination.
