Kyrou and Tuch Hint Capitals are Planning for Life Without Alex Ovechkin

The Capitals have been very busy over the past couple of days, adding a pair of 30-goal scorers in Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou. The big question now is whether they’re preparing for life after Alex Ovechkin, or trying to load up for one final run with him in Washington.

The Capitals acquired forward Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres in a sign-and-trade deal that’s worth 84 million over 10 years. They also added Kyrou in a trade with the St. Louis Blues, giving up forward Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin, and the No. 16 overall pick in the NHL Draft.

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No Decision Yet on Ovechkin’s Future

Pierre LeBrun joined Jay Onrait to talk about it on TSN and explained, “What I’ve been told is that the organization expects to hear from Ovechkin sometime after July 1st, not before. Of course, that timeline could change, but for now it’s business as usual until they get clarity.”

The reason they added Tuch and Kyrou wasn’t necessarily to replace Ovechkin, though if the superstar retires, it will help. This was something the Capitals have been trying to do for a long time.

LeBrun added, “It’s interesting, because Washington had been trying to address this exact need for offense over the past year.” GM Chris Patrick was reportedly frustrated after coming close on a couple of deals that ultimately fell through. He had pushed hard for Nikolaj Ehlers and thought he had him before Ehlers went to Carolina. He also tried to land Artemi Panarin, who ultimately chose the Los Angeles Kings.

So, to finally land not one but two proven scorers in a 48-hour span is significant.

Kyrou, a three-time 30-goal scorer, adds immediate punch, while Tuch—once expected to be one of the top names available on July 1st—was acquired before even reaching the open market.

Washington clearly felt it needed to upgrade up front, and it finally got it done in a big way. The question now is how this all ties into Ovechkin’s future. Jeff O’Neill said on TSN OverDrive, “The trades that have happened in Washington signify that he’s not coming back.” He added, “I’m pretty sure they’ve been told in Washington, he’s not coming back.”

Tom Wilson Said He Spoke to Ovechkin

Teammate Tom Wilson told NHL.com, “I called him the other day just to pick his mind on things and he is in Turkey on vacation right now. So I said, ‘We will talk hockey later. Enjoy it. it’s well-deserved time off with your family.’” Hoping Ovechkin wants to return, Wilson added, “So we will see. He gets to do whatever the heck he wants and he gets to do it however he wants to do it because that’s what legends get to do.”

On the additions of Kyrou and Tuch, “It’s our management showing us like, ‘Hey we’re not sitting back, we’re joining the arms race and we are going to go out and try to win a championship,’ so I’m really excited about it.”

Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Jets, Canucks & Oilers’ Babcock Impact