No one from the Washington Capitals organization has said they have an interest in Ilya Kovalchuk and no one from the Kovalchuk camp has hinted they are close on a deal with the Capitals. Still, a photo posted on Instagram by two close friends may hint there’s something to the idea that the now free agent might join one of the best teams in the NHL.
Over the Christmas break, Kovalchuk and Ovechkin hung out and took a photo together wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
These two are buddies and both have homes in the Miami area so it shouldn’t shock anyone that they might find some time to meet up over the holidays. That said, the timing is impeccable as Kovalchuk is looking to land with a new team after leaving the Los Angeles Kings and becoming a free agent.
While older and not the player he used to be, Kovalchuk wants to stay in the NHL and is looking to land with a contender. The Capitals fill a lot of boxes for the sniper and power play specialist. Could he and Ovechkin be chatting about what a little depth at forward on the Capitals roster might look like?
What About the Money?
If Kovalchuk is willing to sign a league-minimum deal, the Capitals could potentially make it work as they have around $750K in cap space remaining this season. That said, it would be tight.
There might be a need to make a quick move to adjust the Capitals finances a touch, but maybe it’s worth examining things a little closer?
Clearly, from the photo, these two wouldn’t mind being teammates.
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