Stephen Whyno of AP News: The Washington Capitals recently extended Tom Wilson for seven seasons that GM Brian MacLellan tries to keep the team competitive while Alex Ovechkin is still playing.
“It is challenging,” MacLellan said. “We got some young guys that are still coming, but our goal is to remain competitive. I think it’s a tricky balance, but we’ll see if we can pull it off. I think it’s important for Ovi, for all our veteran guys that we remain competitive, give them a chance to compete.”
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The Capitals were sellers this past season at the trade deadline. They’ve added Max Pacioretty and Joel Edmundson this offseason.
Ovechkin has three years left on his contract, and signs point to Wilson being the next captain of the Capitals when Ovechkin retires.
Tarik El-Bashir: Wilson on how the trade rumors this offseason got contracts talks going: “I wanted to get rid of that, not have to worry about that. I knew I wanted to be here for as long as I could, and the team expressed the same.”
Washington Capitals: Capitals GM Brian MacLellan on if there any changes they’re still looking at.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Tom Gulitti: “And Mac, just with getting Tom (Wilson) signed, how far along are you on your offseason to-do list? Are you near the end now? Is there still more to do here before camp or the season starting?”
MacLellan: “Yeah, I mean, I think there could be. You know I think we’ve had a few discussions at that draft that might carry forward or might not carry forward.
But I think we’re comfortable with where we’re at. We’d still like to make a change but we’ll see where it goes here before camp.
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Gulitti: “That change is still top-six forward type thing?”
MacLellan: “Yeah. Yeah.”