Capitals' Alex Ovechkin: Unlikely to be traded this summer

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan threw water on the notion that the Capitals might trade Ovechkin this summer, Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post reports.

Analysis:

Referring to rumblings among disgruntled Caps fans about trading the 31-year-old winger following another postseason disappointment, the GM said it was not in the organization's best interests to trade the team's captain. While his age and considerable cap hit rightfully raise questions regarding whether he can continue to justify his price tag, there's no doubt that he's still one of the top players in the league. MacLellan is right to be skeptical of the notion that cutting ties with the franchise's all-time leading scorer will somehow improve its future prospects. Unless the team is blown away by an offer or the Russian winger decides he wants to move on, expect him to be a potent scorer once again for the Capitals in 2017-18.