Alex Ovechkin had fashioned his career around chasing Wayne Gretzky’s elusive record. After achieving the goal in April 2025, many in the community had predicted that Ovi may have finally run out of steam. But they couldn’t be more wrong. At 40, the Capitals captain remains unparalleled.
At the moment, Ovi and co. are leading the Metropolitan Division with an 18-9-3 record and 39 points. What are the odds that the Capitals acquire a star defenseman who has recently been at the helm of trade rumors to bolster their championship aspirations further?
Insider Doesn’t Rule Out the Possibility of the Washington Capitals Participating in Quinn Hughes Sweepstakes
The Vancouver Canucks have seen better days; the Pacific Division team is last in the division with 25 points. The season appears truly irredeemable for the Canucks at the moment, as the management has considered making moves surrounding the team’s veterans. However, Quinn Hughes wasn’t exactly who the team had in mind when considering tradeable assets.
But Hughes may want to leave to join the ranks of a more competitive team. The New Jersey Devils and the Detroit Red Wings are the most popular franchises currently linked to the elite defenseman. But according to Greg Wyshynski, the Caps could emerge as a dark horse contender for Hughes.
The idea, advanced initially by Rachel Kryshak, offers enough food for thought to Wyshynski, who further discusses it with Jeff Marek in a recent episode of “The Sheet with Jeff Marek.” Wyshynski speculates that Washington could consider trading Ryan Leonard for Hughes to put the defenseman on the same team as Ovi, even if for a short period.
“When you think about someone like Ryan Leonard’s availability, when you think about what the Capitals could offer up within their system, and when you think about teams that wouldn’t mind simply having Quinn Hughes for two seasons, risking the chance that he could leave for nothing, I think that is Capitals to a T,” Wyshynski stated.
The idea is to maximize the benefits of Hughes’ existing contract. Bringing Hughes and Ovechkin together could create some serious magic for the team. “They are trying to maximise their window to win while Ovechkin is still on the team, and they could get Quinn Hughes for this season and next season, bid adieu to Ovi, and then just hit the reset button when he leaves,” the insider added.
Ovechkin is inching closer to the end of his time at Washington. If the team wants to make the most of his remaining time, adding a defenseman of Hughes’ caliber could be a move worth considering.
