Another blow for Ovechkin – Washington traded his friend. Orlov went to Boston

Orlov seemed to be Ovi’s younger brother.

Dmitry Orlov was not just a defender of Washington. First, he played for the Capitals for 11 years, and with him the Capital team won the Stanley Cup in 2018. If you search the archives, you can find a video about that happy moment when the Orlovs and the Ovechkins in a large company with their families gathered in one of the houses somewhere in Washington, opened the collection wine, washed a silver bowl, sang songs about the “Old Maple”… And this was a true idyll.

Ovechkin flew to Novokuznetsk this summer for Orlov’s birthday. Orlov himself came to Ovi’s wedding, to his family vacation. The players’ wives, Nastya and Varya, as it happens, communicate warmly and well.

Sometimes it even seemed to me that Orlov was Ovechkin’s younger brother. I understood that Washington was negotiating with Dmitry, and there was some kind of gag. But it never occurred to me that the Capitals might trade Orlov.

And yet it happened. And the deal itself looks like this.

The Bruins acquired Dmitri Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway, the Washingtons acquired forward Craig Smith, along with three picks: first round in 2023, second round in 2025 and third round in 2024. Additionally, the Capitals received Minnesota the rights to Russian CSKA striker Andrey Svetlakov, and those rights were later transferred to Boston.

Minnesota itself received a fifth-round pick in 2023 for keeping 25% of Orlov’s salary, who receives $5.1 million, or $1.275 million. Boston will pay the same amount and Washington retains payment of 50% of Orlov’s salary.

The problem was not the money, but the duration of the contract

If you get into the nuances of the deal, then, according to , the Washington Capitals offered Orlov a new three-year contract, and the Russian defender wanted to get a six-year contract.

On June 30, 2017, Dmitry signed a six-year contract with Washington, under which he received 30.6 million dollars (an average of 5.1 million dollars per year). After this season, the contract ended. The player and the club were in talks to extend the contract, but failed to agree.

Washington offered a new three-year contract, the player’s team (agent Mark Gandler) wanted a six-year contract. By all estimates from Capitals pundits, a drastic roster restructuring awaits within the next two to three years. Dmitry Orlov at 34, perhaps, would not have received a new offer. At that time, the club would not need a veteran with a big salary, but youth and a renewal of the roster for draft picks, according to our source familiar with the matter.

In this case, it was not the financial issue that was critical between Washington and the player. They would agree on the money. But they could not agree on the length of the contract, so in the end, before the deadline, an option appeared with a trade to Boston. Now the Capitals have made draft picks. The team is preparing for a restructuring that will begin in two years.

Orlov was selected by Washington in the 2009 rookie draft at number 55. In that time, the 31-year-old guard played 686 games for the Capitals, scored 256 (60+196) points with utility of ” +104″.

Papa Ovi sticker on helmet

In general, “Washington” now looks terrible. Even if you look at the defence, there is no Orlov, there is no John Carlson, who retired through injury. The protective tier is now the AHL Farm Club. It looks like the Capitals have decided to say goodbye to the playoff fight. Better to go lower, increasing his chances of first choice in the 2023 draft, which promises to be extremely rich. Facing Connor Bedard or Matvey Michkov is much better than going to the first round of the playoffs and going 0-4. Although, of course, I could be wrong.

Ovechkin took to the ice with a sticker on his Papa Ovi helmet in memory of his father. The game against Anaheim itself didn’t work out for the Capitals. Specifically, midway through the game, Washington was leading 2:1, but then missed three in a row and went deep.

This is the sixth straight loss for the Capitals. The Capitals team is now 12th in the Eastern Conference with 62 points. Only 22 games left before the end of the regular season. The chances of “Washington” in the playoffs now look extremely modest. By the way, Anaheim after this victory moved from last to second to last place in the league.

Ovechkin played on a line with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson. And a few times, instead of Wilson, TJ Oshie was put on their flank.

Ovi received a utility of “-2”, scored no points, shot the target five times. Had a hit, made a block, had four losses. In general, it was not his best game.

Ovechkin: Memories of my father will stay with me forever

– What do you think of the exchange of Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway in Boston? – After the game, journalists asked Ovechkin.

– It’s sad. They are good teammates, good friends and players. It’s hard. But, as always, they say in such cases, it’s business and it’s life … So this moment must be lived and moved.

– It is particularly sad that your friend Orlov, with whom you played together for so many years, was traded…

“We still have a chance to make the playoffs. And we fight for it. I think we had a good game against Anaheim and we could have won. But no one knows what will happen next. We have to keep playing. Yes, this exchange is a disgrace. But we players can’t do anything about it, we have to keep playing hockey. And it’s not up to us to decide who will be traded and where.

– But for you personally, is it a serious loss? However, the Russian left your club.

Yes, I already said it was sad. He’s a good friend, we spent a lot of time together, our wives are friends. It’s a difficult time.

– And how was it for you personally to return to the game after burying your father and returning from Moscow?

– I was fine. It’s good that I’m back. With each change, I felt the game better. But I think my best game is yet to come.

Thanks to the team, thanks to our organization for the support. I have already said that it was a difficult time for me, my family and my friends. But again, that’s life. Memories of my father will stay with me forever. And we have to move on,” Ovechkin concluded.