The Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals are staying in the nation’s capital. Monumental Sports, the parent owner of the Capitals, Wizards, WNBA’s Washington Mystics, and the G-League’s Capital City Go, announced an agreement with Washington, DC officials to keep the teams in the District through 2050.

Managing owner Ted Leonsis shopped the Capitals and Wizards around the DMV region. A search for a new stadium landed in nearby Alexandria, Virginia, at the Potomac Yard Metro Station. However, the deal met heavy opposition from fans and local officials.

Last week, DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb told Monumental that the Wizards and Capitals were obligated to remain at Capital One Arena through the end of their lease in 2047.

While Monumental lawyers dispute Schwalb’s position, the City of Alexandria announced Wednesday that negotiations ended for the arena at the Potomac Yard site. Shortly, Monumental and DC announced their new pact.

“District residents could not have been louder or clearer in expressing their desire for the teams to stay in DC, and as the District’s chief legal officer, I will always have the Washingtonians’ backs and use every legal tool available to defend District residents’ interests,” Schwalb said in a statement, per Ben Standig of The Athletic.

“As I made clear in my letter to Monumental, it was in the best interests of the District and Monumental to resolve differences through negotiation and not litigation. I’m delighted for the District both as a lifelong DC sports fan and as the Attorney General. This outcome will have significant positive impacts on the economic development, public safety, and overall District energy and spirit generated by the millions of people who attend games, shows, and concerts at Capital One Arena.”

Capital One Arena will receive over $500 million for upgrades

Under the agreement, DC will commit $515 million over three years to improve Capital One Arena. The money will help modernize Capital One Arena against other NBA and NHL arenas.

Monumental will take control of the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Southeast Washington. The arena is home to the Mystics and Capital City Go-Go. The Wizards will receive a new practice facility in downtown DC.

The city also will take measures to ease the safety concerns of fans and Monumental employees. DC will provide 17 police officers at Capital One Arena from two hours before game time to two hours after games.

Arena staff will get consideration of 200 parking spaces. The Mystics and Go-Go will be allowed to designate four games per season and all playoff games at Capital One Arena.

Local businesses surrounding the Gallery Place area will receive the most significant benefits. Losing the traffic flow of fans would have been a gigantic loss for the city’s economy. A commitment to safety is a huge plus for fans.

The NBA and NHL are locked in DC for at least 25 more years.

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The Washington Capitals have begun its firesale of rental players, trading forward Anthony Mantha to the Vegas Golden Knights for two draft picks. The Capitals will receive a 2024 second-round draft pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick from Vegas.

Mantha is in the final year of his four-year, $22.8M contract. The Capitals will retain 50 percent of Mantha’s remaining salary as part of the trade.

Mantha expects to add depth to the defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights. The 29-year-old was second on the Capitals with 20 goals in 56 games this season. It’s his first 20-goal season since the 2018-19 season.

Washington acquired Mantha from the Detroit Red Wings during the 2020-21 season. The Capitals traded former top prospect Jakub Vrana, a first and second-round draft pick.

Mantha’s start to the Capitals was historic. He became the first player in franchise history to score a goal in each of his first four games. Struggles on the ice prompted Mantha to be a trade candidate last season. However, the team couldn’t find warranted suitors.

Mantha’s recent surge in his contract year made him attractive for Vegas.

The Golden Knights are looking for a boost, as they sit third in the Pacific division with 73 points, one point ahead of the first wild card spot in the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, the Capitals are stuck in neutral, trying to move forward into the future by getting younger. The Capitals must tread waters as captain Alex Ovechkin inches towards the NHL’s all-time goals record.

At 65 points, the Capitals are seven back for third place in the Metro division and the first wild card in the Eastern Conference. With GM Brian MacLellan seeing a mathematic way to miss the playoffs, he offloads additional players.

Nic Dowd, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Joel Edmundson, Max Pacioretty, and goaltender Charlie Lindgren are candidates to get traded before Friday’s deadline.

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Evgeny Kuznetsov’s time with the Washington Capitals may end after a whirlwind of days. The Capitals placed Kuznetsov on waivers Saturday just hours after the forward got cleared to resume practicing by the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.

Kuznetsov cleared waivers on Sunday as none of the league’s other 31 teams claimed him. Washington has assigned the veteran to its AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. Kuznetsov will be the highest-paid player ever rostered in the AHL.

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said the team waived Kuznetsov after his agent asked for a fresh start for the 31-year-old.

“It’s about a fresh start for Kuzy, first all,” MacLellan said, per Tarik El Bashir of Monumental Sports. “He’s been looking for a change in environment, and this might set the wheels in motion for that to be accomplished.”

Whether Kuznetsov reports to the Bears is unclear. The NHL’s trade deadline is Friday. The Capitals will try to move him, an act they’ve been unsuccessful doing in recent years.

Kuznetsov has one year left following this season on his eight-year, $92 million contract. He’ll carry a $7.8 million cap hit for the 2024-25 season.

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said he feels for Kuznetsov and hopes the best for him and his family. Carbery admitted he addressed the team about Kuznetsov.

“Someone that’s been in the organization a long time, and a lot of guys in our room or some of the guys in our room have been with him for all 11 years. I felt like I owed him that,” Carbery said, per El-Bashir.

Evgeny Kuznetsov went from Stanley Cup hero to disgruntled and distraction

A first-round pick, Kuznetsov was drafted by the Capitals in 2010. He made his NHL debut in 2013, playing 11 seasons with the team. He was instrumental in the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup in 2018.

Kuznetsov led the league with 20 assists and 32 points in that playoff run. His overtime goal in Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins sent Washington to the Eastern Conference Finals.

However, his play became inconsistent after that season. He also struggled off the ice. The International Ice Hockey Federation placed a four-year ban on Kuznetsov after he tested positive for cocaine in 2019.

The NHL then suspended him three games later that year after a video surfaced of Kuznetsov with a white substance believed to be cocaine on a table at a hotel.

Kuznetsov struggled to fit within the system of then-head coach Peter Laviolette. Last season, he posted 55 points and a minus-26 rating in 81 games. Meanwhile, Kuznetsov requested a trade from Washington that never came to avail. This season, he scrapped 17 points in 43 games before being placed in the NHL’s Players Assistance Program.

Evgeny Kuznetsov has appeared in 723 regular season games with the Capitals. He’s produced 171 goals and 397 goals.

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Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom is stepping away from the team for the foreseeable future to address his ongoing hip issue.

Backstrom underwent hip resurfacing surgery during the offseason following the 2021-22 season. He returned in January of last season, appearing in 39 games, but his pace of play was evidently slow.

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan expressed concerns about Backstrom’s health entering this season.

However, Backstrom eyed a return to his premier play. Yet, he remained a shell of himself, registering one assist in eight games.

Backstrom spoke to MacLellan, head coach Spencer Carbery, and team trainingers on Monday to express his desire to step away, according to Monumental Sports Net’s Tarik El-Bashir. Backstrom then addressed teammates before practice on Wednesday.

“Given my ongoing injury situation, I decided to take some time and step away from the game,” Backstrom said in a statement released by the Capitals. “This is a difficult decision, but one that I feel is right for my health at this time. I want to thank my teammates, the organization, and fans for their unwavering support throughout this process. I ask for privacy at this time as I determine my next steps and viable options moving forward.”

The Capitals reiterated that the 36-year-old Backstrom is not retiring. Backstrom has two years remaining on his contract, holding a $9.2 million cap hit for each year.

For 15 years before his hip injury, Backstrom was viewed as one of the best centers in the NHL. He is the Capitals’ all-time leader with 762 assists. He is second behind his running mate, Alex Ovechkin, with 1,033 points.

“We stand behind Nicklas and will support him throughout this process,” Brian MacLellan said. “We know firsthand how hard he has worked and how determined he is to get back to full health. Our organization stands fully behind him while he takes his leave of absence from the team and takes time to evaluate his current health situation.”

The Capitals will place Nicklas Backstrom on injured reserve Wednesday. Given how long he needs to step aside, there is anticipation he will go to long-term injured reserve soon.

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Tom Wilson will don a Washington Capitals uniform for the foreseeable future. The Capitals announced Wilson signed a seven-year extension worth $45.5 million. The deal keeps him under contract through the 2030-31 season.

The 29-year-old Wilson was entering the final year of his $31 million, six-year deal.

Under the extension, set to kick in for the 2024-25 season, Wilson will incur a $6.5 million annual average salary and cap hit.

According to Cap Friendly, he will receive a base salary of $4 million plus a $5 million signing bonus starting in 2024-25.

Wilson’s base salary will drop to $900,000 in the 2029-30 season. The deal also includes a partial no-trade clause. For years 1-4, Wilson will submit a 15-team no-trade clause list. For the final three years of the deal, he’ll give a 10-team list.

Tom Wilson is entering his 11th season with the Capitals. The 2021-22 season was his best statistical campaign. He collected 24 goals and 28 assists in 78 games. However, he suffered a torn ACL in the playoffs.

The surgery and rehab kept him off the ice at the start of last season. He was limited to 33 games, registering 13 goals and nine assists while racking 78 penalty minutes. Wilson expects to be at full strength at the start of this upcoming season.

Wilson had five goals and ten assists during the Capitals’ run to the Stanley Cup championship in 2018. He’s tallied 128 goals and 167 assists in 680 career games.

His physical style of play has drawn criticism around the league. He’s been suspended five times for illegal contact. Yet, it’s his physicality that has endeared him to Capitals fans.

Now he’ll continue his career “rocking the red” of the Caps. A deal of this magnitude signals Wilson is tabbed as the future face of the franchise. He may possibly be the next team captain, following Alex Ovechkin’s departure.

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Monumental Sports & Entertainment — the company that owns the Washington Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics — has had discussions with Virginia governmental officials about possibly moving the Wizards and Capitals’ home arena from Washington, D.C. to nearby Arlington, Virginia.

Currently, both teams play at Capital One Arena in the Chinatown district of downtown D.C. It’s been the two teams’ home since 1997. However, Monumental officials are seeking an investment from the city officials for upgrades and maintenance of the aging arena.

According to The Washington Post, Monumental officials had “preliminary and exploratory” talks with Virginia officials about moving to the Crystal City area of Arlington near Amazon’s new HQ2, just 15 minutes or so away from downtown D.C.
The Capitals practice in Arlington.

Also, The Post notes that Monumental founder Ted Leonsis and another company official had a “productive” conversation with DC Council chairman Phil Mendelson on June 15 about staying in Washington. Monumental wants the city to invest in needed improvements to Capital One Arena.

Mendelson stressed the city is interested in working with Leonsis, including Mayor Muriel Bowser. D.C. provided $50 million in 2007 for improvements to the arena. As part of that agreement for public funding, the teams’ former late owner Abe Pollin agreed to extend the arena’s lease from 2027 to 2047.

However, Monumental is exploring if there is an option that would allow the company to pay a lump sum of $35 million in principal that would revert the end of the arena’s lease to 2027.

If getting funding from the city remains a challenge, Monumental could move to a new arena in Northern Virginia in the near future.

While DC is willing to work with the Wizards and Capitals, the city officials also are facing a similar demand from the Washington Nationals of MLB for its home stadium, Nationals Park. Plus, the city has a newfound interest in bringing the NFL’s Washington Commanders back into city limits.

The Commanders franchise has played in nearby Landover, Maryland, since 1997. With Dan Snyder on his way out as owner, Washington officials are willing to work with the team’s incoming ownership for a new stadium.

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The Washington Capitals are ushering in a new era following the hire of head coach Spencer Carbery. While the Capitals try to blend the old with the new, one hobbled veteran may be at a crossroads.

Following the press introduction to Carbery, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan opened up about the future of aging center Nicklas Backstrom.

Speaking with the media, MacLellan revealed that Backstrom’s future with the team may depend on next season’s training camp.

“We’ve had a couple conversations about where he is health-wise,” MacLellan said, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. “I think he’s deserved a chance to see what he can do in the offseason and come into camp and see where he’s at health-wise. It’s a major surgery, so I don’t know that anybody knows exactly where he’s going to be.”

Backstrom, 36, had pain in his hip that became unbearable, forcing him to have resurfacing hip surgery last year in June. He rehabbed rigorously to get back on the ice for the 2022-23 season. Ultimately, Backstrom made his return in January.

Unfortunately, Backstrom was a shell of himself. He produced 21 points, seven goals, and 14 assists in 39 games. However, just one goal came was even strength. Despite the surgery, Backstrom’s skating was an eyesore, leading to a career-worst minus-25 rating.

Backstrom acknowledged, at the end of the season, he had difficulties skating following the surgery. Yet, he is “looking forward” to being ready for training camp. Backstrom is attempting to become the first NHL player to play a second season after resurfacing hip surgery.

If Backstrom struggles, he could lose his spot in the Capitals’ top six. If things go awry, Backstrom may face a stint on the long-term injured reserve. In that event, the Capitals could settle for a buyout.

Nicklas Backstrom has two years remaining on his five-year, $46 million contract he signed in 2020. A buyout would cost the Capitals $7.333 million which would be spread out over four years.

Backstrom may be shooting to be ready for training camp. But he’ll have to shake MacLellan’s predetermined mindset. MacLellan relayed in April his concerns that Backstrom returns to his old form, saying he hasn’t seen any player be able to do so.

“I don’t know what could happen in the offseason to make [Backstrom’s progression] significantly better, MacLellan said.

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The Washington Capitals have hired Toronto Maple Leafs assistant Spencer Carbery as its next head coach. According to The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir, Carbery received a four-year deal.

Carbery will replace Peter Laviolette, who the Capitals fired in April after three seasons.

Capitals GM Brian MacLellan sought after Carbery from the start of his search. However, Carbery, who many tabbed as the top available coaching candidate around the league, spoke with other teams searching for a coach.

Ultimately, Carbery will return to the Capitals organization for his third stint, including him as a player, assistant, and head coach. Carbery played for the Capitals’ ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays, for the 2009-10 season before becoming an assistant of the team the following season.

He left the organization to coach in the Ontario Hockey League. Then, he returned in 2018 as the head coach of the Capitals’ AHL affiliate, Hershey Bears. Carberry led the Bears to the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy in 2021, the AHL’s regular season league championship, and got named the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award for Coach of the Year.

Carbery has been an assistant with the Maple Leafs for the past two seasons. He was in charge of the team’s power play. Toronto converted 26% of its power plays, second in the NHL during the regular season.

The Capitals are now on its third head coach since winning the 2018 Stanley Cup championship. After guiding the Capitals to the Standley Cup, Barry Trotz couldn’t reach a deal for a contract extension, and the team parted ways.

Washington failed to get out of the first round of the NHL playoffs in the next four seasons under former head coaches Todd Reirden and Peter Laviolette. This season, the Capitals failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2013-14 season with Laviolette.

Spencer Carberry takes over a team that marches to the beat of all-time great Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin’s chase for the NHL’s all-time goal record has moved to the forefront of the Capitals’ focus. Ovechkin’s 822 goals are second to Wayne Gretzky at 894.

Owner Ted Leonsis has promised Ovechkin the team will not rebuild and instead continue to try to compete for a championship.

MacLellan has needed to be strategic with making the roster younger, attempting to build around the 37-year-old Ovechkin. Still, the Capitals are an aging veteran team. Carberry’s objective depends on the front office’s vision.

Either he’ll get tasked with getting the Capitals back to their expectations before peaking in 2018, or he’ll help transition the franchise from the end of the Ovechkin era to the future.

Carberry’s time with Hershey will be instrumental. There he helped the development of prospects Martin Fehervary, Aliaksei Protas, Connor McMichael, and Alex Alexeyev, among others that expect to have integral roles in the immediate future with the Capitals.

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The Washington Capitals moved on from head coach Peter Laviolette nearly a month ago. However, there has been little known about the search for a replacement. Following the NHL Draft Lottery, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan addressed the search.

“We’re just beginning,” MacLellan said, per Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports Washington. “There’s a lot of teams still playing. There’s a lot of guys we still want to talk to. We’ll monitor the playoffs and see what happens in the playoffs. We’ve targeted a few guys, and we’ll bring them in, and we’ll take to them and make a plan from there.”

Since the departure of Barry Trotz following the Capitals’ Stanley Cup title season, Washington has yearned to return to its contending ways. Todd Reirden and Laviolette failed to get out of the first round during their runs as coaches.

This season, the Capitals failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2013-14 season. MacLellan wants to hit a home run this go-around after whiffing with Reirden and Laviolette.

Several names reportedly are on the Caps’ shortlist for the vacancy. All of which are currently involved in the NHL and AHL playoffs. That list includes Toronto Maple Leafs assistant Spencer Carbery, Todd Nelson, the head coach of the Capitals’ AHL affiliate Hershey Bears, and Tampa Bay Lightning assistant Jeff Halpern.

Carbery was the Bears’ head coach for three years. Meanwhile, Halpern is a native of nearby Potomac, Maryland, and a fan favorite to head the Capitals. He played seven seasons with Washington and is a former Capitals captain. Halpern has been on the Lightning staff since 2018, winning two Stanley Cup titles.

There may be others added to the list for interviews. Yet, the process for the next Capitals head coach will wait for the availability of candidates.

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The season got away from the Washington Capitals as the club recently struggled. On Tuesday, the Florida Panthers put the Caps out of their misery. With a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, the Panthers officially eliminated the Capitals from postseason contention.

This season will be the first in nine that the Capitals missed the playoffs. Washington last missed the postseason during the 2013-14 season. Adam Oates was the Caps’ head coach.

Injuries and age hampered the Capitals in the second half of the season. Their struggles forced general manager Brian MacLellan to sell during the trade deadline. While veterans Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway, and Erik Gustafsson were shipped off, MacLellan focused on ready-to-play young players such as defenseman Rasmus Sandin.

The Capitals moved toward the future while attempting a last-ditch effort to make a run at the playoffs this season. However, Washington is 4-8-2 since the trade deadline. The club is currently on a four-game losing streak which dropped them to 34-34-9 on the season.

The season has gotten marred with injuries to mainstays such as Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson. Now there is chatter that the Capitals may move on from longtime center and 2018 Stanley Cup hero Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin casts a shadow. Playing in his 18th NHL season, Ovechkin has pursued the NHL’s all-time goal record. He has 42 goals in 71 games this season, pushing him to 822 career goals. He’s currently 72 shy of Wayne Gretzky’s 894.

The Capitals want to celebrate the greatest player in franchise history. It also wants to compete and build a contender around the 37-year-old.

Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2018, the Capitals have failed to get past the first round of the playoffs, a streak that will now extend to five seasons. Head Coach Peter Laviolette is in his final year of a three-year contract. Talks of an extension for Laviolette have reportedly gone cold.

This year could be a pivotal offseason for the Capitals. The club must answer several questions to get back into title contention.

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