Ovechkin likes Caps’ additions
LAS VEGAS, NV (The Spread) – Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is thrilled with the team’s latest free agent moves.
Earlier this month the Capitals signed 33-year-old defenseman Brooks Orpik to a five-year, $27.5 million contract. The veteran is projected to be paired with John Carlson or Mike Green after the Caps outspent the competition to bring Orpik to Washington.
Ovechkin wasn’t bashful about giving his support to the Orpik signing, as well as the move to bring in Matt Niskanen.
“That our team signed such guys [as Niskanen and Orpik] – that’s a very strong move,” Ovechkin said via Pro Hockey Talk. “Orpik, for example, is a very physical defenseman. If he plays on your team – it’s a positive for you. But the results will be at the end of the season, it hasn’t even started yet. Who knows what other changes are coming to the team– maybe there will be a trade or something else.”
On the same day that the Capitals signed Orpik, they also landed Niskanen ona seven-year contract worth $40.25 million. One of the reasons why the 27-year-old signed with Washington was the presence of head coach Barry Trotz and Niskanen says he knows that his new contract carries higher expectations.
“I’ve played essentially top-four minutes for 80 percent of the year last year. I had a lot of responsibility and at times I was the oldest defenseman by far on our team and our team had a lot of success,” Niskanen said via CSN Washington. “I had a good year. It definitely was a breakout year, and now the challenge for me is to try to keep moving forward. That’s one thing me and Todd [Reirden] talked about, how do you get a little better this week, this season. I look forward to working with him some more.”
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Capitals are currently 40/1 to win the 2015 Stanley Cup.
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