Welcome back to another summertime edition of NHL Rumours from us here at Last Word On Hockey. Today we shall delve into the situation surrounding the team led by the all-time leading goal scorer, Alex Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals. So, let’s figure out what they are looking for and how they could possibly attain it.
Jeff Marek: I think there will be trades [this summer]; the team that I wonder about is the team that went right down to the wire with Nikolaj Ehlers, and that’s the Capitals; I wouldn’t be surprised if they go the trade route here – Sekeres and Price
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 10, 2025
NHL Rumours: The Washington Capitals Still Looking for Additions
Rumour: Today’s rumour comes from Jeff Marek. The Capitals have missed out on some bigger free agents so far. Therefore, they still want to make an addition. The idea is that if they want to do so, it may have to come through the trade route at this point.
Analysis: The one signing in particular that started this idea from a Caps perspective was from their divisional rivals, the Carolina Hurricanes. The Caps were said to be one of the last few options in the Nikolaj Ehlers sweepstakes. But just because they lost out on that one, that doesn’t mean they are done.
If the Capitals were involved late in the Ehlers negotiations, it does mean a couple things. It means that, not only do they have the motivation, but they would likely have the capacity financially to do so as well. When you are venturing out in the trade market, those are the required ingredients to making it happen.
Understanding the Caps Current Situation
The fact that the Capitals were in the market for Ehlers, says that they were looking for a scorer. In some sense, that could come as a surprise. Washington had seven 20-goal scorers in 2025-26. Therefore, it may not appear as though they need an offensive injection, but a closer inspection may reveal otherwise.
The man that led the Caps in goals, by the name of Ovechkin, had 44 goals, in 65 games. You heard that right. (Would’ve been good for a 56-goal pace over a full 82-game slate). However, for the purpose of this idea, is that you would have to anticipate some negative regression into next season, and beyond.
The other way to look at it is, that the players that are point producers for Washington, they’re not really known as big offensive guys. They are more considered complete players, that also score. Tom Wilson and Pierre-Luc Dubois come to mind as examples. Those two finished fourth and fifth, respectively, on the team in points. There’s other examples, but you get the idea.
Who Might They Target
Now based on our current NHL rumours, Marek didn’t list anyone specific as targets. In contrast, we could think about who’s been available. High-end guys like Mika Zibanejad and Jason Robertson would definitely be worth mentioning. Even if they are unlikely given Washington’s current situation for what they can offer, you would naturally give it some thought. Moreover, the Florida Panthers are known to need to trade someone to shed some salary. The name that has been identified, given his cost and career trajectory, is Evan Rodrigues. On the other hand, he might not offer the offensive capabilities that Washington would target.
In any sense, there will be options for the Capitals to pursue. Even though there isn’t a lot of quality options out there, they do have an advantage or two. First of all, they don’t actually need to make a trade, it really is more of a nice to have. And the other reasons, we have already referenced. Those reasons being they’re motivated, have some capacity to add, and also, there’s lots of time left in the summer to physically get it done. A GM’s work is rarely done, and it seems that Washington’s front office will be kept busy throughout the offseason.
Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
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