Dear Ovi, Please Never Leave Us
With the news of the Texans cutting JJ Watt today, I was once again reminded we are on the other side of Alexander Ovechkin's career in DC, and that saddens me to my core. It goes beyond that though- Tom Brady and Gronk just won a Super Bowl in Tampa. Zdeno Chara is currently on the Capitals. Paul Pierce played on the Wizards. Very little is sacred in sports anymore, especially when players, nay, legends, are forced to move on from the team they played for their entire careers. And I've seen a lot of guys come and go, but I am not prepared for the day if Alexander Ovechkin is playing hockey for another team in the NHL.
Frankie Borrelli texted me this morning after the Watt news came out and said: "Do you think there’s a word where ovi comes to the islanders next year to pair with trotzy one last time? Not enough ppl talking about his guy being a UFA this year". And he's right- he is a free agent, and we are very much not talking about it. I think we all just assume he's going to re-sign in Washington…but why? Why would we automatically assume that? Publicly he has said he wants to either play on the Caps or in Russia, and I 100% believe that to be the truth. But sometimes it's out of your hands as a player. If Ovechkin wants a certain amount of money and the Caps are looking at the balance sheet and don't see where it fits, sometimes business wins. It's an unfortunate part of the sports world, and a reason many people want a "legacy player" built into salary caps, to stop legends from going to other teams because of cap issues.
Much like how Rangers fans will always support Hank no matter where he goes, and how some Pats fans celebrated the Bucs winning the Super Bowl because of all the good times Brady and Gronk brought to New England, I will always support and cheer for Ovi. I mean obviously if he goes to Pittsburgh of Philly I might kill myself so I don't have to ever see that, but the sentiment is the same.
Hopefully Ovi gives the Caps a sweet hometown deal, plays 5 more years in DC, breaks Gretzky's record, and then skates into the sunset. Maybe wins another Cup before then too, I would love that. And if he plays elsewhere, that'll be the saddest day of my life. But I understand it happens. But man, that'll be a sad, sad day.
We'll always have the Summer of Ovi though ))))))))