Connect with us

Published

on

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said his team won’t rebuild with Alex Ovechkin on the roster, having promised his star captain that the club will remain competitive while he chases Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record.

The Capitals are currently outside of a playoff berth after 30 games. They haven’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs since winning the Stanley Cup in 2018, and they have the second oldest roster on average in the NHL this season (30 years old), behind only the Pittsburgh Penguins (30.3).

Washington is primed for a roster overhaul next season with only 10 players under contract for 2023-24, including only one defenseman. But Leonsis said it won’t be a rebuild.

“I’m not gonna do what I did last time and trade everybody,” said Leonsis, in reference to the total teardown the Capitals endured roughly 20 years ago that resulted in them selecting Ovechkin with the first overall pick in the 2004 draft.

“I’m sure there’ll be an influx of some young players, but we’re not gonna rebuild the team,” he said. “To me, a rebuild is when you look the players, the coaches, the fans in the eye and say we’re gonna be really, really bad. And if we were really, really bad, I don’t think Alex would break the record.”

Ovechkin has 797 career goals, four behind Gordie Howe for second all-time behind Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals.

The 37-year-old left wing signed a five-year contract extension in summer 2021 so he could attempt to set the goals record with the Capitals. In their contract talks, Leonsis said Ovechkin made it clear he wanted Washington to be a relevant and competitive team while he was playing there.

“He’s very cognizant of doing this the right way,” Leonsis said while attending the NHL board of governors. “Alex said, ‘I’m not gonna be a third-line guy playing 8-10 minutes a game [where you] trot me out on the power play and let me score my goals. That’s not what I want to do. Promise me you’ll keep the team competitive [and] a playoff team.’ And he promised to come in shape all the time and not be fixated on the record but be fixated on winning another Stanley Cup.”

Leonsis said the two sides agreed that if the Capitals remained competitive, Ovechkin “will get a lot of goals, a lot of power-play chances” and might not have to face the toughest defensive assignments from opponents every game.

If Ovechkin comes close to breaking Gretzky’s record, Leonsis said “The Great One” has promised the team that he’ll be in attendance for all of the Capitals star’s games — as Howe did for Gretzky when he was chasing Howe’s NHL points record in 1989.

Leonsis contrasted Gretzky’s commitment to what happens in other sports when records are about to fall.

“For Wayne to be as gracious as he is … that didn’t happen in baseball, where there was reluctance,” Leonsis said. “Wayne knows that Alex is legit and they have a friendship now. He’s promised us. He said, ‘I want to fly around and go to every stop.’ So that last season, when it’s within sight, he’ll probably just move in with us.”

Continue Reading

Sports

Fired Moore in custody, suspect in alleged assault

Published

on

By

Fired Moore in custody, suspect in alleged assault

Sherrone Moore was in custody in the Washtenaw (Michigan) County Jail on Wednesday night as a suspect in an alleged assault, just hours after he was fired as Michigan’s football coach for having what the school said was an “inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”

Moore was initially detained by police in Saline, Michigan, on Wednesday and turned over to authorities in Pittsfield Township “for investigation into potential charges.”

Pittsfield police released a statement Wednesday night saying they responded at 4:10 p.m. to the 3000 block of Ann Arbor Saline Road “for the purposes of investigating an alleged assault. … A suspect in this case was taken into custody. This incident does not appear to be random in nature, and there appears to be no ongoing threat to the community.

“The suspect was lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail pending review of charges by the Washtenaw County Prosecutor,” the statement continued. “At this time, the investigation is ongoing. Given the nature of the allegations, the need to maintain the integrity of the investigation, and its current status at this time, we are prohibited from releasing additional details.”

Pittsfield police did not name the suspect in its statement.

Earlier, Saline police stated they “assisted in locating and detaining former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore. Mr. Moore was turned over to the Pittsfield Township Police Department for investigation into potential charges.”

Michigan fired Moore on Wednesday following an investigation into his conduct with a staff member.

“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” the school said in a statement. “Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”

Moore, 39, spent two seasons as Michigan’s coach, after serving as the team’s offensive coordinator.

Continue Reading

Sports

Braves sign vet OF Yastrzemski to 2-year deal

Published

on

By

Braves sign vet OF Yastrzemski to 2-year deal

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves signed veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year deal Wednesday that includes a club option for 2028.

The 35-year-old Yastrzemski hit .233 with 17 home runs and 46 RBIs in 146 games last year between San Francisco and Kansas City.

Yastrzemski, who spent the first six-plus seasons of his career with the Giants before being sent to the Royals in July, will make $9 million in 2026 and $10 million in 2027. Atlanta holds a club option for 2028. Yastrzemski will make $7 million if the Braves pick up the option. He will receive a $4 million buyout if they do not.

The versatile Yastrzemski, the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, can play all three outfield positions and is a career .238 hitter. His best season came in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign, when he batted .297 with 10 homers in 54 games and finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting.

Continue Reading

Sports

Rule 5: Yanks pick Winquest, Rockies get Petit

Published

on

By

Rule 5: Yanks pick Winquest, Rockies get Petit

ORLANDO, Fla. — The New York Yankees made their first selection in a Rule 5 draft since 2011 on Wednesday, taking right-hander Cade Winquest from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Winquest was one of 13 players — and 12 right-handed pitchers — chosen in the major league portion of the draft.

The Rockies took RJ Petit, a 6-foot-8 reliever, with the first pick from the Detroit Tigers. Petit, 26, had a 2.44 ERA in 45 relief appearances and two starts between Double A and Triple A last season. The Minnesota Twins chose the only position player, selecting catcher Daniel Susac from the Athletics.

Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player and must keep him on the active major league roster for the entire following season unless he lands on the injured list. Players taken off the roster must be offered back to the former club for $50,000.

The 25-year-old Winquest recorded a 4.58 ERA with a 48% groundball rate in 106 innings across 25 games, including 23 starts, between Single A and Double A last season. He features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and touches 98 mph plus a curveball, cutter and sweeper. He is expected to compete for a spot in the Yankees’ bullpen next season.

Right-hander Brad Meyers was the last player the Yankees had chosen in a Rule 5 draft. He suffered a right shoulder injury in spring training and was on the injured list for the entire 2012 season before he was offered back to the Washington Nationals. He never appeared in a major league game.

Also picked were right-hander Jedixson Paez (Colorado from Boston), right-hander Griff McGarry (Washington from Philadelphia), catcher Carter Baumler (Pittsburgh from Baltimore), right-hander Ryan Watson (Athletics from San Francisco), right-hander Matthew Pushard (St. Louis from Miami), right-hander Roddery Munoz (Houston from Cincinnati), right-hander Peyton Pallette (Cleveland from Chicago White Sox), right-hander Spencer Miles (Toronto from San Francisco), right-hander Zach McCambley (Philadelphia from Miami) and right-hander Alexander Alberto (White Sox from Tampa Bay).

Continue Reading

Trending