Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin on route to play in KHL next season -NHL Update
The lockout is a reality now, which no one was ready to accept just a few weeks back, but now in preparation to continue playing hockey, a number of top-level players of the National Hockey League (NHL), including Washington Capitals captain, Alex Ovechkin,
is on route to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia.
While many other players like Evgeni Malkin and Rick Nash have already signed contract to keep them on the foreign league for the 2012-2013 regular season, Ovechkin is still deciding what his next step should be, according to the WashingtonPost.com.
While there is no set duration to how long the lockout could last, after it came into force following the expiration date of September 15 of the previous deal, Alex Ovechkin still has high hopes of the deadlock ending prior to the season to actually begin,
but that seems to be a long shot.
But if the NHL decides on making it last a full season, then Ovechkin, like many other players, will have no other option but to book a flight and go and play in Russia for the next hockey season.
“If the League [NHL] continues to insist on their [demands], then it will take a full year,” Ovechkin told Pavel Lysenkov of Sovetsky Sport as translated by Yahoo’s Dmitry Chesnokov. “That’s because we are not going to cave in. Then I will spend the entire
season in the KHL. It’s an absolute reality.”
Capitals goalie, Michal Neuvirth, is also in confusion on what he should do and when to do it.
“It’s a tough situation,” Neuvirth added. “For me, I just want to play. I think it’s going to be better to practice with a team, get some games. I would be happy if I could fly back in a couple weeks and get ready for the NHL season, but at this point I’m
looking forward to playing in Czech. Hopefully we’ll all be back here soon.”
30 players are already believed to have signed with various leagues around the world, mostly with the KHL and some in Switzerland. Most are natives of those countries already, but others are looking to make the move based on their need to continue playing.
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