The Washington Capitals need to make the two years remaining on captain Alex Ovechkin's contract count after being eliminated from the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a Game 4 loss to the New York Rangers.
That means a main focus for the Capitals after their elimination will be retooling this roster around Ovechkin to keep it as competitive as possible.
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis has promised the Capitals won't rebuild as long as Ovechkin is playing in D.C. And after Washington's surprise playoff run this spring, the franchise has reason to hope they could build a competitive team for the 2025 playoffs.