After hiding in silence in the weeks since his team lost to Pittsburgh in Game 7 of their second round series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Capitals General Manager, Brian MacLellan, spoke to the media earlier today to discuss the loss, plans for free agency, and the future of team captain Alex Ovechkin.

After recording four straight 50-goal seasons, the 31-year old Ovechkin scored just 33 goals and went through uncharacteristic extended scoring droughts as well. After the Caps failed (again) to advance past the second round, the seemingly annual talks of the Capitals trading their franchise player began to circulate once again. Despite some fans’ wishes, MacLellan all but ruled that out, though his response in and of itself was quite interesting, which you can read below:

Brian MacLellan’s full answer when asked about people talking about the #Caps trading Alex Ovechkin: pic.twitter.com/bkrMKe2ycL

— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) May 30, 2017

And while Ovechkin has been a big part of the Capitals during his career, MacLellan also made it clear that Ovechkin needed to be able to adapt his game to the ever-changing NHL game. “The game is getting faster. He’s going to have to train in a different way, more speed than power”, per CSN MidAtlantic’s Tarik El-Bashir. Throughout his career, Ovechkin has always been known for his ability to score goals and throw his weight around with physical play. But as the third-year GM stated, the NHL is becoming a faster, more highly-skilled league and while Ovechkin is getting older, he has not possessed the speed he once did earlier in his career.

MacLellan said Ovi must evolve. “The game is getting faster. He’s going to have to train in a different way, more speed [than]…power.”

— Tarik El-Bashir (@TarikCSN) May 30, 2017

Ever since he was handed the captain’s “C” in late 2009, Ovechkin’s leadership has always been questioned. While there’s no doubt that the future Hall of Famer has gained maturity as he’s aged, his ability to lead a team to the Stanley Cup has always been doubted due to the Capitals’ inability to win it all. And while it takes more than one player to win the ultimate prize, many have called for the Caps to strip Ovechkin of his captaincy. However, MacLellan confirmed that the team has no such plans, per El-Bashir.

MacLellan indicates Ovi will keep the ‘C’: “I don’t know that that’s an avenue we want to pursue right now. He’s our captain…”

— Tarik El-Bashir (@TarikCSN) May 30, 2017

While Ovechkin will remain an important part of the Capitals, it’s clear that he must change his game to stay in MacLellan’s good books. After constructing a team capable of going all the way, it’s clear that MacLellan’s patience is running thin.

By Michael Fleetwood

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