“I thought he was a player that didn't have any flaws. But what was most impressive was that in addition to his talent was the way he competed. He worked his tail off every shift. He always wanted the puck. He was either putting himself in position to get the puck or he was going to get it himself.”
“He has been playing at an elite level for several seasons and is ready to prove himself in the NHL. We look forward to having him in a Capitals' uniform for many years. He has an infectious style of play and displays an exciting combination speed, finesse and power.”
“Certainly, this year we'd expect him to earn a regular shift. In time, we certainly hope he'll be one of the guys who sets the tone for the team and leads the club.”
“The thing we have to understand is that Alex was in the homeland, playing for a professional team over there, he was in training camp and was earning a substantial amount of money. So the decision was not easy for him. But he wanted to come to Washington. He's a terrific young man who is going to be here for a long time.”
“He's a real building block for this organization, a major injection of talent into this team, ... He's an exciting player that the fans are going to enjoy watching. He sets the tone for the entire team with the way he plays.”
“Some teams are going to regret [the long-term free agent] deals in a few years. The salary cap could go down next year. That would put some teams in quite a bind. We're committed to playing our young players next season.”
“Alexander Ovechkin will be here, ... He made a commitment to us when he opted out of his Russian contract. Our fans will see Alex in a Capitals uniform next season.”
