Alex Ovechkin had expressed interest last summer about playing a game in his homelandGETTY IMAGES
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that the Capitals will "not play a regular season game in Russia next season," despite "expressing their interest" to do so, according to Samantha Pell of the WASHINGTON POST. Daly said, "For a variety of reasons those plans didn't come together. We're going to kind of work, kind of retrench again to figure out whether there's a better strategy." Capitals Owner Ted Leonsis last December said that the organization was "'all in' on playing a regular season game in Russia, and it was prepared to do so the following season." After Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin "traveled to China over the summer to serve as an ambassador for the league, he expressed interest to the Capitals' front office about playing an NHL game in Russia." Meanwhile, Daly said that the NHL is "open to the idea" of "future overseas games" involving the Capitals. Daly: "I know the Caps have an interest in doing that and, if not in Russia, I know they have an interest in playing internationally. So we're going to look to accommodate that interest for sure. Obviously the Caps, high profile in our league, good international content. It just makes sense to bring them overseas" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/26).
