WASHINGTON (AP) -Alex Ovechkin agreed to a multiyear contract extension Thursday with the Washington Capitals, working out the details himself in negotiations with owner Ted Leonsis and general manager George McPhee.
The Capitals scheduled a press conference for 8:30 p.m. to officially announce the deal. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
The 22-year-old Russian star was in the final season of a three-year, entry-level deal. His salary-cap number for this season, taking into account bonuses, is $3.83 million.
If he had become a free agent at the end of the season, the Capitals would have had the right to match any offer from another team. Leonsis long maintained he intended to make sure Ovechkin remained with the Capitals.
Ovechkin has led the Capitals in scoring in each of his seasons. He entered Thursday tied for second in the NHL with 32 goals, helping Washington surge from the league’s worst record to the fringe of playoff race. He also had 20 assists.
The wing had 52 goals and 54 assists in 2005-06, when he edged Pittsburgh forward Sidney Crosby in the voting for the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. Ovechkin followed that up with 46 goals and 46 assists last season.
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