“In Washington, D.C., you want to be a global team, and I think it’s a reason that players like Alexander Ovechkin feel so comfortable here — it’s a very cosmopolitan city. We would want to show Russia some of the best players in the world, and celebrate the connection [between Russia and the NHL]. It’s not about money,” he said.

“Our team would be very popular in Russia, because of Ovechkin, Semin, and Kozlov,” he added.

There’s another reason driving this idea. Russia, it turns out, is one of the few countries in the world the owner hasn’t visited. “Russia is such a hockey loving country, and we’ve got such great [Russian] players, I think it would be a great thing for us,” he said.

In 1989, the Capitals joined the Calgary Flames in a headline-grabbing tour of the then Soviet Union for a historic series of exhibition games that September. The team traveled to Moscow and Leningrad for eight games against various Russian professional teams. Here’s how high-profile a happening that was: NHL Commissioner John Ziegler made the travel announcement from the United Nations Assembly in New York.

Twenty years later, the Capitals could be returning to Moscow. They’d be carrying a whole lot of Glasnost in their equipment bags. And quite a few thank yous for the Russian hockey development program.

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Posted at 5:45 am. Filed under Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Front Office, George McPhee, National Hockey League, OFB in Russia, Ted Leonsis, Viktor Kozlov, Washington Capitals, World Championships.
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3 Comments

  1. Satch wrote:

    Why go so far away? Let’s expand the fanbase to Baltimore, play a preseason game or two at First Mariner. These Russian fans won’t buy season tickets after all!

    Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 11:44 am | Permalink
  2. Gumpper wrote:

    Absolutely great idea, particularly if it can be done to open the season with games that count.

    Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 1:28 pm | Permalink
  3. P-Mac wrote:

    I heard about this on 1300 the other day:

    http://www.washcaps.com/baltimore

    Special ticket offers for Baltimore residents; especially a two-for-one deal, not-this-but-next Sunday, February 24, against New Jersey.

    Friday, February 15, 2008 at 3:42 pm | Permalink

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