Richest Contract in the NHL Still not Enough

One of the biggest sport contracts of all time was signed last week

when the Washington Capitals signed Alexander Ovechkin to a 13- year extension

worth $124 million. He is a playmaker like

Sidney Crosby; however the Capitals need a core of players that fans are

interested in seeing. Some players like Pavel Datsyuk, Ryan Smyth, Chris

Osgood, Brad Richards, Chris Pronger, Marty Turco, Ryan Miller would make the

team a stronger draw. I think this is too much money for one player to earn for a

team that doesn't have a fan base. The only way such an investment will pay off at

the turnstiles is if the team invests in other stars as well so that the Capitals have a

strong team rather than just a star. This same situation arose in the mid 1990s with

the Houston Rockets. They won the NBA title with Akeem Olajuwon, but they still

were not drawing enough fans. The owner went out and brought in Clyde Drexler

and with two star players the team was able to draw more fans and won it second

NBA title.

by Thomas Chieppo