For those who are unaware: before there was Alexander Ovechkin and his band of Rock The Red-ers, the preeminent hockey face in this town was Peter Bondra. Bondra was here for over a decade, where he blossomed as one of hockey's best offensive forces. He was here during postseason failures (all those losses to the Penguins that we don't speak of), postseason successes (the 1998 Stanley Cup run) and finally during rebuilding, when the Caps eventually had to trade him to Ottawa.
But then, Ovechkin came around, and many of us largely forgot about Bondra. Until now.
If this translation is to be believed, Bondra, who currently is the GM of the Slovakian National team, might have a position in the Capitals' front office waiting for him.
At the prior [World Championship] you have declared that you will decide after the next [WC] if you will continue in the post of general manager. Staying? Are you going?
The work I enjoy, but in the last two years, I have to table an offer from the club Washington Capitals - and delayed a decision on whether to accept.
What is the position?
We discussed it, but I cannot anticipate. In Washington, I played a substantial part of my career. I could help build it as an employee of the club. Familiar environment, management knows me. This is my future. Before the Olympics in Vancouver, I did not want to leave. Now, Glen Hanlon has come to coach the Slovak national team. I feel responsible to help him in the beginning. I would like to continue, because the future world championships will be in Slovakia.
Japers Rink speculates that it's a player development position like the one Dale Hunter had for a short period of time. If so, I'm excited. I could think of nothing more appropriate than Peter Bondra mentoring Alex Ovechkin and the Caps' other high scoring forwards. It's a literal passing of the torch, if you will.