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Ovechkin agrees: Capitals should still be competitive

Pittsburgh Penguins v Washington Capitals - Game Five

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 06: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals scores at 7:47 of the third period against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Verizon Center on May 6, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) Alex Ovechkin is ready to get the Olympics out of his head and prepare for what could be a very different Washington Capitals season.

Gone are forwards Justin Williams, Marcus Johansson and Daniel Winnik and defensemen Karl Alzner, Nate Schmidt and Kevin Shattenkirk, and yet Ovechkin still considers the Capitals a good team and winning the Stanley Cup his priority. With the Russian superstar going into his 13th season, Washington has three first- and six second-round exits to show for the Ovechkin era.

External expectations are lower for the Capitals this season considering how much talent they lost. Ovechkin also turns 32 on Sunday and is coming off his lowest goal output in an 82-game season since 2010-11.

Ovechkin did more running and less lifting over the summer as general manager Brian MacLellan challenged him to train differently to prioritize speed over power. But Ovechkin downplayed losing weight or going on any kind of special diet.

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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno

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