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NHL free agency spills into Day 2 with Patrick Kane still available; Ovechkin returns to Capitals
By Stephen Whyno And John Wawrow, Associated Press at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC)
· July 2, 2026
· 4 min read
NHL free agency spilled into Thursday with some high-profile players still on the open market, including Stanley Cup champions Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. Alex Ovechkin is staying put in Washington.With a social media post picturing Ovechkin and the words, “It's so not O-ver,” the Capita...
Key takeaway With a social media post picturing Ovechkin and the words, “It's so not O-ver,” the Capitals ended months of speculation Thursday regarding the 40-year-old's future and whether he might head home to compete in Russia.
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Original reporting by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) . The Pearland surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: local ·
Published: July 2, 2026 ·
Source: KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) ·
Reading time: 4 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? NHL free agency spilled into Thursday with some high-profile players still on the open market, including Stanley Cup champions Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. Alex Ovechkin is staying put in Washington.With a social media post picturing Ovechkin and the words, “It's so not O-ver,” the Capita...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 2, 2026 by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) and curated for The Pearland readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Stephen Whyno And John Wawrow, Associated Press at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC). To learn more about how The Pearland selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Pearland, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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