D.C.: There are no ups without the downs
February 8, 2021
The GIST: To no one’s surprise, Washington Football Team QB Alex Smith and defensive end Chase Young brought home Comeback Player of the Year (still crying) and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, respectively. But now, onto the Capitals and the Mystics.
Source: Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images
🏒Capitals: Despite Alex Ovechkin’s huge game, the Caps have yet to win in the month of February, falling 7–4 to the Philadelphia Flyers yesterday. Ugh.
- Part of the problem? Injuries and COVID-19. Winger Jakub Vrána joined center Evgeny Kuznetsov and starting goaltender Ilya Samsonov on the COVID-19 protocol list on Saturday, and winger TJ Oshie didn’t play with an upper-body injury. Yikes.
🏀Mystics: The Mystics keep making offseason moves: re-signing 2012 WNBA MVP Tina Charles and acquiring Erica McCall from the Minnesota Lynx on Friday. But there are still a ton of questions on who will actually suit up for the Mystics next season.
- Charles and 2019 MVP Elena Delle Donne both sat out the 2020 season for medical reasons. Natasha Cloud, who has not yet re-signed, focused on the fight for social justice and opted out of playing as well.
- Then there are the Olympics to consider. Emma Meesseman, the 2019 Finals MVP and unrestricted free agent, is not guaranteed to return to the Mystics, or the league at all, for 2021 until her Belgian national team commitments are over. Grab an Advil.
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