Alex Ovechkin's retirement decision and timeline is already costing Washington

Pierre LeBrun confirmed Thursday that Alex Ovechkin's retirement decision won't come before July 1 free agency opens.

That lines up with what Ovechkin himself told Russian media - he circled July as his window, saying the answer was not a secret but wasn't ready yet.

But July 1 is six days away, and the NHL Draft opens tomorrow. Washington specifically wanted Ovechkin's answer before the draft began, per ESPN's Emily Kaplan, so they could calibrate how aggressively to pursue a top-six forward via trade.

Washington's front office, led by general manager Chris Patrick, spent months positioning itself to be aggressive at this draft.

The Capitals traded defenseman John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks in March and added a first-round pick for precisely this purpose - to move up or package assets for an established forward.

The problem is that trades require both teams to understand what you are.

A Capitals team with Ovechkin on a one-year deal, 71 goals from 1,000, is a different pitch than a Capitals team entering a quiet transition.

Patrick himself said Washington was in the best position it has been in years for deal-making assets, but that leverage only converts into action when you can tell the other team exactly what you're building.

With Ovechkin's future unresolved, Washington's trade pitch at the draft is incomplete by definition.

The drama around whether Ovechkin walks away has overshadowed a more important fact.

He played 82 games last season, scored 32 goals, and told reporters he was pretty sure it wasn't his last game.

Washington already signed Jordan Kyrou and is pursuing Alex Tuch in a sign-and-trade scenario.

That is not an organization preparing for life without its franchise player.

The retirement question will resolve in July.

The draft opens tomorrow, and the Capitals are sitting at that table with half a hand.