The Washington Capitals could be moving in the next few years. Will they change the club and the name?

The media overseas have so far treated this information with a great deal of caution, as there are not many known facts at this time. But the basic idea is that the NHL’s hockey organization, the Washington Capitals, and the NBA’s basketball organization, the Washington Wizards, could find new homes in the coming years. At least that’s what is supposed to be discussed these days.

Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards majority owner Ted Leonsis is scheduled to attend an event at Potomac Yard this Wednesday alongside Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. The topics of discussion are clear.

The men will discuss the relocation of NHL and NBA clubs from the United States capital to nearby Alexandria, Virginia. That’s about 20 minutes south of their current home in downtown Washington. For the Capitals, that would mean leaving Capital One Arena, which has been home to the now-traditional NHL organization since the 1997-98 season.

That’s because the state of Virginia earlier this week approved a measure to build a new multibillion-dollar sports and entertainment complex. It is to include a state-of-the-art arena that could offer a new modern home for the Capitals and Wizards.

Nothing is official at the moment, as everything still has to be approved by the Virginia General Assembly and the Alexandria City Council. However, according to some overseas sources, the relocation of two major sports organizations in the US can already be considered a reality. Rather, the planned vote is merely to “move the process along”.

What will happen to the name of the Washington Capitals?

Washington DC, on the other hand, is trying to keep the Capitals downtown in its negotiations. But Virginia’s offer is reportedly too big, with a value that could approach $1 billion, and will be hard for the city to beat.

One reason for the move is the outdated Capitals One Arena, but DC Council President Phil Mendelson has moved legislation that would give the city $500 million to renovate and upgrade it. DC officials say keeping the Capitals and Wizards is critical to the economic future of downtown, yet it looks like the offer from across the river is more enticing.

All sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about ongoing discussions, according to bizjournals.com. That may be the most likely reason why there isn’t much information surrounding a possible move between the Capitals and Wizards.

Nor is it clear yet what would happen to the club’s name. Some sources are talking about the Capitals renaming themselves. However, even that information cannot be confirmed yet. If the move does indeed happen, it would be around 2028.

Source: CBS Sports, The Hockey News, Bleacher Report, Bizjournals