The Capitals have agreed to terms on a one year contract with former MVP Sergei Fedorov. Fedorov has won three Stanley Cups while playing center, wing and defense. He has also been voted the NHL’s best defensive forward. He reportedly had many contract offers from teams throughout the NHL and Russia’s new KHL, but he took a 33 percent paycut from last season to stay with the Caps for $4 million.

This could have something to do with Fedorov’s newly formed friendships and great on-ice chemistry with Caps stars Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin. Fedorov and the Alexes played together on the Caps’ power play at the end of last season, after the Caps acquired Fedorov in a deadline trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The three contributed heavily as the Caps took the Flyers to seven games in the opening round of the playoffs, and maintained their chemistry as the top line on the Russian team at the World Championships of hockey.

Fedorov was one of the NHL’s biggest tragedies a year ago, buried in obscurity on the Blue Jackets’ third line. Today he is one of the league’s brightest stories, as he brings limitless knowledge, leadership, offense, defense and tenacious competitiveness to help the Capitals emerge as one of the greatest teams of the very near future. More than that, if the Capitals are going to win the Stanley Cup this season, they’ll probably have to face the Red Wings to do it. Fedorov played with and helped train most of the Red Wings’ best players, and only he can teach the Caps to beat them.