Washington Capitals followers could possibly be getting an early Christmas current within the type of captain Alexander Ovechkin’s return from damage.
Head coach Spencer Carbery instructed reporters Thursday that the 39-year-old is “getting actual shut” and will play in his first sport since Nov. 18 as quickly as Sunday in opposition to the Los Angeles Kings.
“[He] practiced in a restricted vogue with the group, will not play tomorrow however then we’ll see how the following 48 hours go,” Carbery mentioned in a information convention.
He famous “the following step” can be to have Ovechkin cleared for contact at follow after which consider his consolation in group skates heading right into a back-to-back Sunday and Monday.
“The Nice Eight,” as he is affectionately identified, suffered a fractured left fibula in a collision in opposition to the Utah Hockey Membership in mid-November however has speedily recovered over the past 4 weeks.
Ovechkin has been skating in a blue no-contact jersey for nearly two weeks, expediting his unique four-to-six-week restoration prognosis.
Washington is on a two-game shedding skid and will use Ovechkin’s record-chasing expertise to get issues again on observe.
“When he is on the market … I really feel prefer it helps our different guys after we get in scoring conditions,” Carbery mentioned.
At any time when Ovechkin does return to sport motion, he’ll resume his chase of Hockey Corridor of Famer Wayne Gretzky’s all-time aim scoring document (894). “The Nice Eight” paused his marketing campaign with a then-league-leading 15 objectives and 868 on his profession tally.
Ovechkin is simply 27 objectives in need of passing Gretzky, and if he can choose up issues the place he left off in November, the document will likely be hazard of being damaged earlier than season’s finish.
