Alex Ovechkin could give Washington Capitals fans the best Christmas present ever. On November 21, the Capitals announced that Ovechkin, 39, would be out for 4-6 weeks with a broken fibula.
Some wondered if his age would cause his recovery to be slower, but that does not appear to be the case. Two weeks removed from the diagnosis, Ovechkin was spotted skating prior to Capitals’ practice sessions.
This duo ♾
Nicklas Backstrom joined Alex Ovechkin on the ice ahead of Capitals practice 🥹
📸: @Capitals pic.twitter.com/vByyZmGG8C
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 11, 2024
In even better news, he got some work in with fellow Capitals player Nicklas Bäckström before Wednesday’s practice. Ovechkin is three weeks into his 4-6 week recovery so fans are wondering when he will play.
Nicklas Backstrom feeding passes to Alex Ovechkin … just like old times #AllCaps pic.twitter.com/slVbLiAbVH
— Ethan Cadeaux (@Ethan_Cadeaux) December 11, 2024
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis recently shared his thoughts on this question.
What Ted Leonsis Said About Alex Ovechkin
On December 10, Leonsis said he believed the Capitals are “two or three weeks” from having Ovechkin back. He also said he did not want Ovechkin to rush.
If Leonsis is correct, Ovechkin could be back in late December. The Capitals have three games after Christmas before the end of 2024. They are on December 28 at Toronto, December 29 at Detroit, and December 31 at home against Boston.
The Capitals Are Doing Well Without Ovechkin
After losing the first two games following Alex Ovechkin’s injury, the Capitals have rebounded well. They won 6 out of their last 7 games with the only loss happening in overtime (2-1) on December 3 to the San Jose Sharks.
The Capitals remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division with a 19-6-2 record. While they have found short-term success without Ovechkin, the team is eager to have him back. In addition to being a legend and leader, he is also chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record which seemed imminent for 2024 before his injury. Alex Ovechkin is 27 goals away from becoming the NHL’s leading goal scorer. Fans want a healthy Ovechkin back as soon as possible to help continue the Capitals success and to chase that record.
