The Washington Capitals are coming off a Metropolitan Division title that ended in playoff disappointment. They lost in the second round to the Carolina Hurricanes after a historic end to the regular season. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is back for likely his last NHL season after breaking the goals record, but he suffered a lower-body injury on Day 1 of training camp. But Spencer Carbery says his absence was precautionary.
“Ovechkin’s injury is ‘nothing significant,' per Carbery. Said that him not skating was precautionary. No big concern. Lower-body, day-to-day,” Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reported.
Silber went on to report that Ovechkin did not hit the ice during Friday's practice, which was the second day of training camp. The Capitals have over two weeks until the regular-season opener, so the concern is low with training camp just underway.
Ovechkin's contract expires after the 2025-26 season, which has led to a lot of speculation that his NHL career will end this year. With Wayne Gretzky's goal record broken, he has made his mark on the league and the franchise. With a playoff-caliber core around him, he does have a chance to go out on top.
Ovechkin missed 17 games last season due to a broken leg, but still tallied 44 goals, his highest total since 2021-22. While the injuries are piling up for a player at the end of his run, he can still fill up the net, unlike many others. He will be key to the Capitals' success this season, and an injury could get the season off on the wrong foot.
The Capitals took a massive leap forward last season, jumping from the last team in the East playoffs to division champs. Can they recreate their 2024-25 magic with high expectations this season?
The Capitals open the season at home on October 8 against the Boston Bruins.
