Alex Ovechkin is getting closer to his return to the ice, with the Capitals’ captain finally cleared for full-contact practice on Friday. The 38-year-old superstar ditched the blue non-contact jersey he’d been wearing and jumped right into team drills.
It’s been a tough month for Caps fans, who’ve watched their team play without Ovi since he broke his left fibula on November 18.
The good news? His recovery is way ahead of schedule. Doctors initially thought he’d be out 4-6 weeks, but he was already back on skates just before Thanksgiving.
But don’t expect to see him suiting up before Christmas. Head coach Spencer Carbery confirmed Ovechkin won’t play in any of the team’s next three games during the holiday break.
The earliest we might see Ovi back in action is December 28, when the Caps visit Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs.
“We want to make sure he’s 100% ready,” Carbery said, choosing to play it safe with his star player’s return.
There’s a lot at stake here. Ovechkin’s been on an incredible chase of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record (894). Before his injury, he was leading the league with 15 goals this season, putting his career total at 868 – just 27 shy of passing The Great One.
The timing isn’t great for Washington, which has dropped its last two games. They’re hosting the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, and they’ll be shorthanded in more ways than one – center Lars Eller is also out until after Christmas, landing on injured reserve with an illness earlier this week.
But for Caps fans, just seeing their captain back in full practice is a pretty big deal. The countdown to number 68’s return is officially on.
