TORONTO — Alex Ovechkin will resume his chase of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL objective file when the Washington Capitals go to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Area on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNE, SNO, SNP, NHLN, MNMT2).
Ovechkin might be taking part in his first sport since he fractured his left fibula in a collision with Utah Hockey Membership ahead Jack McBain throughout a 6-2 win on Nov. 18.
“I simply need to come again and play hockey,” Ovechkin stated after the morning skate Saturday. “It was a tough month, work out, watch the video games and also you all the time need to assist your teammates to win and now it is my time. Spending a number of time within the fitness center, bikes. All of the workers have achieved an amazing job serving to me recuperate… It was onerous however due to my household for the assist.”
The 39-year-old ahead and Capitals captain participated in his first full observe on Friday since he was injured.
Washington (23-9-2) was 10-5-1 in 16 video games with out Ovechkin.
“The boys did an amazing job with out me,” Ovechkin stated. “I do not know, they’re taking part in nicely proper now so I do not know what sort of sport I will characterize proper now. Apply is one factor, however within the video games it is a completely different velocity, a distinct depth so that you simply must be good and play the suitable manner.”
Ovechkin led the NHL with 15 targets in 18 video games earlier than he ws injured, growing his profession complete to 868 to maneuver inside 27 targets from breaking Gretzky’s League file of 894.
“It’s unbelievable that magnitude of what’s occurring us and then you definitely simply see him rolling in himself and having enjoyable identical to a child going out for recess,” Capitals defenseman John Carlson stated Friday. “It’s a enjoyable feeling. It’s enjoyable for me. I’m positive the younger guys who haven’t been within the NHL too lengthy, their heads are spinning when he’s within the room and it’s nice. It’s nice to have round. It’s an amazing achievement he’s chasing, and he’s received his largest followers subsequent to him.
“You may’t change him. You may’t change his character, you possibly can’t change his presence, all that stuff. His on-ice skills, his scoring, there’s nobody like him. I’ve performed with loads of guys. There’s not one individual like him.”
Washington introduced Nov. 20 that Ovechkin was anticipated to overlook 4-6 weeks, and he resumed skating calmly Dec. 2. Ovechkin rejoined the Capitals in a noncontact jersey for his or her morning skate previous to a 4-2 win in opposition to the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 14 and was cleared for contact for his or her morning skate previous to a 3-1 victory in opposition to the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 20.
With no full practices scheduled between then and the NHL’s three-day vacation break that started Tuesday, Washington determined to attend so he might observe Friday earlier than figuring out that he would play in opposition to the Maple Leafs.
Ovechkin skated Friday on the highest line with Aliaksei Protas and Dylan Strome and labored with the primary power-play unit, the place he’s anticipated to play Saturday.
“The apparent one is the objective scoring however I even simply assume the specter of him be capable to rating, I feel it lifts up our whole group,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery stated. “Him being within the lineup, his presence, his infectious character, demeanor and him being on the ice whether or not it is energy play, a face-off, 5-on-5, at any second, all people within the constructing together with our 19 different gamers consider that he can rating so I feel that lifts our whole group up and simply him being again within the lineup goes to be a welcomed addition.”
This was the longest absence of Ovechkin’s 20-season NHL profession. His longest earlier layoff was six video games due to an upper-body harm from Nov. 4-14, 2009.
“He is an enormous piece of our group,” Washington defenseman Rasmus Sandin stated. “Not simply on the ice however off the ice as nicely. He is our captain and our chief so it means quite a bit to have him again. He is been an amazing presence across the room even when he hasn’t been within the lineup the previous few weeks. He is nonetheless been spreading good power and cheering guys on.”
Although the Capitals lead the Jap Convention with a .706 factors proportion, their offensive manufacturing has slowed with out Ovechkin. Washington led the NHL in scoring with 4.33 targets per sport and was first within the League with 59 targets 5-on-5 in 18 video games earlier than Ovechkin was injured. In 16 video games with out Ovechkin, the Capitals are tied with the Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights for 18th within the NHL in averaging 2.94 targets per sport and scored a League-low 25 targets 5-on-5.
“I felt like when he first went out, there was slightly little bit of a dip from our group after which we have been capable of recuperate fairly rapidly and get on little run,” Carbery stated. “It felt just like the slack was being picked up by not only a couple gamers, it was a bunch effort… I feel it was a shared duty however you may really feel it and know you might be simply form of ready for the day and the sport when he’ll come again within the lineup. He is our captain, he is the best objective scorer of all time so for him to return again into our lineup, will probably be increase.”
Ovechkin has 44 targets in 60 profession video games in opposition to Toronto, together with 24 in 29 video games at Scotiabank Area.
“Watching him from afar whether or not I am teaching or simply watching, he actually loves the sport and loves to attain targets and he can rating targets in loads of other ways,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube stated of Ovechkin. “You could possibly be proper on him and he will get his stick on that puck, it might go in. He is clearly among the finest targets scorers of all time, everyone knows that. We will must be on him, be tight to him. You may be this far-off and he can shoot it within the web.”
NHL.com senior author Tom Gulitti contributed to this report
