Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is ‘getting real close’ to returning from the fractured left fibula that has kept him out of the lineup since mid-November.
Ovechkin, who’s chasing Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goal record, was wearing a non-contact jersey again at Thursday’s Capitals practice as he ramps up his rehab, but coach Spencer Carbery raised the possibility of when he could return action to action.
Carbery told reporters that the Capitals captain wouldn’t play on Friday because he hasn’t been cleared for contact, but there’s a possibility he could play before the league takes its holiday break next week.
‘We sort of see how the next 48 hours go and see if there’s a potential of him playing one of them, LA or Boston (Sunday at home or Monday on the road),’ Carbery said.
He said it’s possible if Ovechkin is cleared for contact, does some drills ‘where there’s some resistance or contact’ on Friday and then participates in a full practice on Saturday.
‘I’m not giving a percentage or anything like that, but he’s getting real close,’ he said.
The Capitals originally said Ovechkin would be out four to six weeks, so a Sunday or Monday return would fit in the early part of that timeline.
Here’s the latest on Alex Ovechkin’s injury:
When was Alex Ovechkin injured?
Ovechkin was felled by an inadvertent leg-on-leg hit from Utah Hockey Club defenseman Jack McBain during a Nov. 18 game. He was unable to return and was diagnosed with a fractured leg three days later. He was given a timeline of four to six weeks to return.
Where does Alex Ovechkin stand in his rehab?
He had been working his way back to the lineup since Dec. 2, first doing a light skate in a track suit, then adding intensity to his on-ice work and eventually joining the team in practice for non-contact drills. He accompanied the team on its recent two-game road trip. He would have to take part in a full-contact practice before being allowed to suit up for a game.
How many games has Alex Ovechkin missed?
Ovechkin has missed 13 games and Friday’s game would be the 14th. The Capitals lost the first two games then went on a 8-0-1 run before losing their last two games to give them an 8-4-1 record without him.
How many goals does Alex Ovechin have?
He has 868 career goals, leaving him 27 goals shy of breaking Gretzky’s record of 894, which has stood since 1999.
Ovechkin had been the NHL’s hottest player at the time of his injury. He had 15 goals in 18 games and five in two games before he was hurt.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.