Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is dealing with a lower-body injury that has kept him off the ice at the team’s training camp ahead of his 22nd NHL season.
The Capitals announced Monday that Ovechkin is day-to-day after he missed the morning skate at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. The 41-year-old also left Sunday’s practice with the injury after beginning camp healthy.
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery declined to set a preseason return date for Ovechkin, with Washington still having two games left before the season opener.
“Right now, we’ll see how it goes this week,” Carbery said. “We’ll be off tomorrow, and then we’ll come back and have two practice days. I’ll be able to give you a more accurate update on when we see him playing and how many games.”
Asked whether Ovechkin would appear in either of Washington’s remaining preseason games, Carbery again left his availability unresolved.
“I’m not going to commit to anything,” Carbery said. “I’ll know better once we come back off the off day.”
Washington will face the Boston Bruins on Friday and the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. The first regular-season game in the Capitals’ schedule is set for Oct. 2, six days later.
Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Ovechkin signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract with Washington during the offseason and is heading into his 22nd NHL campaign with a real possibility that the upcoming season could be his last.
For now, Washington has labeled Ovechkin as day-to-day, with Carbery refusing to provide a timetable or commit to him playing during the preseason.
The Capitals are off Tuesday before returning for two practice days, when Carbery expects to have a clearer picture of Ovechkin’s availability for Friday’s game against the Bruins.
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