Capitals Offer Injury Update on Ovechkin, Star Will Miss Time

The Washington Capitals have provided an injury update on Alex Ovechkin after the star forward left the game on Monday following a knee-on-knee collision. Any time missed would be detrimental in the Capitals’ season and his chase to break Wayne Gretzky‘s all-time goals record in the NHL.

They write:

INJURY UPDATE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin sustained an injury to his lower leg during last night’s game in Utah, and is listed as week to week. Ovechkin will have further evaluation with team physicians in DC on Wednesday.

INJURY UPDATE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin sustained an injury to his lower leg during last night’s game in Utah, and is listed as week to week. Ovechkin will have further evaluation with team physicians in DC on Wednesday.

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 19, 2024

Ovechkin was off to one of the hottest starts for anyone, let alone someone chasing a major milestone at his age. With his 15 goals through 18 games, he was besting even his own historic pace from previous seasons.

He’d also become the oldest player in NHL history to lead the league in goals at this point in the season, breaking a record previously held by Frank Mahovlich in 1971.

This is not great news for the Capitals, even though it does sound like it could have been much worse. Ovechkin could miss a few games, but he could also be back in time to ensure he still gets a chance to surpass the Gretzky goal record of 894. Ovechkin is 27 goals away from the record.

That it is being called a “lower leg injury” and not a knee injury is probably a positive.

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