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Capitals' Alex Ovechkin Returns to Lineup

After nearly a month and a half away, Alex Ovechkin is set to return for the Washington Capitals.

Jacob Punturi

Nov 6, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck as Nashville Predators left wing Zachary L'Heureux (68) chases in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Nov 6, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck as Nashville Predators left wing Zachary L'Heureux (68) chases in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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A collective cheer was heard in Washington D.C, as the Washington Capitals announced the return of captain Alexander Ovechkin. The Great 8 has been out of the lineup for a month and a half due to a fractured fibula, but just 40 days after the injury he is set to rejoin his teammates against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Capitals have been eagerly anticipating Ovechkin's return over the last week and a half. When he took line rushes with Dylan Strome and Aleksei Protas in practice recently, the heat was turned up on Ovi's return date. Head coach Spencer Carbery pumped the brakes and ruled him out for the team's first post-holiday game, but he's cleared and set to resume skating on the Caps' top line.

The Capitals get their best goal scorer back, and he should only add to one of the best teams in the NHL this year. Over the month and a half without Ovi in the lineup, the Caps thrived. They currently sit three points out of the division lead with a 23-9-2 record. Now with the greatest goal scorer in NHL history back in the fold, the rest of the of Eastern Conference and NHL have been put on notice.

For Ovechkin, it gives him ample runway to continue chasing Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record. He sits just 26 goals shy of tying Gretzky and 27 away from setting a new NHL record. The Caps have 48 games remaining in the regular season, and with the pace Ovi set to start the season (15 goals in 18 games) he should be knocking on the door of Gretzky's record by season's end. It will be an extremely exciting race as Ovi catches and passes Gretzky while the Capitals attempt to claim the Metropolitan Division.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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