Capitals Reveal Alex Ovechkin Injury Details, Return Timeline

The Washington Capitals revealed the injury details and return timeline for Alex Ovechkin.

Nov 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) controls the puck ahead of Colorado Avalanche right wing Valeri Nichushkin (13) in the third period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Washington Capitals are one of the best surprises of the NHL season. Led by the incomparable Alex Ovechkin and his pursuit of the all-time goal scoring record, the Caps are fighting for the top spot in Metropolitan Division.

A recent injury to Ovechkin could be what disrupts the Capitals' hot start to the year. After being removed from a two-goal game due to a lower-body injury, initial reports were that the injury wasn't too severe. Several days and a few more evaluations later, and the team was able to reveal the exact nature of his injury and the timeline for his return.

"Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin underwent further evaluation with team doctors," the team wrote. "It was confirmed that Ovechkin has a fracture to his left fibula and is anticipated to miss 4-6 weeks."

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin underwent further evaluation with team doctors. It was confirmed that Ovechkin has a fracture to his left fibula and is anticipated to miss 4-6 weeks.

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 21, 2024

The update is a huge blow for the Capitals and their start, but it also could put Ovi's historic pursuit in jeopardy this season. Washington's captain has 15 goals in 18 games and 868 career tallies, putting him just 26 goals short of Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL record.

Without their best player, the Capitals will need to rely on their depth at the forward position to carry them offensively. Luckily for them, they've had several players emerge in new ways this season. Connor McMichael comes to mind immediately. The 23-year-old winger is red-hot to start the year, and the Caps will need even more from him without Ovi in the lineup.

The same can be said for players like Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Aleksei Protas. All three will need to step up their game even more if the Capitals want to stay at the top of their division.

At age 39, Ovechkin's days in the NHL are winding down. With him so close to Gretzky's record, seeing him go down with an injury is the last thing you want to see. Hopefully for his and his team's sake, he can recover and return to the lineup quickly.

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