Alex Ovechkin, the captain of the Washington Capitals, has sustained a fractured left fibula, which is set to sideline him for approximately four to six weeks. This injury halts the veteran forward’s quest to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record.
The Capitals released an update on Ovechkin’s condition on Thursday after the team’s medical staff examined him following a three-game road trip. The 39-year-old player suffered the injury during a collision with Jack McBain of the Utah team on Monday night. His teammates had an inkling that the situation was serious even before Ovechkin was officially placed on injured reserve and deemed week to week.
“Everyone’s feeling down about it,” admitted winger Tom Wilson, who has been Ovechkin’s teammate since 2013. “We were all sitting there thinking: ‘This feels strange. It’s hard to believe he’s really hurt.’ It’s quite surreal to consider that he’ll actually miss games. I’ve seen a lot over the years, but this is something new for me.”
Throughout his first 19 seasons, Ovechkin has only missed 59 games, with just 35 of those attributed to injuries. His remarkable durability, even while playing a physically demanding style, is a key factor in his pursuit of Gretzky’s seemingly unreachable career total of 894 goals.
“He doesn’t just glide around out there,” Wilson noted. “He has been doing this for 20 years, consistently playing hard, checking guys, and making plays. Ovechkin is arguably the greatest goal-scorer in the game, and his approach embodies the toughness of a power forward.”
Ovechkin has enjoyed a prolific start this season, currently leading the league with 15 goals in just 18 games. With his scoring pace, he was on track to break the record and net his 895th goal as early as February.
“When goal-scorers are on a roll, it’s always a threat,” remarked defenseman John Carlson, who also has a long-standing partnership with Ovechkin since the 2009-10 season. “There’s a sense of disappointment that everyone is feeling too. We see him at the rink each day, so we’re acutely aware of what’s at stake. No one wants to see anyone get hurt, but that’s part of it, and he was definitely playing the best hockey we’ve seen from him in years.”
