Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will be sidelined for four to six weeks after breaking his left fibula in a shin-on-shin collision with Utah’s Jack McBain on Monday. The injury halts Ovechkin’s remarkable season and his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record of 894.
Ovechkin, 39, sustained the injury during a Capitals road trip and was placed on injured reserve after being evaluated by team doctors. Known for his durability, Ovechkin has missed just 35 games due to injury in his 19-year career. His physical playing style and ability to remain on the ice have been critical to his record-breaking goal-scoring pace. This season, Ovechkin tallied 15 goals in his first 18 games, putting him on track to break Gretzky’s record by February.
Teammates expressed shock at the setback. Winger Tom Wilson, who has played alongside Ovechkin since 2013, shared, “It’s unbelievable that he’s actually hurt. He’s a power forward, the best goal-scorer ever maybe, and he plays the game really hard.”
Defenseman John Carlson also commented on Ovechkin’s impact, saying, “You never want anyone to get injured, but he was playing his best hockey in years. He was on fire, and it’s tough to see this happen.”
Ovechkin’s return timeline is uncertain, but the Capitals and fans alike will be eager to see him back on the ice as he resumes his quest for NHL history.
