Alex Ovechkin skated again before Washington Capitals practice, but this time, he had a special guest helping him.
Ovechkin’s all-time favorite center, Nicklas Backstrom, donned a helmet and a tracksuit and jumped on the ice for another assist. Ovechkin, still wearing a light blue, no-contact jersey, got in his regular skating work but also had Backstrom feed him one-timers from his office.
Ovi eagerly requested a passer; undoubtedly, Backy was his top choice! pic.twitter.com/91A45QATXM
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 11, 2024
The two legendary Capitals shared a hug once they were done.
Backstrom, Washington’s all-time leader in assists, is on long-term injured reserve and in the final year of his contract with the Capitals. He has not played in a game since October 29, 2023, officially stepping away from the team days later due to lingering issues with his hip.
The 37-year-old Swede has been seen around the team a few times this year, participating in the 50th Anniversary celebrations and watching practice from the sidelines. He also provided advice to Dylan Strome on how to best serve as Ovechkin’s primary playmaker.
Of Ovechkin’s 868 career goals, no player has assisted on more than Backstrom, who can claim he has done so 279 times.
Backstrom’s presence saw Ovechkin incorporate pucks into his recovery process for seemingly the first time. Despite that, recent comments from team owner Ted Leonsis indicate that Ovechkin is still two or three weeks away from returning.
If Leonsis’s timeline is accurate, Ovechkin could return on either side of the Christmas holiday. The earliest game during that stretch would be December 23’s matchup with the Boston Bruins. After that, Washington has three games left in December against the Toronto Maple Leafs (Dec. 28), Detroit Red Wings (Dec. 29), and Bruins (Dec. 31).
The Capitals can afford not to rush Ovechkin back as they’ve kept winning games since he departed the lineup with his fractured left fibula. Washington is 6-2-1 in the nine outings they’ve been without their captain. Despite being idle for four days, the Capitals enter Wednesday still as the top team in the NHL’s Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division.
With more assists from Backstrom, though, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Ovechkin fueled to get back sooner than expected.