Fresh off signing a five-year extension, Alex Ovechkin is back in DC to rebegin his chase fora second Stanley Cup and that Gretzky guy.

The Capitals posted photos of a very excited Ovi taking the ice for the team’s informal skate on Thursday.

The captain joined stars like TJ Oshie, John Carlson, and Evgeny Kuznetsov who have already been practicing with the team.

Ovechkin will enter the 2021-22 season with 730 goals, 164 behind Wayne Gretzky to tie for the all-time lead. As soon as Ovi scores his first goal of the year, he will tie Marcel Dionne (731) for fifth place all-time.

Capitals training camp opens on September 18, starting with a nearly week-long rookie camp. On September 22, Capitals veterans report.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB