Alex Ovechkin is officially back in DC.
The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir is reporting that the Caps captain has landed stateside and is at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Wednesday. His status for practice is to yet to be determined.
Ovechkin has been away from the team since Tuesday, following the hospitalization and death of his father, Mikhail, at the age of 71.
This news comes after ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported on Tuesday that Ovechkin will likely be back in the Capitals lineup beginning with either Thursday’s game versus the Anaheim Ducks or Saturday’s game versus the New York Rangers.
Without Ovechkin in the lineup, the Capitals have lost four consecutive games in regulation, including their outdoor Stadium Series game against the Carolina Hurricanes. They have just four regulation wins in their last 20 games.
Ovechkin has recorded 54 points (32g, 22a) in 54 games for the Caps this season. He leads all other Caps goal-scorers by at least 19. The last time the Caps scored more than four goals in a game was on January 5. They’ve scored two goals or less in 12 of their last 20 games.
Update (11:45 am): The Washington Post’s Roman Stubbs reports that The Great Eight was the first player on the ice before Wednesday’s practice.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
