The Washington Capitals are in a great spot. With 15 games remaining in their schedule, the Caps (96) lead the Eastern Conference standings by 10 points over the next closest team, the Carolina Hurricanes (86).
That big cushion gives head coach Spencer Carbery options and flexibility heading into the playoffs, as the head coach can consider load management down the stretch, resting some of his team’s stars and banged-up players.
“Yeah, we’ve thought and talked about that,” Carbery said Tuesday after the Capitals’ morning skate. “I think the bigger concern for me right now is –and you always say this — is trying to get some games for Alexeyev and Dylan McIlrath and how that works. Because you want them to be playing games. They haven’t played in so long, so you would like for them to get into some game action. But someone has to come out for them to go in. So we’ll talk about that and see how that looks.
“I would be shocked if those guys aren’t playing some games down the stretch here,” he continued. “So that is a goal and an objective. Now, like I said, you’ve got to have some load management to take someone out of the lineup, and so we’ll have to plan that out. The schedule right now is okay, and it’ll get pretty hectic at the beginning of April, where we’ve got a three in four, and then we go one day, and then we play again. So that would be what, a four and six. So there’ll be some opportunity.”
Alexeyev, who recently completed a successful conditioning stint in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, hasn’t played an NHL game since November 8, 2024 — a span of four months and 10 days — while McIlrath last suited up on December 23, 2024 (two months and 23 days ago) when he received less than two minutes of ice time against the Boston Bruins as a seventh defenseman.
A more trickier subject is Alex Ovechkin, who is eight goals away from breaking the NHL goals record of 894. Carbery joked and made anxious noises when considering the possible criticism from both fans and media alike if he chose to sit the Capitals captain in any of the games toward the end of the year.
Questions are edited for brevity and clarity.
Q: Do you factor Ovechkin into that? He’s on the chase and not a guy that likes to sit.
Spencer Carbery: Could you imagine that, if I did that?
(Media laughs)
Q. Depends on where he is goals-wise.
Spencer Carbery: (Makes exasperated noises) Oh, woo hoo.
Joe Beninati: (Does announcer voice) Tonight’s healthy scratches…
Spencer Carbery: Yeah, yeah. The roster becomes a bit of an issue, too. We only have one extra forward that we’re carrying. So if O is still chasing a record, I highly doubt he’ll be sitting in section 304.
Q. Think of the season tickets you could sell for next October!
Spencer Carbery: (laughs) That’s right.
Q. Playing the long game.
Spencer Carbery: Yeah.
Q. It’d make headlines.
Spencer Carbery: Yes, it would. I’m not sure positive on my behalf.
Ovechkin, who has played in 51 of the team’s 67 games this season, has already had two significant chunks of time off this year. He missed 16 games from late November until late December after breaking his leg against the Utah Hockey Club. He then had a nearly two-week rest for the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
After scoring 26 goals in his first 39 games of the season, Ovi is scoring at the exact same pace since returning from the NHL’s temporary stop in action, notching eight goals in his last 12 games.
What would you do regarding Alex Ovechkin down the stretch? Let us know in the comments below.
