Journalist Tom Gulitti shared on his social media that the Washington Capitals captain was in team practice ahead of the upcoming regular-season NHL game against the Anaheim Ducks.
The matchup is set for January 17, with the puck drop scheduled for 3:00 Moscow time, as both clubs prepare to hit the ice.
This season the Russian winger has appeared in 39 games, tallying 8 goals and 19 assists. Ovechkin sits at 830 career NHL goals, beholding the record set by Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in league history with 894 goals. Despite the strong start, he has been unable to wire a goal in his last four appearances to date, a stretch fans are watching closely.
Ovechkin missed the team’s previous two games due to a lower-body injury, and Washington currently occupies 12th place in the NHL’s Eastern Conference after 41 games played, indicating a competitive squad navigating the back half of the season.
In the standings, Washington holds 12th in the Eastern Conference with four points from their latest slate of games, while Anaheim sits 14th in the Western Conference with 31 points, emphasizing the battle for positioning as the season advances. These regional metrics reflect the teams’ trajectories and the implications for playoff positioning as the schedule tightens.
A psychologist once remarked that Ovechkin has worked through an NHL scoring lull, a frame of reference often cited by analysts when evaluating veteran players approaching milestone marks along a demanding schedule. This perspective highlights the mental and physical refueling that accompanies extended campaigns at the sport’s highest level, where longevity and readiness can shape outcomes on game night.