NHL News: Capitals HC Spencer Carbery finally confirms Alex Ovechkin's status for season opener after injury scare

The sight of Alex Ovechkin skating in a regular jersey again brought relief to Washington on Monday morning. The Capitals’ captain, who left the first practice of training camp after only a few minutes, finally rejoined the team in a full-contact session as the countdown to opening night continues — a step that head coach Spencer Carbery called a positive sign for the veteran’s readiness.

For the 40-year-old forward, this was more than just another drill. Entering his 21st NHL season, Ovechkin remains the league’s all-time leading goal scorer with 897 tallies, and his presence is still central to Washington’s hopes. After missing more than a week, he admitted the setback was noticeable but insisted his progress is steady.

“It feels good,” Ovechkin said after practice, according to NHL.com. “Obviously, I need more touches, more ice time with the boys because that week that I missed kind of hit me a little bit. But overall, I’ll take it.”

Is Ovechkin ready for opening night?

The Capitals open their season on Oct. 8 against the Boston Bruins, and head coach Carbery expressed optimism that Ovechkin will be ready despite his limited camp participation. “He’s missed a significant amount of camp, but I know he’s been training and skating and trying to do everything he possibly can at 40 years old to make sure that he’s ready for opening night,” Carbery said. “So, I would expect he’ll be ready.”

Alex Ovechkin takes part in a full-contact practice with the Capitals ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season.  (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

What’s next for his return?

Although Carbery confirmed Ovechkin is unlikely to play Tuesday’s preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, he could feature later this week in matchups against Boston or Columbus. For now, the focus remains on conditioning and avoiding setbacks before the season officially begins.

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How are the Capitals managing Ovechkin’s workload?

Washington has taken a cautious approach, allowing Ovechkin to progress from solo skating to non-contact, and finally, to full contact. The veteran acknowledged that training camp often comes with minor tweaks and soreness, but emphasized the importance of patience: “Sometimes you come to the training camp, and you feel a little sore on your knee or your wrist or something, so you have to be smart on it,” he said.