Yahoo Sports Greatness Has Been Put On Pause On A Heavy Day For The Hockey World. But The Show Goes On, And This Year's Capitals Are Well-Equipped To Cope
ARLINGTON, V.A. — It's something that the Washington Capitals never really considered: seeing captain Alex Ovechkin actually go down with an injury.
As he proudly declared when he was younger, "Russian machine never breaks." That's why he's only missed 59 total games in his historic 20-year career, with just 35 of those being due to injury and the longest stretch being just six games.
But now, the Russian machine needs repairs, at the very least, and he's officially listed as week-to-week and expected to be out the longest he's ever been up to this point.
It's tough for the hockey world to take in as a pursuit of greatness comes to a halt for the time being. Ovechkin was off to one of his best starts ever — at the age of 39, nonetheless — leading the NHL with 15 goals in 18 games and moving within 27 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time record, a once impossible feat that's become imminent.
"It was emotional at first, right, to be completely honest," Tom Wilson pointed out, adding, "He's the hottest guy in the league, he's chasing something bigger than hockey. I think everyone in the hockey world just feels that bit of letdown, that emotion that you're just pulling for him and he's putting everything he has into it. He feels all that pressure. The whole world of hockey is just rooting for him."
It happened in a blur. After all, it'd been an exciting night in Utah, must-see hockey as the Capitals legend potted two goals — one in classic fashion on the power play — before a collision with Jack McBain sent him to the ice in visible pain in the third period.
The 6-foot-3, 238-pound winger, who is known for his power, durability and resilience, was left on his knees, needing help getting off before hobbling down the tunnel.
"We were sitting there saying like, 'This is weird. Like, it's unbelievable that he's actually hurt.' It's one of those things where like, he's going to miss games? It's new to me," Wilson said. "He doesn't go out there and just coast around; he's played for 20 years every shift, running over guys and skating."
Fortunately, as doctors consulted and results came back, it was determined not to be a season-ending injury. And while it's not as bad of news as one could have predicted, it's bad enough to be without a star for a currently unclear period of time.
"We're going to face the reality... he's a hell of a player and a big piece of our team," Jakub Vrana said. "He's our captain."
Despite the magnitude of the situation, though, the show goes on. The schedule doesn't stop. The sun rose on Wednesday, and alarms went off as the Capitals left their homes and made their way to the rink for practice as they usually do.
There's no denying that his absence was very much felt, heard and seen. His attitude's infectious, and he's usually the loudest guy on the ice — and the one everyone's eyes go to.
"You can't just show up and someone's going to take his role," John Carlson said matter-of-factly.
But at 10:30 a.m., head coach Spencer Carbery blew his whistle, banging his stick on the ice, pushing players to give it their all in a passionate practice after a deflating day off. There was no time for hanging heads or saying, “Woe is us.”
“We're a team and are going to move on. We want to make him proud, and we want to play for him," Wilson said. "He's been a staple here for 20 years, and doesn't change anything."
Let's be real, though. There's no replacing Alex Ovechkin. It's just not possible. But finding ways to keep the momentum going without him is.
How, though?
Well, there's no roadmap or cheat code or walkthrough guide when it comes to playing without a generational talent, one that's arguably the greatest goal scorer of all time. And for last year's Capitals, his absence would be a kiss of death.
For this year's club, it's a different story, as this Washington squad is more than equipped to cope.
Washington currently holds the best record in the Eastern Conference and leads the NHL in goals per game, all while boasting the talent needed to produce consistent numbers on a night-by-night basis.
Dylan Strome is among the league leaders in scoring with a whopping 28 points through 18 games, and Connor McMichael is also right up there when it comes to the NHL’s top goal scorers this season. The blue line is also contributing to the team’s red-hot offense, with Carlson and Jakob Chychrun leading the charge on the top pairing.
"Guys are playing well. We're playing some good hockey and we create a lot of chances. Of course it doesn't just (happen), you're going to work for them and we're doing a pretty good job of creating those chances," Vrana said. "But little things out there, playing well with our structure and working hard to get pucks back and stuff like that, as long as we're going to keep doing that, those things will come."
Off the ice, the team has a strong leadership group, rounded out by Wilson, Carlson and Nic Dowd, who know how to keep enthusiasm alive and well in the room.
"We don't need to overthink it. It sucks, it's a bit of an emotional blow to the group but you know, vibes are good this morning. We're here to work, we're here to come together," Wilson said, adding, "It's not like we're reinventing the wheel. We're going to play without our captain and one of our best players for a few games here and then he'll be back and we'll be rolling with him soon. So everyone just pick up the slack for a few days and we'll be back after it."
Washington will face its first test without its captain on Thursday at home against the Colorado Avalanche. That tilt marks the start of what figures to be a lengthy absence, one that will likely go past the next three games he's required to miss while on the injured reserve.
And, though, it's not a situation the team wants to be in, the Capitals are ready for the road ahead, and know that the only way to the other side is through.
"I don't want to say just like any time else, but there's nothing really you can do at this point besides trying to find ways to get through it," Carlson said. "He's a big presence, he's a big leader, he's a big momentum changer in games or whatever it is, so we're going to need other people to step up, and that's no secret to anybody in terms of anybody that goes down, but certainly a guy with that presence. There will be a lot of moving parts to pick up the bits and pieces that are irreplaceable."
