Alex Ovechkin expected to be ready for Capitals’ regular-season opener

Alex Ovechkin will sit out the final two preseason games as a precaution while recovering from a lower-body injury, but coach Spencer Carbery expects the forward to be available for the regular-season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on October 2.

As NHL reports, Ovechkin stayed off the ice for three straight days before returning briefly to practice on Wednesday, taking part in a full session on Thursday and joining Friday morning’s skate. The team nevertheless decided not to take any risks: he will miss Friday’s home preseason game against the Boston Bruins and Saturday’s preseason finale against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Carbery stressed that skipping the preseason games is not ideal, but the priority is for Ovechkin to be 100% healed for the start of the season. The 41-year-old forward, entering his 22nd NHL season, dealt with a similar issue at the start of last season’s training camp, when he missed the first four preseason games and then played in the final two before appearing in all 82 regular-season games, leading Washington with 32 goals and pushing his career total to 929.

The coaching staff prefers to extend the recovery period to ensure Ovechkin is fully healthy at the start of the campaign rather than rushing him back for preseason games; according to NHL, that is the course of action expected to be followed through the October 2 game.