The Washington Capitals placed superstar Alex Ovechkin on injured reserve Wednesday with a lower leg injury. The 39-year-old will miss at least three games, one of the longest absences of his career.
Ovechkin, who leads the NHL in goals this season with 15, has been one of the most durable players in the league for 20 years. He has missed only 35 games due to injury, with the longest stretch a six-game absence in 2009.
Under NHL guidelines, Ovechkin will be eligible to return from the injured reserve list in seven days, though he could miss additional time. The team on Tuesday designated him as week to week.
The three-time MVP suffered the injury during Monday’s win against the Utah Hockey Club. His knee collided with that of Jack McBain, causing Ovechkin to hobble to the locker room.
The Capitals recalled 20-year-old forward Ivan Miroshnichenko to fill Ovechkin’s spot on the active roster. The 2022 first-round pick recorded two goals and four assists with Washington last season. In 16 appearances with the AHL’s Hershey Bears this year, he scored seven times.
Washington returns to the ice on Thursday for a home game against the Colorado Avalanche.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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