Almost every conversation about the Washington Capitals has started the same way this fall: “Do you think Ovi will break the record this season?”
The franchise itself is even buying into Alex Ovechkin’s chase of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goal record of 894. The Capitals added Venture Global as the official sponsor of the captain’s “march toward history.”
The 39-year-old sits just 41 goals behind Gretzky on the leaderboard.
“Every year it gets harder to score goals,” Ovechkin admitted when training camp kicked off. “This is my 20th year.”
In theory, the “Great Eight” could easily snag another 42 goals in the 82-game campaign; he has surpassed that benchmark in 13 of his 19 NHL seasons.
Yet he isn’t a young man anymore. Ovechkin struggled at the start of last season, notching just eight goals through the team’s first 41 games. He caught fire in the spring, notching 23 goals in the final 41 games to bring his season total to a more respectable 33.
The hot streak cooled off in the playoffs, as the New York Rangers swept the Capitals in four games. Ovechkin was held without a point in the series for the first time in his playoff career.
Capitals coach Spencer Carbery and President of Hockey Operations Brian MacLellan didn’t want a repeat of the Washington’s playoff flop, so they pushed for improvement over the offseason.
Through a frenzy of free-agent signings and trades, the team added defenseman Matt Roy, goalie Logan Thompson, left winger Pierre-Luc Dubois and right winger Brandon Duhaime.
“I was sitting on the bench a couple days ago, and I felt like the new guy,” Capitals alternate captain Tom Wilson said during training camp. “Because [with] everyone else around me, I’m like, ’Who’s that? Who’s that? Who’s that out there?’ A lot of new faces.”
The widespread turnover hasn’t stopped the squad from gelling, according to Carbery.
“They’ve fit in seamlessly. Now hopefully that translates to our game when the regular season kicks off on Saturday,” the second-year coach said. “But as far as integrating with the group — practices, meetings, seeing them feel comfortable — it’s been far exceeding what I thought it would be.”
One franchise staple will miss at least the start of the Capitals’ season. Right winger T.J. Oshie is sidelined indefinitely as he recovers from a back injury.
The franchise announced that Oshie would be a candidate for the long-term injury reserve. If the 37-year-old can’t find his way back onto the ice this year, he has said he’d consider retirement.
With Oshie’s departure, only four players remain from the 2018 Stanley Cup championship squad: Ovechkin, Wilson, John Carlson and the recently signed Jakub Vrana.
Vrana, a 28-year-old forward, left D.C. in 2021, spending time with the Detroit Red Wings and the St. Louis Blues. His career tumbled at his subsequent stops, culminating in time with the Blues’ AHL affiliate last season.
Vrana arrived at Washington’s training camp on a professional tryout contract before playing his way onto the opening-day roster.
“It’s all about the team first. It’s all about everything as a group, everybody pulling the rope,” Carbery said after Tuesday’s practice. “But, I also think it’s pretty [bleeping] cool to celebrate individuals inside of a great team sport, so take a moment to recognize someone who earns an NHL contract: Jakub Vrana.”
The shoutout elicited an applause of stick taps from his teammates.
Vrana and the Capitals will open the season on home ice against the New Jersey Devils, who won their first two games against the Buffalo Sabres in an international series in London.
Seven players could make their Capitals debut on Saturday.
“This has been an ongoing process of trying to get younger and some guys reaching the end of their careers,” Carbery said.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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