Scoring goals isn’t getting any easier, according to Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin. The 39-year-old started his 20th NHL training camp on Thursday with his eyes set on Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goal-scoring record.
But this year is different for Ovechkin, who trails Gretzky by 42 goals. The three-time MVP is flanked by a slew of new teammates after the Capitals reloaded their roster during a busy offseason.
Ovechkin is one of a handful of familiar faces at this year’s training camp, alongside alternate captains John Carlson and Tom Wilson. Beyond those established leaders, the rest of the Capitals might need to wear name tags around the facility.
“I was sitting on the bench a couple days ago, and I felt like the new guy,” said Wilson, who’s entering his 12th season with the Capitals. “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.
Between June 13 and July 1, Washington added seven new players with NHL experience as the team tried to get younger and faster. Each of the new additions — including center Pierre-Luc Dubois, defender Matt Roy and left winger Andrew Mangiapane — is under 30.
Led by first-year coach Spencer Carbery, the Capitals squeaked into the playoffs last season thanks to a strong spring and the stellar defense of goaltender Charlie Lindgren. But the offense’s struggles followed them into the postseason. Washington posted just seven goals during a four-game sweep by the New York Rangers.
The roster needed new blood. They got it through an active offseason littered with trades and free-agent signings.
“We’re not just staying stagnant, expecting different results with the same thing,” center Nic Dowd said. “That’s what I was happy about. We’re trying to fix this, or we’re trying to get better here.”
Despite all the new arrivals, returning players said the training facility felt a bit quieter on Thursday. They lamented the loss of longtime right winger T.J. Oshie, who will start the season on the long-term injured reserve list.
Oshie has struggled with a recurring back injury in recent years, saying the pain was so severe that it sometimes left him “on the floor peeing in bottles.”
Before the offseason, the 37-year-old said he’d consider retirement if he couldn’t get healthy.
“[Oshie] brought a lot of intangibles,” Dowd said. “We’re going to have to step up and fill that energy void.”
Several players highlighted Oshie’s off-ice presence. He was a locker room superstar, the guy everyone wanted to be around. But for the first time since 2014, they opened camp without him.
“A huge void because of everything that he brings,” Carbery said, noting that he used Oshie’s highlights as teaching tape for other players. “T.J. Oshie is just such a detailed, hard worker. He does everything right.”
Though most people around the building expect Oshie to consider retirement, the University of North Dakota product is still on the roster and could return this season.
“He’s a true warrior; he’s like a brother to me, and I hope he’s around as much as possible,” Wilson said. “You never count Osh out. He could go and get some rehab and show up for the playoffs. Who knows?”
While Oshie’s presence will be missed off the ice, his longtime teammate will be the top story on the ice. Ovechkin has a shot to set the NHL career goals record this season. He’d need 41 goals to match Gretzky and one more to stand alone atop the leaderboard.
That’s attainable for The Great Eight.
He’s recorded at least 42 goals in 13 of his 19 NHL seasons. If he doesn’t catch Gretzky this season, he’s under contract through the 2025–26 campaign. History is within reach.
But, as Ovechkin pointed out on Thursday, he’s not getting any younger.
“Every year it gets harder to score goals,” Ovechkin said, noting that he’s not bothered by any extra attention or pressure. “This is my 20th year; you think I’m going to put the weight on my shoulders?”
Some of Ovechkin’s new teammates say they’re eager to help their childhood idol carry the weight of record expectations. Dubois, for example, grew up emulating the Capitals’ legend. He dreamed of donning a tinted visor, lacing up his skates with iconic yellow laces and perfecting his hero’s lethal shot.
Now, he’ll try to set Ovechkin up for a potential record-breaking goal.
“It’s just a surreal moment. …” the 26-year-old said. “You’re pretending to be him when you’re at the outdoor rink and all that, and 20 years later you’re playing with him.”
The Capitals open their preseason slate on Sunday against the New Jersey Devils. Ovechkin’s goal chase will continue in earnest when the regular season begins on Oct. 12.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.