Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has been cleared for contact for the first time during his rehab from a fractured left fibula, but he won't return to game action until after the league's Dec. 24-26 holiday break.
Ovechkin, who's chasing Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goal record, skated Friday at the Capitals' practice facility in his regular red jersey instead of the blue non-contact jersey he had been wearing in recent practices.
He already had been ruled out of Friday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes, but now he won't play Sunday against the Los Angeles Kings or Monday at the Boston Bruins.
"With the timing of everything and the next three games and what that looks like for him to get these days, plus the break, for where he's at medically, that's the best decision for him," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery told reporters.
Here's what to know about Alex Ovechkin's injury:
When will Alex Ovechkin return?
Carbery said Ovechkin won't necessarily return in the Capitals' first game after the break, but he will miss the three games before it. The team's first game after the holiday break is Dec. 28 at Toronto, followed by a game the next night at Detroit.
When was Alex Ovechkin injured?
Ovechkin was felled by an inadvertent leg-on-leg hit from Utah Hockey Club defenseman Jack McBain during a Nov. 18 game. He was unable to return and was diagnosed with a fractured leg three days later. The Capitals said he would be out four to six weeks, so a post-Christmas return would place him just past the middle of that timeline.
Where does Alex Ovechkin stand in his rehab?
He had been working his way back to the lineup since Dec. 2, first doing a light skate in a track suit, then adding intensity to his on-ice work and eventually joining the team in practice for non-contact drills. He accompanied the team on its recent two-game road trip. He skated at Thursday's practice wearing a non-contact jersey but was cleared for contact on Friday.
How many games has Alex Ovechkin missed?
Ovechkin has missed 16 games. The Capitals lost the first two games without him then went on a 8-0-1 run before losing the next two. Their record without Ovechkin is 10-5-1. They entered the break in second place in the Metropolitan Division and three points out of the league lead.
How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?
He has 868 career goals, leaving him 27 goals shy of breaking Gretzky's record of 894, which has stood since 1999.
Ovechkin had been the NHL's hottest player at the time of his injury. He had 15 goals in 18 games and five in two games before he was hurt.
If he returns in Toronto, he would have 48 games left in the regular season. If he misses getting the record this season, he has another year left on his contract.
