The Washington Capitals are one game away from an extended nine-day break while the NHL holds the 4 Nations Face-Off, a midseason tournament.
The Capitals’ break will allow their veterans, chiefly captain Alex Ovechkin, to rest ahead of the team’s final two months of the season. Ovechkin is just a few months removed from breaking his left leg, and Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery believes the long layoff will help.
“In my head, at 39 years old, missing that amount of time and trying to come back and get caught up in the National Hockey League, I think that’s really, really hard, and I saw a difference in his individual game,” Carbery said after Saturday’s practice. “I think he’s going to look even better coming out of the break. That’s just my own personal opinion. These last 27 games – I’m looking forward to seeing them.”
Last season, Ovechkin and his family went to Dubai during the All-Star break and the Capitals’ bye week. Despite the camel-riding trip spurring on a torrid second half, Ovechkin’s agent, Gleb Chistyakov, told Odds.ru’s Sergey Fuks that the big Russian has no plans for a repeat appearance in the Middle East or anywhere outside of North America.
“He will definitely not return to Russia during this period,” Chistakov told Fuks as translated by Google Translate. “He will train in America and stay in shape.”
Chistyakov’s comments, of course, do not rule out a Florida beach vacation for the veteran winger. The Ovechkin family bought an apartment in Miami several years ago and regularly visit the Sunshine State.
Ovechkin has 40 points (26g, 14a) through 38 games this season and is just 16 goals shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. Saturday, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery stated his belief that Ovechkin’s best hockey this season is still ahead of him due to the upcoming recuperation period.
In the second half last year, Ovechkin notched 23 goals in 36 games. He won’t have as many games in the back half this year, but an identical goal-scoring pace (0.64) would be enough for Ovechkin to surpass Gretzky, as it would see him score 17 more goals in Washington’s remaining 27 games.
