Alex Ovechkin opened his 22nd Washington Capitals training camp on Thursday with a birthday song from teammates, a familiar spot at left wing and no shortage of questions circling the rink. The NHL’s career goals leader turned 41 before practice, then worked alongside Dylan Strome in the middle and Ryan Leonard on the right side during the first on-ice session in Arlington.
Ovechkin enters another season after producing 32 goals and 64 points in all 82 games last year, leading Washington in both categories. His 929 career goals have come entirely in a Capitals uniform, but the veteran said the annual return from summer is not getting easier.
He described the adjustment from vacation back into skating, gym work and the daily training routine as tougher with age. Still, he said that once the first difficult week passes, his body settles in and he feels ready to go.
Before discussing his new contract or the Capitals’ roster, Ovechkin addressed his appearance in a Russian political advertisement for President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party. Ovechkin, standing behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the video, appeared alongside Hall of Fame defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov. The commercial prompted criticism from people who saw it as support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Ovechkin said Russia remains his home and that he expects to live there after his playing career, along with his family. He also called Washington his second home, noting the friends he has made and the years he has spent growing up in the area. His message was that he wants peace and hopes matters will be resolved.
Coach Spencer Carbery said he had not watched the advertisement and did not expect it to affect the Capitals’ room. General manager Chris Patrick, who had seen it, called it a difficult matter, said he understood why people were upset and added that geopolitical issues were outside his expertise as a hockey executive.
A return built around a deeper Capitals roster
There had been uncertainty about whether Ovechkin would be back after his prior deal ran out. Washington removed that question on July 2, signing him for one year with a $1 million salary, a $3.25 million signing bonus and a $4.75 million bonus tied to appearing in 10 games.
The club’s offseason push was central to his decision. Washington added Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres after Tuch agreed to an eight-year, $84 million contract carrying a $10.5 million average annual value. Jordan Kyrou arrived in a trade with the St. Louis Blues, while Boone Jenner signed for four years and $23 million, a $5.75 million cap hit. The Capitals also brought in defenseman Vincent Desharnais on a four-year, $16.8 million deal worth $4.2 million annually.
Tuch and Kyrou each have three 30-goal seasons on their resumes, giving Washington more scoring options around its longtime captain. Ovechkin said the additions gave the team a real chance to chase the Stanley Cup. Had the organization committed fully to rebuilding, he suggested, returning would have been much more difficult. Instead, he pointed to the club’s depth, talent and leadership as reasons to keep playing.
He was not ready to declare this his final NHL season. His focus, he said with a grin, is first on making the team amid all the new skill around him and earning Carbery’s place in the lineup.
Carbery again indicated that Washington’s added forward depth could lead to a more balanced distribution of ice time. Ovechkin averaged 17:27 per game last season, the lowest mark of his NHL career, and that number could dip again. The coach said the captain’s usage will be determined from one game to the next rather than fixed in advance.
Ovechkin also arrived looking leaner after changing his summer program with trainer Pavel Burlachenko, putting more of the work into conditioning. His listed weight has remained at 238 pounds for roughly a decade, but he joked that he was on a diet when asked about birthday cake. He showed energy in the opening practice, which finished with a demanding conditioning skate.
Tom Wilson watched his captain handle it and marveled at the standard Ovechkin continues to set. Wilson said Ovechkin keeps clearing every landmark in front of him, adding that many 41-year-olds would rather be relaxing by the water than completing the final skating drill of camp practice.
Washington’s attention now turns from the first camp laps to the regular-season opener: the Capitals visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. ET.
