Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin shows up for practise; might rejoin by end of the week
The Washington Capitals All-Star left wing said apparently that he was “ready to go” after he attended practise on Monday after a weeklong rest. It was learned that due to an undisclosed injury he took time off to rest, but now he says that it is over with.
"I was skating over there, like, to see if it bothered me on the ice," the Russian player said. "It's not bothering me."
According to Ovechkin, he could be playing as soon as Tuesday in the Capitals game against the Carolina Hurricanes. But the management thinks otherwise.
Coach Bruce Boudreau is of the view that he should still rest and fully recover from what he called a “nagging ailment”. Instead of rushing it, he expressed that Ovechkin could be returning by the end of the week if not then he could be rested until postseason
begins.
Most analysts agree with Coach Boudreau with his decision saying that the Washington Capitals are in a very strong position and in no need of over working their players. As Washington is second in the Eastern Conference and only two points behind leaders
Philadelphia, resting major players is a very good strategy at the moment.
They have won two of their three previous games, both against big teams like Philadelphia and Montreal in which Ovechkin was out. So it does not look like there will be much of a difference with him for the remaining six games.
"It's been an up-and-down season," centre Brooks Laich said, "and it's probably played out differently than most people had expected. But the important thing is you're in the right position when the playoffs come around, and I think we'll be there."
Washington is also without centre player Jason Arnott. A recently acquired player of great significance who has missed six-games due to a lower-body injury is also expected to return by the end of this week. He returned to practice alongside Ovechkin on
Monday.
On the other hand, Mike Green who is having problems of his own still is not clear about his return. After taking hits twice to the head in February alone, he still is optimistic about returning for a full practice session in the near future.
It is slowly becoming a wide practise in the NHL, where teams are starting to rest their main players before the playoffs begin. Those franchises that have secured positions in the postseason have the opportunity to let players ready themselves for the tough
road ahead. If the Washington team management is serious about its contention in the playoffs this time around, then they will have to make the decision to let Ovechkin rest until the regulation season end.
The Capitals start their three-game home stand against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday which ends on April 2, with the Buffalo Sabres.
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