Ovechkin returns, sort of

The Caps just started practice here at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. Alex Ovechkin is on the ice, but he's wearing an orange jersey. Ovechkin took some soft wrist shots before the real practice started, but he was not extending himself too much.

After the actual practice began, he was going through drils without a stick, just trying to skate around. When he actually starts skating hard, he is keeping his left arm tight to his body -- imagine if he were wearing a sling, but he isn't.

It certainly doesn't look like he's close to being able to play, but just being out there has to be a positive.

Bruce Boudreau started the practice with sprints, which is something I haven't seen him do before. Here's what the lines look like:

Fleischmann-Backstrom-Knuble

Laich-Morrison-Semin

Laing-Steckel-Bradley

Fehr-Perreault-Clark

These are the lines Boudreau had at practice two days ago, but then he swtiched Backstrom and Morrison for the game last night.

More in a bit after practice.