Alex Ovechkin returned to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, rejoining the team a week after taking a leave of absence related to his father’s death.
Ovechkin was dressed in his practice uniform roughly 30 minutes before Washington was scheduled to take the ice. The Capitals, losers of five straight, went 0-4 in his absence and have since tumbled out of the playoffs.
Coach Peter Laviolette said earlier in the morning that Ovechkin’s return was likely, though added he was unclear if the Russian would play in Thursday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.
“We’ll assess where he’s at,” Laviolette said in a radio interview on 106.7 The Fan. “He’s been off for a little bit and (we’ll) make a plan for him.”
Ovechkin is Washington’s leading scorer with 32 goals this season.
