{"id":2899,"date":"2025-09-30T16:05:05","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T13:05:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vsaworld.com\/blog\/?p=2899"},"modified":"2025-09-30T16:05:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T13:05:06","slug":"ovechkins-comeback-in-high-gear-capitals-star-shines-in-full-contact-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vsaworld.com\/blog\/ovechkins-comeback-in-high-gear-capitals-star-shines-in-full-contact-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"Ovechkin\u2019s Comeback in High Gear: Capitals\u2019 Star Shines in Full-Contact Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the Washington Capitals gear up for the 2025-26 NHL season, all eyes are on Alex Ovechkin, the league\u2019s all-time goal-scoring king, who took a major step toward opening-night readiness on September 29, 2025. The 40-year-old forward, fresh off a lower-body injury, donned a regular jersey for the first time since training camp began, powering through a full-contact practice at Arlington\u2019s MedStar Capitals Iceplex. With the season opener against the Boston Bruins set for October 8 at Capital One Arena, Ovechkin\u2019s return to form signals a promising start for the Capitals\u2014and a continued chase for hockey immortality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Road to Recovery: A Cautious Climb Back<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ovechkin\u2019s journey back began after a setback on the first day of camp, September 18, when he left practice just minutes in due to a lower-body tweak. The Capitals, mindful of their captain\u2019s age and the grind of his 21st NHL season looming, took a measured approach. After skating solo in a non-contact jersey starting September 23 and joining teammates in a limited capacity on September 27, Monday\u2019s full-contact session marked a pivotal milestone. \u201cIt feels good,\u201d Ovechkin said post-practice, his trademark grin belying the week of missed ice time. \u201cI need more touches, more ice with the boys, because that week I missed hit me a bit. But I\u2019ll take it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Skating on the left wing alongside Anthony Beauvillier and Dylan Strome, Ovechkin looked sharp, seamlessly integrating into line rushes and anchoring the first power-play unit during the hour-long session. Coach Spencer Carbery was optimistic: \u201cHe was moving around well. No setbacks, so that\u2019s a positive step.\u201d While Ovechkin is unlikely to suit up for the preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on September 30, Carbery left the door open for the final two exhibition matches\u2014home games against the Bruins on October 2 and the Blue Jackets on October 4. \u201cWe\u2019ll see where it goes from a playing games perspective,\u201d Carbery added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Fascinating Fact:<\/strong>&nbsp;Ovechkin\u2019s 897 career goals, cemented with his record-breaking 895th against the New York Islanders on April 6, 2025, surpassed Wayne Gretzky\u2019s mark, making him the NHL\u2019s undisputed goal-scoring leader\u2014a feat achieved in 1,485 games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ovechkin Returns to FULL CONTACT Practice | Will the GREAT EIGHT Be Ready for OPENING NIGHT?\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ix7ioHOGWu0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 YouTube\/ Locked On Capitals<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Ovechkin Edge: Defying Age and Expectations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At 40, an age when most players have long hung up their skates, Ovechkin remains a force. His 2024-25 season, despite a similar minor injury at camp\u2019s start, saw him tie Buffalo\u2019s Tage Thompson for third league-wide with 44 goals in 65 games\u2014an astonishing output for a player in his late 30s. That campaign included his historic 895th goal, a milestone that sent shockwaves through the hockey world. Now, with nine days until the season opener, Carbery is confident in Ovechkin\u2019s readiness: \u201cHe\u2019s missed a significant amount of camp, but he\u2019s been training and skating, doing everything he can at 40 to be ready for opening night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ovechkin\u2019s approach to this injury mirrors his career-long pragmatism. \u201cSometimes you tweak something, pull a muscle a bit, and you have to be smart,\u201d he explained. \u201cYou feel sore in your knee or wrist, maybe need an injection or pills, but we don\u2019t want to push it now. It\u2019s training camp\u2014we have time.\u201d Instead of rushing, he\u2019s leaned on gym work and off-ice conditioning, ensuring his body is primed for the grueling 82-game season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s Next: Aiming for Opening Night<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Capitals\u2019 cautious strategy reflects their reliance on Ovechkin, not just as a scorer but as a leader. His presence on the top line and power-play unit is critical to a team aiming to rebound from a first-round playoff exit in 2025. Monday\u2019s practice showed flashes of his signature explosiveness\u2014wrist shots that echoed off the boards and a physicality that belied his recent injury. \u201cHope my body feels good,\u201d Ovechkin said, already eyeing the Bruins matchup. \u201cI\u2019ll be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the regular season just over a week away, the Capitals are banking on their captain\u2019s resilience. His history of bouncing back\u2014last season\u2019s 44 goals came after a similar camp hiccup\u2014suggests he\u2019s on track to hit the ice firing. As fans pack Capital One Arena on October 8, they\u2019ll be watching not just a player, but a legend still rewriting the record books. Will Ovechkin add to his 897 goals? In D.C., the answer\u2019s as certain as his slapshot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Source:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/news\/alex-ovechkin-on-track-to-play-in-season-opener-for-washington-capitals\">article by Tom Gulitti<\/a> on nhl.com, published September 29, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Achieve More With VSA: Boost your skills with world-class coaches for just $29\/hour. Perfect for skaters, hockey players, dancers, and athletes, VSA offers personalized training 24\/7, 365 days a year, anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the Washington Capitals gear up for the 2025-26 NHL season, all eyes are on Alex Ovechkin, the league\u2019s all-time goal-scoring king, who took a major step toward opening-night readiness on September 29, 2025. The 40-year-old forward, fresh off a lower-body injury, donned a regular jersey for the first time since training camp began, powering [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ovechkin\u2019s Comeback in High Gear: Capitals\u2019 Star Shines in Full-Contact Practice - VSA Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vsaworld.com\/blog\/ovechkins-comeback-in-high-gear-capitals-star-shines-in-full-contact-practice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ovechkin\u2019s Comeback in High Gear: Capitals\u2019 Star Shines in Full-Contact Practice - VSA Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As the Washington Capitals gear up for the 2025-26 NHL season, all eyes are on Alex Ovechkin, the league\u2019s all-time goal-scoring king, who took a major step toward opening-night readiness on September 29, 2025. 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