Capitals HC shuts down speculations around Alex Ovechkin load management amidst chasing Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record

The Alex Ovechkin-led Washington Capitals are enjoying a 44-15-8 record and have registered 96 points through 67 games this season. Their points tally puts them second behind the Winnipeg Jets (98 points) in the NHL.

Washington sits atop the Metropolitan division standings with a 10-point lead over Carolina Hurricanes (86 points). The Capitals should comfortably win the division and Eastern Conference, which gives coach Spencer Carbery the potential to rest players down the stretch.

The Capitals bench boss was asked whether Alex Ovechkin could potentially sit games for load management, even while chasing the all-time goal-scoring record. As to be expected, he shot down the idea rather quickly. Beat reporter Sammi Silber shared the coach's comments on X (formerly Twitter).

"Can you imagine if I did that?… as long as he’s chasing the record, I doubt he’ll be sitting in section 304," Carbery said.

Ovechkin missed 16 games earlier in the year with a broken fibula, so he should have plenty of gas left in the tank to finish the regular season. Carbery did say to expect some other players to sit some games in preparation for what they hope will be a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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Alex Ovechkin needs eight more goals to surpass Wayne Greztky in the record books

With 887 goals, Alex Ovechkin is now just eight goals shy of surpassing Wayne Gretzky's 894 goals for the most in NHL history.

Ovechkin re-directed a Martin Feheravary point shot in the third period of Washington's 5-1 win in San Jose on Saturday night for number 887. He has 15 games remaining in the 2024-25 campaign to score seven goals to tie Greztky and eight to pass him. He must produce at a 0.533 goals-per-game rate to break the record this season.

The Great 8 has amassed 55 points (34 goals, 21 assists) in just 51 games. His 0.667 goals-per-game is only bettered by Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl (0.731).

Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of the NHL goals milestone continues Tuesday night when the Capitals host the Detroit Red Wings. The puck drops at 7 p.m. EST at Capital One Arena.