“He’s not human”; “My GOAT”: NHL fans react as Alex Ovechkin returns to skate just 2 weeks after serious injury

Just two weeks after sustaining a major injury, Alex Ovechkin is back on the ice. The Washington Capitals captain, who was on pace to break the all-time goals record this season, broke his left fibula after a collision on Nov. 18. Two weeks later, he is improbably skating once again.

It's the first step in a remarkable comeback, but only one step. Ovechkin has to continue rehabbing and work his way back through practice and into the games, but he's well ahead of the pace.

It bodes well for his goal-scoring race and has NHL fans teeming with excitement. They know Ovechkin is getting closer, which is thrilling and shocking at the same time.

"Great news. But please don’t rush back! Be healthy!" one exclaimed.

"We can’t wait for you back on the ice but we need you full strength so take it easy," another added.

"2 weeks later skating, that's crazy Ovi stuff! 2 weeks after a grade 2 ankle sprain this summer, I was calling on Deliveroo," another joked.

"How is this even possible," one wondered.

Ovechkin is on the path to recovery, which will be lengthy, yet he has made significant progress sooner than anticipated.

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Capitals coach speaks on Alex Ovechkin's return

Washington Capitals coach Spencer Carbery was pleased to see his star player back on the ice before practice. Alex Ovechkin still has a long way to go, but he'd been completely off the ice since his injury.

Alex Ovechkin is back on the ice skating lightly (Credits: IMAGN)

"To get the skates on and get out on an ice sheet, it was nice to see," Carbery said via Sportsnet. "Just the first step. No timeline updates or anything like that. It’s just a step in the progression of him coming back."

The coach said it forced the team into some creative lineups. Suddenly, a staple they've had in a spot for years wasn't there, so the team had to figure out what adjustments to make. He also said it was "really impressive" to see them getting on the same page" so quickly once Ovechkin went down.