Will Alexander Ovechkin play in the stadium series? An update on the Washington Capitals superstar

The Washington Capitals and their star Alexander Ovechkin have been mourning the loss of Alex's father, Mikhail, who passed away on Wednesday. At 71 years old, Mikhail Ovechkin is remembered by many in the Capitals organization as a “true gentleman”, who frequently attended the team’s games and practices.

“With a smile on his face, he loved interacting with our fans and expressing his gratitude for their support of his son, of whom he was incredibly proud of,” the statement read. “Our organization’s thoughts are with the Ovechkin family at this difficult time.”

"Today I lost my father ... I thank everyone for the support but please be understanding and do not disturb my family in this difficult time for us! Thank you" - @aleksandrovechkinofficial

In the wake of the tragic news, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan announced in a statement that Alexander Ovechkin will be away from the team for the “foreseeable future” for personal reasons.

It appears that the Capitals are not expecting Alexander Ovechkin back this week, which would include the Stadium Series matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes. While his goal-scorer abilities and leadership will be missed, some things are bigger than the game. Head Coach Peter Laviolette said, "He has our full support".

"We wish we were all with him right now. I hope he knows how much he means to us and how much we're thinking of him and his family," teammate Garnet Hathaway said. "There's a lot of love in this room for him and his family. So we're really sad and sorry."

"Mikhail Ovechkin was unable to travel to see the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018 because of health reasons. This is the moment that summer when Alex brought the Cup to him at Dynamo Moscow’s training facility. As Mikhail said that day 'Huge happiness.'" - Tom Gulitti

While it appears that the Washington Capitals superstar will miss the Stadium Series in Raleigh, North Carolina, the organization plans to give him as much time as he needs to grieve and process his dad's passing.

A look at Alexander Ovechkin's quest for the all-time scoring record

The prolific Russian goal-scorer is on pace to surpass NHL icon Wayne Gretzky for the most all-time career goals in league history. While Gretzky sets several records that will never be touched, Alexander Ovechkin is closing in on the goal-scoring crown.

The former Edmonton Oilers superstar scored 894 goals during his Hall of Fame career. Ovechkin currently sits at 812 goals with no signs of slowing down. So far this season, the Washington star has scored 32 goals and 22 assists in 54 games.