Washington Capitals Player Preview: Alex Ovechkin Will Make More History in 2021-2022

What more can be said about Alex Ovechkin? The Washington Capitals‘ captain, currently sits sixth all-time in goals with 730. Just one goal behind Marcel Dionne for fifth and only 11 goals away from Brett Hull for fourth all-time, Ovechkin is sure to make history in 2021-2022. Realistically, Ovechkin should be able to finish the year third all-time in goals, as he’s only 36 goals behind Jaromir Jagr. Ovechkin has finished a season with less than 36 goals only three times in his career, two of those times have come during a shortened season.

The seemingly-ageless Ovechkin is in-search of his second Stanley Cup title, after signing a five-year contract extension with the Capitals over the off-season he appears determined to do it in DC. Since their unforgettable run in 2018 that ended in sweet, sweet victory in Las Vegas the Capitals have struggled come playoff time. Exiting in the first round each year, Ovechkin will surely be focused on remaining healthy to lead his team deep into the playoffs this season.

Despite those early first-round exits, Ovechkin has not slowed down. Leading the league in goals in 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 with 51 and 48 goals respectively, the Great Eight will look to take home his ninth Rocket Richard trophy this season. Last season, Ovechkin added 24 goals and 18 assists in a mere 45 games. Ovechkin missed a lot of time due to an NHL-levied suspension for breaking COVID-19 protocols but he also found himself banged up towards the end of the season. 45 games is the least amount of games that Ovechkin has played in one season in his entire career. Alex Ovechkin’s durability has been unmatched throughout his career and you should expect to see Ovechkin play in 75 or more games this season for the Capitals.

Believe it or not, 2018-2019 was the last season that we had a full-slate of NHL games. In that year, Ovechkin scored a league-leading 51 goals and added 38 assists. Expect Ovechkin’s numbers to be similar to those this upcoming year. The Capitals remain a talented team built around Alex Ovechkin’s success. The 36-year-old Ovechkin will continue to benefit from this but also a full off-season to rest, a regular training camp and a normal preseason this year will put Ovechkin in a place to show why he’s not only one of the all-time great NHL players but still one of the best players in the NHL today.