The Capitals got back to work on Monday after a day off.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — After breaking his leg exactly two weeks ago, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was back on the ice, skating for the first time since the injury he suffered in Utah.
Per head coach Spencer Carbery, it was a "first step," but there are still no updates to his original timeline of 4-6 weeks. Based on that original timetable though, Ovechkin could potentially return to the lineup by the end of the month or at some point in the new year.
"It was nice to see," Carbery said, adding, "This is just a step in the progression of him coming back."
In addition to Ovechkin, who remains on the injured reserve, Sonny Milano also took the ice before practice, skating on his own as he works his way back from an upper-body injury he suffered on Nov. 6 against the Nashville Predators.
Milano is on the long-term injured reserve and still has "long ways to go" before getting back in the mix, but it was a major positive to see him on the ice, Carbery said.
Washington got back to work with a full practice after a much-needed day off following a busy week of action that saw the group pick up four straight victories. There were four absent for maintenance: Dylan Strome, Brandon Duhaime, Nic Dowd and John Carlson, but it was still an upbeat skate.
Strome, Duhaime, Dowd and Carlson are all expected to play on Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks, including Strome, who needed dental work and stitches following back-to-back high sticks earlier this week.
"His modelling career's been postponed for a month," Carbery joked.