The Capitals captain has just two goals through the first 10 games of the season.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin isn't hiding from the fact that his start to the season hasn't gone according to plan.
Ovechkin, who is in the throes of his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time scoring record, has struck only twice this season, with neither of those goals (a power-play tap-in and long-range empty-netter) coming at even strength. He was also held without a shot in back-to-back games for the first time in his career, and his shooting percentage is just 4.7 percent this season as several attempts have been blocked or shanked wide.
The rest of the team isn't immune to the lack of offense, either, as the Capitals are failing to get things going offensively, averaging just 1.90 goals per game so far, the second-least in the league behind only the San Jose Sharks (1.09).
"We're kind of struggling a little bit, but if you look at all the games, I think we have plenty of chances. We just couldn't score goals; it's as simple as that," Ovechkin said.
Regarding his own personal woes, Ovechkin has been in this spot before. In 2012-13, the 38-year-old had just two goals through 10 games but went on to lead the league with 32 that season. In 2008-09, he was in the same spot and finished the year with 56 goals.
He knows that with time, the goals will come. In the meantime though, he admitted that there are things he can do better to make more of his opportunities, including moving around more and taking additional steps to get in prime scoring positions with his team missing out on several tape-to-tape passes and failing to Ovechkin in his wheelhouse to start the season.
"I'm having chances, but sometimes, you just have to look at yourself and think what you should do differently," Ovechkin said. "Sometimes, you're kind of like, don't wait, the puck goes there, but the puck's over there. And you're kind of like, 'Shit, better if I take one more step or kind of be more into that.' But I think it's just a period of time when, sometimes, it's just not on your side, not in your way.
"I think if you ask everybody in the locker room, the points-wise, player-by-player, I don't think someone is happy right now," he added. "How I said, lots of chances; we just didn't finish."
Head coach Spencer Carbery said the same thing of Ovechkin on Monday, explaining that there are areas of his game that he can improve if he wants the goals to start dropping.
"[He hasn't] forgotten how to score," Carbery explained matter-of-factly, adding, "I think there's a few things he could do away from the puck a little bit better to help himself offensively. We've talked about those things and he's getting into good spots."
Ovechkin also explained that he and his teammates are still adjusting to Carbery's systems and new power play coach Kirk Muller and that there's a learning curve that comes with it that could also be playing into the slower start.
"We're working on it... new head coach, new power play coach, so we just need time to figure it out, what we have to do."
While the situation is not ideal, Ovechkin isn't letting himself get frustrated. Instead, he's sticking with it and staying active offensively and has also started to lean into more passing and playmaking. His six assists this season have him on a pace of .8 points per game.
"If you have that kind of slump when you can't score, you just have to work and find a way to create chances for yourself, for your teammates, and find a way to put the puck in," Ovechkin said simply.
Washington faces the Florida Panthers at home on Wednesday before heading on a two-game road swing. There, Ovechkin plans to continue piling on the pressure, and he's confident the results will come with more time.
It's the same process that has led his team to start to figure it out, as the Capitals have won four of their last five games.
"It's a different pace, a different atmosphere, but right now, I think we're getting closer to how we want to be," Ovechkin said, adding, "We just have to keep fighting, keep battling, keep finding a way for opportunities to put the puck in."