Ovechkin to sit out preseason, expected ready for Capitals opener

Alex Ovechkin will not play a single preseason game this fall, but the Washington Capitals expect him on the ice when it counts.

The NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer will be held out of Washington's final two exhibition games as a precaution while he recovers from a lower-body injury. He is on track to play in the regular-season opener at the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 2.

"I expect him to be ready," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said Friday. "We would need a setback for him not to be ready for our opening game of the season in Carolina. We would need something to change. But I expect him to be ready."

Ovechkin did not skate for three straight days before returning to practice briefly Wednesday. He went through a full practice Thursday and took part in the morning skate Friday. Washington still chose to play it safe, so he will miss Friday's home exhibition against the Boston Bruins and Saturday's preseason finale at the Philadelphia Flyers.

Carbery admitted the situation is not ideal for a player about to begin his 22nd NHL season.

"I'm not going to sit here and say that it's the best scenario possible him not playing any exhibition games, but we're making sure without a doubt," Carbery said. "Even if he's 90-95, if he is not 100 percent there, what's the sense in rushing him? No disrespect, we'd like to get him into a game, but it's an exhibition game at the same time."

There is a recent precedent. Ovechkin, now 41, dealt with a lower-body injury at the start of training camp last season and missed Washington's first four preseason games before playing in the last two. He then dressed for all 82 regular-season games and led the Capitals with 32 goals, pushing his NHL record total to 929.

"So we'll give him an extra whatever the exact amount of days to get himself 100 percent healthy, which is more of a priority than him getting into a little bit of game action," Carbery said.