Ovechkin has goals in four of his last six games since recovering from a fractured tibia, and has scored 19 times in 24 outings this season.
Bruce Boudreau always saw greatness in “The Great 8”.
It wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when.
Ovechkin’s legendary drive combined with a one-timer slapshot from his sweet shooting spot formed a foundation for the 39-year-old Moscow native to dominate and intimidate. He is now just 23 goals shy of becoming the new career goal king.
Three years ago, Boudreau was sold on Ovechkin beating the odds to beat Gretzky’s mark. Maybe it was because Ovechkin hit the 50-goal plateau in the 2021-22 season and his zest to be at his best seldom wavered.
“He’s going to play until he does break it, I can tell you that much,” Boudreau told Postmedia at that time. “What puts him in the category with (Bobby) Orr, (Gordie) Howe and Gretzky is his will and the want to do it. He can be stopped on an individual night, but he’s as good as anybody I’ve been around.”
Fast forward and Boudreau’s belief system in Ovechkin remains intact. The Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals excel whether Ovechkin plays or not — 15-6-2 with OV and 10-5-1 without him — and a first-ranked offence includes seven players in double-digit goals.
However, Ovechkin remains the straw that stirs the drink. He has goals in four of his last six games since recovering from a Nov. 18 fractured left fibula and has scored 19 times in 24 outings this season, including his 31st career hat-trick.
It will be must-see TV on Wednesday as the Canucks attempt to corral Ovechkin on their second stop of a tough five-game road trip. Vancouver is often guilty of watching rather than reacting and have struggled to combine ability with sustainability. That’s dangerous against Ovechkin.
“He’s pretty determined, and playing like it,” Boudreau said Tuesday of the 6-foot-3, 238-pound winger. “And when he scores, you can see the happiness. The one thing that made him great is that he loves the game, and it’s back.
“In my second year at Washington, we played Pittsburgh and flew to Ottawa. He had 25 stitches on the inside of his thigh because a skate had cut him. He couldn’t skate but had four points that night. You just shake your head.
“And now, even though the Capitals are a complete team, he has them on his back. It’s not the speed of his shot, it’s how fast he can get it away and catches goalies by surprise. When that’s back, everything else follows suit.
“And if you hit him, he hits you harder.”
However, playing this long wasn’t in the cards for Ovechkin. Nine years ago, I approached the superstar after practice in Arlington, Va. with math that suggested he could surpass Gretzky with 10 solid seasons.
“Ten years? I don’t think I’m going to play 10 years,” Ovechkin chuckled. “I’m not a (Jaromir) Jagr. As long as I’m healthy and can produce and the physicality is the most important thing. You can play, but what’s the point if you can’t do anything out there?
“You just embarrass yourself and embarrass your name. You have to be done when it’s time, and, of course, that is going to be hard. But sometimes you have to do that.”
Overcoming his injury spoke of determination to keep playing. A good bet for normal recovery from a broken leg is four to six weeks. Ovechkin took the under because he’s not normal.
He suffered the broken fibula in a collision with big winger Jack McBain of the Utah Hockey Club. Ovechkin scored twice that night, but his sudden setback was like the air of optimism escaping a ballon.
But just 17 days later, Ovechkin skated on his own before practice and was aided by the injury not restricting walking or light exercises.
“I’m assuming he had a non-displaced fracture of the fibula because it’s got minimal involvement in bearing weight and he was able to return a bit earlier than we might expect when you hear broken leg,” B.C. physician Dr. Harjas Grewal said Tuesday.
“The fibula only bears about five to 10 per cent of the weight in your leg, depending on the foot and ankle position, so this (timeline) for Ovechkin would be expected.”
Of course, none of Ovechkin’s progress surprises Boudreau.
“It did not shock me at all,” he said. “Last year in the first half, he wasn’t himself. I don’t know if he wasn’t in shape or mentally worn down. This year, he’s invigorated. And when he puts his mind to something, he has a very strong will.
“It sounds silly, but you could almost see that look in his eye like he’s going to be great.”
When Ovechkin decided to remain cautious, and didn’t return to playing until Dec. 28 after missing 16 games, it was a prudent play. He can’t just dip his toes into the competitive waters. It’s always been diving into the deep end of expectation.