The biggest name in the group is still on track.
Capitals captain and NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin will sit out Washington’s final two preseason games against Boston and Philadelphia, according to Tom Gulitti of NHL.com, but the move appears to be precautionary. Ovechkin, 41, is working back from an undisclosed lower-body injury he picked up earlier in training camp, and coach Spencer Carbery sounded optimistic on Friday.
“I expect him to be ready,” said coach Spencer Carbery on Friday, ” We would need a setback for him not to be ready for our opening game of the season in Carolina.”
Ovechkin had gone three straight days without skating after the injury, then returned for a brief practice on Wednesday before taking part fully on Thursday. He was also on the ice for the morning skate before Friday night’s game against the Bruins, which points to the Capitals treating this as a careful holdout rather than a real concern. Washington opens the season Friday, Oct. 2, in Raleigh.
There was also injury news out of Detroit on Friday, where Todd McLellan gave updates ahead of the Red Wings’ final preseason game against Columbus on Saturday, per Ansaw Khan of MLive. Dylan Larkin, who has already missed all three preseason games, is still working back from an upper-body injury and won’t be ready for the finale. Defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker is listed day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and his status for Saturday has not been confirmed.
Buffalo got a more encouraging read on Owen Zellweger. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said the defenseman “Zellweger has a great skate today and feels good.”
Ruff added that, in all likelihood, Zellweger should be ready for next week, according to WGR’s Paul Hamilton. Zellweger suffered a concussion in Buffalo’s preseason game against Columbus on Tuesday night.
The 2021 second-round pick was acquired from Anaheim in June for Anton Wahlberg and a 2026 second, and he produced 22 points in 76 games for the Ducks last season.
Pittsburgh is dealing with a forward injury of its own. Justin Brazeau is still being evaluated for a lower-body injury and did not practice Friday, according to the team.
He was hurt in Monday night’s preseason game against the Sabres. The 28-year-old bottom-six winger is coming off a career season with the Penguins, finishing with 17 goals and 34 points in 64 games.
Pittsburgh opens the regular season Sept. 30 in Philadelphia.
In Other News...
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Sabres Face A Familiar Rival That Just Got Much More Dangerous
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Tampa Bay only got more difficult to handle this offseason, bolstering a roster that was already deep and dangerous. The teams are lined up to see each other repeatedly during the 2026-27 season, and one late-season meeting stands out as the kind of game that can ripple beyond the standings, especially if the Atlantic race stays tight. For Buffalo, those nights against the Lightning may say as much about progress as any box score. [Read more 🡒]