Ovechkin is not close to return (update)

He is obviously on his 'week to week' status, no surprises here. I sure hope he won't be allowed by Caps to play for a couple of weeks until the injury is completely healed.

Corey Masisak, Nov. 5, 2009:

The Caps just started practice here at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. Alex Ovechkin is on the ice, but he's wearing an orange jersey. Ovechkin took some soft wrist shots before the real practice started, but he was not extending himself too much.

After the actual practice began, he was going through drils without a stick, just trying to skate around. When he actually starts skating hard, he is keeping his left arm tight to his body -- imagine if he were wearing a sling, but he isn't.

It certainly doesn't look like he's close to being able to play, but just being out there has to be a positive.

washcaps: Orange means injured. We have also used yellow and light blue for guys on the mend. Ovi partaking in teams drills, some w/ a stick some w/o.



washcaps: And now video of Ovechkin before everyone hit the ice. Wearing full gear.


washcaps: First two people on the ice this morning. Boudreau and Ovechkin, who is sporting the only orange practice jersey.

Video update from Tarik:


Update from Corey:

Alex Ovechkin said after practice today he doesn't expect to play tomorrow or Saturday against the Florida Panthers. He said his "upper-body strain" (NOTE: there is little doubt it is something in the front of his left pectoral-shoulder area at this point) is still sore, but it feels better today than it did yesterday.

Bruce Boudreau said Ovechkin probably did try to do too much at the start of the practice before shedding the stick, but just having him on the ice and going through all the skating (there was A LOT of skating for a 30-minute practice) should be a message to the other guys on the team about how bad he wants to play.

"I miss it -- it is not my thing to sit in the press box and watch the game with you guys," Ovechkin said. "It is a boring time [watching practice]. Especially when [assistant coaches Bob Woods and Dean Evason] take me and [Eric] Fehr after practice to skate -- jesus, I don't like that. I don't mind playing 30 minutes, but I don't like that."

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