Alex Ovechkin, the standout player for the Washington Capitals, will be sidelined for four to six weeks due to a fractured left fibula sustained during Monday’s match, as confirmed by the team on Thursday.

This injury is a significant setback for the Capitals, temporarily halting Ovechkin’s chase of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record of 894.

The 39-year-old player had netted two goals against the Utah Hockey Club on Monday, bringing his total to 15 goals, making him the league leader. Unfortunately, he suffered the injury during a collision with Jack McBain in the third period and was unable to continue playing. Initially assessed on a week-to-week basis, the team’s doctors in Washington later confirmed the more severe diagnosis.

Here’s what Ovechkin’s injury means for the Capitals and his quest to surpass Gretzky:

Implications of Ovechkin’s Injury for the Capitals

This loss is substantial, as Ovechkin serves as the team captain, their top goal scorer, and ranks second in points. He leads in shots taken and is among the top for hits. While he has registered only four power-play goals this season, his ability to shoot from the left faceoff circle creates chances for his teammates during power plays.

However, this could be a fortuitous time for the Capitals to manage Ovechkin’s absence. They made several strategic offseason acquisitions, adding offensive talents like Andrew Mangiapane and Pierre-Luc Dubois, along with defensive players Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy. New goaltender Logan Thompson has an impressive record of 8-0-1.

Players such as Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael, and Aliaksei Protas have begun the season with great performances. Tom Wilson, seen as a future captain, is contributing both leadership and scoring. Mangiapane will step into Ovechkin’s role on the top line alongside Strome and Protas in Thursday’s match.

Following Ovechkin’s injury, the Capitals have called up left winger Ivan Miroshnichenko. Although still developing, he is known for his physical style of play and strong shooting ability.

Ovechkin’s Position in the Race for Wayne Gretzky’s Record

Ovechkin has accumulated 868 career goals and requires 27 more to surpass Gretzky’s 894. Based on the Capitals’ timeline, he is expected to miss approximately 13 to 19 games, after which he would have between 45 to 51 games remaining in the regular season.

Before his injury, Ovechkin was on track for a stunning 68-goal season, averaging 0.83 goals per game. While that rate might not have been feasible for the entire season, should he manage to score just over once every other game post-recovery, he may still have a chance to eclipse Gretzky’s record by the season’s end.

If not, Ovechkin is still under contract for the next season.