Ovechkin skates on right side in practice, adds team still need to find 'right combinations'
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Superstar left winger Alex Ovechkin skated as a right winger on the Washington Capitals' top line in practice on Monday.
Asked about the potential line change, Ovechkin, 39, told The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir that he “[doesn’t] know if I’m going to play right or left or center. Maybe I’m going to play goalie tomorrow—we never know.
"But we still have options to find out combinations. It’s the beginning of the year, new faces on the team, so we have to find the right combinations, right chemistry, so that’s what we’re trying to do right now.”
Ovechkin played the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign primarily as a right winger, but has spent most of his career from the left side.
The Moscow native's signature shot is a wrister from the faceoff circle on the left-wing side of the offensive zone, and he has used that shot from that spot on the ice extensively to build up to 853 career NHL goals.
The three-time Hart Trophy winner trails only Wayne Gretzky on the all-time goals list. Gretzky finished his career with 894.
Washington opened their season with a 5-3 defeat at the hands of the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. They return to action on Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights.