Ovechkin shifts to proper wing for Caps' 2nd recreation

ARLINGTON, Va. — Greater than a decade in the past, Alex Ovechkin received the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP throughout his first season enjoying proper wing as an alternative of his regular left. The subsequent yr, enjoying in the identical spot, he scored a league-best 51 objectives.

“I will take it proper now,” Ovechkin mentioned.

So would the Washington Capitals, who may get a spark from Ovechkin shifting to the suitable facet for his or her second recreation of the season Tuesday in opposition to Vegas. Coach Spencer Carbery downplayed the transfer as an adjustment to steadiness out the lineup, nevertheless it might have a significant impression as Ovechkin at age 39 chases Wayne Gretzky’s profession objectives document.

“I feel it is a small change,” Carbery mentioned. “I discover him on either side of the ice lots, and so left, proper, it isn’t an enormous deal to me.”

Ovechkin joked, “Possibly I’ll play goalie.” No, that can be Logan Thompson in opposition to his former workforce, the Golden Knights, who traded him in the offseason following a distinction of opinion on his function with the group.

After a 5-3 loss to New Jersey within the opener, Carbery moved Aliaksei Protas to top-line left wing — Ovechkin’s spot for the higher a part of his 20-year profession in North America — alongside center Dylan Strome.

“We simply combine it up,” Ovechkin mentioned. “We nonetheless have choices to search out out mixtures. It is the start of the yr, new faces on the workforce, so we’ve to search out the suitable mixtures, proper chemistry, so that is what we’re attempting to do proper now.”

Ovechkin performed proper wing within the lockout-shortened 2013 season after which once more in 2013-14 when Adam Oates coached the workforce. Oates thought the right-handed-shooting Ovechkin had been on the improper facet all alongside.

5 objectives in his first 16 video games was a tough begin, then Ovechkin scored 27 in his last 32 to get Washington into the playoffs.

“I’ve expertise to play there, nevertheless it was a very long time [ago],” Ovechkin mentioned. “You begin on the left or proper, it would not matter as a result of within the recreation you are coming from offensive zone to [the defensive] zone and also you keep on the suitable facet. So, play principally more often than not there — left or proper.”

The schedule labored out for Thompson to get the online in opposition to Vegas following Charlie Lindgren beginning in opposition to the Devils, with Carbery and goalie coach Scott Murray wanting to separate the primary two video games of the season.

It additionally will get a probably emotional night time out of the best way early on, after Thompson needed extra enjoying time and acquired a change of surroundings with the commerce on the draft in June.

“I feel we have been simply at two completely different factors,” Thompson mentioned. “Me being nonetheless youthful in my profession, I simply needed a special alternative.”

Thompson in coaching camp made a pointed remark in regards to the Golden Knights taking credit score for goaltending and jokingly puzzled if he might even play within the league elsewhere. The Capitals anticipate the best way issues ended for Thompson to be a supply of motivation this season.

“I’ll warning him to channel that,” Carbery mentioned. “In order for you one thing so dangerous, typically it goes the opposite method. However he is the kind of man that he is a fiery man and likes to compete, and so this can be no completely different for him.”

Washington introduced in a handful of latest gamers through the offseason, together with Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy to revamp the protection. One recreation in, Roy is already out after being injured Saturday and leaving early within the second interval.

“Positively not best to lose him within the first recreation, for the sport itself after which for the foreseeable future,” Carbery mentioned. “I do not assume it’s going to be loopy lengthy, however he will miss an honest period of time.”

Dylan McIlrath will get the primary likelihood to fill in, so the Capitals can hold their steadiness of three left and three proper pictures on the blue line. Roy’s absence may even imply extra ice time for Trevor van Riemsdyk and No. 1 defenseman John Carlson, who performed greater than anybody else within the NHL final season.

Up entrance, Jakub Vrana, who made the workforce after attending camp on a tryout, is anticipated to interchange Sonny Milano as a part of a shakeup of the highest three strains.