The regular season is in its last week. No wonder the scramble is on for as many points as possible. It will be the end of the 2024-25 campaign for 16 teams, while the other 16 progress to the playoffs. In such a crucial period, and when games are worth the whole 2 points they offer, why would the Capitals suddenly bench Alex Ovechkin against the Columbus Blue Jackets? Yes, that’s right. The Capitals have just benched their icon. A living legend. The history-maker. The highest goal scorer of the NHL ever. Do they have a good reason for it?
When Washington Post reporter Bailey Johnson first reported on Twitter that the Capitals captain wouldn’t be involved in the Columbus game, the fans must have started evaluating how it might impact the game and the future course of this season. Well, it’s always nuanced – such kinds of omissions. But rest assured, the result would in no way impact the Washington Capitals’ position in the league. They are in 1st position in the Metropolitan division with 109 points from 79 games. And they will stay there. That probably will be music to the ears of the Capital fans tonight after the drubbing they have received at the hands of the Blue Jackets.
Well, in no way will the Carolina Hurricanes, the New Jersey Devils, or any team, for that matter, get to 109. So, the top spot is guaranteed. But that’s not all. The Capitals have clinched the top spot in the Metropolitan Division — and with 109 points, they’re also poised to top the Eastern Conference, as no other team can match that tally. They have absolutely smoked the season, and their counterparts in the Atlantic Division haven’t been able to keep up. The Toronto Maple Leafs will, at max, get to 108 points if they win their remaining games. Not enough, though.
Alex Ovechkin will NOT play for the Caps today in Columbus. Just taking a game off, no concerns. Ethen Frank draws in. Jakob Chychrun remains out, but Dylan McIlrath will come out for Alex Alexeyev to draw in. Hunter Shepard starts in net
— Bailey Johnson (@BaileyAJohnson_) April 12, 2025
Having no impact on the result allows coach Spencer Carbery to rotate his players. And who better to start with than Alex Ovechkin, the guy who is the Capitals’ top scorer of the campaign with 42 goals? Well, he is also the NHL’s top scorer ever now, so we are talking about an all-time great here, if not the greatest. At 39 years old, having played 62 games, it’s a good decision to rest the left-winger, especially when bigger battles are to arrive in a week.
Even the head coach’s nonchalance about addressing Ovechkin’s omission before the game shows that it’s nothing serious and a very deliberate rest given to the player. In a similar vein, Carbery had also left Dylan Strome on the bench for the Blue Jackets clash. Strome is the highest point scorer for the Capitals, with 77 points. It’s all about keeping the legs fresh so that the players are related enough for the playoffs. Hunter Shepard made a rare start in goal, giving Charlie Lindgren a break. Meanwhile, defenseman Jakob Chychrun continues to remain unavailable due to illness.
With so many key players benched, the result was always going to be a tricky one. But after a 7-0 thrashing, is the coach regretting it?
Why is protecting Alex Ovechkin important?
There was no doubt the Capitals coach was risking an unfavorable outcome with the rotations, just like we got to see in a big way tonight. The Nationwide Arena was lit up as the home team dominated through and through. But it was important for the Capitals to take the gamble because what’s to come is very important. The Stanley Cup is the mission.
For that, they need all their big players fresh and firing on all cylinders. Come April 19, when the postseason starts, the Capitals fans would want to see Alex Ovechkin leading the charge, breaking down barriers. 895 goals and counting. His performance in the next few months will define Capital’s season. And going by his words, he also is waiting for the real big games: “This is the time of year when you have to prepare yourself for big games.”
Also, the 7-0 defeat tonight makes you wonder how important Ovechkin’s presence is on the ice for the Capitals. Well, actually, we got a glimpse of it against the Carolina Hurricanes and even against the Islanders. When the Capitals were screaming out for a hero, Alex Ovechkin answered the call: “I try to set the tone, and I think the boys follow it, so it’s good.” His intensity and intent gave his teammates the extra fuel to go earn the important shootout win against the Hurricanes.
He is their talisman. They all waited for his historic 895th goal. It didn’t matter that it came in the 4-1 defeat against the New York Islanders. He is Washington’s heartbeat. They know he bleeds for them, and if he’s at his best, the Stanley Cup isn’t just a hopeful wish; it’s a real possibility.
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