Alex Ovechkin only has one goal in his last four games played and currently sits at 18 throughout the season.
It’s lower numbers than we’re used to seeing for The Great Eight, but he still seems to be in good spirits ahead of Tuesday’s match against the Edmonton Oilers, led by the dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
The Oilers started the season slowly, and so did Draisaitl and especially McDavid.
McDavid, widely considered the best player in the world, has now picked up pace and is on pace to become the fourth player in NHL history to reach 100 assists in one season.
McDavid has 103 points in 61 games, and Draisaitl has 82 recorded points so far.
McDavid and Draisaitl currently play on different lines, and there is a never-ending discussion in Edmonton about whether that’s the right thing or if it would be best to have two of the world’s best players on the same line.
But when Ovechkin was asked about preparing to face the Oilers with the two superstars on different lines, he responded hilariously by promoting two young Capitals players.
“Well, we have Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre on different lines,” he told reporters, smiling. “So, we’re good.”
Since Evgeny Kuznetsov left the Capitals and Nic Dowd got injured, McMichael and Lapierre have taken more responsibility with the Caps. Ovechkin has previously called McMichael ’McJesus,’ just like McDavid was called in Edmonton.
Ovechkin did, however, also take a more serious approach to discussing how the Caps need to respond after their 3-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets earlier this week.
”Everybody have to do their best,” Ovechkin said. “We have to play better than last game.”