Ovechkin (lower body) was a full participant in Thursday's practice and has a chance to play in Friday's preseason game against the Bruins, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com.
Head coach Spencer Carbury mentioned that it's not essential for Ovechkin to play in the preseason in order for him to be ready for opening night. However, the 41-year-old star's presence at practice was a clear step in the right direction if he is to suit up for opening night. He's coming off a 32-goal, 64-point campaign across 82 regular-season outings in 2025-26, and with the upcoming campaign set to potentially be his last, he'll aim to extend his all-time goal record even further in 2026-27.