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The Washington Capitals are back on NBC Sports Washington for the 2022-23 season.

Don’t miss the Caps’ quest for a second Stanley Cup championship and ‘s historic chase of Wayne Gretzky. Head coach Peter Laviolette is in his third season at the helm with high expectations where he finally has a bonafide No. 1 goalie in reigning Stanley Cup champion Darcy Kuemper. Can Washington get over the hump for a second time?

All season long you can catch games, pregame and postgame coverage with the top insight from those who know the team best. Play-by-play Joe Beninati and color commentator Craig Laughlin are in the booth for their 26th year together of calling Capitals hockey.

NBC Sports Washington will also surround all games with live gameday programs Capitals Pregame Live and Capitals Postgame Live. Capitals Pregame Live will be broadcast 30 minutes prior to the scheduled game start. Alexa Landestoy will host a talented and accomplished crew of analysts and insiders, including Alan May, Al Koken and Brent Johnson.

NEXT CAPITALS GAME ON NBCSW

What: Washington Capitals vs. New Jersey Devils

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

When: Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. ET

TV Channel: Capitals vs. Devils will be broadcast on NBC Sports Washington. .

Live Stream: You can live stream Capitals vs. Devils on NBC Sports Washington’s  and on .

LATEST CAPITALS HEADLINES

CAPITALS GAMEDAY COVERAGE SCHEDULE

Capitals Pregame Live: 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start

Capitals Game

Capitals Postgame Live: 30 minutes to an hour following the final horn

FULL CAPITALS SCHEDULE:

Preseason

Sun. Sept 25: (OT)

Wed. Sept 28:

Fri. Sept 30:

Sat. Oct 1:

Wed. Oct 5:

Sat. Oct 8:

Regular Season

Wed. Oct 12:  (0-1-0)

Thu. Oct 13:  (0-2-0)

Sat. Oct 15:  (1-2-0)

Mon. Oct 17: (2-2-0)

Thu. Oct 20: (2-3-0)

Sat. Oct 22: (3-3-0)

Mon. Oct 24:  (4-3-0)

Thu. Oct 27: (4-4-0)

Sat. Oct 29: (5-4-0)

Mon. Oct 31:  (5-4-1)

Tue. Nov 1: (5-4-2)

Thu. Nov 3: (5-5-2)

Sat. Nov 5:  (5-6-2)

Mon. Nov 7: (6-6-2)

Wed. Nov 9:  (6-7-2)

Fri. Nov 11: (7-7-2)

Sun. Nov 13: (7-8-2)

Tue. Nov 15: (7-9-2)

Thu. Nov 17:  (7-9-3)

Sat. Nov 19: (7-10-3)

Wed. Nov 23: (8-10-3)

Fri. Nov 25: (9-10-3)

Sat. Nov 26: (9-11-3)

Tue. Nov 29: (10-11-3)

Thu. Dec 1:  (10-11-4)

Sat. Dec 3: (10-12-4)

Mon. Dec 5: (11-12-4)

Wed. Dec 7:

Fri. Dec 9: (13-12-4)

Sun. Dec 11: (14-12-4)

Tue. Dec 13: (15-12-4)

Thu. Dec 15: (15-13-4)

Sat. Dec 17: (16-13-4)

Mon. Dec 19:  (17-13-4)

Thu. Dec 22: (18-13-4)

Fri. Dec 23: (19-13-4)

Tue. Dec 27: (20-13-4)

Thu. Dec 29: (20-13-5)

Sat. Dec 31: (21-13-5)

Tue. Jan 3: (21-13-6)

Thu. Jan 5: (22-13-6)

Fri. Jan 6: (22-14-6)

Sun. Jan 8: (23-14-6)

Wed. Jan 11: (23-15-6)

Sat. Jan 14: (23-16-6)

Mon. Jan 16: (24-16-6)

Tue. Jan 17:  (24-17-6)

Thu. Jan 19:  (25-17-6)

Sat. Jan 21: (25-18-6)

Tue. Jan 24: (25-19-6)

Thu. Jan 26: (26-19-6)

Sun. Jan 29: (26-20-6)

Tue. Jan 31: (27-20-6)

Sat. Feb 11: (28-20-6)

Sun. Feb 12: (28-21-6)

Tue. Feb 14: (28-22-6)

Thu. Feb 16: (28-23-6)

Sat. Feb 18:  (28-24-6)

Tue. Feb 21: (28-25-6)

Thu. Feb 23: (28-26-6)

Sat. Feb 25: (29-26-6)

Sun. Feb 26: (29-27-6)

Wed. Mar 1: (30-27-6)

Sat. Mar 4: (31-27-6)

Mon. Mar 6: (31-28-6)

Thu. Mar 9: (31-28-7)

Sat. Mar 11: (32-28-7)

Tue. Mar 14: (32-29-7)

Wed. Mar 15:  (33-29-7)

Fri. Mar 17:  (33-30-7)

Sun. Mar 19:  (33-31-7)

Tue. Mar 21: (33-31-8)

Thu. Mar 23: (34-31-8)

Sat. Mar 25:  (34-32-8)

Wed. Mar 29: (34-32-9)

Thu. Mar 30: (34-33-9)

Sun. Apr 2: (34-34-9)

Thu. Apr 6: (34-35-9)

Sat. Apr 8: (34-36-9)

Mon. Apr 10: (35-36-9)

Tue. Apr 11: (35-37-9)

Thu. Apr 13: (35-38-10)

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Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is on a pace to be the greatest scorer in NHL history. What was once identified as a mere possibility for the talented Russian to break one of the most iconic records in all of sports, is now inching closer to a question of when not if.

Follow along as Ovechkin continues past his “Gr800 chase” and Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe to pass The Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky. 

Early in the 2022-23 season, “The Great 8” scored his 800th career goal against the Chicago Blackhawks. He did it with the typical Ovechkin pizzazz, recording a hattrick to move from No. 797 to a clean 800 goals. He became just the third player in NHL history to reach that feat. 

Less than two weeks later, he tied Howe and passed Howe with two goals against the Montreal Canadiens. Now all that is left above him on the ladder is Gretzky at 894.

Ovechkin is the active leader in NHL goals, the next closest is long-time rival Sidney Crosby who is No. 29 all-time with 550 goals. 

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have in his career?

822

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have this season?

42

How many goals is Alex Ovechkin behind Wayne Gretzky?

72

NHL All-time goals list:

1. Wayne Gretzky – 894
2. Alex Ovechkin – 822
3. Gordie Howe – 801
4. Jaromir Jagr – 766
5. Brett Hull – 741
6. Marcel Dionne – 731
7. Phil Esposito – 717
8. Mike Gartner – 708
9. Mark Messier – 694
10. Steve Yzerman – 692

Alex Ovechkin goal tracker:

No. 822 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (March 25, 2023)

No. 821 vs. Chicago Blackhawks (Mar. 23, 2023)

No. 820 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (Mar. 21, 2023)

No. 819 vs. Minnesota Wild (Mar. 19, 2023)

No. 818 vs. Minnesota Wild (Mar. 19, 2023)

No. 817 vs. Buffalo Sabres (Mar. 15, 2023)

No. 816 vs. Los Angeles Kings (Mar. 6, 2023)

No. 815 vs. San Jose Sharks (Mar. 4, 2023)

No. 814 vs. San Jose Sharks (Mar. 4, 2023)

No. 813 vs. Buffalo Sabres (Feb. 26, 2023)

No. 812 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Jan. 26, 2023)

No. 811 vs. Colorado Avalanche (Jan. 24, 2023)

No. 810 vs. Philadelphia Flyers (Jan. 14, 2023)

No. 809 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (Jan. 5, 2023)

No. 808 vs. Buffalo Sabres (Jan. 3, 2023)

No. 807 vs. Buffalo Sabres (Jan. 3, 2023)

No. 806 vs. Montreal Canadiens (Dec. 31, 2022)

PASSES GORDIE HOWE FOR No. 2 ALL-TIME

No. 802 vs. Winnipeg Jets (Dec. 23, 2022)

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WASHINGTON — Kyle Kuzma sat across from Wizards president Tommy Sheppard on Saturday in Sheppard’s office at the team’s practice facility in Southeast D.C., as the two conducted Kuzma’s exit interview to put a cap on his 2022-23 season. The conversation, which lasted about a half-hour, will likely be one of many in the coming months between the Wizards and Kuzma’s camp as they aim to re-sign the 27-year-old to a new contract and keep him in Washington.

Kuzma, though, will surely have plenty of options. He’s played his way into a prime opportunity to cash in on what could be the best contract of his career, a multi-year deal that may reach nine figures. He is an ascending player who has proven he can be a key ingredient on a winning team who draws rave reviews as a teammate both on and off the court.

meaning hearing pitches from different teams. But he also reminded reporters on Saturday the Wizards are well-positioned to bring him back.

“It’s 100 percent an option… I’ve had a great time here,” Kuzma said “I’ve developed my game significantly here and there’s good people here. I’d be a fool to say it’s not an option for me.”

Kuzma arrived in Washington via trade in the summer of 2021 having played four years with the Lakers. He held career averages of 15.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in L.A., but in two years with the Wizards has seen those numbers jump to 19.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. This season he has averaged a career-high 21.2 points.

His shooting percentages have stayed remarkably stable. With the Lakers, he shot 44.8% from the field and 33.8% from three compared to 45.0% and 33.6% in D.C. But the volume has gone up considerably and his ability to become a playmaker for others has also increased.

Kuzma is appreciative of the opportunity the Wizards have given him to spread his wings on offense after he took a backseat to LeBron James and Anthony Davis with the Lakers.

“I’ve grown tremendously these past two years and Wes [Unseld Jr.], Tommy [Sheppard] and Ted [Leonsis], they all gave me this platform to do this and even be in this situation. I definitely see it here because they do support me,” Kuzma said.

While this summer will be Kuzma’s chance to capitalize on his talents financially, he kept going back to personal development as a key factor in where he chooses to play moving forward. That could work in the Wizards’ favor, given how he views the last two years.

The question would be, does Kuzma see more room for growth from this point moving forward?

“I’m just trying to be myself. I’m trying to get better every year. It’s not about money, I’m going to get paid regardless anywhere [I go] and here, too. It’s about can I come into work every day and be the best version of myself, can I help lead guys, can I make other players better, can I light up rooms. All those things matter when you’re trying to be successful,” he said.

Kuzma believes he’s improved his game every season of his six-year NBA career. Kuzma said he is “irrationally confident” about his potential to keep getting better and that his goal is to “be one of the guys in the league, a top player.”

That next step for Kuzma could be making the All-Star team for the first time. To do that, he may have to choose a team where a large offensive role can be offered. As he learned the way this year, winning also matters.

Kuzma addressed that element of free agency may signal his plans. If he does choose to leave the Wizards, he could theoretically go to a better team, as Washington fell short of the play-in tournament this season.

Kuzma, though, offered some nuanced thoughts on the prospect of leaving to join a title contender and how the fact he already has a championship ring plays into that idea.

“I think you have to have patience. I believe to certain extents what guys like Dame [Lillard] and even Brad [Beal have said], those guys where they talk about how the grass is not always greener and stuff. Just because you go to a contender doesn’t mean you’re going to win a championship right away because health can be a factor,” Kuzma said.

“It sounds good and looks good on paper, but does it look good on the court? Those things matter, but at the same time I am trying to win. I do want to compete at high levels. That’s why I play this game because I’m a junkie and I love it. Life’s always better when you’re winning.”

Perhaps Kuzma can find everything he’s looking for this summer all in one place.

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The NFL is currently in the thick of its offseason, but there are still plenty of key dates to circle before the 2023 season kicks off on September 7.

Here are important offseason dates to know…

2023 NFL Offseason Key Dates

March 13-15: NFL teams are permitted to begin negotiating with prospective free agents, but no deals can be signed just yet.

March 15: New league year begins at 4 p.m. Free agents are now permitted to sign contracts with clubs.

March 26-29: Annual league meetings in Phoenix

April 3: Teams with new head coaches (Carolina, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis and Arizona) can begin offseason workout programs

April 17: Teams with returning head coaches can begin offseason workout programs

April 26-29: 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City 

May 2: Deadline to exercise fifth-year options on first-round picks from the 2020 NFL Draft

May 5-8 or May 12-15: Teams can hold three-day rookie camps for draft picks and undrafted free agents

May 22: First day of OTAs for select teams. Clubs are allowed to hold 10 total on-field practices, but no live contact is allowed.

May 22-24: NFL spring league meetings

June 6: Start of mandatory minicamp for select teams. Clubs are allowed to have three mandatory practices.

July 17: Deadline for teams with franchise-tagged players to sign a long-term contract extension. Teams are not allowed to re-engage in negotiations with a franchise player after this date until the conclusion of the 2023 season.

August 3-6: NFL kickoff weekend in Canton, Ohio

September 7: Opening game of the 2023 NFL regular season

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WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards lost to the Denver Nuggets 118-104 on Wednesday night at Capital One Arena. Here are five takeaways from what went down…

9 of 11

The Denver Nuggets reminded the Wizards why they are the No. 1 team in the Western Conference on Wednesday night, it just took them a few quarters to do so. The Wizards were up by two points at halftime, only to get blasted 39-16 in the third quarter. That set the stage for a Nuggets win and for the Wizards their ninth loss in 11 games.

Washington has lost seven of their last eight, now with only nine games left in the regular season. They continue to trend downward and quickly when they would prefer to be making a push toward the playoffs.

The Wizards played this game without both Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma. The loss dropped the Wizards to 32-41 on the year overall. That marks their fifth straight year without a winning season.

3-point shooting

In today’s NBA many games are won and lost at the 3-point line and lately, the Wizards have had some major issues on both ends of the floor. That continued in this game, as they only shot 4-for-26 (15.4%) from deep compared to 15-for-32 (46.9%) for the Nuggets. That’s a difference of 11 threes, or in other words 33 points.

It’s hard to win games like that. The Wizards have been fairly decent at preventing threes this season, but have leveled out to below-average at making them. It appears to once again be a prevailing need as they near the offseason. They have made some strides in that area, but clearly not enough to consider it a strength.

Turbo turned up

Deni Avdija took Kuzma’s place in the starting lineup and made the most of it. He found consistent lanes to the basket driving with his right hand en route to 16 points for the game, including 14 in the first half. Avdija got to the cup on the fastbreak and also through contact in the halfcourt and transition. Once Avdija got a few to go down, he expanded his range, including with a deft fadeaway jumper on the baseline. He shot 7-for-9 for the game.

Avdija’s best play may have been a pass to Daniel Gafford. Avdija came off a screen set by the Landlord and patiently dribbled between three defenders before tossing a perfectly timed lob for an alley-oop. Gafford took care of the rest. This is why head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has been so intrigued by Avdija as a pick-and-roll ballhandler for the last two years. There is obvious potential.

Great timing and instincts on display here as Deni Avdija finds Daniel Gafford with a lob over The Joker.

— Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS)

Kispert’s new move

Corey Kispert has established himself as the best shooter on the Wizards, as he’s been exactly as advertised from 3-point range. He’s lethal from deep, especially on catch-and-shoot plays when he has his feet set. The trick for him moving forward will be increasing his volume and he may have to improve at creating his own shot in order to do that.

In this game, he showed some flashes, though. On one play in particular in the second quarter, Kispert executed a very nice stepback three. It was quick, it was sharp and it was smooth. It looked like he’s been working on a lot behind the scenes. Kispert closed last season, his rookie year, very strong and seems to be getting more and more comfortable as this one winds down. Unfortunately for him, that was the only three he got to fall out of seven attempts. He shot 3-for-10 overall and 1-for-7 from deep.

Davis’ reverse layup

Speaking of not-before-seen plays by recent Wizards first-round picks, Johnny Davis also went a little deeper in his bag in this one. He drove baseline in the second quarter for a crafty reverse layup that displayed athleticism and the type of assertiveness that has eluded him at times during his rookie year.

You could tell it took the Wizards’ bench by surprise. Everyone knows the talent is there with Davis, he just hasn’t been able to show it very often at the NBA level. That one play must have done wonders for his confidence, as it reminded him he’s quick enough to beat defenders to the rim. He had seven points in 23 minutes for the night.

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WASHINGTON — When the going gets tough and the Wizards are losing games, Kyle Kuzma likes to remind himself that he and his fellow NBA players are “one-percenters.” It’s a self-aware reflection of the privilege he has as an NBA player; the God-given talents, the limelight, the money and all the resources that come with it.

As fortunate as many NBA players are, not many can relate to this particular moment in time for Kuzma. With free agency up ahead, he is operating through his daily life with inevitable generational wealth on the horizon. That’s because, regardless of how this season ends for the Wizards, he has already done his work to put himself in a very desirable position come the offseason.

Since the Wizards acquired him in a trade from the Lakers in 2021, he has proven to be an ascending player. He may have just begun his prime down the stretch of last season and, at 27 years old, may have many years of it left.

This season, his seventh in the NBA, Kuzma is averaging a career-high 22.1 points along with 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Defensive analytics are also kind to him. He leads the Wizards in ESPN’s defensive real plus-minus, which estimates individual impact, He also holds opponents to second on the Wizards to Kristaps Porzingis.

Kuzma considers himself to be a late-bloomer, a trend he has followed through every step of his basketball life.

“I’m still getting better. I’ve gotten better every year I’ve been in the league. I’m 27 and I’m about to finish Year 6. Year 7, 8 and 9 are very promising for me,” Kuzma told NBC Sports Washington.

“I’m understanding angles. If you look at my past couple of weeks, I’m getting to the free throw line a lot more, trying to draw angles. It’s a lot of things, a lot of things you may not see right away. When I’m thinking about my career and improving, I’m doing things now that are going to impact my game in Year 7, 8 and 9.”

In many respects, Kuzma’s entire career has led him to this moment. He was overlooked as a high school recruit, then as an NBA prospect coming out of the University of Utah. He surprised early in his career with the Lakers as a late first-round pick, averaging 18.7 points per game in his second season.

Then, LeBron James showed up in L.A., drastically changing Kuzma’s basketball trajectory. He took a back seat offensively and had to produce in high-pressure moments. He adapted and helped the Lakers win a championship in 2020.

Kuzma says the arrival of James in 2019 made him grow up quickly.

“Just from being a professional and how I walk around every day, just how important I take my craft and my profession. A lot of that stems from just watching him,” Kuzma said.

Kuzma compares learning under James to having a “cheat code” for the rest of his NBA career, both on and off the court. He took lessons as a basketball player and leader by observing closely one of the greatest ever to lace them up.

During his first season playing with James in L.A., Kuzma lived just five minutes away from the team’s practice facility in El Segundo. He would try to beat James into the building in the morning, but more often than not would arrive and see James already there, eating breakfast or getting treatment.

“He probably never knew that [I was competing with him]. Or, he definitely probably knew. He’s a great people observer. He sees things and may not say anything. His competitiveness of trying to be his best self just made me better,” Kuzma said.

When Kuzma was traded to Washington, he felt it was time for new surroundings. He won a ring as a complementary piece with James and Anthony Davis, and with the Wizards would have an opportunity to take on a larger role. That adjustment took several months to begin the 2021-22 season, but he hit his stride in the second half as injuries to other players opened the door for him offensively.

Kuzma had been searching his entire career for true consistency as a scorer. He felt like he experienced a breakthrough around New Year’s, as he began regularly having games with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

“When you get to a point where you feel like every night you can do the same thing, you understand that and you understand what defenses are doing, it’s beautiful. It feels amazing as a player, it feels amazing,” he said.

Since Dec. 23 of 2021, across a span of 93 games, Kuzma has averaged 20.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 45.3% from the field and 34.2% from three. Those are borderline All-Star numbers and in a sample size of more than a full regular season.

Kuzma’s production has remained stable over the past 15 months despite a changing rotation around him. Often he is the No. 3 option next to Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, but sometimes he has to play the No. 2 option when one of them is out or even be the primary scorer when both are missing.

Kuzma admits that isn’t easy, but the fact he’s found success through those adjustments should help him maintain consistency, no matter what situation he finds himself in next year and throughout the rest of his career. The Wizards hope his next chapter will be played in Washington, as

The Wizards feel they have put themselves in a position to do just that. They have the financial flexibility to make him a substantial offer and have already proven to be a place he can grow as a basketball player. He also happens to be teammates with his childhood best friend Monte Morris and college teammate Delon Wright.

“[The NBA] is a beautiful place. We come in here and we just get to talk s—, work out and play basketball,” he said.

Kuzma says he has also enjoyed playing and living in Washington, D.C. The geographic location is a big positive for him.

Kuzma loves how he can fairly quickly fly home to see family in Michigan, to Miami where he has a house or even to Europe or the Caribbean for vacation.

“It’s central and it’s low-key and chill. I love where I live. People are not really bothering me too much. It’s an easy pace of life out here, it’s nice,” he said.

In just a few months the business side of the game will come to the forefront. Kuzma is due to make $13 million next season on a player option, which has long been a certainty to decline, as he is in line to earn much more on a new contract. 

In addition to the money, it is the best opportunity he has had so far in his NBA career to call his own shots as an unrestricted free agent. He says the thing he’s looking forward to most about this summer is the process itself.

“I have the opportunity to go through that process, go through team pitches and go through the backend of being a free agent and learning and getting to know different people. At the end of the day, in this league, people move all the time, whether that’s coaches, GMs, players, staffs, front office people. You may end up at a new place and you never know who you’re going to cross paths with. Everything is energy,” he said.

First things first. With 10 games left, the Wizards hope to end the season strong, ideally with a successful playoff push. After that, it’s going to be a big summer for Kyle Kuzma.

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WASHINGTON — In attendance for the Capitals’ moving into second place on the all-time goals list Tuesday, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told reporters that Washington, D.C., could host an upcoming All-Star Game or NHL Draft.

“Those events are awarded on a variety of factors,” Daly said in a scrum in the press box during the first intermission. “But as I said before, this town has a hockey market in particular. It’s off the charts now. So it’s just a matter of time.”

The Capitals have hosted the All-Star Game once, in 1982 when they played at the Capital Centre in Landover. They’ve never hosted the NHL Draft. Washington’s prominence as a hockey market has grown ever since Ovechkin’s debut in 2005-06 with a surge in attendance that began in 2008-09 — the first season they broke 100 points with No. 8 manning the left wing.

With the league already announcing the Nashville Predators’ Bridgestone Arena as the site for the 2023 NHL Draft and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Scotiabank Arena for All-Star Weekend, the earliest the Capitals could host either event is 2024.

Ovechkin has three years remaining on his contract with the team after 2022-23, so the NHL still has time to capitalize on the 37-year-old’s presence before his deal is up. Daly said he expects Ovechkin to pass Wayne Gretzky’s goals record of 894, though he doesn’t expect him to do it until the 2024-25 season at the earliest. He also added that Commissioner Gary Bettman plans to follow the Capitals around once Ovechkin pulls to within four of five goals of the mark.

When asked how soon D.C. might host an All-Star game or draft, Daly told local beat reporters, “I think you guys will all be working.” Given that some of the beat reporters have a few years on yours truly, a D.C. All-Star Game or NHL Draft may not be in the too-distant future.

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WASHINGTON — Tuesday night at Capital One Arena began with a for No. 2 on the NHL’s all-time goals list. And just about five minutes into the Capitals’ tilt with Columbus, Ovechkin .

Washington’s captain scored his 40th goal of the season on Tuesday night — the 13th time in his career he’s accomplished that feat — in NHL history. 

Ovechkin is just the eighth player to reach 40 goals this season. And at age 37, Ovechkin is at least 10 years older than every other 40-goal scorer this season. The next oldest player that’s topped 40 goals in 2022-23 is Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl, who just turned 27 years old last October.

So, how has Ovechkin continued to remain one of the NHL’s elite goal scorers in his 18th NHL season?

“I’m just trying to enjoy my time, trying to do my best,” Ovechkin said.

Ovechkin also took a lighthearted approach when asked what the 40-goal record means to him.

“Yeah, it’s a pretty cool moment. It doesn’t matter what kind of record it is, it’s a record,” he said, before jokingly asking a reporter “How many records do you have?”

When the reporter responded with “zero records,” Ovechkin smiled before saying, “Yeah, so you see.”

Although Ovechkin gave rather simple answers for his continued success, his head coach offered a lengthier response for why No. 8 continues to be one of hockey’s best.

“He’s been doing it every year consistently since he came into the league and so doesn’t seem to be any slowdown in him,” Peter Laviolette said. “He plays fast, he plays hard. … But, for me, the consistency part of it is, to answer your question, to be able to do that year in and year out.”

Laviolette wasn’t the only one to strongly praise Ovechkin following his celebratory night. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was in attendance for the ceremony and spoke glowingly when asked about the Capitals’ star.

“It’s pretty incredible,” Daly said. “You can tell every shift he takes, every time he’s on the ice, he enjoys what he’s doing. He’s having fun and I think a lot of professional athletes — I won’t say hockey players specifically — all professional athletes, you get to a point in your career where it becomes rote and, not a chore, but not as much joy in playing the game. But for him, he seems like a kid when he’s out there and that’s certainly helped his performance as well.”

Ovechkin tied the record for the most 40-goal seasons at age 35 or older. He also extended his own record over 40-goal seasons after turning 30 with six. Simply put, he’s doing things on the ice that no one his age has ever done. 

Tom Brady defied ‘father time’ in football, playing at an elite level until his retirement this winter. LeBron James is currently doing things no NBA player has ever done at his age. Now, it’s time to put Ovechkin into that group.

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ARLINGTON, Va. — With just three-and-a-half weeks remaining in the regular season, the Washington Capitals sit five points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. It’s unfamiliar territory for Washington — an organization that has made the postseason in eight straight years — as they have just a 3.6% chance of making the playoffs, .

Even though the odds aren’t in their favor, the Capitals believe they’re still capable of making a push for that final spot.

“You never know what can happen,” forward Tom Wilson said following Monday’s optional skate. “You win a few in a row, win one tomorrow — start with one. If you string together, one, two, three, four, five [and] you get some help, who knows? There’s not going to be any quit in here.”

The Capitals’ next two games are at home against a pair of teams below them in the standings. Washington hosts Columbus on Tuesday, a team the Capitals have defeated in all three meetings this year. On Thursday, the Capitals host the Chicago Blackhawks, a team they knocked off in their lone previous matchup this season.

“We’ve got to keep battling,” Wilson continued. “There are winnable games that we’re going to have to find a way to grab.”

After a hot start to the season, the Capitals have stumbled down the standings since the calendar flipped to 2023. Injuries have played a major role in Washington’s recent struggles, too, as the team has consistently been short-handed on a night-in, night-out basis.

Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom each missed the start of the season recovering from offseason surgeries. Connor Brown tore his ACL four games into the year. Star defenseman John Carlson has been sidelined since Dec. 23. with a facial injury. Wilson missed seven games in late January and early February with a lower-body ailment. Defenseman Martin Fehervary and Nick Jensen have each missed multiple games due to various injuries in the past couple of weeks.

The Capitals have been decimated by injuries for almost the entirety of the season, but Wilson would not use such as an excuse for the team’s overall shortcomings.

“We’ve had a good group of players in here and we’ve got to find a way to get wins no matter who’s in the lineup,” Wilson said. “You never want to see big pieces of your organization go down. It definitely makes it a little tougher. But, that’s hockey. It’s a savage sport. It’s a tough sport out there and things happen.”

Tom Wilson on the Capitals’ injuries this year: “they’re no excuse.”

— Ethan Cadeaux (@Ethan_Cadeaux)

Wilson did share that he, physically, feels “pretty good,” arguably the best he’s felt all season. That’s a great sign for the Capitals as they enter the final stretch run of the season.

“Physically wise, I’m not thinking about too much, which is nice,” he said. “I’m starting to feel more like myself. It’s a work in progress.”

Other notes from Monday’s practice…

-John Carlson wore a normal white sweater for Monday’s optional skate, an upgrade from the blue non-contact jersey he’d worn the past few practices. The change was part of Carlson’s expected progression, according to the team, as he is still not ready to return to the ice for game action.

-Evgeny Kuznetsov was not present for Monday’s optional skate. He’s currently listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury after he was forced to leave Sunday’s game against Minnesota early after absorbing a hit from Matt Dumba.

-Defenseman Nick Jensen (upper body) and goaltender Darcy Kuemper (upper body) were both on the ice in uniform for Monday’s skate. Both are listed as day-to-day, according to the team.

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For the fifth straight game, the Capitals allowed their opponent to score first as the Minnesota Wild rode an early lead to a 5-3 win Sunday afternoon at Xcel Energy Center.

Washington entered the contest having allowed a goal on their first shot against in each of their last three games. The Wild didn’t score on their first attempt, but the puck bounced out enough for left wing Matt Boldy to put the home team ahead 50 seconds in. Boldy scored his second of three goals four minutes later to put the Capitals on their heels for the rest of the game.

Though the Capitals never managed to close the gap on the scoreboard, Alex Ovechkin did all he could to keep them in the game. He scored twice on the power play, first with a one-timer from just above his office and the second on a wrister right off the draw.

Where else but from his office!!

— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals)

Manning the net for Minnesota was Marc-Andre Fleury, who allowed his 26th and 27th career goal to Ovechkin — the most the Capitals’ captain has scored on any goaltender in the NHL. Fleury put up a strong performance nonetheless, outdueling Capitals netminder Charlie Lindgren for the win by stopping 33 of 36 shots.

Lindgren (35 saves on 40 shots) started in the place of Darcy Kuemper, who left practice Friday early with an upper-body injury. With Kuemper officially day-to-day, AHL Hershey call-up Zach Fucale served as Lindgren’s backup in Minnesota. Defenseman Nick Jensen missed his second-straight game with an upper-body injury as well.

The Capitals were also dealt yet another blow on the injury front in the third period when Evgeny Kuznetsov was on the receiving end of a big open-ice hit by Wild defenseman Mathew Dumba. T.J. Oshie took exception to the hit and got into a fight with Dumba, but officials ruled the hit was clean. Kuznetsov left for the locker room and didn’t return.

Washington made a desperate late push by pulling Lindgren with four minutes left in regulation. The tactic did lead to a late tally by Dylan Strome, his 17th of the season, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the loss. The Capitals will look to bounce back Tuesday at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Few NBA careers have ended under more unusual circumstances than Ian Mahinmi’s. His last game was on Feb. 2020 and weeks later the entire league shut down due to the coronavirus. He did not play in the NBA’s playoff bubble that summer. When he laced them up for his last professional game, there wasn’t an inkling it would be his ride off into the sunset.

After the Wizards’ time in the bubble came to a close, as did the four-year contract he signed to join them in free agency in 2016, it left him at a crossroads with a 12-year NBA career in the books and his whole life ahead of him.

It was shortly thereafter that Mahinmi was approached with an investment opportunity in NBA Africa. Mahinmi joined as a minority owner, attaching his name to a group that includes strategic partners and investors like former President Barack Obama, actor Forest Whitaker and former NBA players Dikembe Mutombo, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng.

Mahinmi, who has roots in the West African country of Benin, has since been directly involved in the sport’s expansion across the continent. That includes an appearance at the tip-off of the Basketball Africa League’s (BAL) third season this week in Senegal.

“This is definitely, for me, the next chapter. I feel like everything I’ve done has led me to this,” Mahinmi told NBC Sports Washington during a phone conversation from Dakar.

The BAL features 12 teams from 12 different countries split between two conferences, the Nile and Sahara. The teams include players with G-League and Division 1 college basketball experience. They play 38 games over three months in Dakar (Senegal), Cairo (Egypt) and Kigali (Rwanda).

The games are available to watch in all 54 African countries and 214 countries in total across the world. There are also 45 games from this NBA season being broadcast in primetime throughout the continent on various platforms.

NBA Africa, which is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa and has additional offices in Senegal, Nigeria and Egypt, also has other initiatives to drive interest in the sport among African youth. in Egypt last summer.

“At the grassroot level, the game is popular now. The game is being played,” Mahinmi said. “And obviously, as you know, basketball is not only the game. It’s the whole lifestyle. The game goes with the music, the music goes with the swag, the clothes, the shoes, the sneakers.”

Mahinmi, who grew up in France, believes the full potential of basketball in Africa has barely been realized. That is despite multiple Hall of Famers hailing from the continent including Mutombo and Hakeem Olajuwon. Joel Embiid, who is from Cameroon, is a favorite to win this year’s NBA MVP award.

Soccer remains the No. 1 sport across Africa, but Mahinmi believes basketball is well on its way to the mainstream.

“It’s been like a whole ecosystem awakening. For me to be a part of that, it’s just a matter of time. It’s just a matter of time,” he said. “This BAL league has changed the whole landscape of how basketball is viewed on the basketball continent.”

Mahinmi has drawn a sense of gratitude from his involvement with NBA Africa, as he continues to transition away from his professional basketball career. It’s a revitalizing new venture for him after an admittedly disappointing tenure in Washington.

Mahinmi’s four-year, $64 million deal did not work out for the Wizards. He appeared in only 180 games and struggled to provide the impact they signed him for.

Mahinmi points to injuries as a major reason for his performance and suggests they were worse than initially reported.

“My time with the Wizards was very challenging… My first steps as a Wizard, I injured myself. I injured myself in training camp and this was like such a tough start. I felt like from that injury, it was like a ripple effect,” he said.

“That year we had such a good team. I believe we had aspirations of going far. I hurt myself, took a while to come back, then came back and I hurt myself again. I obviously wasn’t healed all the way, trying to come back quickly for the playoffs. I hurt myself again, the same injury. I tore my meniscus twice in my first year. We don’t talk about it a lot, but that trauma of tearing my meniscus twice took me a while to get back to myself. I didn’t feel comfortable until maybe a year-and-a-half after. But a year-and-a-half after, a lot had changed in the Wizards organization. It was tough, it was tough for me. I felt like I gave it my all, but it was just like physically I wasn’t at my best.”

Mahinmi said the Wizards not reaching their potential during those years remains a “regret,” though he is happy he was able to play better during the 2019-20 season and end his career on a personal high note.

Mahinmi is now out of the NBA, but still in basketball. And with NBA Africa’s initiatives, he has a chance to impact the game for many years to come.

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The Wizards will keep their 2023 first-round pick if they miss the playoffs, as it is lottery protected. If that ends up being the case, they may draft one of the stars of the NCAA Tournament, which starts this week.

With that in mind, here are some NBA Draft prospects for Wizards fans to keep a close eye on as they watch the games…

Brandon Miller, Alabama

6-9, SF

Key stats: 19.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 40.1 3PT% (7.6 3PA/g)

Plays Thu. at 2:45 p.m. vs. Texas A&M CC

As things stand now, the Wizards would have to get some lottery luck to be in a position to draft Miller, as he appears to be a top-5 pick at a minimum and could possibly go as high as No. 2. He’s an elite offensive talent with no obvious weakness on that end of the floor. His three-point shooting is special, he can create off the dribble and he’s a dynamic, above-the-rim athlete. Miller has the potential to be a 20-point scorer and perennial All-Star at the NBA level. He also happens to have played for Bradley Beal’s AAU team. The Wizards would just have to do their due diligence on Miller’s well-publicized off-court incident.

Jarace Walker, Houston

6-8, PF

Key stats: 11.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 1.0 spg

Plays Thu. at 9:20 p.m. vs. Northern KY

I’m not as high on Walker as most mock drafts seem to be, I think he will go later in the lottery while many have him near the top-5, but there are some things to like about his potential fit with the Wizards. He would bring an element unique to their current roster with his physical, bruising style of play. He’s also a disruptive defender, which they could use more of. Walker has flashed some shot creation ability that could suggest a high upside. If the Wizards drafted him, though, his best path to minutes early on would likely be on the defensive end. He and Deni Avdija would have some overlap, so that may be worth noting in terms of his immediate fit in Washington.

Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas

6-5, SG

Key stats: 14 G, 14.0 ppg, 39.1% FG

Plays Thu. at 4:30 p.m. vs. Illinois

The sample size for Smith remains small as his freshman year was basically cut in half due to injuries. He also did not seem to be 100 percent in some of the games he did play, which could help explain his low shooting percentages. You could tell by watching his games the usual burst wasn’t there and that was likely tough to manage given he’s a slashing wing. Smith, though, was widely regarded as one of the top players in this class coming out of high school. The NCAA Tournament could be a big opportunity for him to remind NBA scouts of his potential. Like Miller, Smith was also on Beal’s AAU team, so the Wizards would have an inside track on his background.

Anthony Black, Arkansas

6-7, PG

Key stats: 12.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.2 apg, 2.0 spg, 3.2 to/g

Plays Thu. at 4:30 p.m. vs. Illinois

Black is one of the best fits for the Wizards in this entire draft. He is a tall point guard who brings versatility to both ends of the floor. If the Wizards drafted him, he would represent a long-term plan at point guard the likes of which they haven’t had since John Wall. If the Wizards kept Kyle Kuzma (6’10”) and Kristaps Porzingis (7’3″), and plugged Black (6’7″)  in at point guard, they would have a size advantage on every team they faced. Black is a creative passer and could form a dangerous pick-and-roll duo with Porzingis. The Wizards would be a great situation for him to develop early in his career, as his outside shooting may take some time to come around. He also needs to cut down his turnovers. On the Wizards, he wouldn’t be asked to do much offensively with the talent they have at other positions.

Cason Wallace, Kentucky

6-4, PG

Key stats: 11.6 ppg, 4.2 apg, 3.5 rpg, 2.0 spg

Plays Fri. at 7:10 p.m. vs. Providence

Wallace could be a great option for the Wizards if they pick in the back half of the lottery and if Black is off the board. He would also give them a long-term point guard and provide defense at the position. He’s also got good size for a point guard at 6-foot-4 and does a nice job running an offense. Wallace doesn’t project to an impact scorer at this point, but that would be fine given the makeup of the Wizards’ roster. Wallace could be an ideal glue guy point guard for the Wizards. Wallace would likely come off the bench in his first year, but could develop into a starter just in time for when Monte Morris and Delon Wright’s contracts expire the following summer.

Gradey Dick, Kansas

6-8, F

Key stats: 14.1 ppg, 1.4 spg, 39.9% 3PT (5.8 3PA/g)

Plays Thu. at 2 p.m. vs Howard

Dick has a chance to be one of the best players on the board if the Wizards are picking later in the lottery and would also be a great fit for what they need. He’s a wing who brings excellent three-point shooting, speed in transition and the ability to force turnovers on the defensive end. Early on he could provide scoring off the bench, while developing into their starting three in the long-term. Corey Kispert has emerged as a top-shelf three-point shooter for the Wizards. Pairing him with Dick could turn the Wizards’ second unit into a real strength offensively.

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Each Washington Wizards game is amplified as the NBA playoffs draw closer. It’s ideal, then, that Wizards’ wing Corey Kispert is having the best stretch of his professional career.

After putting up 16 points on Tuesday in , the second-year wing has now put up double-figure scoring in seven of his last eight appearances. Those games haven’t always panned out for the Wizards, as the win over the Pistons , but with a potential bid at the NBA play-in tournament on the line, Kispert’s efficiency could not be coming at a better time.

March 2023 has been the best single month of Kispert’s career. It’s half over and there are eight games remaining for the Wizards before April begins so it’s entirely possible he could cool off, sure, but his production thus far has been undeniable.

Including Tuesday’s win, Kispert during March has averaged 13.0 points of 52.8% shooting from deep and 66.7% shooting from the floor altogether – all of which are career-highs in a single month. Even better, his 16-point performance was actually a downtick from his recent shooting streak. It was only the fourth time in his last 15 games in which he shot sub-50% from the floor.

Kispert, who turned 24 less than two weeks ago, got a spot start against the Pistons because Washington was without Kyle Kuzma. Kispert played 34 minutes, an uptick from the 27.4 he’s been averaging this season. In the absence of Kuzma, who is one of the Wizards’ top-three scorers and playmakers, Kispert stepped up for Wes Unseld Jr. and helped secure a desperately needed win.

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WASHINGTON — Tuesday night’s win over the Pistons was by every measure the best game of Johnny Davis’ young NBA career. He scored a career-high 11 points (his previous high was three) while adding five rebounds and a strong defensive effort.

Davis believes it was the continuation of his turning a corner while playing for the Capital City Go-Go in the G-League. He returned from the All-Star break to score 19 points on Feb. 23 against the Grand Rapids Gold. He then carried that over to have his two best games in the G League earlier this month, scoring 25 points against the Delaware Blue Coats and 23 against the Mexico City Capitanes.

Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. was sent some video clips of Davis’ recent play and he liked what he saw. He offered Davis, 21, some rare early game minutes by bringing him off the bench with about three minutes left in the first quarter on Tuesday.

“There’s only one way to see him. You’ve gotta play him… There’s been steady improvement all season, so he’s earned those minutes. He made the most of them,” Unseld Jr. said.

Davis made four of his first five shots to drop eight points in the first half. That was highlighted by possibly his best play in the NBA yet. Davis took the ball coast-to-cast off a defensive rebound to score a fastbreak layup.

Johnny Davis’ best NBA play so far?

He’s making an early impact with 8 pts on 4-5 FG in 7 min.

— Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS)

That was the type of aggressive, two-way impact that made Davis the Big Ten Player of the Year last season at Wisconsin. He was the 10th overall draft pick but has so far been slow to develop, spending most of his time this season in the G League.

Davis hopes this game was a breakthrough with 13 games left on the Wizards’ regular season schedule.

“I thought it meant that it was just the start of me hopefully getting more minutes and having a spot in the rotation with the Wizards. I think it just showed how much I’ve been working and how much I’ve developed this season,” Davis said.

Davis gave credit to a few people after his 11-point outing against the Pistons. He shouted out Go-Go coach Mike Williams for helping him transition to the professional ranks. He also said Anthony Gill helped him with a pep talk before the game about how he should just go out and play freely, not worrying about making mistakes.

That mindset seemed to help him. Unseld Jr. thought Davis did a nice job of not turning down the types of shots he wouldn’t have taken earlier in the season.

“He was aggressive and he didn’t look out of place. I think earlier in the year at times he was a little tentative. He fit right in, got right in there,” Unseld Jr. said.

One good game may not immediately open the door for Davis. He was able to earn some more minutes in part because Kyle Kuzma was out with right knee soreness. Kuzma’s injury is not expected to keep him out long. But it seemed to clearly represent a step in the right direction, the type of game that at a minimum can help his confidence moving forward.

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The Washington Capitals entered Tuesday night’s matchup against the New York Rangers coming off one of their most impressive victories of the season, a on the road on Saturday night.

Those good vibes didn’t last long, however.

Star winger Alex Ovechkin (lower-body) and forward Sonny Milano (illness) were ruled out just a couple of hours before puck drop. And when it was time to take the ice against the Rangers, the Capitals came out slow and fell in too deep of a hole to climb out of, falling 5-3 in a game they badly needed to win to keep pace in the playoff race.

Tuesday night’s game at Madison Square Garden started eerily similar to how Saturday’s matchup began: an early goal allowed by the visitors. New York got on the scoreboard just over four minutes into the first period, as star Mika Zibanejad beat Darcy Kuemper from the slot on the Rangers’ first shot attempt of the game.

After taking an early lead, New York dictated the pace of the game for the majority of the first period. The home side did an excellent job of keeping the puck in their offensive zone, as it took roughly 12 minutes of ice time for the Capitals to register their first shot on goal.

Despite being outplayed for the majority of the opening frame, the Capitals were able to break through with 5:31 remaining in the period. Nicolas Aube-Kubel beat Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin from the slot, his fourth goal of the season, to even the score at one.

Any momentum the Capitals appeared to gain was quickly erased. Just 16 seconds after Aube-Kubel tied the game, the Rangers retook the lead on Zibanejad’s second goal of the evening — one that came on a pretty assist on a rush courtesy of Artemi Panarin.

The Rangers would earn a power play just a few minutes later after Aliaksei Protas was called for tripping. New York would make Protas pay for the infraction, as newly-acquired star Patrick Kane found the back of the net from near the point to double the Rangers’ lead. At the end of the first period, the Rangers held a 19-9 advantage in shots on goal.

Down two goals after 20 minutes, the Capitals opened the second period with a more aggressive approach. The change earned Washington a power play opportunity just 1:24 into the frame, yet the Capitals were able to register just one shot on goal during the man advantage.

Less than one minute after the Rangers’ penalty kill successfully ended, New York was able to add another tally to the scoreboard. Perfect tic-tac-toe passing from Kane and Vincent Trocheck led to a Jacob Trouba goal, who beat Kuemper’s glove side in the top corner.

Despite the three-goal deficit, the Capitals continued to grind out the period and put the puck on net. Roughly two-thirds of the way through the frame, a perfect behind-the-back pass from T.J. Oshie found Matt Irwin, who fired the puck past Shesterkin to trim the Rangers’ lead back to two. After being outshot 19-9 in the first period, the Capitals outshot New York 14-9 during the second 20-minute stretch — yet still entered the locker room trailing by two goals.

The Capitals had a prime scoring chance early on in the third period — a 4-on-3 opportunity for 1:22 — but were unable to capitalize. Washington’s best opportunity during the advantage came on a slap shot from Dylan Strome, but Shesterkin made an acrobatic glove save to protect the Rangers’ two-goal lead.

Washington went back to the power play with 10:18 remaining in the period after Niko Mikkola was called for a hold. Just seconds after an unsuccessful power play concluded, Nic Dowd fired a rebound past Shesterkin to trim the Rangers’ lead to just one. The goal was Dowd’s 12th of the season, a new career-high.

Despite an aggressive push to end the final period, the Capitals were unable to find that decisive fourth goal to tie the game. The Rangers were able to seal the contest on an empty net goal with just over two minutes remaining for their first victory over the Capitals this year.

Tuesday night’s loss marks the ninth straight game Washington has lost with Ovechkin out of the lineup, a streak dating back to last season. The Capitals are now 0-6 without their captain this year.

The Capitals and Rangers will meet for the fourth and final time this season on Sunday, April 2, at Capital One Arena — a game the home side will almost certainly have to win to remain alive in the playoff race. The Capitals currently trail the Islanders by five points for the final Wild Card spot.

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