Alex Ovechkin makes very sad announcement on social media
Early this morning, Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin announced that his father, Mikhail Ovechkin, passed away at the age of 71. The announcement comes just a day after Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan granted Ovechkin a leave of absence to attend to a family matter where he was expected to be absent for the remainder of the week, if not longer.
Ovechkin broke the news this morning via an Instagram post, where the caption translated to English read:
"Today I lost my father I thank everyone for the support but please be understanding and do not disturb my family in this difficult time for us! Thank you"
With the Capitals this season, Ovechkin is averaging a point per game. In 54 games this season he has 32 goals and 22 assists, tallying for 54 total points. As of right now, the Capitals currently sit in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with just 26 games remaining on the regular season schedule.
Throughout his 18-year NHL career, Ovechkin has only missed 48 games, with the Capitals losing 25 of those. Without a doubt, there are some big shoes to fill in his absence.
Ovechkin's timetable to return is unclear, but we wish only the best for him and his family as we all spread love and keep him in our thoughts and prayers during this hard time.
