Alex Ovechkin is going to be blessed with the presence of teammate Nicklas Backstrom to finish off the year, as he wants to be in attendance for the goal record. <a href='https://www.nhl.com/standings/2025-03-21/wildcard' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>After becoming the first team of the season to earn a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs</a>, the Washington Capitals had an optional practice on Friday as a treat. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/Capitals/status/1902909241226137824'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> This gave stalwarts a chance to rest before Saturday's afternoon fight against the Florida Panthers. Though voluntary, several players hit the ice, including Logan Thompson, Alex Alexeyev, Ethen Frank, Connor McMichael, Aliaksei Protas, Andrew Mangiapane, and Taylor Raddysh. All trained with Kenny McCudden on honing their game. After the practice session, Frank spoke about progress with his developments, stating he can't wait to play and is thankful for every moment as it occurs during his time in the NHL. <h3>The Capitals got a surprise visit from Nicklas Backstrom</h3> Nicklas Backstrom also visited the rink and provided his thoughts on teammate Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's NHL all-time goals record. In scoring goal No. 888 against the Flyers on Thursday, <a href='https://www.nhl.com/capitals/player/alex-ovechkin-8471214' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Ovechkin</a> now stands six goals short of Gretzky's milestone mark of 894, and seven to surpass it. <a href='https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/backstrom-speaks-about-former-longtime-teammate-ovechkin-closing~3102285' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Backstrom admitted that he would like to be on the ice with Ovechkin</a> but is glad to see his teammate make history. Backstrom also assured that he will travel with the team as Ovechkin approaches, to be present for the historic moment. It's so impressive. He's always been a great goal scorer and for him to be seven goals away from becoming the greatest of all time, I'm happy for him, it's really fun to watch, Backstrom said, also joking that Ovechkin can score a hat trick whenever he wants to, which could put a kink in travel planning. Never underestimate Alex, he added. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class=instagram-media data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=https://www.instagram.com/p/DHeAGc8g6kg/?igsh=MTZzNHI1cjNqZ28yeg%3D%3D&fbclid=IwY2xjawJKnG5leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHeKtGEyAo9GZ6mz0yLPJoP0-KOoFzkWbX9b3VMGbN6zWoVpWLryPFlpjJg_aem_JisoPePfHX7kurW6E0CX_g data-instgrm-version=12 style= background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);><div style=padding:16px;> <a href=https://www.instagram.com/p/DHeAGc8g6kg/?igsh=MTZzNHI1cjNqZ28yeg%3D%3D&fbclid=IwY2xjawJKnG5leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHeKtGEyAo9GZ6mz0yLPJoP0-KOoFzkWbX9b3VMGbN6zWoVpWLryPFlpjJg_aem_JisoPePfHX7kurW6E0CX_g style= background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%; target=_blank> <div style= display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;> <div style=background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;></div> <div style=display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;> <div style= background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;></div> <div style= background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;></div></div></div><div style=padding: 19% 0;></div><div style=display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;><svg width=50px height=50px viewBox=0 0 60 60 version=1.1 xmlns=https://www.w3.org/2000/svg xmlns:xlink=https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink><g stroke=none stroke-width=1 fill=none fill-rule=evenodd><g transform=translate(-511.000000, -20.000000) fill=#000000><g><path d=M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631></path></g></g></g></svg></div></a></div></blockquote></div> Will he get the itch to lace up the skates perhaps at some point? Only time will tell.