Role Change Coming For Alex Ovechkin This Season
Washington is handing its power play over to new assistant coach Ray Bennett for 2026-27, and several new names are entering the mix. Ovechkin, who turns 41 in September, says he's simply waiting to see how it shakes out. "We'll see how it goes," he said in a new interview.
Why He's Played Both Units For Years
Ovechkin explained the original reasoning behind his heavy power-play workload came down to necessity, not his personal preference. "At first, it was me and John Carlson, Dylan Strome and the rest, we didn't have a right-hander," Ovechkin said, per a translation via sports.ru. "That's why I had to play on two power-play units."
Don't forget Ovi still lays the boom.
— clips finnerty (@bobbyfinnerty2) August 17, 2026
Alex Ovechkin 2025-26 hit compilation pic.twitter.com/TGzcPZQ47M
The numbers back up just how much Washington has leaned on him. Ovechkin led the league in power-play ice time last season at 4:29 per game, totaling 367:51 across the year, and was on the ice for 91.6 percent of the team's power-play time.
A Trend That's Been Building
Ovechkin's total ice time has been declining steadily, from 19:13 per game in 2023-24 down to a then-career-low 17:43 in 2024-25, before dipping again to 17:27 last season.
Head coach Spencer Carbery has said he expects that number could come down further, and Ovechkin isn't the only one, with Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas also identified as forwards who could see reduced minutes as Washington leans more evenly on all four lines.
Carbery has talked about the shift as a positive rather than a demotion. "We are going to be able to rely on all four lines way more consistently," Carbery said. "I think people's minutes will come down, which I don't think is a bad thing."
Peak Alex Ovechkin putting up 4 goals and an assist on the Senators in 2007: pic.twitter.com/PVfRo4fUGJ
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) August 12, 2026
Since Ovechkin signed his one-year, $4.25 million deal to return this summer, Washington added three-time 30-goal scorers Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch in separate trades in late June, giving Carbery considerably more offensive depth to distribute across his lineup than he's had in years.
Ovechkin, still the NHL's all-time leader in goals with 929, has already said he's open to a reduced role if it means a better shot at a second Stanley Cup.
Whatever his exact role ends up being on the new-look power play, it's clear the days of him anchoring both units by default may be numbered.
