Capitals trade teammate Alex Ovechkin amid Wayne Gretzky pursuit

The Washington Capitals they change the lineup on Tuesday for Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin expected to split ice time with Pierre-Luc Dubois, per NHL.com, not Dylan Strome. It would be the first time since the NHL preseason that Ovechkin and Dubois skate on the same line.

The Capitals are making strides in an effort to find better chemistry.

“I just want to change the top six and try to find a spark,” coach Spencer Carberry said. “We haven’t used him all year, so we’ll see if that happens to balance out our top six.”

Ovechkin and the Capitals are 28-10-5 on the seasonwith four wins in the previous seven games. A lineup change for the Caps is expected for Tuesday’s game against Anaheim.

Ovechkin is one of the most respected players in hockey. He trails the great Wayne Gretzky on the NHL’s all-time scoring list. Ovechkin has 20 goals in 27 games this season and needs 22 more to break Gretzky’s mark of 894 goals. With his current scoring rate, the winger could surpass Gretzky this season.

Ovechkin has played with Strome regularly this season, so it will be interesting to see how the line change affects the club. Dubois has 33 points for Washington this season. His plus-minus is outstanding, as he is +11 in that category this year. Strome is actually right behind him in that category, at +10.

Capitals fans can’t wait to see Ovechkin break Gretzky’s record. It seems to many that the question is when, not if Ovechkin will overcome that goal. Gretzky finished his illustrious NHL career with 894 goals after retiring in 1999. He scored a total of 2,857 points.

The Washington star has already had a season to remember. He is now the second player in NHL history to score at least 20 goals in 20 consecutive seasons. The only other player to ever do that is the legendary Gordie Howe.

The Capitals are having a solid season in the Eastern Conference. Washington leads the Metropolitan Division with 61 points this season and is certainly a contender for the Stanley Cup. The 156-goal club sits atop the Eastern Conference. Ovechkin has been playing for the team since 2005 and won the Stanley Cup in 2018.

The Capitals take to the ice to play the Ducks on Tuesday at 7:00 ET. Washington fans are hoping that the lineup change will bring rewards for the club.