Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals has sustained a broken left fibula, sidelining him for four to six weeks. This injury interrupts his chase of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record. Ovechkin's teammates expressed their disappointment, noting the rarity of his injuries throughout his 19-season career.

Despite his physical playing style, Ovechkin has maintained impressive durability, missing only 59 games in his career due to injuries. He was leading the league with 15 goals in 18 games this season, on track to potentially break the record by February.