Alex Ovechkin went and got the puck for Alex Tuch last night, a small gesture after the winger's first goal as a Capital.
The goal itself came off a gift. Pierre-Luc Dubois picked the puck loose from Carolina goalie Brandon Bussi, and Tuch made him pay.
Then Ovechkin collected the puck so his new teammate would have it. That's the part that stuck.
He's 41 now, with 929 NHL goals and 1,687 points, every one of them in a Capitals sweater. A player with that résumé doesn't need to chase keepsakes for anybody.
He did it anyway. That's the kind of veteran leadership no stat sheet can measure.
In the clip, Bussi gets caught with the puck, Dubois picks it loose, and Tuch finishes the play before the goalie can recover.
-
Alex Tuch gets a warm Washington welcome from a franchise legend
Tuch arrived after a 33-goal season in Buffalo, and the Capitals carry him at a $10,500,000 cap hit.
He's 30 and brings 79 games of playoff experience with him.
Dubois deserves credit too. He's coming off a 29-game season with just one goal, and a puck-hunting play like this is exactly what Spencer Carbery needs from him.
This is what a 41-year-old legend should be doing. Ovechkin's scoring will fade one day, but making new teammates feel at home is how he keeps shaping this room.
It's like the grandfather at the wedding making sure the newlyweds get the first slice of cake.
Bussi will want that one back. Carolina came into the night still looking for its first win after an overtime loss to Florida.
The Capitals visit Tampa Bay on Saturday. Chris Patrick built this roster to blend new faces with old ones, and last night offered a perfect snapshot of it.
Tuch will remember the goal. He'll probably remember who handed him the puck even longer.
Is Alex Ovechkin still the heart of the Capitals locker room?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Dylan Larkin gets booed by entire Red Wings arena and walks off the bench
