Ovechkin on COVID list; Caps fined for violations

WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin and three other Washington Capitals players were added to the NHL’s COVID-19 list Wednesday and the team was fined $100,000 by the league for violating coronavirus protocols, including a gathering in a hotel room.

In addition to three-time MVP Ovechkin — one of just eight players in NHL history with more than 700 goals — the Capitals joining the COVID-19 list were center Evgeny Kuznetsov, defenseman Dmitry Orlov and top goalie Ilya Samsonov.

“I regret my choice to spend time together with my teammates in our hotel room and away from the locker room areas,” Ovechkin said in a statement issued by the Capitals. “I will learn from this experience.”

Five players from the Carolina Hurricanes also are on the league’s COVID-19 list, and that team’s games were called off by the league through “at least” Saturday.