The Capitals (28-25-6), who trail the Florida Panthers by two points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, have lost four straight without Ovechkin and five in a row overall, getting outscored 20-8 in that span. Ovechkin leads Washington with 32 goals and 54 points in 54 games this season and is second in NHL history with 802 goals.
"It was felt when he wasn't here," Laviolette said Wednesday. "He's a big part of the team. He's our leading point-getter. He's our leading goal-scorer. He's the captain of the team. It's his love for the game that shines through in the locker room and it's a big body and a big presence coming back in our lineup. So we're certainly happy to have him back."
Ovechkin wasn't able to fly Russia until after his father, Mikhail, died Feb. 15, but said he was able to speak to him on the phone.
"I talked to him," Ovechkin said. "It's a good thing right now we have video because lots of my friends who lost their fathers, they don't have cell phones back then and memory. But right now we have it and it's a good thing."
Mikhail Ovechkin, who was 71 years old, was unable to travel to North America in recent years because of health issues but often made the trip to see his son play earlier in his NHL career. A tearful Ovechkin talked about the significant influence his father had on his career.
"He give me everything, all his health, all his time," Ovechkin said. "He traveled with me all over the world and [was] at every practice when he had a chance."
Mikhail Ovechkin remained in Russia when the Capitals won the Stanley Cup in 2018, so it was a special moment for father and son when Alex brought the Cup to Moscow that offseason and they lifted it together.
"It was a cool moment, the best moment of my life with him other than kids and family-wise," Ovechkin said. "But I think the job what he did, and the time and [sacrifices he made], it kind of was his Cup as well."
It was an understandably difficult week for the Ovechkin family. He said his mother, Tatyana, will travel from Russia with his brother, Mikhail, to visit him next month.
Ovechkin said he appreciated the support he received from the Capitals while he was away and specifically mentioned the moment of silence prior to their home game against the Panthers on Thursday.
"It was probably the toughest situation I've been through [in] my whole NHL career," Ovechkin said. "But it's life, and we move on. Thanks everybody for the support back home and here."
Ovechkin was focused on his family when he was in Russia but said he skated once while he was there. He was on the ice for about 45 minutes Wednesday.
"Obviously, yeah, we just landed a couple hours ago and try to come back on the ice as soon as I can," Ovechkin said. "I skate only one time. It is what it is."
As much as Ovechkin might be able to help the Capitals on the ice, being back on the ice and around his teammates might help him as well.
"We're around each other so much, it is family," Laviolette said. "It's a different family. But when you spend that much time with people on a daily basis, there's comfort in that. When people are upset or they're hurting, there's comfort. When there's people that are happy and something good going on and we've had a lot of birth of children, it's good to be around your teammates and share that good feeling too. So I'm sure it goes both ways from a healing standpoint."
