At some point, the game may feel like a game again.
For now — following Semyon Varlamov’s two partial knee replacements and nearly two years out of action — it means so much more to the Islanders backup goaltender, who could make his long-awaited return this week, perhaps as soon as Tuesday against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
It was “special” for Varlamov to take the ice in the preseason. It was “emotional” for him to stand with his teammates before Saturday’s home opener. The 38-year-old Russian cannot imagine taking another moment for granted, knowing the finish line isn’t far off.
An unnecessary reminder came Monday when his countryman and former teammate, Alexander Ovechkin, announced this will be his final NHL season.
“Ovi’s a legend,” Varlamov said. “He’s an iconic player. He’s the best scorer of all time. I can go on and on and on. Everybody knows what he does in the game. The game will be different without him.”
Varlamov was drafted by Washington in the first round in 2006, three years after the Capitals took Ovechkin with the No. 1 overall pick. Varlamov made his NHL debut nearly 18 years ago, speaking limited English, playing alongside a star who had stood in his skates.
“I remember the first year when I came over from Russia — he was speaking English — he let me stay in his house for a few weeks,” Varlamov said. “Ovi just helped me to get to know Washington. He was welcoming when I came to Washington.
“He’s been my friend for a long time and I’ve always been supportive of him and he’s been great to me and my family. He’s a great person, he has a big heart and we shared a lot of games playing for our national team. He’s very respected around the hockey world, especially in Russia. He’s the man.”
Two days later, Victor Eklund was still riding the high of Saturday’s 6-0 win over the Devils, when he recorded a goal and an assist on his 20th birthday with his mother in attendance, then was serenaded by Islanders fans.
“Still goose bumps,” Eklund said. “It creates a big smile on [my face] every time I watch it. I can’t believe it.”
Just three games into Eklund’s career, Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer has been incredibly impressed with the awareness of a player of such limited experience.
“He’s a really smart player,” DeBoer said of last year’s first-round pick. “He’s got a really good hockey IQ. You got a handful of guys on your team, you go and find them the day after a game with a clip, they know what it is before you even press play, and he’s one of those guys. There’s some other guys, there’s a blank stare.”
