"A lot was made of his leadership with us winning the Stanley Cup and the role that he had in it, but his leadership during the regular season this year has been the best I've seen it and that says a lot about him and how he's really leading the way," Reirden said. "He's been more vocal, his play has been exceptional and he's really been night in and night out a guy that's played at both ends of the ice and really given us a chance to have success."
Reirden trusts Oveckhin's defensive play enough that he's using him more when the Capitals are protecting the lead late in games and the opponent pulls its goalie. Ovechkin has taken advantage by scoring three empty-net goals in the past six games.
He scored three empty-net goals all of last season and none in 2016-17.
"The last couple years I had maybe a couple opportunities to play [with the opponent's goalie pulled], but we have the guys who can be in that position and use that opportunity," Ovechkin said. "I try to do my best. If you have a chance, you have to use it."
Reirden has leaned heavily on Ovechkin, playing him 21:02 per game this season, which is most among Capitals forwards and his highest average since he played 21:22 per game in 2010-11. Ovechkin averaged 20:09 in ice time last season, which was up from an NHL career low 18:22 in 2016-17, when the Capitals rested him more to try to keep him fresh for the playoffs.
That season, Ovechkin scored 33 goals, his fewest in a full NHL season since he scored 32 in 2010-11. The past two seasons have proven that Ovechkin plays better when he plays more, so Reirden hasn't hesitated to double shift him at times late in periods.
Reirden also noted that Ovechkin has continued to produce despite Washington's recent struggles on the power play, which is 3-for-24 (12.5 percent) over the past eight games. Ovechkin, who has a Capitals-best seven power-play goals this season and is tied with Brendan Shanahan for sixth in NHL history with 237, hasn't scored a power-play goal in his past nine games.
"It's amazing to talk about the growth of a guy that's had the career that he's had," Reirden said. "That he still can manage to find ways to improve, I have a lot of time for that type of person and that type of character."