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Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin ( rus, Александр Михайлович Овечкин, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ɐˈvʲetɕkʲɪn; born 17 September 1985) is a Russian professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice ...
left winger and
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...
(NHL). Nicknamed "Ovi" (alternatively spelled "Ovie") and "the Great Eight" in reference to his jersey number, Ovechkin is widely regarded as one of the greatest goal scorers of all time. Ovechkin holds the records for the most power play goals, most goals scored in away games, and most goals with the same team in NHL history. He is the third NHL player, behind
Gordie Howe Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...
and
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
, to score 800 goals in the
regular season In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of ...
. Ovechkin began his professional career with Dynamo Moscow of the
Russian Superleague The Russian Superleague (russian: Чемпионат России Суперлига, ''Russian Championship Superleague''), commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was cons ...
in 2001, playing there for four seasons and returning briefly during the 2012–13 NHL lockout. A highly touted prospect, Ovechkin was selected by the Capitals first overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. In the 2005–06 season, Ovechkin's first with the Capitals, he scored 52 goals and 54 assists to lead all rookies in points, capturing the
Calder Memorial Trophy The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
as rookie of the year and finishing third overall in league scoring. Ovechkin has won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL's leading goal scorer, an NHL-record nine times, first doing so in 2007–08, when his 65 goals and 112 points also earned him the
Art Ross Trophy The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League (NHL) player who leads the league in points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the league by former player, General Manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has ...
for most points scored. He has scored 50 goals in a season nine times, tying
Mike Bossy Michael Dean Bossy (January 22, 1957April 15, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. He spent his entire NHL career, which lasted from 1977 to 1987, with the Islanders, and ...
and
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
for the most 50-goal seasons in NHL history, and is currently third all-time for career goals. He has won the Hart Memorial Trophy for most valuable player three times (in 2008, 2009, and 2013), and the
Lester B. Pearson Award Pearson may refer to: Organizations Education * Lester B. Pearson College, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada *Pearson College (UK), London, owned by Pearson PLC * Lester B. Pearson High School (disambiguation) Companies *Pearson PLC, a UK-based i ...
/ Ted Lindsay Award for best player as voted on by the
National Hockey League Players' Association NHLPA (french: AJLNH) is the labour union for the group of professional hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the 32 member clubs in the National Hockey League (NHL) located in the United States and Canada. The association re ...
three times (2008, 2009, 2010). In
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, Ovechkin won the
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
for the first time, and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for most valuable player in the 2018 playoffs. He has also been named to the
NHL first All-Star team The National Hockey League All-Star teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position. Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the all- ...
eight times, and the second All-Star team four times. In 2017, Ovechkin was named one of the
100 Greatest NHL Players In 2017, the National Hockey League commemorated its 100th anniversary with a list of the 100 Greatest NHL Players. The list was made through voting compiled by a panel of 58 people, including media members, NHL alumni and NHL executives.Greg Wy ...
of all time. Internationally, Ovechkin has represented
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
in multiple tournaments. His first IIHF tournament was the 2002 World U18 Championship. The following
year A year or annus is the orbital period of a planetary body, for example, the Earth, moving in its orbit around the Sun. Due to the Earth's axial tilt, the course of a year sees the passing of the seasons, marked by change in weather, the h ...
he made his debut at the World Junior Championship, helping Russia win the gold medal. He played two more years at the World Juniors, as well as once more at the World U18 Championships. Ovechkin's first senior tournament was the 2004 World Championship, and he also played in the World Cup that year. Ovechkin has also played for Russia at the Winter Olympics in
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
,
2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, and
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
. Overall, Ovechkin has represented Russia at thirteen World Championships and three Olympics in his career, winning the World Championship three times.


Early life

Ovechkin was born on 17 September 1985 in
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
, the son of
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
athletes. His mother, Tatyana Ovechkina, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist (1976, 1980) and world champion (1975) in basketball. His father, Mikhail, was a
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...
player. He has two older brothers, Sergei and Mikhail. His mother sensed her youngest son was destined for "sporting greatness". "From birth, it was obvious," she said. "In a child, it's clear immediately. He was very active and walking and curious." He was two years old when he first picked up a hockey stick. Whenever a hockey game came on television he would drop whatever he was doing, refusing to allow his parents to change the channel. In early childhood, he moved with his family to a tall high-rise building surrounded by a "crumbling neighborhood" on the outskirts of Moscow. There he attended public school #596, infamous for military discipline and a "tyrannical" principal, completing eight and a half grades before starting at Dynamo Moscow's sports school. While he saw his friends "getting high and getting dead," Ovechkin was attending daily training sessions morning and night. "You dive into sport with your head and arms and legs, and there's no time for anything else," he said of this early training. Whenever his parents were no longer able to get young Alex to hockey events, his elder brother Sergei stepped up, making sure his little brother got where he needed to go. When Ovechkin was 10, his brother Sergei died of a blood clot following a car accident. Ovechkin had a youth hockey game the next day, which his parents insisted he play in. Ovechkin credits his elder brother Sergei for introducing him to, and encouraging him to pursue hockey. When he scores, Alex will often kiss his glove and point to the sky in a salute to his brother. He made a name for himself in the Dynamo Moscow system when at 11 he scored 56 goals, breaking
Pavel Bure Pavel Vladimirovich Bure (russian: Па́вел Влади́мирович Буре́, ; born March 31, 1971) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. Nicknamed "the Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bu ...
's record of 53. Meanwhile, Ovechkin dreamed of playing in the NHL, keeping the cards of star players stashed in his room, especially those of his idol,
Mario Lemieux Mario Lemieux (; ; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2006, and he assumed ownership of the ...
. "It's the best hockey there is," Ovechkin would say of the NHL.


Playing career


Dynamo Moscow (2001–2005)

Ovechkin began playing in the Russian Super League (RSL) in Dynamo Moscow at the age of 16. Making his professional debut in the 2001–02 season, he scored four points in 21 games. He would spend three seasons there prior to being drafted by the NHL, and he would rack up 36 goals and 32 assists in 152 career games."Biography Today", pp.117 The following off-season, Ovechkin was selected first overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
. He had been projected as the first overall pick for nearly two years and had earned comparisons to
Mario Lemieux Mario Lemieux (; ; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2006, and he assumed ownership of the ...
. He was so highly regarded that the
Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and initially played their home g ...
attempted to draft him in the
2003 NHL Entry Draft The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was the 41st NHL Entry Draft. It was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21 and 22, 2003. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. This wa ...
in the ninth round, even though his birthday was two days after the cut-off (15 September 1985). Rick Dudley, the general manager of the Panthers, claimed the pick was legitimate, claiming that Ovechkin was old enough with
leap year A leap year (also known as an intercalary year or bissextile year) is a calendar year that contains an additional day (or, in the case of a lunisolar calendar, a month) added to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical year or ...
s taken into consideration. Due to the
2004–05 NHL lockout The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play. The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...
, Ovechkin remained with Dynamo for one more season. He recorded 27 points in 37 games in 2004–05, while missing nearly two months of play because of a shoulder injury sustained in the gold medal game against
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
in the 2005 World Junior Championships. In the playoffs, he helped Dynamo win the RSL title. With the threat of the lockout canceling another NHL season, Ovechkin signed a contract with rival Russian team
Avangard Omsk Hockey Club Avangard (russian: ХК Авангард, links=no, Vanguard), also known as Avangard Omsk, is a Russian professional ice hockey team from Omsk. It is a member of the Chernyshev Division in the Eastern Conference of the Kontinental ...
. In order to maintain his eligibility for the NHL in the event that the lockout ended, the contract contained an out clause with a 20 July 2005, deadline. Although a new NHL collective bargaining agreement (CBA) had not yet been reached between players and owners, Ovechkin decided to opt out and signed with the Capitals on 5 August 2005. The deal was a three-year, entry-level contract worth the rookie maximum of $984,200 per season with performance-based bonuses to inflate his annual salary to as much as $3.9 million.


Washington Capitals (2005–present)


2005–2012

Two days after signing, the lockout ended with a new CBA. Ovechkin played his first game with the Capitals on 5 October 2005, scoring two goals against goalie Pascal Leclaire in a 3–2 victory over the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
. On 13 January 2006, in
Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most ...
, Ovechkin scored his first career
hat trick A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
against
Jean-Sébastien Giguère Jean-Sébastien Giguère (; born May 16, 1977) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender. He played with the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he was drafted 13th overall by the Hartford W ...
of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to help Washington win the game. Three days later, on 16 January, he scored a goal that veteran hockey reporter
Bill Clement William H. Clement (born December 20, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who became an author, speaker, actor, entrepreneur, and hockey broadcaster. Clement played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), and was ...
called "one of the greatest goals of all time." Knocked down by
Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...
defenseman Paul Mara and sliding on his back facing away from the net, Ovechkin was able to hook the puck with one hand on his stick and slide it into the net past goalie Brian Boucher for his second goal of the night. It became referred to as "The Goal."
Auston Matthews Auston Taylour Matthews (born September 17, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born in San Ramon, California, Matthews and his family moved ...
, a future
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
first overall selection, was in attendance during the game; he said in an interview during the 2016–17 season that it was the best goal he ever saw live. On 1 February, Ovechkin was named NHL Rookie of the Month for January 2006 as well as being named Offensive Player of the Month, becoming only the third player in NHL history to earn both honors simultaneously. Ovechkin finished the 2005–06 season leading all NHL rookies in goals, points, power play goals and shots. He finished third overall in the NHL in scoring with 106 points and tied for third in goals with 52. His 425 shots led the league, set an NHL rookie record, and was the fourth-highest total in NHL history. Ovechkin's point total was the second-best in Washington Capitals history and his goals total tied for third in franchise history. He was also named to the
NHL first All-Star team The National Hockey League All-Star teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position. Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the all- ...
, the first rookie to receive the honor in 15 years. After the season ended, Ovechkin received the
Calder Memorial Trophy The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
, awarded to the NHL's best rookie. He was also a finalist in his rookie season for the
Lester B. Pearson Award Pearson may refer to: Organizations Education * Lester B. Pearson College, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada *Pearson College (UK), London, owned by Pearson PLC * Lester B. Pearson High School (disambiguation) Companies *Pearson PLC, a UK-based i ...
. EA Sports made him one of the cover athletes for ''
NHL 07 ''NHL 07'' is an ice hockey video game, which was released in 2006. The game improved the series' gameplay with more realistic features, such as stickhandling and a wider variety of controller schemes. As NHL 07 was released on the Xbox 360, this ...
''. The following season, Ovechkin appeared in his first
NHL All-Star Game The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...
in
Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
on 24 January 2007. He completed his second NHL season with 46 goals and 92 points. Playing in the final season of his rookie contract, in 2007–08, Ovechkin signed a 13-year contract extension worth $124 million with the Capitals on 10 January 2008. The contract, which averages $9.5 million per year, was the richest in NHL history. Working without an agent, Ovechkin negotiated with Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and former general manager
George McPhee George McPhee (born July 2, 1958) is a Canadian ice hockey executive currently serving as the president of hockey operations for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). McPhee served general manager of the Washington Capi ...
. Late in the season, on 3 March 2008, Ovechkin notched his 50th, 51st and 52nd goals of the campaign for his fourth career NHL hat trick and to hit the 50-goal mark for the second time in his career. Later that month, on 21 March, Ovechkin scored his 59th and 60th goals of the season against the
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...
, becoming the first NHL player to score 60 goals in a season since
Mario Lemieux Mario Lemieux (; ; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2006, and he assumed ownership of the ...
and
Jaromír Jágr Jaromír Jágr (; born 15 February 1972) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger for and the owner of Rytíři Kladno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Pengui ...
in 1995–96"Ovechkin becomes first NHL player in 12 years to score 60, Caps beat Atlanta 5–3"
. ''The Canadian Press'' (21 March 2008). Retrieved 29 November 2011.
and 19th player overall. Four days later, on 25 March, Ovechkin scored his 61st goal of the season to break the Washington Capitals' team record for goals in a single season previously held by
Dennis Maruk Dennis John Maruk (born November 17, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player of Ukrainian descent. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1975 to 1989, scoring a career-high 60 goals for the Washington Capitals in 1 ...
. He also went on to break
Luc Robitaille Luc Jean-Marie Robitaille (born February 17, 1966) is a Canadian–American professional ice hockey executive and former player. He currently serves as president of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). During his 19-seaso ...
's record for most goals by a left winger in one season on 3 April, by scoring two goals for his 64th and 65th of the season. He also became the first NHL player to score at least 40 even-strength goals in one season since
Pavel Bure Pavel Vladimirovich Bure (russian: Па́вел Влади́мирович Буре́, ; born March 31, 1971) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. Nicknamed "the Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bu ...
in 1999–2000. Leading the league in scoring with 65 goals and 112 points, Ovechkin captured both the
Art Ross Trophy The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League (NHL) player who leads the league in points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the league by former player, General Manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has ...
and the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in 2007–08. It was the first time in 41 seasons that a left-winger led the NHL in points since
Bobby Hull Robert Marvin Hull OC (born January 3, 1939) is a Canadian former ice hockey player who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His blonde hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot the puck at very high velo ...
led the league with 97 points in 1965–66. Ovechkin helped lead a rejuvenated Capitals team back to the Stanley Cup playoffs with a stronger supporting cast that included countryman Alexander Semin, rookie center Nicklas Bäckström and defenseman Mike Green. He scored the game-winning goal in his NHL playoff debut with less than five minutes left in game 1 against the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
. He scored nine points in seven games against the Flyers as the Capitals were eliminated in the opening round. In the off-season, Ovechkin was awarded the
Lester B. Pearson Award Pearson may refer to: Organizations Education * Lester B. Pearson College, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada *Pearson College (UK), London, owned by Pearson PLC * Lester B. Pearson High School (disambiguation) Companies *Pearson PLC, a UK-based i ...
as the most outstanding player voted by the
National Hockey League Players' Association NHLPA (french: AJLNH) is the labour union for the group of professional hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the 32 member clubs in the National Hockey League (NHL) located in the United States and Canada. The association re ...
(NHLPA) and the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's MVP, becoming the first player in the history of the NHL to win four major regular season awards, including the Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophies. Ovechkin was also awarded his third consecutive
Kharlamov Trophy The Kharlamov Trophy is an ice hockey award given to the best Russian player of the previous season. The current winner, for the 2018-2019 season is Nikita Kucherov. History The Trophy was established by Sovetsky Sport in 2002, and is named a ...
, named after Soviet hockey star
Valeri Kharlamov The French name Valery () is a male given name or surname of Germanic origin ''Walaric'' (see Walric of Leuconay), that has often been confused in modern times with the Latin name '' Valerius''—that explains the variant spelling Valéry (). The ...
and presented by '' Sovetsky Sport'' newspaper, as the best Russian NHL player as voted by other Russian NHL players. In late October of the 2008–09 season, Ovechkin returned home to Moscow to visit his ailing grandfather, missing only the second game of his career up to that point, snapping a consecutive streak of 203 games played. On 5 February 2009, Ovechkin scored his 200th goal, against the Los Angeles Kings, becoming only the fourth player in the NHL to reach the milestone in four seasons, joining
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
,
Mike Bossy Michael Dean Bossy (January 22, 1957April 15, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. He spent his entire NHL career, which lasted from 1977 to 1987, with the Islanders, and ...
and Mario Lemieux. On 19 March, he scored his 50th goal of the season, becoming the first Washington Capitals player to reach the 50-goal mark three times. He finished the campaign with 56 goals to capture his second consecutive Rocket Richard Trophy, joining Jarome Iginla and Pavel Bure as the third player to win the award twice and the second player after Bure (2000 and 2001) to win the award in back-to-back seasons. With 110 points, he finished as runner-up to countryman Evgeni Malkin for the Art Ross. Ovechkin and the Capitals repeated as division champions en route to meeting the
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its ho ...
in the opening round. After advancing to the second round in seven games, Ovechkin notched his first NHL playoff hat trick on 4 May, in game 2 against the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
to help Washington to a 4–3 win. The Capitals were eventually defeated by Pittsburgh, the eventual Stanley Cup champions, in seven games. Ovechkin finished the 2009 playoffs with a postseason career-high 21 points in 14 games. He went on to win the Hart and Pearson trophies for the second consecutive year, becoming the seventeenth player to win the Hart multiple times. Just over a month into the 2009–10 season, Ovechkin suffered an upper-body injury during a game against the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
on 1 November 2009, after a collision with opposing forward Raffi Torres. After returning, Ovechkin was suspended by the NHL on 1 December for two games (one for the action, and one for a second game misconduct penalty during the season) for a knee-on-knee hit to
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conferenc ...
defenseman
Tim Gleason Timothy Patrick Gleason (born January 29, 1983) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman and current assistant coach to the Carolina Hurricanes. Drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round, 23rd overall, at the 2001 NHL Entr ...
during a game the previous day. Both Gleason and Ovechkin had to be helped off the ice, although Gleason later returned during the game, while Ovechkin did not. Ovechkin was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct at the time. Capitals Coach
Bruce Boudreau Bruce Allan Boudreau (born January 9, 1955) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach currently serving as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. He previously served as head coach of the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, and Minnesota Wild. ...
commented that Ovechkin's style of play was at times "reckless." The suspension was Ovechkin's first of his career, causing him to forfeit $98,844.16 in salary. On 5 January 2010, Ovechkin was named
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of the Washington Capitals after previous captain Chris Clark was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He became the first European, second-youngest and 14th overall captain in team history. On 5 February, at a game against the New York Rangers, Ovechkin, with his second goal and third point of the game, reached the 500-point milestone of his NHL career. He is the fifth player to achieve the milestone in only five seasons, reaching it in 373 career games. On 14 March, at a game against the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Divisio ...
at the
United Center United Center is an indoor arena on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is home to the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is name ...
, Ovechkin sent 'Hawks defenseman
Brian Campbell Brian Wesley Campbell (born May 23, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for the Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the Stanley ...
into the boards after Campbell had dumped the puck to the blue line. Ovechkin was called for boarding, receiving a five-minute major and a game misconduct, and was suspended for two games (for a third game misconduct of the season, a two-game suspension is automatic). Campbell suffered a fractured clavicle and fractured rib, and was expected to be out seven-to-eight weeks. Ovechkin won the 2009–10 Ted Lindsay Award, becoming only the second player in NHL history to win the award in three consecutive years. He also led the NHL in goals per game and points per game for three straight seasons, from 2008 to 2010.NHL.com – "Stats" Ovechkin is the Capitals' all-time leader in goals. In 2009–10 Ovechkin surpassed the mark of
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
goaltender Bill Durnan (first four seasons from 1943–44 through 1946–47) and became the first player in NHL history voted a First Team All-Star in each of his first five seasons. In
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrates ...
, Ovechkin and the Capitals took part in the New Year's Day
NHL Winter Classic The NHL Winter Classic (french: La Classique hivernale de la LNH) is an annual regular season outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on or around New Year's Day, generally in a football or baseball stadium in an area ...
, facing the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
. Ovechkin did not score any points, but the Capitals won 3–1. On 8 March 2011, in a 5–0 victory over the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
, Ovechkin recorded his 600th career point. On 5 April, Ovechkin scored his 300th career goal, becoming the sixth-youngest and seventh-fastest player to do so. On 23 January 2012, Ovechkin received a three-game suspension for a hit on Zbyněk Michálek of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The following day, Ovechkin announced he would not attend the
2012 NHL All-Star Game The 2012 National Hockey League All-Star Game, (also known as the ''2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game'') took place on January 29, 2012, at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa. This edition of the All-Star Game featured the "fantasy draft" format first se ...
due to the suspension.


2012–2017

During the NHL lockout in the first half of the shortened 2012–13 season, Ovechkin went to play in the
KHL The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; russian: Континентальная хоккейная лига (КХЛ), Kontinental'naya khokkeynaya liga) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs b ...
and re-joined Dynamo Moscow with his teammate Nicklas Bäckström. In 31 games for the team, Ovechkin scored 19 goals and 40 points. At the end of the season, the Dynamo would go on to win the Gagarin Cup, albeit after the NHL lockout concluded and Ovechkin and Backstrom returned to North America. However, Ovechkin still received a championship ring from the team. In the remainder lockout-shortened 2012–13 NHL season, Ovechkin led the NHL in goal-scoring with 32, earning him his third Rocket Richard Trophy. He combined his 32 goals with 24 assists, giving him 56 points, good for third-most points in the NHL. He was also awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy for the third time in his career. Ovechkin only scored two points in a first-round exit of the
2013 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 30, 2013, following the conclusion of the 2012–13 NHL regular season. The regular season was shortened to 48 games, and the playoffs pushed to a later date, due ...
against the New York Rangers, during which he played with a hairline fracture in his foot. After the 2013 season, Ovechkin made history by being named to both the First and Second NHL All-Star teams. He had switched to playing right wing that entire season so was voted to the first All-Star team's right wing, but because some voters were not aware of the change, voted for him at his traditional left wing position, therefore also landing him left wing on the second All-Star team. On 20 December 2013, in a game against the
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conferenc ...
, Ovechkin scored his 400th career goal. He became the sixth-fastest player to ever reach that mark, getting it in 634 games, one less than
Pavel Bure Pavel Vladimirovich Bure (russian: Па́вел Влади́мирович Буре́, ; born March 31, 1971) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. Nicknamed "the Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bu ...
. At the conclusion of the 2013–14 season, Ovechkin had the strange distinction of winning the Rocket Richard Trophy, scoring 51 goals, while going −35, one of the NHL's worst, in the plus-minus statistic. However, the Capitals missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006–07. On 4 November 2014, in a game against the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are the third major professional ice hockey te ...
, Ovechkin recorded his 826th point, a franchise record, surpassing
Peter Bondra Peter Bondra (; born 7 February 1968) is a Ukrainian-born Slovak former professional ice hockey player. He was the general manager of the Slovakia national team from 2007 to 2011. A two-time 50-goal scorer, Bondra became the 37th player in Nati ...
, who previously held the record with 825 points. However, the Flames won the game 4–3 in overtime. On 31 March 2015, in a game against the
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conferenc ...
, Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the year and became the sixth player in NHL history to have six 50-goal seasons, joining
Guy Lafleur Guy Damien Lafleur (September 20, 1951 – April 22, 2022), nicknamed "the Flower" and "Le Démon Blond", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was the first player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score 50 goals in six c ...
,
Mike Bossy Michael Dean Bossy (January 22, 1957April 15, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. He spent his entire NHL career, which lasted from 1977 to 1987, with the Islanders, and ...
,
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
,
Marcel Dionne Marcel Elphège "Little Beaver" Dionne (born August 3, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. Marcel ...
and
Mario Lemieux Mario Lemieux (; ; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2006, and he assumed ownership of the ...
. On 2 April, Ovechkin scored his 51st and 52nd goals of the season in a 5–4 shootout win against the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
, surpassing Bondra as the franchise leader in goals scored. It was also his 15th multi-goal game of the season, none of which were hat-tricks. During the 2015–16 season, in the second period of a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ovechkin scored his eighth goal of the season to tie
Sergei Fedorov Sergei Viktorovich Fyodorov (; born December 13, 1969) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player and the current head coach of CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). During his playing career, for which he is best known ...
's tally for the most goals among Russian born players, with 483. On 19 November 2015, Ovechkin scored his ninth goal of the season in a 3–2 loss to the Dallas Stars; that goal broke Fedorov's record. On 10 January 2016, Ovechkin scored his 500th and 501st goals in a 7–1 victory over the Ottawa Senators, becoming the 43rd player to reach the 500-goal plateau, and the fifth-fastest player to do so, as well as the first Russian. On 9 April, Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the season and became the third player in NHL history to have seven or more 50-goal seasons. During the 2015–16 season, Ovechkin, for the first time in his career, did not lead the Washington Capitals in points, although he still led the team in goals with 50, and finished second on the team in points with 71, behind fellow countryman
Evgeny Kuznetsov Yevgeny Yevgenyevich Kuznetsov (russian: Евгений Евгеньевич Кузнецов; born 19 May 1992) is a Russian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). H ...
, who finished with 77. In the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Washington Capitals lost the series to the Pittsburgh Penguins in game 6 after a 4–3 overtime defeat. On 11 January 2017, Ovechkin scored his 1,000th career point, becoming the 37th player in NHL history to reach 1,000 points with only one team.


2017–present

As the "face of the Capitals" for over a decade, Ovechkin had taken "the lion's share of the blame" for the team's failing record postseason, which had included three straight exits during the second round, two of them dealt by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The loss to the Penguins in the 2017 playoffs was particularly devastating to the Capitals. And while Crosby had won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins, Ovechkin was being considered the greatest hockey player never to have won one, with his main nemesis being largely to blame. Advancing age, consideration of his legacy, and the desire to beat Crosby's Penguins in the postseason combined to change Ovechkin's approach to hockey in the 2017–18 season and beyond. After engaging in a more intense pre-season fitness training than usual, focusing more on speed work and condition, Ovechkin returned to training camp in Washington two weeks early and predicted: "We're not gonna be fucking suck this year ." He then scored seven times in the team's first two games, performing a hat trick in both games. Ovechkin broke many NHL and Capitals' records during the 2017–18 season. On 7 October 2017, he became the first player in 100 years with back-to-back hat-tricks to start the season. As well, on 25 November, Ovechkin passed Bondra as the team's all-time leader in hat-tricks with his 20th of his career. On 21 October, in a game against the
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and are ...
, Ovechkin surpassed Jaromír Jágr for most regular season overtime goals with the 20th of his career. On 12 March 2018, Ovechkin scored his 600th career goal, making him the 20th player to do so, and the fourth to do so in less than 1,000 games. On 1 April 2018 Ovechkin would play against the Pittsburgh Penguins in his 1,000th regular season NHL game, becoming the first Capitals player to play 1,000 games and the 54th NHL player to do so with the same franchise. At the conclusion of the regular season, Ovechkin was awarded the Rocket Richard trophy for the seventh time in his career. He became the second player, tied with Bobby Hull, to win the NHL's goal scoring title seven times. During the 2018 playoffs, Ovechkin scored 15 goals and 27 points in 24 games and averaging 20:44 of ice time per game. That year the Capitals would once again meet their longtime rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the Eastern Conference semifinals; headed by Sidney Crosby, Ovechkin's main rival for greatest player of his generation, the Penguins had been victorious in nine of their previous 10 encounters with the Capitals. The Capitals broke the trend, however, with Ovechkin assisting
Evgeny Kuznetsov Yevgeny Yevgenyevich Kuznetsov (russian: Евгений Евгеньевич Кузнецов; born 19 May 1992) is a Russian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). H ...
's game six overtime goal to clinch his first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 13 seasons with the Capitals. The Capitals reached the
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
, the second time they had done so (they previously did in 1998), and defeated the
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expa ...
in five games to win the
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
. Ovechkin won the Conn Smythe trophy, awarded to the most valuable player for his team in the playoffs. On 6 December 2018, Ovechkin became the fastest player in NHL history and ninth overall to take 5,000 shots on goal, reaching that mark in 1,031 career games.
Marcel Dionne Marcel Elphège "Little Beaver" Dionne (born August 3, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. Marcel ...
, the previous holder of the record, required 184 more games. He scored the 21st hat-trick of his NHL career in a 6–2 win over
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and are ...
on 11 December, passing
Pavel Bure Pavel Vladimirovich Bure (russian: Па́вел Влади́мирович Буре́, ; born March 31, 1971) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played the right wing position. Nicknamed "the Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bu ...
for most by a Russian-born player in league history. Ovechkin had a career-best 14 game point streak during the season, which included back-to-back hat tricks. Ovechkin was named a captain for the
2019 National Hockey League All-Star Game The 2019 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held at SAP Center in San Jose, home of the San Jose Sharks on January 26, 2019. San Jose last held the NHL All Star Game in 1997. This was the fourth consecutive All-Star Game that used a four-te ...
, but announced that he was choosing to skip the game to rest, forcing him to serve an automatic one game suspension as a result. Ovechkin would be named captain again the next year, and again chose to skip the game to rest, and would serve another one game suspension. On 22 February 2020, Ovechkin scored his 700th career goal in the third period of a 3–2 loss against the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The club was founded as the Kan ...
, making him the eighth player in NHL history to accomplish the feat. The season ended early due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, so Ovechkin and Bruins' forward David Pastrňák were named co-winners of the Rocket Richard Trophy, with each having 48 goals at the time. Ovechkin signed a five-year, $47.5 million contract extension with the Capitals on 27 July 2021. He scored his 28th career
hat trick A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
, tying
Marcel Dionne Marcel Elphège "Little Beaver" Dionne (born August 3, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. Marcel ...
and
Bobby Hull Robert Marvin Hull OC (born January 3, 1939) is a Canadian former ice hockey player who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His blonde hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot the puck at very high velo ...
for sixth most in NHL history, on 26 November 2021. On 31 December, Ovechkin scored his 275th power play goal, breaking
Dave Andreychuk David John Andreychuk (born September 29, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Light ...
's all-time record. On 16 March 2022, Ovechkin scored his 767th career NHL goal, moving him into third place for goals scored all-time in the NHL, passing
Jaromír Jágr Jaromír Jágr (; born 15 February 1972) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger for and the owner of Rytíři Kladno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Pengui ...
; he achieved the feat in 477 fewer games than Jagr, yet had also taken 400 more shots on goal. On 20 April 2022, Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the season for the ninth time in his career, tying
Mike Bossy Michael Dean Bossy (January 22, 1957April 15, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. He spent his entire NHL career, which lasted from 1977 to 1987, with the Islanders, and ...
and
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
for having the most 50-goal seasons in NHL history. At 36 years and 215 days of age, he is the oldest player to score 50 goals in a season; the previous oldest was
Johnny Bucyk John Paul Bucyk (born May 12, 1935) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Having played most of his career with the Boston Bruins, he has been associated in one capacity or another with th ...
, doing so at the age of 35 years and 308 days. On 5 November, Ovechkin scored his 787th goal with the Washington Capitals setting a new NHL record for most goals with one team, a record previously held by
Gordie Howe Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...
. He set another NHL best on 29 November, surpassing Gretzky for most road goals with 403, after scoring two goals against the Canucks. Ovechkin became the third player in NHL history to score 800 regular season goals, behind Howe and Gretzky, by scoring a hat trick against the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Divisio ...
on 13 December. It was his 29th hat trick in the NHL, giving him the sixth most hat tricks by any player in the league's history.


Player profile

Ovechkin is widely considered one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history, with what some consider a real chance at overtaking
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
in total career goals (894). He is famous for his deadly one-timer, which he typically fires from the left faceoff circle, an area known as his "office." Former teammate
Brooks Orpik Richard Brooks Orpik (born September 26, 1980) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). A stay-at-home defenseman and locker ...
said of his one-timer, "You know it's going there, and you still can't stop him." Ovechkin proves "the exception rather than the rule when it comes to success" on one-timers, which "can be very difficult to pull off," involving as they do "taking a hard pass and timing a shot perfectly, when the puck may be rolling or on end, while also aiming at a small net, particularly from far distances." Ovechkin has been awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy honoring the most valuable player in the league three times (2008, 2009, 2013). Ovechkin's most enduring nickname is "The Great 8." Ovechkin's ability to shoot heavily as a power forward has been well documented. After clinching the hardest shot title at the 2018 NHL All-Star game skills competition with a 98.8 mph first attempt, he became the only player in the 2018 All Star game to break the century mark, surpassing 100 mph on his second shot, stepping "up to plate and delivered a blistering 101.3 MPH blast." In an October 2018 game against the Canucks, after Vancouver had pulled their goalie, Ovechkin passed the puck to teammate T. J. Oshie rather than score the easy
hat trick A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
for himself. " shie asked'Why you pass me the puck?'" Ovechkin said. "But he was so wide open and I try to give him pass. Save mine for next time." The Capitals' morning skate ritually begins with captain Ovechkin "sprinting around the rink, a solo lap to the sound of sticks tapping from his teammates." Once he's made it all the way around, the rest of the team jumps onto the ice to join him. Ovechkin is known as a durable player, losing little time to injuries. After being struck on the foot by a teammate's wrist shot during a 2006 game in Vancouver, he "crumpled to the ice and had to be helped to the locker room." Exhibiting no ill effects in practice the next day, Ovechkin famously told reporters, "I'm okay; Russian machine never breaks." Late in the 2008–09 season, Ovechkin garnered some criticism over his exuberant after-goal celebrations. On 28 February 2009, during a segment of ''
Hockey Night in Canada CBC Television has aired National Hockey League (NHL) broadcasts under the ''Hockey Night in Canada'' (often abbreviated ''Hockey Night'' or ''HNiC'') brand that is primarily associated with its Saturday night NHL broadcasts throughout its hi ...
s Coach's Corner, Canadian hockey analyst Don Cherry likened Ovechkin's celebrations of jumping into the boards and his teammates to that of soccer players, concluding that this was not the Canadian way and advising Canadian kids to ignore Ovechkin's example. Capitals coach
Bruce Boudreau Bruce Allan Boudreau (born January 9, 1955) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach currently serving as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. He previously served as head coach of the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, and Minnesota Wild. ...
came to Ovechkin's defense, stating Cherry "doesn't know Alex like we know Alex", and Ovechkin himself stated that he "doesn't care" about Cherry. The next notable incident happened on 19 March 2009, in a game against the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play ...
. After scoring his 50th goal of the season, Ovechkin put his stick on the ice, pretending to warm his hands over it because it was "hot." The incident sparked an immediate response from Tampa Bay coach
Rick Tocchet Richard Tocchet (; born April 9, 1964) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. Playing as a right winger, he played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los A ...
, who said that " vechkinwent down a notch in my books." Boudreau had also stated that he would discuss the incident with Ovechkin, and teammate Mike Green, despite being the first to celebrate with Ovechkin afterwards, commented that he did not wish to join in the pre-meditated celebration. Ovechkin himself was unapologetic, and said about Don Cherry in particular, "He's going to be pissed off for sure...I love it!". After using and endorsing CCM equipment for most of his career, Ovechkin made the move to
Bauer Hockey Bauer Hockey LLC (renamed Nike Bauer from 2005 to 2008) is a manufacturer of ice hockey equipment, fitness and recreational skates and apparel. Bauer produces helmets, gloves, sticks, skates, shin guards, pants, shoulder pads, elbow pads, hockey ...
in August 2011 following a decline in his point production in the 2010–11 season. He continued to use Bauer equipment until the 2017 season, when he switched back to CCM. Ovechkin currently uses the Ribcor Trigger stick and Super Tacks AS1 skates.


International play

At the age of 16, Ovechkin played at the 2002 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he scored two hat tricks, one against Switzerland and one against the United States, and an assist. At the age of 17, when he was selected by Russian coach Viktor Tikhonov to play in the Česká Pojišťovna Cup EuroTour tournament, Ovechkin became the youngest skater ever to play for the Russian national team. In that tournament, he also became the youngest player ever to score for the national team. He also was selected to play at the
2002 IIHF World U18 Championships The 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships were held in Piešťany and Trnava, Slovakia. The championships began on April 11, 2002, and finished on April 21, 2002. Games were played at Zimny Stadion in Piešťany and Zimny Stadion in Trnava. The US te ...
, in which he amassed 14 goals and four assists in eight games, leading Russia to a silver medal. Ovechkin now shares the single tournament goals record with
Cole Caufield Cole Caufield (born January 2, 2001) is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 15th overall by the Canadiens in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Following succes ...
, who scored as many in seven games at the 2019 IIHF World U18 Championships. At the age of 18, Ovechkin was named captain of the junior Russian national team. Russia finished fifth in the tournament. In 2003, the team would go on to win a gold medal in the World Junior Championships. At the age of 19, Ovechkin was named to the Russian national team for the
2004 World Cup of Hockey The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League (NHL)-sanctioned competition, eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 ...
, making him the youngest player to play in the tournament. Also at 19, Ovechkin was named captain of the junior team in the
2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (''2005 WJC'') was held between December 25, 2004, and January 4, 2005, at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, ...
. The tournament, lasting from 25 December 2004 to 4 January 2005, was Ovechkin's third and last. At the conclusion of the tournament, he had collected seven goals, tied for the tournament lead. His team received the silver medal after losing the gold medal game to Canada on 4 January, and Ovechkin was named the Best Forward of the tournament as well as selected to the tournament All-Star team. In 2005, Ovechkin played in his first IIHF men's World Championships. He scored five goals and three assists, landing eighth in the top scorers list and sharing third place in goal scoring. In 2006, Ovechkin played in his first Winter Olympic Games. Although Russia came away from the games without a medal, Ovechkin scored five goals in the tournament, including the game-winner against Canada's
Martin Brodeur Martin Pierre Brodeur (; born May 6, 1972) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey goaltender and current team executive. He played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 21 of them for the New Jersey Devils, with wh ...
, eliminating Canada from the tournament. Ovechkin was the only player not on the Swedish (gold medal winners) or Finnish (silver medal winners) teams to be named to the all-tournament team. At the 2006 IIHF World Championships, Ovechkin scored six goals and three assists (nine points) in seven games before Russia lost 4–3 to the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals. For his efforts, Ovechkin was one of six players selected to the Media All-Star team. At the 2008 IIHF World Championships, Ovechkin helped lead Russia to the gold medal by finishing with 12 points (six goals, six assists) in nine games. He was selected to the Media All-Star team for the second time in five tournament appearances. In the
2010 Winter Olympics )'' , nations = 82 , athletes = 2,626 , events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = February 12, 2010 , closing = February 28, 2010 , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy Greene Wayne G ...
, Ovechkin and Team Russia were one of the favorites to win the Gold Medal. Despite high expectations, Russia lost to Canada 7–3 in the quarterfinals. Ovechkin finished with two goals and two assists in Russia's four games. After being eliminated in the first round of the NHL playoffs, Ovechkin joined Russia for the
2010 IIHF World Championship The 2010 IIHF World Championship was the 74th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 7 and 23 May 2010 in Germany. The games were played in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, SAP Arena in Mannhe ...
s along with many other Russian stars, such as Evgeni Malkin,
Pavel Datsyuk Pavel Valerievich Datsyuk (, ; born 20 July 1978) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player. Datsyuk was nicknamed the "Magic Man" honoring his incredible stickhandling and creativity with the puck. From 2001 to 2016, he played for the ...
and
Ilya Kovalchuk Ilya Valeryevich Kovalchuk (russian: Илья Валерьевич Ковальчук; born 15 April 1983) is a Russian former professional ice hockey winger. He played for the Atlanta Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montre ...
. Despite being heavily favored to win the tournament, Russia lost to the Czech Republic in the finals. Ovechkin also joined the Russian team for the
2011 IIHF World Championship Eleven or 11 may refer to: *11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12 * one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11 Literature * ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn *''El ...
s after the Capitals were eliminated from the
NHL playoffs The Stanley Cup playoffs (french: Les séries éliminatoires de la Coupe Stanley) is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League (NHL) consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series to determine the league champion and the winner ...
. He played in five games for the Russian team, but did not manage to score any points, the first time he failed to score any points in a World Championship tournament. Ovechkin played in Russia's last three games of the
2012 IIHF World Championship The 2012 IIHF World Championship was the 76th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 4–20 May 2012 in Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden. This tournament determined the countries ...
s. He recorded two goals and two assists as Russia won the tournament. Ovechkin also represented Russia in 2013 IIHF World Championships. He joined the national team after the Capitals were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2013. Russia had already advanced to the first playoff round where they faced the U.S. The Americans defeated Russia 8–3, eliminating them from the tournament. In the
2014 Winter Olympics , ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'') , nations = 88 , events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , athletes = 2,873 , opening = 7 February 2014 , closing = 23 February 2014 , opened_by = President Vladimir Putin , cauldron = , stadium = Fisht Olympi ...
, Ovechkin represented Russia under enormous pressure as the tournament was hosted on home ice in
Sochi Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents i ...
. Russia lost to arch-rivals Finland 3–1 in the quarter-final round. Ovechkin participated in the 2014 IIHF World Championships where Russia won gold. After the tournament, he asked
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
to reward the Russian hockey team on an equal basis with the 2014 Olympic champions. That was criticized as the World Championship was considered insignificant compared to Olympic gold, which Russia had failed to win earlier that year in Sochi. He also joined the Russian team late in the 2015 IIHF World Championships, where Russia won the silver medal.


Off the ice

Ovechkin was the cover athlete of 2K Sports hockey simulation video game ''
NHL 2K10 ''NHL 2K10'' is an ice hockey sports video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports, part of the ''NHL 2K'' series. It was released on September 15, 2009 for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360. Randy Hahn and Dr ...
'', as well as the cover athlete of EA Sports' ''
NHL 07 ''NHL 07'' is an ice hockey video game, which was released in 2006. The game improved the series' gameplay with more realistic features, such as stickhandling and a wider variety of controller schemes. As NHL 07 was released on the Xbox 360, this ...
and
NHL 21 ''NHL 21'' is an ice hockey simulation video game developed by EA Vancouver and published by EA Sports. It is the 30th installment in the ''NHL'' game series and was released for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox One consoles in October 2 ...
''. On 11 June 2008, Ovechkin launched his own line of designer
streetwear Streetwear is a style of casual clothing which became global in the 1990s. It grew from New York hip hop fashion and Californian surf culture to encompass elements of sportswear, punk, skateboarding and Japanese street fashion. Eventually haut ...
with CCM. On 6 July 2009, Ovechkin was named an ambassador for the
2014 Winter Olympics , ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'') , nations = 88 , events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , athletes = 2,873 , opening = 7 February 2014 , closing = 23 February 2014 , opened_by = President Vladimir Putin , cauldron = , stadium = Fisht Olympi ...
in
Sochi Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents i ...
, Russia. In late 2009, he was named '' GQs 48th most powerful person in Washington, D.C. During the 2010–11 season, Ovechkin was featured in one of
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
's '' This is SportsCenter'' commercials, in which he laughed off a question by ESPN personality
Steve Levy Steve Levy (; born March 12, 1965) is an American journalist and sportscaster for ESPN. He is known for his work broadcasting college football, ''Monday Night Football'' and the National Hockey League. Early life and career Levy went to Jo ...
accusing him of being a Russian spy before being pulled upward by a line through an open ceiling tile by countryman and then-Capitals teammate Semyon Varlamov. Ovechkin is a dedicated car enthusiast, owning many fine automobiles, such as a Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series and a custom Mercedes S63 AMG. At the
2015 NHL All-Star Game The 2015 National Hockey League All-Star Game was an exhibition ice hockey game played on January 25, 2015. The game was held in Columbus, Ohio, for the first time, at Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team captains were ch ...
, Ovechkin lobbied
Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...
for a new car, and brought an element of fun silliness to the "draft" where he was chosen third to last; the last two players selected, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Filip Forsberg, each received a new car, but Ovechkin would not give up. When Honda representatives asked his agent why he wanted a car so badly, they were told that he planned to donate it to the American Special Hockey Association, and at the end of the event, he was handed the keys to a new
Honda Accord The , also known as the in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of cars manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. ...
. That Accord was auctioned off, and the proceeds used to benefit the charity Ovechkin highlighted and brought attention to with his antics. Following the Capitals' 2018 Stanley Cup victory, Ovechkin participated in a number of memorable celebrations, including an incident where he and teammates
T. J. Oshie Timothy Leif "T. J." Oshie (born December 23, 1986) is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the 2005 NHL E ...
,
Braden Holtby Braden Holtby (born September 16, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He previously played for the Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars of the National Hockey ...
,
Lars Eller Lars Fosgaard Eller (born 8 May 1989) is a Danish professional ice hockey player for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "the Tiger", he was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the first round, 13th overall in ...
and Tom Wilson swam in the fountains at the Georgetown waterfront with the Cup. The summer after the championship was dubbed by the Washington media as "The Summer of Ovi." Ovechkin has appeared in three films: ''Zaytsev, zhgi! Istoriya shoumena'' (2010) as an actor, and ''NHL: Just Like Me'' (2008) and ''Boys to the Bigs'' (2008) as himself. Ovechkin is a keen
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...
fan and an avid supporter of
Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Founded in 1892, the club joined the Football League the following year and has ...
He is also an investor in the Washington Spirit, a professional team in the
National Women's Soccer League The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league at the top of the United States league system. It is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federati ...
. In 2022, he signed a one-game contract with
FC Dynamo Moscow FC Dynamo Moscow (''FC Dynamo Moskva'', russian: Дина́мо Москва́ ) is a Russian football club based in Moscow. Dynamo returned to the Russian Premier League for the 2017–18 season after one season in the second-tier Russian Fo ...
, the club his father played for, in a friendly against FC Amkal Moscow. He wore the number 3 jersey in honor of his father, who wore the number when he played football for the club. Ovechkin scored a goal in the match.


Russian politics

In 2017, Ovechkin said: "I have a good relationship with Russians and with Americans. So, I'm neutral." In November 2017, Ovechkin started a movement called
PutinTeam PutinTeam is a social movement announced in 2017 by NHL player Alexander Ovechkin to support Russian President Vladimir Putin and his 2018 Russian Presidential campaign. Ovechkin has a personal relationship with Putin. Ovechkin has a personal pho ...
in support of Russian President
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
during the 2018 Russian presidential election. Asked whether it was political, Ovechkin described his actions as a show of support for
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
, "I just support my country, you know? That's where I'm from, my parents live there, all my friends. Like every human from different countries, they support their president. It's not about political stuff." Of his participation in PutinTeam, Ovechkin also said: PutinTeam was first announced in a 2 November 2017 post on Ovechkin’s Instagram account, which has over one million followers. On 23 November, Ovechkin announced on his Instagram that the group's official website had been launched. On the soft launch of the site, visitors were encouraged to sign up for the team, track related news, participate in contests and attend and organize events. Ovechkin has claimed that the idea for PutinTeam was all his and that the group is non-political in its nature.
Vedomosti ''Vedomosti'' ( rus, Ведомости, p=ˈvʲedəməsʲtʲɪ, ) is a Russian-language business daily newspaper published in Moscow. History ''Vedomosti'' was founded in 1999 as a joint venture between Dow Jones, who publishes ''The Wall ...
, a Russian financial newspaper, reported that Kremlin sources have said that IMA-Consulting were behind the creation of the organization. A Kremlin-supported public-relations firm, IMA-Consulting reportedly holds a $600,000 contract to promote the 2018 Russian presidential elections. The Kremlin spoke in support of the movement after its announcement. According to ''The Washington Post'', Ovechkin has a personal relationship with Putin. Ovechkin has a personal phone number for Putin, who is a big hockey fan, and received a gift from Putin at his 2016 wedding. Ovechkin said that he and Putin don't have much in common: "We talk about hockey and all that stuff. That's it." On 25 February 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ovechkin called for peace without mentioning Russia or Ukraine directly. In May 2022, he reiterated his support for Putin, as well as retaining the Russian president on his Instagram profile photo.


Feud with Evgeni Malkin

Ovechkin was reportedly involved in a feud with
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
forward Evgeni Malkin, who was drafted second behind Ovechkin in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Though the two were reported to be good friends when they roomed together during the
2006 Winter Olympics The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially the XX Olympic Winter Games ( it, XX Giochi olimpici invernali) and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February 2006 in Turin, Italy. This marked the second ...
in
Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...
, Italy, this friendship quickly soured. The feud may have started in August 2007 when Ovechkin supposedly punched Malkin's Russian agent, Gennady Ushakov, at a Moscow nightclub. Ovechkin has denied that version of events, while Malkin confirmed it. On 21 January 2008, in Pittsburgh, Ovechkin took a run at Malkin, which would have seemingly resulted in a devastating hit had Malkin not ducked out of the way just in time. The two would also not make eye contact at the 2008 NHL Awards Ceremony. Ovechkin has repeatedly denied "having it out" for Malkin. The feud raised many concerns as to its effect on the league, and the Russian national team at the
2010 Winter Olympics )'' , nations = 82 , athletes = 2,626 , events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = February 12, 2010 , closing = February 28, 2010 , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy Greene Wayne G ...
in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...
. On 24 January 2009, at the SuperSkills Competition, Malkin assisted Ovechkin in his stunt during the Breakaway Challenge. Malkin handed Ovechkin his props for the stunt as well as handing him his stick and pouring some sports drink down Ovechkin's throat. It has been reported that
Ilya Kovalchuk Ilya Valeryevich Kovalchuk (russian: Илья Валерьевич Ковальчук; born 15 April 1983) is a Russian former professional ice hockey winger. He played for the Atlanta Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montre ...
, who was then the
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...
' captain and a teammate of Ovechkin and Malkin on the Russian national team, brokered the peace between the two. Malkin gave a speech at Ovechkin's 35th birthday party in September 2020. The two are reportedly very close friends, with the feud long in the past.


Personal life

Ovechkin was formerly engaged to
tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cov ...
player
Maria Kirilenko Maria Yuryevna Kirilenko ( rus, Мари́я Ю́рьевна Кириле́нко, p=mɐˈrʲijə kʲɪrʲɪˈlʲɛnkə ; born 25 January 1987) is a Russian former professional tennis player. A junior Grand Slam champion at the 2002 US Open a ...
. On 21 July 2014, Kirilenko announced that the wedding was called off and that the two were no longer seeing each other. On 11 September 2015, Ovechkin announced via Instagram his engagement to Nastya Shubskaya (the daughter of
Vera Glagoleva Vera Vitalievna Glagoleva (russian: Вера Витальевна Глаголева; 31 January 1956 – 16 August 2017) was a Soviet and Russian actress and film director. Glagoleva was born in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union in 1956. ...
), whom he subsequently married. On 7 June 2018, in an interview after winning the Stanley Cup, it was made public that Ovechkin and his wife were expecting their first child. On 18 August 2018, the couple had a son, whom they named Sergei after Ovechkin's late brother. On 24 February 2020, Ovechkin’s wife announced via Instagram that they were expecting their second child. On 27 May 2020, their second son, Ilya, was born. , Ovechkin is currently studying for and is close to obtaining a
Doctor of Sciences Doctor of Sciences ( rus, доктор наук, p=ˈdoktər nɐˈuk, abbreviated д-р наук or д. н.; uk, доктор наук; bg, доктор на науките; be, доктар навук) is a higher doctoral degree in the Russi ...
, the Russian equivalent of a PhD or higher doctorate. Ovechkin's field of study is Pedagogical Sciences.


Career statistics


Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates led league


International


Honors, awards, and achievements

* Order of Honour * Asteroid 257261 Ovechkin was named in his honor by Leonid Elenin. *
Ride of Fame The Ride of Fame is a continuing series of mobile monuments in New York City honoring public figures for being exemplary “New Yorkers” and representing the city in a positive light over the course of their lives. Ride of Fame alumni have also ...
honored Alex Ovechkin with a double-decker sightseeing bus in Washington, D.C. * The day after he received his first Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP for the 2007–08 season, he was given the key to the city by Washington Mayor Adrian M. Fenty for being the first Washington MVP winner in a major sport since
Joe Theismann Joseph Robert Theismann (born September 9, 1949) is an American former professional football player, sports commentator, corporate speaker and restaurateur. He rose to fame playing quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Can ...
of the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) ...
in 1983.


Records


NHL records

* First player to win the
Art Ross Trophy The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League (NHL) player who leads the league in points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the league by former player, General Manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has ...
, Maurice Richard Trophy,
Lester B. Pearson Award Pearson may refer to: Organizations Education * Lester B. Pearson College, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada *Pearson College (UK), London, owned by Pearson PLC * Lester B. Pearson High School (disambiguation) Companies *Pearson PLC, a UK-based i ...
, and Hart Memorial Trophy in a single season. * Only player to be named to the NHL first All-Star team in each of his first five seasons * Most NHL goal scoring titles with 9 * Most goals scored by a left
wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is e ...
in a career – 800 ''()'' * Most goals for a single team – 800 () * Most goals scored on the road in a career - 403 () * Most goals scored by a left wing in a season – 65 goals (2007–08) * Most points scored by a left wing rookie – 106 ( 2005–06) * Most shots on goal by a left wing in a season – 528 (2008–09) * Most shots on goal by a rookie in a season – 425 (2005–06) * Most regular season points by a Russian-born NHL rookie – 106 (2005–06) * Fastest overtime goal – 6 seconds on 15 December 2006 versus
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...
(tied with
Mats Sundin Mats Johan Sundin (; born 13 February 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), retiring in 2009. Originally drafted first overall in 1989, Sundin played ...
and David Legwand) * Only player to be named to both the NHL First and second All-Star teams in the same season ( 2012–13) * Most goals by a Russian-born player – 800 () * Most points by a Russian-born player – 1,410 * Most shots by a Russian-born player – 6,061 * Most career shots by a forward – 6,061 * Most career overtime goals – 24 * Most career power play goals – 285 * Most career game-opening goals - 136 * Most consecutive 30-goal seasons – 15 (tied with Mike Gartner and
Jaromír Jágr Jaromír Jágr (; born 15 February 1972) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger for and the owner of Rytíři Kladno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Pengui ...
) * Most career 40-goal seasons – 12 (tied with
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
) * Most career 45-goal seasons – 12 * Most career 50-goal seasons – 9 (tied with
Mike Bossy Michael Dean Bossy (January 22, 1957April 15, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. He spent his entire NHL career, which lasted from 1977 to 1987, with the Islanders, and ...
and
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
)


Washington Capitals records

* Most seasons with 50 or more goals – 9 (2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2021–22) * Most shots on goal in a season – 528 (2008–09) * Most goals in a season – 65 goals (2007–08) * Most power play goals – 285 (1 May 2022) * Most power play goals in a season – 25 goals (2014–15) * Most career overtime goals – 25 goals * Most career penalty shots attempted – 10 shots (most recent on 7 March 2015) * Most goals in a season by a rookie – 52 goals (2005–06) * Most points in a season by a rookie – 106 points (2005–06) * Point streak by a rookie – 11 games (17 points; 5 goals, 12 assists; 18 March–7 April 2006) * Point streak by a rookie to start the season – 8 games * Goal streak by a rookie – 7 games (10 February–8 March 2006) * Most career hat tricks – 29 * Most career goals – 800 (as of 14 December 2022) * Most career points – 1,444 (as of 14 December 2022) * Most goals in a single postseason – 15 (2017–18)


See also

* List of NHL players with 50-goal seasons * List of NHL players with 500 goals * List of NHL players with 100-point seasons * List of NHL players with 1,000 games played * List of NHL players with 1,000 points


Notes


References


Bibliography

*


External links

* * Alex Ovechkin bio
IMDb.com
* Alex Ovechkin bio
Biography.com
* Alex Ovechkin bio
Britannica.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ovechkin, Alexander 1985 births Living people Art Ross Trophy winners Calder Trophy winners Conn Smythe Trophy winners Eastern Orthodox Christians from Russia Expatriate ice hockey players in the United States FC Dynamo Moscow players Hart Memorial Trophy winners HC Dynamo Moscow players Ice hockey people from Moscow Ice hockey players from Washington, D.C. Ice hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics Lester B. Pearson Award winners Mordvin people National Hockey League All-Stars National Hockey League first-overall draft picks National Hockey League first-round draft picks Olympic ice hockey players of Russia Rocket Richard Trophy winners Russian emigrants to the United States Russian expatriate ice hockey people Russian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Russian footballers Russian ice hockey left wingers Russian Orthodox Christians from Russia Russian philanthropists Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism alumni Stanley Cup champions Washington Capitals captains Washington Capitals draft picks Washington Capitals players