section_path: Player profile
section_name: Player profile
paragraph_text: Player profile
  
  "When (other) guys shoot it, it goes in somewhat of a straight line. His is dipping, diving, rising, sinking. It just comes at you. It's not like any other shot.
  
  Ovechkin is widely considered a generational talent and the greatest goal scorer in NHL history. He overtook Wayne Gretzky in total career goals (894) in April 2025. Gretzky himself had stated he was cheering for Ovechkin to break his record, and when asked about it in April 2019, Gretzky stated he wanted to be the first one to shake Ovechkin's hand if he were to do so; Gretzky stuck true to his promise when Ovechkin surpassed his previous record on 6 April 2025, as Gretzky was in attendance at the game against the New York Islanders and went down to the ice level to congratulate Ovechkin.
  
  He is known for his deadly one-timer, which he usually fires from the left faceoff circle, an area known as his "office". In August 2006, New York Rangers forward Jaromír Jágr expressed admiration for Ovechkin's goal scoring productivity by quoting "All his goals, they are not flukes. Most of the time, he beats guys one-on-one, then you get your highlight". In October 2014, teammate Brooks Orpik 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 "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." In October 2014, Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said of Ovechkin’s playing style, "He’s a guy that not only uses his skill set, but his physicality, that’s what sets him apart. He’s willing to go to those areas and has one of the best shots in the league." In July 2015, Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick quoted Ovechkin's powerful shooting skills by saying "Guys like Ovi shoot it so hard that it's almost like you're a batter in baseball. You see the blur of the puck coming at you in frames."
  
  Ovechkin's ability to shoot and hit heavily as a power forward has been well documented. After clinching the hardest shot title at the 2018 National Hockey League 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 April 2025, Capitals teammate Tom Wilson exclaimed on Ovechkin's capabilities by saying: “He’s a machine. He’s out there creating energy for our team, scoring.... That’s what a leader does. It’s one thing to be good all season long, but the guys that show up and hit and block shots and lead the team, that’s why he’s a legend.”
  
  Ovechkin has been awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy honoring the most valuable player in the league three times (2008, 2009, 2013) and was also a finalist for the award two other times (in 2010 and 2015). Ovechkin's most enduring nickname is "The Great 8".
  
  While Ovechkin has been well known for being a prolific goal-scorer with his powerful shooting skills, he has also been shown to be a proficient passer and setting up goals scored by teammates. On 25 January 2018, when Ovechkin recorded his 500th assist on a Nicklas Bäckström goal in a 4–2 win over the Florida Panthers, then–Capitals head coach Barry Trotz said after the game, "He's a legendary player. He's getting the points, the goals, the assists. Everybody thinks of Alex as a pure goal-scorer, which he is, and he's got to those numbers hundreds of games before other people have reached that number but you always tend to forget he's a pretty good playmaker as well." On 22 October 2018, in a game against the Vancouver Canucks, after Vancouver had pulled their goalie, Ovechkin passed the puck to teammate T. J. Oshie rather than score the easy hat-trick for himself since he had scored twice earlier in the game. " 'Why did 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." On 9 February 2025, after a 5–4 shootout loss to the Utah Hockey Club, a game where Ovechkin was held goalless but recorded three assists, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery described Ovechkin's passing abilities by remarking "Everybody is so focused on his shot when he gets the puck, you’re always thinking shot, shot, shot. But he’s got that look-off pass too, the shot-pass, I call it".
  
  Ovechkin has also been recognized for showing opposing players respect and admiration for either returning to their team after overcoming hard obstacles off the ice or by their performance on the ice. For example, In a game against the Montreal Canadiens on 19 November 2018, early in to the 2018–19 season, Canadiens goaltender Carey Price made a sprawling stop on Ovechkin’s signature left circle slapshot in the dying seconds of the third period with both teams tied 4–4 and once he covered up the puck he skated over to Price and applauded him for his effort in denying him a hat trick and the game winner. The Capitals would go on to defeat the Canadiens in OT 5–4 with former Canadien Lars Eller scoring the winning goal for the Capitals but if Ovechkin had scored it would’ve been a regulation 5–4 win for the Capitals and a hat trick for Ovechkin himself since he already had two goals earlier in that same game. Also, in a game against the Montreal Canadiens on 16 April 2022, towards the end of the 2021–22 season, Ovechkin showed respect and admiration for Canadiens goaltender Price by giving him a fist bump from across their respective benches during a stoppage of play. The Canadiens game the previous day against the New York Islanders was Price’s first game back from a knee injury he sustained the previous summer in the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, where Price and the Canadiens lost the series in five games. Price had multiple setbacks in his recovery, which included a brief stint in the NHL Players' Assistance Program to get help with his mental health after coming forward about his struggles from alcohol abuse. When asked about this welcome back gesture in a post-game interview, Ovechkin responded by saying "Obviously, he's one of the best players in the league. He was in a tough situation. He's a warrior and good for him, his organization, his family and the game of hockey."
  
  The Capitals' morning skate ritually begins with 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, illnesses, or suspensions. After being struck on the foot by a teammate's wrist shot during an 26 October 2006 practice 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 ' 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. Then-Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau came to Ovechkin's defence, 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. 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 then–Tampa Bay head coach Rick Tocchet, who said that " went down a notch in my books." Boudreau had also stated that he would discuss the incident with Ovechkin, and then-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 in August 2011 following a decline in his point production in the 2010–11 season. He continued to use Bauer equipment until the Stanley Cup-winning 2017–18 season, when he switched back to CCM. Beginning in the 2023–24 season, Ovechkin began using a custom-manufactured-and-branded stick, featuring his own "8" logo.
  
  "When (other) guys shoot it, it goes in somewhat of a straight line. His is dipping, diving, rising, sinking. It just comes at you. It's not like any other shot.
  
  Ovechkin is widely considered a generational talent and the greatest goal scorer in NHL history. He overtook Wayne Gretzky in total career goals (894) in April 2025. Gretzky himself had stated he was cheering for Ovechkin to break his record, and when asked about it in April 2019, Gretzky stated he wanted to be the first one to shake Ovechkin's hand if he were to do so; Gretzky stuck true to his promise when Ovechkin surpassed his previous record on 6 April 2025, as Gretzky was in attendance at the game against the New York Islanders and went down to the ice level to congratulate Ovechkin.
  
  He is known for his deadly one-timer, which he usually fires from the left faceoff circle, an area known as his "office". In August 2006, New York Rangers forward Jaromír Jágr expressed admiration for Ovechkin's goal scoring productivity by quoting "All his goals, they are not flukes. Most of the time, he beats guys one-on-one, then you get your highlight". In October 2014, teammate Brooks Orpik 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 "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." In October 2014, Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said of Ovechkin’s playing style, "He’s a guy that not only uses his skill set, but his physicality, that’s what sets him apart. He’s willing to go to those areas and has one of the best shots in the league." In July 2015, Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick quoted Ovechkin's powerful shooting skills by saying "Guys like Ovi shoot it so hard that it's almost like you're a batter in baseball. You see the blur of the puck coming at you in frames."
  
  Ovechkin's ability to shoot and hit heavily as a power forward has been well documented. After clinching the hardest shot title at the 2018 National Hockey League 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 April 2025, Capitals teammate Tom Wilson exclaimed on Ovechkin's capabilities by saying: “He’s a machine. He’s out there creating energy for our team, scoring.... That’s what a leader does. It’s one thing to be good all season long, but the guys that show up and hit and block shots and lead the team, that’s why he’s a legend.”
  
  Ovechkin has been awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy honoring the most valuable player in the league three times (2008, 2009, 2013) and was also a finalist for the award two other times (in 2010 and 2015). Ovechkin's most enduring nickname is "The Great 8".
  
  While Ovechkin has been well known for being a prolific goal-scorer with his powerful shooting skills, he has also been shown to be a proficient passer and setting up goals scored by teammates. On 25 January 2018, when Ovechkin recorded his 500th assist on a Nicklas Bäckström goal in a 4–2 win over the Florida Panthers, then–Capitals head coach Barry Trotz said after the game, "He's a legendary player. He's getting the points, the goals, the assists. Everybody thinks of Alex as a pure goal-scorer, which he is, and he's got to those numbers hundreds of games before other people have reached that number but you always tend to forget he's a pretty good playmaker as well." On 22 October 2018, in a game against the Vancouver Canucks, after Vancouver had pulled their goalie, Ovechkin passed the puck to teammate T. J. Oshie rather than score the easy hat-trick for himself since he had scored twice earlier in the game. " 'Why did 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." On 9 February 2025, after a 5–4 shootout loss to the Utah Hockey Club, a game where Ovechkin was held goalless but recorded three assists, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery described Ovechkin's passing abilities by remarking "Everybody is so focused on his shot when he gets the puck, you’re always thinking shot, shot, shot. But he’s got that look-off pass too, the shot-pass, I call it".
  
  Ovechkin has also been recognized for showing opposing players respect and admiration for either returning to their team after overcoming hard obstacles off the ice or by their performance on the ice. For example, In a game against the Montreal Canadiens on 19 November 2018, early in to the 2018–19 season, Canadiens goaltender Carey Price made a sprawling stop on Ovechkin’s signature left circle slapshot in the dying seconds of the third period with both teams tied 4–4 and once he covered up the puck he skated over to Price and applauded him for his effort in denying him a hat trick and the game winner. The Capitals would go on to defeat the Canadiens in OT 5–4 with former Canadien Lars Eller scoring the winning goal for the Capitals but if Ovechkin had scored it would’ve been a regulation 5–4 win for the Capitals and a hat trick for Ovechkin himself since he already had two goals earlier in that same game. Also, in a game against the Montreal Canadiens on 16 April 2022, towards the end of the 2021–22 season, Ovechkin showed respect and admiration for Canadiens goaltender Price by giving him a fist bump from across their respective benches during a stoppage of play. The Canadiens game the previous day against the New York Islanders was Price’s first game back from a knee injury he sustained the previous summer in the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, where Price and the Canadiens lost the series in five games. Price had multiple setbacks in his recovery, which included a brief stint in the NHL Players' Assistance Program to get help with his mental health after coming forward about his struggles from alcohol abuse. When asked about this welcome back gesture in a post-game interview, Ovechkin responded by saying "Obviously, he's one of the best players in the league. He was in a tough situation. He's a warrior and good for him, his organization, his family and the game of hockey."
  
  The Capitals' morning skate ritually begins with 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, illnesses, or suspensions. After being struck on the foot by a teammate's wrist shot during an 26 October 2006 practice 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 ' 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. Then-Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau came to Ovechkin's defence, 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. 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 then–Tampa Bay head coach Rick Tocchet, who said that " went down a notch in my books." Boudreau had also stated that he would discuss the incident with Ovechkin, and then-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 in August 2011 following a decline in his point production in the 2010–11 season. He continued to use Bauer equipment until the Stanley Cup-winning 2017–18 season, when he switched back to CCM. Beginning in the 2023–24 season, Ovechkin began using a custom-manufactured-and-branded stick, featuring his own "8" logo.