Ahead of Alex Ovechkin’s day with the Stanley Cup, the Russian machine’s personal trainer, Pavel, paid up on a bet he made long ago: If his client won the Stanley Cup, he would let the Russian superstar shave his curly brown locks.
On Friday, that ridiculous dream became a reality and Ovechkin documented the moment, along with his close friend Alex Gusev.
“My personal trainer @pavelheadcoach kept his word!” Ovechkin wrote on Instagram. “He did what he said he’d do! Which one is better, the first or the second photo?”)) 💪👍”
Gusev also took video during the hair shaving process, which really required a more powerful razor than this.
Pavel, in on the fun, posted a mirror selfie on his personal Instagram account joking that his new haircut was both bald and bold.
Pavel has been a big part of Ovechkin’s training regiment. Over the offseason last year, Pavel was routinely featured in social media showing Ovi working out.
At the beginning of the 2017-18 season, Ovechkin looked slimmer and had more of a jump in his step than in years prior, scoring seven goals in his first two games. But Ovechkin did not agree with reporters that he was in the best shape of his life or did anything special over the offseason.
“I’ve been doing the same thing (training wise),” Ovechkin said. “[I’ve lost weight] just to you guys.”
“[The media] said I lost 20 pounds,” Ovechkin continued. “You kidding me? I’d be skinny.”
Ovechkin would end up scoring a remarkable 49 goals during his age 32 season, leading the Capitals to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. He also won his seventh Rocket Richard trophy, as the league’s leading goal-scorer.
Pavel spent much of the postseason with Ovechkin in Northern Virginia. The Great 8 has made sure to share his Stanley Cup victory with Pavel, celebrating with his friend during a party at his house.
During Caps breakdown day, Ovechkin made sure to credit everyone around him for his win, including fans and media.
“I don’t want to talk about myself,” Ovechkin said. “When you win the Stanley Cup, you win it with your teammates and with the fans, with the trainers or with the coaches, even with you guys. You guys was with us most of the time, so, by the way, you have to take a ring too.”
