Alex Ovechkin is a trailblazer who has worn bright-yellow skate laces for the entirety of his NHL career. They are as distinctive to the Capitals captain as his gap-toothed smile and his patented one-timer from his office on the power play.

But on Wednesday, the second day of Development Camp, it was another Russian player named Alex who was skating on the ice at Medstar Capitals Iceplex with yellow laces. But it wasn’t out of choice.

In an interview with RMNB’s Ian Oland, Russian defenseman Alex Alexeyev, the Capitals’ 2018 first-round pick, revealed that he was the victim of a prank that turned him into an Ovi impersonator.

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Alexeyev explained that he returned after an off-ice workout and found his skate laces had been replaced with yellow ones. With no time to replace them with his regular white laces before the team’s on-ice workout, Alexeyev skated with them on.

“It’s just a couple jokesters on the team,” Alexeyev said smiling.

Alexeyev can be a jokester himself. After he was drafted, Alexeyev had a FaceTime call with Ovechkin where he teased Ovi about his fountain celebration.

Alexeyev has said that the Russian contingent of the Capitals have been very welcoming to him. Alexeyev has said that he models his game after fellow Russian defenseman Dmitry Orlov.

“Last time, when I left [Training Camp], I just say bye to each of them and they all wished me luck and gave me couple advice on how I play, how to get stronger, how to do things,” Alexeyev said.

Now the next time Alexeyev meets Ovechkin, maybe Ovi can share some tips on how to rock those yellow laces even better.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong