Alex Ovechkin might be in the twilight of his career, but that doesn’t mean he’s coasting on what he’s already accomplished. Months after signing a five-year extension with the Capitals, Ovechkin was spotted working out at Washington-Liberty High School in Arlington, VA. The school is located less than a mile north of MedStar Capitals Iceplex.

After completing his session Tuesday night, Ovechkin took time to pose for a photo with Washington-Liberty’s football team. He was wearing a Nike shirt that says RUNNING SUCKS.

The Great 8 stopped by W-L for a workout this evening🏒Go Caps! Thank you Ovi for the group pic🙏@Capitals pic.twitter.com/Rb9OK6AeFd

— Generals (@WLHSAthletics) September 21, 2021

Ovechkin enters the NHL’s 2021-22 season 164 goals behind Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goals record. Ovechkin needs to average 33 goals a season over the next five years to overtake The Great One.

“You never know. I’m going to try my best,” Ovechkin said after re-signing. “That’s why I want to play five more years. If I have a chance to catch The Great One, why not? If I’m going to be second, that’s a pretty good number as well.”

This isn’t the first time Ovechkin has been spotted at WLHS putting in some late-nite filings on the football field. In September 2017, Ovechkin was photographed by a fan doing medicine-ball workouts with his personal trainer Pavel Burlachenko and Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Later that year, the Capitals went on to win their first Stanley Cup. So hey, maybe this is a good omen.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB