Alex Ovechkin did his first major interview since flying to Russia after the conclusion of the Washington Capitals’ season. Ovechkin conducted a Russian language interview with Match TV on Friday while attending a Gagarin Cup Final game between CSKA Moscow and Ak Bars Kazan.

Despite being a 2012-13 Gagarin Cup champion himself with Dynamo Moscow, Ovechkin, who left the KHL team that year midseason after the NHL lockout ended, said it was the first time he’s actually attended a Gagarin Cup Final.

“Never (attended one) in my life!” he said as translated by Google Translate. “This is my first experience.”

Ovechkin was also asked about his season with the Capitals and what good he saw in it. The Capitals missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

“The positive is that I came out on the second place in history in the list of the best snipers,” Ovechkin said. “This season turned out to be very difficult – from a [mental] point of view, because physically I felt fine.”

He was also asked if he thought the Capitals would change much over the offseason.

“I’m not the general manager,” Ovechkin said. “The team is always changing, it’s a constant process.”

Ovechkin added, “Here the Eagle (Dmitry Orlov) left us. God forbid that he wins the Stanley Cup with Boston. And so … Let’s wait and see.” (Orlov’s Bruins went on to be upset in Game Seven by the Florida Panthers. Orlov remarked during the Bruins’ Breakdown Day that he had interest in returning to Washington.)

Ovechkin said his plans for the summer were “rest for now and then back to work.”

His training will “start in July as usual.”

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB