Alex Ovechkin will be back in Washington DC this weekend after spending his summer in Russia with his family.
Ovechkin revealed his travel plans while appearing at FonFest, a KHL fan event in conjunction with Fonbet, a Russian sports betting company.
“Today I return to the USA,” Ovechkin said in Russian per R-Sport and translated by Google Translate. “As far as training is concerned, everything seems to be fine. We will continue to work in Washington.”
While at the event, Ovechkin had a meeting of the minds with KHL mascot, Krut.
Krut 🤜🤛 Ovi pic.twitter.com/XWlINMZXr3
— KHL (@khl_eng) September 2, 2023
Ovechkin’s summer in Russia was mostly low-key. After returning to his home country in late April, he played in a Dynamo Moscow alumni game. He eventually went on vacation with his family.
Later in the summer, he made an appearance at Danis Zapirov’s farewell game, scoring between-the-legs on a shootout attempt. Ovechkin attended his youth hockey tournament, the Ovi Cup, and participated in a Legends Game where his son assisted on one of his goals. He had dinner with NHL legends Evgeni Malkin and Ilya Kovalchuk, who also participated in the game.
Ovechkin did several interesting interviews with the press while in Russia. The topics included:
- His chase of Wayne Gretzky’s goals record and being doubtful he can reach 894
- How its tiresome to be constantly asked by the press about the record
- Dmitry Orlov not re-signing with the Capitals
- Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg’s supposed MMA fight
- How close the Capitals were to playing a game in Russia before the pandemic
- Trade rumors involving Evgeny Kuznetsov
- The Capitals hiring Spencer Carbery
- Hockey fighting
Ovechkin, whose entering his age-38 season, will start the 2023-24 campaign 72 goals shy of Gretzky’s goals record. His next major milestone will be points-related.
Ovechkin will also try help guide his team back into the postseason after missing the dance in 2022-23 for the first time in nine years.
“Of course, I want to go to the playoffs with the team, feel the intensity of the struggle and these emotions,” Ovechkin added.
When he likely returns to the ice next week, Ovechkin will join longtime teammates like Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson who are already participating in informal skates with the team.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
