During the late 2000s, the Washington Capitals were full of young talent. The Young Guns era was in full swing and the team was learning to win a lot of hockey games. Alongside the budding superstars were a handful of savvy, skilled veterans that still had enough gas in the tank to ride shotgun with some of their younger peers.
Viktor Kozlov was one of those players, signing a two-year contract with the Capitals in July of 2007. The Russian forward got a firsthand look at how names like Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Semin, and Mike Green took the NHL by storm.
The now 48-year-old Kozlov is the head coach of the KHL’s Salavat Yulaev Ufa and sat down recently with Russian outlet Sport-Express for an interview. In the conversation, Kozlov was asked about his memories from his time spent in DC and specifically what a young Ovechkin was like.
“Good memories, it was a good team,” Kozlov said and as translated via Google Translate. “Sergei Fedorov, young Semin and Ovechkin. Semyon Varlamov then joined. In addition to these guys, there was a good team there. The guys were all young, but they were all good. Both Backstrom and Mike Green. The team was friendly. And it’s great that we made it to the playoffs. Our first year we lost to Philadelphia in the first round.
“I’m glad that I was able to play with Sergei Fedorov. There was always something to talk about, a lot of interesting things to learn. There were two good seasons.”
Kozlov rejuvenated his career with the Capitals despite his two seasons with the team being his last in the NHL. Kozlov received Selke Trophy votes for the first time in his career at the age of 32 after posting 54 points (16g, 38a) in 81 games of the 2007-08 campaign.
The veteran Russian also combined for some absurd numbers when put on a line with Ovechkin. With those two on the ice together at five-on-five, an over 1,360 minute sample, the Capitals saw 59 percent of the shot attempts, 60 percent of the expected goals, 61.4 percent of the scoring chances, 54.8 percent of the high-danger chances, and out-scored opponents 82 to 57.
“He was just a bundle of energy,” Kozlov says of Ovechkin now. “What power he had, how he skated around, what a shot he had, how his eyes lit up. This is what makes him unique.”
Ovechkin recorded 222 points (121g, 101a) in the 161 games that he played with Kozlov on the Capitals’ roster. He had an additional 30 points (15g, 15a) in 21 postseason outings. During those two seasons, Ovechkin took home the Art Ross Trophy, two Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies, two Hart Memorial Trophies, and two Lester B. Pearson Awards.
Just like almost anyone doing an interview regarding The Great Eight these days, Kozlov was then asked if he thought Ovechkin would be able to track down Wayne Gretzky’s 894 career goal total. Ovechkin has just five goals through 17 games to start the 2023-24 season.
“I hope,” Kozlov said.
When informed of Ovechkin’s slow start, Kozlov didn’t seem worried.
“Well, it happens,” he said.
Kozlov currently has Salavat Yulaev Ufa in a good position within the KHL’s Chernyshev Division. They have a 21-13-1 record over 35 games and sit second within their division and fourth within the Eastern Conference.
This is Kozlov’s second season at the helm of the team after leading them to the playoffs last year. Kozlov was previously an assistant for the team for two years before getting the bench boss job.
Headline photo via @viktorkozlov.25/Instagram
