Washington Capitals 38-year-old superstar, Alex Ovechkin, prefers not to play in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.
The reporting comes from Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network who was told “Alex Ovechkin notified the #ALLCAPS a while ago that his preference was to skip this year’s All-Star Game in order to rest up and prepare himself for the second half.”
So please, if you have any compassion at all for the man, you will absolutely not vote for him in the NHL’s All-Star fan vote at this link here. Have a conscience!
El-Bashir’s report comes after Ovechkin — first on the team in scoring — was snubbed by the NHL and not one of 16 players named from the Eastern Conference on Thursday night (when you consider his superstar status in the league and his many contributions to All-Star Weekends in the past). Instead, hometown Toronto boy, Tom Wilson, who sits fourth on the Capitals in points and second in goals, was chosen over players like Dylan Strome and Charlie Lindgren, who are arguably more deserving (no offense, Tom, you know I think you’re the bees knees).
Ovechkin has been named an All-Star 13 times in his career, but has only actually participated in the event eight times.
Ovechkin missed his first in 2012 after personally withdrawing due to a three-game suspension for a hit on Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Zybnek Michalek just before the break. Ovi missed again in 2016 due to a lower-body injury, but was still suspended by the league for one game for not attending.
Ovechkin then abstained in both 2019 and 2020, earning one-game suspensions for both of those absences as well. His latest absence came in 2022. Despite planning on attending the game in Vegas, he was held out at the last second by being placed in COVID-19 protocol.
Ovechkin did attend last year’s All-Star Weekend hosted by the Florida Panthers, which was located near his beach home in Miami. Ovechkin made headlines by winning the Breakaway Challenge with his son Ovi Jr and Sidney Crosby at the All-Star Skills competition.
Before El-Bashir reported Ovechkin’s wishes, the Capitals did a social media push for fans to vote Dylan Strome, John Carlson, and Anthony Mantha as All-Stars, noticeably leaving off Ovechkin. Without that much needed context, the Caps’ promotion could have been interpreted as an insult to the franchise’s greatest player.
Tom's got a ticket to Toronto!
Hit the graphic below to send @stromer19, @JohnCarlson74, and @antomantha too.#NHLAllStarVote | @deximaging
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 5, 2024
While Ovechkin is not amongst the league leaders in goals scored, he’s still managed to lead the Capitals in total points with 24. He’s also seemed to re-find some of his scoring touch lately, notching three goals in the last seven games.
So again, please don’t be a chaos agent and vote for the man right here. Let him rest. He does not want to be recognized as what he is: one of the greatest players in NHL history who we’re all lucky to have watched play hockey.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
