Alex Ovechkin and his family are in Miami, Florida during the NHL’s break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Ovechkin revealed his vacation destination in an interview, in which he also teased a mystery workout partner for his training while away from the Washington Capitals.
The tease is no more, as Ovechkin disclosed his secret gym buddy as former NHL player Darius Kasparaitis via a post on a Telegram account affiliated with the Russian winger. The two posed for a photo while sitting on stationary bikes at a a gym in North Miami.
“During this break, I will be training with my good friend and NHL star Darius Kasparaitis!” Ovechkin said per the account and as translated by Google Translate. “We have already started training together. Thanks to Kasper for his help!”
Alex Ovechkin beginning his "small training camp" in Miami doing situps with former NHL player Darius Kasparaitis
📽️: trainadapt/IG Story pic.twitter.com/gmtPURlyah
— RMNB (@rmnb) February 15, 2025
Kasparaitis, a Lithuanian-born defender, played 14 seasons in the NHL with the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers from 1992 through 2007. The hard-hitting blueliner represented the Soviet Union and later Russia at the Olympic level, winning one gold medal, one silver medal, and one bronze medal. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016.
After wrapping up his playing career with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg in 2010 due to an injury, Kasaparaitis came out of retirement in 2013 to play eight games for Lithuanian-based teams over the next five seasons. The 52-year-old has not played since 2018 and is now the President of a Florida-based real estate development company with contracts in Miami.
Ovechkin and Kasparaitis have trained together in Florida before. The two were part of a sizable group of players that skated at Pines Ice Arena in Pembroke Pines, Florida, ahead of the NHL reopening operations to conclude the 2019-20 season after the COVID-19 pandemic paused play a few months prior.
“Yes, we are working out together now,” Kasparaitis told Match TV as translated by Google Translate. “We don’t do it often, but during the coronavirus, we had this practice. Now Alexander lives next to me and we decided to go to the gym together. He is in great shape and can still play and play. I hope that he will break Wayne Gretzky’s record this season, he has every chance of doing so, but if he doesn’t succeed, then next season for sure.”
During those 2020 skate sessions, Kasparaitis gifted Ovechkin the stick and puck he used to score a Game 7 overtime goal for the Penguins against the Buffalo Sabres to send Pittsburgh to the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals. Ovechkin has a massive game-used stick collection featuring twigs from past and present players.
Ovechkin is also hanging out with former longtime Capitals teammate Dmitry Orlov during this year’s break. The two saw dolphins while out on a boat ride on Thursday.
