Ilya Kovalchuk has added his name to the list of hockey names that want to see Alex Ovechkin make history up close and personal.
The former Washington Capitals winger told Match TV’s Pavel Lysenkov that he wants to be there in person when Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. Kovalchuk is currently in his native Russia after playing in the KHL last season with Spartak Moscow.
“Well, of course [I will fly to Ovechkin’s games],” Kovalchuk said to Match TV as translated via Google Translate. “Such an event! Nobody believed that it would happen this year. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. If something starts to happen in April, I’ll be happy to fly there. It’s worth a lot to see such a record in person.”
If Kovalchuk does make the trip, he’ll join Gretzky, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, and a party of at least 15 league officials hitting the road to take part in the festivities and honor Ovechkin.
A few of Ovechkin’s other former teammates have also said they’d like to follow the chase. Nicklas Backstrom, who is still on long-term injured reserve with hip-related issues, announced his plans to do so during a press conference with the DC media last Friday. Alex Semin, who played six seasons with Ovechkin on the Caps, has previously stated he’d make the trip over from Russia to watch the end of the chase.
Ovechkin is currently just seven goals away from passing Gretzky after scoring his 888th career goal against the Philadelphia Flyers last Thursday. Kovalchuk spoke about how Ovechkin’s determination to never settle during his career has not only led to where he sits on the all-time list but also to team success for the Caps.
“Everyone [in DC] has great respect for Ovechkin,” Kovalchuk said. “But the most important thing is that he proves who he is every day at training and games. And this is his great merit. Ovi lives not in the past, but in the present. Many in his place could rest on their laurels and behave incorrectly. But Sanya was and remains the right guy. Look at how he treats the young people who come to the Capitals. How he does everything so that they quickly integrate into the team and develop.
“I remember when I played there, Backe, Oshie, Wilson… You can see that all these guys are very united. They won the Stanley Cup together. And now new leaders have emerged – McMichael, Protas… They are reaching a new level. And this shows that they are comfortable there. It is clear that the coach trusts them, but the locker room is also very lively. Otherwise, it does not work.”
Kovalchuk has free time to travel this year as he was not signed by a team for the 2024-25 campaign. The 41-year-old winger recently admitted that he believes his professional career is probably over.
The former Rocket Richard Trophy winner spent 15 games with the Capitals during the 2020-21 regular season and playoffs. Kovalchuk and Ovechkin had wanted to be teammates outside of just national team duty since they were kids in Russia.
