Lars Eller revealed in a podcast interview that Alex Ovechkin gifted the team and other staff members Hublot watches after breaking the NHL goals record. The gesture was to show thanks to everyone for their support during his historic chase.
“Ovi got Hublot watches for everyone,” Eller said on Coming in Hot with Wallace and York in July. “Customized Hublot watches. I think he even got it for trainers and staff members, not just the players.”
Rasmus Sandin elaborated about the gift during an interview with Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. Though, Sandin was cagey about revealing too much because he thought it remained a secret.
“He gave us a nice gift,” Sandin said. “All of us, too.”
When pressed by Friedman for specifics, the Capitals defenseman expressed his reservations before dishing on what it was.
“I don’t even know if I should say this,” Sandin said. “Just because it’s you guys, he gave us a custom watch. Every player and lots of guys on the staff, too. On the back, it’s a picture of him from the celebration. I think it was (from goal) 894, like that celebration he had, and it said ‘Thank you,’ and everyone’s name on the back of the watch. He told everyone that this is something that you can keep for the rest of your life, so you can look back at it and remember it. Yeah, I’m not selling that one, I’ll tell you that. It’s gonna be kept.
“He was very appreciative. Not only with the gift, but the way he went around and thanked everyone, and his whole family, how they thanked everyone.”
Ovechkin has had a longstanding relationship with Hublot and was named a “friend of the brand” in 2019, likely influencing his choice of gift. Hublot also created a limited-edition watch in Ovechkin’s honor in 2021.
While Ovechkin gave the watch to all of his teammates, Sandin got an extra souvenir from the record chase. The Swedish defenseman also asked for one of Ovechkin’s hockey sticks from the day he scored goal no. 895. The twig Sandin received was only one Ovechkin used in the locker room to warm up, but he was still very appreciative for the memento of the historic moment.
“Yeah, it was an awesome thing to be a part of,” he said.
