We got a special reunion before puck drop between the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
Ahead of what could be his final game in the NHL, Alex Ovechkin was chosen to give a pregame interview on ESPN. Meeting him for that interview was longtime former Capitals teammate, good friend, and now TV color analyst, TJ Oshie. And, Oshie didn’t come empty-handed.
The 2018 Stanley Cup champion brought a Subway sub and a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Ovechkin’s now-famous road trip meal.
“Alright, let’s have some fun,” Oshie said. “You have the Subway and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos routine, superstition, or ‘stish’, as we call it. How’d that start?”
“We started on the plane, I think a couple years ago, like, long time ago,” Ovechkin responded. “I don’t know, you know, if it works, it works, so you don’t want to change nothing.”
Oshie then pulled out the calorific duo and made sure to let Ovechkin know where he’ll be if he needs a mid-game snack.
“Alright, well, you know I’ve always got your back,” Oshie said. “I’m going to be sitting right over here. If you need it…babe, I got you.”
The two pals also got serious for a moment, discussing the decision Ovechkin will have to make in the coming months about whether to continue his career with the Capitals.
“I know you said health is going to be a factor in your decision of whether you come back next year,” Oshie said. “At game 82, how’s the body feeling right now?”
“Feels good,” Ovechkin replied. “Pretty good, obviously. But yeah. Me and you talk about it yesterday, and you know it’s going to be not easy decision. Sometimes you want it, sometimes you not, so we’ll think.”
Ovechkin played in all 82 games for the Capitals this season for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign. He has done so four prior times during his career and is just the fifth different player in NHL history to play all 82 games at age 40 or older.
“If you do step away, what do you think you’re going to miss most?” Oshie continued.
“I didn’t step away yet, so we’ll figure it out,” Ovechkin said. “You tell me.”
“Oh, dude, you’re gonna miss it all,” Oshie, who retired last June, said. “You’re gonna miss it all.”
