Alex Ovechkin had quite an interesting answer when asked to name who his favorite all-time hockey player is.
The topic came up during Ovechkin’s recent conversation with former NHL forward Nikita Filatov and former soccer star Andrey Arshavin for FONBET.
Ovechkin did not opt for a fellow Russian countryman or someone from his favorite team growing up, the San Jose Sharks, instead picking someone he played against just one time during his rookie 2005-06 campaign.
“Mario Lemieux,” Ovechkin replied.
Ovechkin’s pick of Lemieux isn’t completely out of nowhere, as the former Pittsburgh Penguins superstar is one of the greatest players ever to step foot in the NHL and was a massive star when Ovechkin was growing up in Russia. Lemieux finished his storied career with 1,723 points (690g, 1,033a) in just 915 games. He won two Stanley Cups as a player, three MVP awards, led the NHL in scoring six times, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.
Ovechkin has also spoken positively about Lemieux in the past, particularly when he tied the legendary centerman in career goals (690) back in 2020. Lemieux also gifted him a game-used stick from the one game they played against each other as opponents in 2005.
“It’s great. He’s one of my idols when I’m growing up,” Ovechkin said after scoring the goal. “I get lucky. I have a time to play against him; was on the ice with him a couple times. Those names, they’re legends, and to be close to those guys, it’s pretty impressive.”
Alex Ovechkin ties Mario Lemieux in career goals
Ovechkin has since surpassed everyone else in the previous all-time top 10, including the former record holder, Wayne Gretzky, with his 895th career goal against the Islanders on April 6, 2025. Lemieux is the only player in that previous top 10, aside from the late Gordie Howe, who never extended public congratulations.
In the past, Ovechkin has often cited Owen Nolan as his go-to favorite player, as Nolan was a prominent scorer for the Sharks from the mid-90s to the early 00s. Because of his affinity for Nolan, Ovechkin ended up with a Sharks hat, hoodie, and jacket, and eventually his father, Mikhail, gifted him an Ulf Dahlen Sharks jersey.
“My favorite team was San Jose,” Ovechkin said in 2023. “I was cheering for them, especially when Nolan was there.”
Ovechkin picking Lemieux is also a little surprising, given the heated rivalry between the Capitals and Penguins dating back to the infancy of Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby‘s historic careers. However, the tension between the two teams, and certainly the personal beef between their captains, has eased over time to the point where the two future HHOFers now consider each other good friends.
Lemieux is currently a minority owner of the Penguins and a team ambassador, having previously bought the franchise back from bankruptcy in 1999. He sold his majority shares to Fenway Sports Group in 2021.
