One of Alex Ovechkin’s final Russian pit stops before returning to the Washington Capitals later this week saw him break out his acting chops once again.
Ovechkin filmed his role in the Russian comedy film “Hockey Dads 2,” which he was announced to be starring in last year. The film’s Instagram page recently released the first shots of Ovechkin shooting a scene alongside actor Aleksey Bardukov.
The film, directed by Andrei Bulatov and expected to be released next year, is a sequel to a 2023 comedic drama about the fathers of youth hockey players forming their own team to save their children’s ice arena from demolition by winning a tournament. Those same dads will reunite in the sequel with their now grown-up children to play in a new international tournament called the “Games of the Future.”
According to Russian outlet Championat, Ovechkin is slotted to be in “several” scenes in the film, produced by Cougar Film Company. Ovechkin is not the only Russian hockey star on the cast, as he will be joined by Vladislav Tretiak and Alexei Kasatonov.
This is the second summer in a row that Ovechkin has gotten involved in the Russian film industry, having been joined by KHL star Vadim Shipachyov in a film titled “Extra Time” last year. Ovechkin has a guest appearance in the story about time-traveling stepbrothers.
Ovechkin also once made a cameo appearance in the second season of the comedy TV show “Evgenich,” where he helped a washed-up music producer re-find his groove. His other Russian credits include the TV series “Minute of Silence,” “Russian Hockey,” “Team,” as well as films “The Father,” “Gagarin Cup: Battle for a Dream,” and “Zaitsev, Burn! The Story of a Showman.”
In North America, Ovechkin has regularly appeared in commercials, including memorable spots as a spy for ESPN, as a duo with Nicklas Backstrom for MassMutual, as a pizza delivery guy for Papa John’s, and as a floating head for CCM.
Ovechkin plans to fly back from Russia on September 10, with the Capitals officially beginning their 2026 Training Camp a week later on Thursday, September 17. The 2026-27 campaign will be the 22nd and potentially last of his legendary NHL career.
