Alex Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to reach 930 goals on Sunday. And apparently, that comes with a pretty incredible perk most Washingtonians will likely be jealous of.
The 9:30 Club gave the Washington Capitals captain free tickets for life. The venue’s owner, Seth Hurwitz, along with his son Sam, presented Ovechkin with both an oversized golden ticket and a smaller version that would fit in his wallet, giving him access to the legendary concert hall whenever he wants. The trio then snapped a photo together with Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and his wife Lynn.
“Look at the back of it,” Hurwitz implored Ovechkin when he held the smaller ticket.
“It’s good to have goals,” Ovechkin read back.
“Exactly,” Hurwitz replied.
Ovechkin scored his 930th career goal — his first goal of his 22nd and final NHL season — against the Seattle Kraken on Sunday in a 5-3 loss at Capital One Arena. Ovechkin tallied with 3:13 remaining in the first period against Seattle, taking a feed from Ilya Protas and beating Joey Daccord, the 190th different goaltender he has scored against during his NHL career.
“After scoring his 930th career goal last night, we’re honoring Alexander ‘Ovi’ Ovechkin today as the inaugural member of THE 930 CLUB with a golden ticket granting Ovi access to any 9:30 Club show for life,” the club wrote on Instagram. “Congrats on this monumental achievement!”
The lifetime-ticket gift is particularly fitting for Ovechkin, who has been spotted at the legendary DC music venue before and is technically a musician himself, recording a rap verse, appearing in music videos, and performing onstage at major Russian concerts. (This counts, too.) The 9:30 Club has been a fixture of the city’s music scene since 1980 and has hosted everyone from Nirvana and R.E.M. to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters.
Hurwitz, the club’s owner, has never been particularly shy about his hockey allegiance either.
During the Capitals’ 2016 playoff run, Hurwitz had the club’s rooftop antenna lights turned red in support of the team. When RMNB asked whether the tribute was intentional, Hurwitz responded, “We are Caps fans. Isn’t everyone?” He added that while DC Sports fans might be divided over their baseball and football allegiances, “everyone in DC & Baltimore Rocks the Red.”
That support continued during Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup run. The Anthem — another Hurwitz/I.M.P. venue — changed its marquee to read “We rock in ALL CAPS” as the Capitals closed in on their first championship.
“We love you,” Hurwitz said to Ovechkin during the locker room presentation. “We’re so proud to have you in DC all this time and thank you for spending your whole career here, man. Really means a lot to everyone.”
Ovechkin was last publicly documented at the 9:30 Club in November 2022 when the Capitals took over the venue for their Rock the Retro event celebrating the team’s black Screaming Eagle jersey.
Ovechkin appeared alongside Dylan Strome, Darcy Kuemper, and several Capitals alumni, taking the stage to a chorus of “Ovi” chants before briefly pretending to stage-dive.
Ovechkin later participated in a chaotic ’90s music trivia competition between current and former Capitals players. His team won, prompting a jumping group celebration and an Ovechkin mic drop. Afterward, he headed upstairs to the club’s balcony to watch local ’90s cover band White Ford Bronco perform.
The free concerts from the 9:30 Club join another prestigious honor Ovechkin received from the city at large in June 2008. Ovechkin received the Key to the City from then-Mayor Adrian Fenty, a day after winning his first Hart Trophy following his 65-goal MVP season in 2007-08. The Capitals forward publicly declared there would be no speed limits. “I have the key for the city,” Ovechkin said then. “I am president this day in the city.”
While Ovechkin will have an opportunity to see some of the top upcoming and current musical acts at the 9:30 Club, it’s unclear how much he’ll actually use the benefit. Before the start of the season, Ovechkin made it clear he was returning to his home country, Russia, after his NHL career wraps up.
