Connor McDavid may appreciate Alex Ovechkin now, but not long ago, that wasn’t the case.
McDavid, who grew up in Newmarket, Ontario, a suburb roughly 40 miles north of Toronto, was a huge Toronto Maple Leafs fan as a kid. And like many other Canadians, his favorite player was Ovechkin’s biggest rival.
“Well, I was a Sid fan, so I didn’t love him,” McDavid said when asked about Ovechkin’s pending retirement and what he remembered about him when he was younger.
In fact, McDavid’s admiration for Sidney Crosby was so strong, he had a poster of the Pittsburgh Penguins captain on his wall.
Though he idolized Crosby, McDavid has become friendly with Ovechkin since turning pro and, during his press conference with reporters on Tuesday, wished the Washington Capitals captain well as he plays out the final season of his NHL career.
“But obviously, amazing for what he’s done in this game,” McDavid said. “Amazing career, longevity, points, winning. You name it, he’s done all of it. So really happy for him, and you want him to have a good last year to go out on a high note.”
McDavid and Ovechkin have developed a warm relationship in recent years, built on considerable mutual respect. Ovechkin has repeatedly praised McDavid as the face of the generation following his own, once describing the Oilers superstar as “from a different planet”. Ovechkin also said he would buy McDavid’s jersey if he had to choose one current NHL player.
Their relationship has extended beyond compliments, too. McDavid gifted Ovechkin’s son Sergei a signed stick at the 2022 All-Star Game, while Ovechkin went to unusual lengths to add one of McDavid’s game-used sticks to his own collection. The two also appeared to potentially exchange jerseys after a Capitals-Oilers game last season, though neither team confirmed the swap.
What McDavid came to respect most about Ovechkin’s ability as a hockey player was how he constantly reinvented himself to stay effective, telling the media he was more than a guy who fired one-timers home with the Capitals up a man.
“He’s found a way to score throughout his career in many different ways,” McDavid said. “You know, obviously the one-timer is one thing, but he scored 900 goals. He scored in so many different ways, so it’s an impressive, impressive thing he’s got.”
McDavid and Ovechkin’s greatness have taken different forms. Ovechkin became the most prolific goal scorer in NHL history, currently sitting on 929 goals, while McDavid has accumulated points at a rate few players ever have. McDavid (1,222) is already only 466 points behind Ovechkin (1,688) despite playing 780 fewer games. McDavid also has more career assists than Ovechkin despite being 12 years younger.
Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid career stats
| Player | Age | GP | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Ovechkin | 41 | 1,575 | 929 | 759 | 1,688 |
| Connor McDavid | 29 | 795 | 409 | 813 | 1,222 |
Oilers head coach Mike Babcock focused on Ovechkin’s team success, seemingly pointing out the one thing missing on Connor McDavid’s legendary resume.
“What I like about him is he likes hockey,” Babcock said. “He’s got a smile on his face. He’s competed hard. He’s worked hard. To be that good for that long, you’ve got to have passion for the game and share yourself with people, and he’s done that. I mean, who believed you could ever score that many goals anyway? But he also won a championship, and in the end, to me, that’s what it’s all about. You play the game. It’s a group activity, and you want to get your name on that thing, and he did.”
While McDavid didn’t love Ovechkin as a kid, Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin certainly did. The Russian forward looked up Ovechkin while growing up in the Maryino District of southeastern Moscow — Ovechkin’s hometown.
“I mean, for guys from my generation, he was an idol always,” Podkolzin said. “What a pleasure, what a career. I’m super happy that I played against him and I met him personally. I have his stick, obviously. Had a couple dinners together. So it’s memories for life. That’s a privilege and super unique to play against him and to know him personal.”
