Alex Ovechkin Goodwill Tour

Connor Durgin’s inspirational story and how Alex Ovechkin made his weekend

Friday afternoon, two dozen cancer survivors filed into the Capitals locker room, taking a seat at their corresponding player’s stall. The following evening, the Caps were hosting Hockey Fights Cancer Night at Verizon Center. Each Capitals player would wear a lavender jersey with the last name of the Wish Kid they were playing for stitched on the back. The players and cancer survivors were to first meet face-to-face that Friday after the Caps finished practice.

Seven-year-old Connor Durgin, not one for following directions or the cards he’s been dealt in life, stood in the middle of the locker room with excitement.

When his player, future Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin, walked in, Connor held up his sign and let out a large coo. He almost fell over.

The two hugged. Connor, grinning from ear-to-ear, only stood up to Ovechkin’s waist.

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By Ian Oland 6 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin gives his yellow skate laces to ‘Wish Kid’ Connor

Friday afternoon after practice, each Washington Capitals player met with the Make A Wish cancer survivor they are playing for November 5 on Hockey Fights Cancer Night. Each Capital will wear a special lavender warmup jersey which bears the name of their tiny hero. The jerseys will be auctioned off during the game Saturday.

For Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, he will be playing for Connor, an adorable 7-year-old hockey player.

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By Ian Oland 6 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin got tickets for Cash Niebergall and will meet him after the Calgary Flames game

Wednesday night in Edmonton, Alex Ovechkin generously tossed one of his Bauer hockey sticks to tiny Caps fan Cash Niebergall. The gesture went viral on social media and moved Cash’s mother Miranda to tears. In a guest post on RMNB Thursday, Miranda explained how Cash — nicknamed Niebvechkin by his hockey teammates — hoped to get Ovi, his idol and favorite hockey player, to sign his stick. Cash waited after the game, but never ran into Ovi.

He will now get the opportunity.

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By Ian Oland 6 years ago

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Meet Cash, the adorable Caps fan who got Alex Ovechkin’s stick

Wednesday night at Rogers Place, Alex Ovechkin made national headlines for something other than scoring goals. During pregame warmups of the Oilers-Caps game, the Russian machine tossed his stick over the glass to a tiny Caps fan wearing an Ovechkin jersey.

We’ve since learned that the young boy’s name is Cash N., a youth hockey player who lives in Stony Plain, Alberta. Cash’s nickname from his teammates is Niebvechkin, a nod to his favorite player. According to an email from his mother Miranda, Ovi’s gesture to her son was one of the greatest moments of his life.

“The look on Cash’s face truly says it all,” she wrote.

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By Ian Oland 6 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin gives stick away to tiny Caps fan in Edmonton

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was in a giving mood Wednesday night in Edmonton. After spotting a tiny Caps fan in the crowd during warmups, Ovechkin grabbed one of his Bauer twigs and tossed it into the crowd.

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By Ian Oland 6 years ago

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Ann Schaab autographed a book based off her life for Alex Ovechkin

This afternoon, Alex Ovechkin continued his annual tradition of skating with 60-plus children from the American Special Hockey Association. Before taking the ice, Ovechkin made some time to hang out with star Washington Ice Dogs player (and one-time sushi date), Ann Schaab. In an adorable moment inside the locker room, Schaab presented the Russian machine with a children’s book entitled Drop the Puck, Let’s Play Hockey written by Jayne J. Jones Beehler. The friendship between Ovechkin and Schaab inspired the character in the book named Ann.

Ann signed the book as Ovechkin cradled it open for her. I guarantee this will now become Ovi’s new most prized collectible.

Proceeds from book sales over the next two weeks will all benefit ASHA so basically you should go buy it right now.

Ovechkin has had a long-standing relationship with the American Special Hockey Association. Ovi began hosting these sessions three years ago and famously donated a Honda to the organization after the 2015 All-Star Game. Ovechkin’s charity work with ASHA has also helped massively grow the hockey league and open it to more kids. Eight new teams have been started recently. There are currently more than 60 ASHA programs in more than 54 cities throughout the United States. For his work, Ovechkin was named a finalist for the Mark Messier Leadership Award last season.

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By Elyse Bailey 6 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin gave all his Team Russia teammates Beats By Dre headphones

Wednesday morning, Team Russia players arrived at CONSOL Energy Center with a nice surprise by their lockers. Russian captain Alex Ovechkin had given every player a special Unity Edition of Beats By Dre headphones. The wireless headphones appear to be specially painted in Russia’s colors.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin Invited Ann Schaab to Caps Locker Room, Hugged Her After Game Seven Win (Photos)

Photo: Patrick McDermott/Washington Capitals

After the Washington Capitals defeated the New York Islanders 2-1 in game seven, Alex Ovechkin had a person that he specifically wanted to see. According to Melissa Schaab, that person was her daughter Ann. Through Capitals officials, Ovi arranged for Ann to come down to the locker room and celebrate the series-clinching win with the team. Ovechkin gave Ann a huge hug upon seeing her. Melissa says the whole thing was a huge surprise.

A Capitals spokesman tells RMNB that Ovechkin wanted to see Ann regardless of if the team won or lost.

Ann, as you’ll recall, is the 10-year-old hockey player with Down’s Syndrome that Ovechkin took on a date (after being boldly asked out!) earlier in the season. An inspired Ovechkin spent the majority of his All-Star appearance trying to win a car for Ann and her special hockey team, the Washington Ice Dogs. A few weeks later he delivered it personally.

Ann has come to a few games since then with her mom and friends. On Monday, Mama Schaab and her daughter got tickets for the game seven. Ann’s excitement was overwhelming as soon as they entered DC.

As they left the parking deck near Verizon Center, Ann saw the double decker bus emblazoned with Caps logos and Ovechkin imagery. According to her mother, Ann “started chasing it.” Melissa added, “Ann ran for a block. The Red Rockers noticed her and they stopped the bus and let her on.”

Ann took photos with everyone, including Slapshot.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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Candid Moment: Alex Ovechkin Waves to Tiny Caps Fan During Practice

Photo: @wens2414

This happened about three months ago, but I just came across it on Instagram and had to share it. It’s a photo of Alex Ovechkin waving to tiny Caps fan EJ during practice.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin Gave The Crazy 8’s Game-Used Sticks During Their Final Game Together at Verizon Center

For the last ten years, Max and Zach Wolpoff,The Crazy 8’s, have been a familiar site at Washington Capitals game, sitting on the glass right beside the Caps bench. Yesterday, we wrote about how the Caps/Devils game would be the Ovechkin superfans’ last together due to higher learning.

During warm-ups, Alex Ovechkin gave them a parting gift. In yet another gesture in a season full of them, Ovechkin gave the brothers two game-used sticks. It was a complete surprise to them.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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