Ann Schaab | RMNB

Alex Ovechkin ‘was the happiest kid in the world’ when he met pro athletes. Now he takes pride in inspiring Special Hockey players.

Alex Ovechkin just keeps giving us reasons to cherish him.

Tuesday afternoon after Capitals practice, Ovechkin skated with more than 80 special needs hockey players from the American Special Hockey Association (ASHA) at Medstar Capitals Iceplex. The young players were all members of local D.C. area special needs hockey programs, including the Baltimore Saints, Montgomery Cheetahs, Nova Cool Cats, and Washington Ice Dogs.

This has become an annual tradition for Ovechkin, who started volunteering his time with ASHA four years ago. Four years ago, Washington Ice Dogs player Ann Schaab was just ten-years-old and her mother, Melissa Schaab, thought the chance for her daughter to skate with Ovechkin would just be a once in a lifetime opportunity. But Ovechkin formed a special bond with Ann, famously accepting her invitation of a sushi date in 2014.

“Ovi has been gracious enough to constantly think of our players and reach out to us and offer opportunities like this, year after year after year. It’s pretty incredible,” Melissa Schaab said to the Capitals’ Zach Shapiro.

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By Elizabeth Kong 5 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin plays street hockey, surprises Special Hockey players outside Capital One Arena

After making more than a dozen stops across North America, the NHL Centennial Fan Arena finally visited the nation’s capital Friday. Set up just outside the newly renamed Capital One Arena, fans can could take photos with the Stanley Cup (please do not touch the Cup if you’re wearing Caps gear), view the NHL’s traveling museum truck, and explore its interactive exhibits.

Tonight, the Caps will lace up for their first preseason game at home against the St. Louis Blues. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will not be in the lineup, but he did work up a sweat playing street ball with some very lucky kids.

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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 7 years ago

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How Alex Ovechkin’s Car Donation From Last Year’s All-Star Game Transformed Special Hockey

At last year’s All-Star draft in Columbus, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin went on a passionate, and at times bizarre, quest to get picked last and win a new car. Ovechkin, who already has a fleet of sport and luxury vehicles at home, did not need another automobile. Viewers at home thought it was a long, elaborate joke.

In the end however, Ovechkin’s quest to win a free car was one of the most charitable and kind moments of the NHL season. Ovechkin was not picked last, but when Honda learned of his idea– to donate the car to Ann Schaab and the American Special Hockey Association’s Washington Ice Dogs — the car company happily agreed to do so, setting up an event a month later at a local dealership.

In interviews with ASHA officials and volunteers, I learned that Ovechkin’s gesture had a profound and long-lasting impact on the team and the organization that benefits special needs hockey players.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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Happy Halloween From Ann Schaab

We’ve known for awhile that Ann Schaab has great taste in men, but how about Halloween costumes?

Last weekend, Ann’s family traveled to Connecticut for a hockey tournament which her brother Matthew played in. Melissa, Ann’s mom, explained that there’s usually time to kill between games and a need to get away from the rink. So the family went to Target to try and find Halloween costumes.

Ann tried on the Left Shark costume. It was fun, but just wasn’t her.

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By Ian Oland 8 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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Alex Ovechkin Presents Car to Washington Ice Dogs, Ann Schaab Calls Him “My Boyfriend” (Photos)

A few weeks ago, during All-Star Weekend, Alex Ovechkin went on a seemingly bizarre quest to add an eighth automobile to his fleet of fancy cars. After failing to win it during the Fantasy Draft and All-Star Game, Honda relented, giving Ovechkin the car once they learned why he wanted one so bad: he wanted to donate it to Ann Schaab, a young girl he went out on a date with earlier in the year, and her team, the Washington Ice Dogs.

It’s the feel-good moment of what could be Ovechkin’s fourth MVP season.

On Monday, Ovechkin accepted the vehicle at a special event held at Bill Page Honda in Falls Church, Virginia. Schaab got to sit in the car. She did interviews with local media. There were plenty of adorable moments.

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By Ian Oland 9 years ago

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Adorable Ann Schaab Participates in Caps Shootout During Second Intermission (GIF)

Photo via Melissa Schaab

On Monday, Alex Ovechkin will present Ann Schaab and her special hockey team, the Washington Ice Dogs, with the car he promised them at the All-Star Game. During Sunday’s game, the Caps let Ann onto the ice to make a shootout attempt along with her teammates.

It was adorable.

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By Ian Oland 9 years ago

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Ann Schaab Sees Alex Ovechkin for First Time Since Car Donation, Not Happy With His Fighting

Photo: Mike Hickey

After Sunday’s All-Star Game, Alex Ovechkin made a sweet gesture by teaming up with Honda to donate a car to Ann Schaab and her hockey team, the Washington Ice Dogs. A few days later, after the Capitals shut out the Pens, Ovechkin met up with Ann and a few of her teammates in the Capitals locker room. They took photos together. It was cute.

What makes it even cuter is Ann’s stern words for Ovi. According to team president Mike Hickey, while Ann was happy to see her date again, she was not so happy with Ovi starting a nine-player scrum late in the Pens game.

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By Ian Oland 9 years ago

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Not the Car That Matters: Alex Ovechkin’s Good Deed and Its Lasting Impact on Ann, Washington Ice Dogs

Photo: Melissa Schaab

“I think he said card,” Melissa Schaab said to her son Matthew. “I think he’s going to give Ann a card. Not a car.”

“But play the video again.”

That was the scene late Sunday night at the Schaab’s Laurel, MD home. Melissa’s 15-year-old son had been sent a video clip from his friends. It was of Alex Ovechkin speaking to reporters after his fifth career All-Star Game. The future Hall of Fame forward had mentioned Matthew’s sister.

The moment was unexpected, surreal.

“He means card. He’s going to send Ann a card.”

A 2015 Honda Accord is $22,105. A “Thinking of you” card by Hallmark is maybe $3.99.

He couldn’t mean car.

“Then I got on the computer and googled a little bit and saw more about it,” Melissa said. “It was all just sort of unbelievable. This is crazy. This is not happening.”

It was.

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By Ian Oland 9 years ago

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