Alex Ovechkin is not only known in his homeland for his hockey, but also for his active social work. For example, in the Moscow region from August 11-17, the Alexander Ovechkin Cup ice hockey tournament will be held. Most of the games will be held at the Arena-Mytischi, with the final held in Krasnogorsk. The tournament will consist of 12 year-olds from eight (yes 8) regions of the country. The winners will receive a hockey uniform and meet with Ovechkin.
“These competitions are for guys who love hockey, live hockey and dream of becoming champions,” Ovi said in a video message in which he invited everyone to the games. (Our post on the announcement is here.)
On August 1 Ovechkin announced the tournament at a special press conference, and also answered questions from journalists. The following is from Sports24.ru.
Alexander, the second “Ovechkin Cup” is about to begin. Should every distinguished athlete have his own tournament?
I think yes! Thanks to Andrei Vorobyov (Governor of the Moscow Region) for the help and for the fact that the tournament lives. When I was a young man, I really wanted to get to the Tretyak Cup, there was a real war for participation. I think such tournaments only benefit.
Who was your idol in childhood?
Valery Kamensky! From the old veterans I liked Alexander Maltsev and Sergey Fedorov. When you go out to play against such players, you understand what you have achieved. And with Fedorov, We even played on the same team, which was a dream come true!
Will your son Sergei play hockey?
I think he has no other way, ha ha! But in general, after he starts walking, I will bring him to the rink. If he likes it, we will engage. We will not force him.
How do you evaluate the training of young hockey players in Russia?
We need to create more hockey leagues for children. In Canada and the United States a huge number of leagues. Also in these countries, there are many opportunities for development in various sports. It’s good that everything is developing now, but I would like more rinks.
You will soon go as an NHL ambassador to China. What do you think about the development of hockey there?
In China, there is a KHL team, there are clubs in the VHL. There is development there, glad that they called me to be an ambassador there. I will represent both the KHL and the NHL. We will conduct a training and master class there. Everyone knows how many Chinese there are in the whole world, maybe a new Wayne Gretzky will appear there!
Recently, Artemy Panarin said that nothing has changed in Russia since the 90s. Do you agree with him?
I do not know. Apparently, where he lives, nothing has changed since the 90s. My life has changed, a lot has changed in sports in the country!
They say that he spoke so harshly about Russia due to the fact that his agent works for the CIA …
I don’t know, I don’t work for the CIA!
What is it like to be the most popular Russian in America?
Fine! I’m just an ordinary person like everyone else, just more recognizable.
Donald Trump called you Alexander the Great. Was it nice to you?
The fans have come up with this nickname for me, which means that Trump is my fan!
After two years, your contract with Washington ends. Already have plans for the future?
Not yet. A year will be a lockout, we will continue to decide. It all depends on my health, based on it we will make a decision.
Translated by NoVa Caps’ Amanda White
Panarin comment is pure Ovi gold.
Ovechkin is VERY hip to the upcoming Buttman lockout
It will be a MAJOR interruption and impediment to the NHL and hockey around the world. The only good outcome would be replacement of the NHL Commissioner with a normal human being … but that will not happen.
Thus, the Ovechkin-window is This season, and Next season. That’s it. That’s why I get all sweaty with the idea that we must just “let the new Head Coach figure it out.” The Caps and their fans don’t have time for the new coaching staff to “figure it out.” More than any other time in the history of the Washington Capitals’ franchise, the imperative is “Win Now.”
And to a lesser degree, this will be two lockouts that hamper Ovechkin’s chase to pass Gretzky.
***3 because his career also started a year late.
The NHL better not go into Lockout. I mean that makes 0 sense, your adding a team in Seattle& the league has had massive growth with 2 expansion teams Vegas&now Seattle& cap&contracts keep growing yet lockout? Makes 0 sense. What makes more sense is for Bettman&NHL to get a deal done so Seattle can enter the league
Couldn’t agree more ☝️👍
The biggest reason why there likely won’t be a lockout is because of when the TV rights expire and how another lost season will impact those very crucial hockey related-revenue contract negotiations.
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