Photo: NHL via Getty Images

It’s seems hard to believe, but this season will be the 17th season in which Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby have done battle against each other in the NHL. And, although they have been fierce competitors for more than 80 games on the ice, off the ice the two stars have shown support for each other and their pursuit for major career milestones.

Crosby continued his off-ice support for Ovechkin on Thursday during the NHL’s player media day in Chicago when he stated he hopes Ovechkin will break Wayne Gretzky’s all time career goals record.

“I hope he does. I told him today that I hope he does,” said Crosby, who was attending the NHL Players Media Tour in Chicago with Ovechkin. “It would be awesome. He’s in range.”

Ovechkin, 35, enters the 2021-22 season with 730 goals in 1,197 career games.

“I don’t even think about it right now, to be honest,” Ovechkin told ESPN this week. “Because it’s too far. It’s a long way. And it’s a hard way. Whatever happens, happens.”

Crosby, 34, believes the way Ovechkin scores his goals — relying on his shot rather than agility — gives him a chance to be productive late into his career.

“He can score anywhere from inside the blue line,” he said.

But Crosby’s enthusiasm for Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky is to a point, as long as the Capitals and Penguins remain fierce rivals.

“I just hope that all his goals that he gets are against the other teams, as he’s trying to add towards it,” said Crosby.

By Jon Sorensen

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