The Washington Capitals are celebrating Alex Ovechkin’s moving into second place on the all-time goals list tonight before their tilt with the Columbus Blue Jackets. As part of the run-up to the celebration, the Capitals released a series of congratulatory videos from Ovi’s peers during the day on Tuesday.
Auston Matthews
Once a fan in the stands to now a fellow Rocket Richard winner, it’s all love from Auston Matthews #Gr802 | @MapleLeafs pic.twitter.com/Ct2EYvbh5Q
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 21, 2023
Patrice Bergeron
Respect from 18 seasons of competing against one another in the East#Gr802 | @NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/W93ParVdRD
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 21, 2023
Connor McDavid
Looking forward to the #OviJr version of this video for this guy in the future #Gr802 | @EdmontonOilers pic.twitter.com/ZFQzgGM1OX
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 21, 2023
Sidney Crosby
All class between two legends#Gr802 | @penguins pic.twitter.com/e9fiuAd8hE
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 21, 2023
Anze Kopitar, Mark Stone, Elias Petterson, Andre Burakovsky, Erik Karlsson
Respect from the Pacific, courtesy of Anze Kopitar, Mark Stone, Elias Pettersson, Erik Karlsson and Andre Burakovsky#ALLCAPS | #Gr802 pic.twitter.com/Bs473L1x6G
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 21, 2023
Aleksander Barkov, Tage Thompson, Brady Tkachuk and Nick Suzuki
Respect from the Atlantic, courtesy of Aleksander Barkov, Tage Thompson, Brady Tkachuk and Nick Suzuki pic.twitter.com/qey1Dg0Xlu
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 21, 2023
Johnny Gaudreau, Igor Shesterkin and Kevin Hayes
Respect from the Metro, courtesy of Johnny Gaudreau, Igor Shesterkin and Kevin Hayes pic.twitter.com/trp8gKvrNe
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 21, 2023
Prior to Tuesday’s game with Columbus, the Caps will hold a ceremony to honor Ovechkin. Among the dignitaries on hand for the event will be NHLPA director Marty Walsh, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Howe, Gordie’s son and former teammate with the WHA Houston Aeros and New England/Hartford Whalers and the NHL’s Hartford Whalers.
Ovechkin’s teammates will arrive at the arena for Tuesday’s game sporting special Ovi t-shirts, and all will sport a No. 8 sweater for pregame warmups. Those sweaters will then be signed and auctioned off to benefit the Monumental Sports and Entertainment Foundation at a later date.
A host of Caps’ season ticket holders will greet players as they enter the arena for the game, and all fans in attendance will receive an Ovechkin goal counter bobble head doll courtesy of Capital One to commemorate the occasion.
During the ceremony itself, Ovechkin will be presented with a number of gifts from the organization, from the League, from the NHLPA and from his teammates as well. Caps’ television play-by-play voice Joe Beninati will emcee the event on the ice, and Ovechkin’s family members and Caps’ majority owner Ted Leonsis and team president Dick Patrick will also be on the ice to join The Great Eight on his special night.
BillDaly coming too. It’s is indeed a big night.
Congratulations Ovi!
I wanted to hear from Flower, Ovi’s all time favorite goalie to score on!
I can’t tell if they are buds, or mortal enemies. After that last goal on Flower, Ovi gave him a pretty viscous glare.
For one of Ovi’s records Flower did comment and said that he enjoyed playing against Ovi. Or, at least, that is how I remember it.
I think (secretively off the ice) they are good buds. They know it’s a business.
In January Gulitti wrote: And no goalie has allowed more goals to Ovechkin, who has scored 25 of his 810 against his longtime foe. “I don’t know if I’m too proud of that,” Fleury said, grinning. “I like being here,” Fleury said. “The atmosphere is always good, and facing him is, obviously, a big challenge. You want to stop him.” So, it might be surprising to learn that, like his former Penguins teammate and good friend Sidney Crosby, Fleury is rooting for Ovechkin to catch Gretzky and break the goal record. He, obviously, doesn’t want it to happen against him. “I think he deserves it,” Fleury said. “He’s been doing this for a long time and consistently every season, so hopefully he gets to Gretzky.” Fleury enjoys interacting with Ovechkin during games. It’s mostly friendly, but with a little trash talk going both ways. “Sometimes he’ll come and say ‘Hi,'” said Fleury, who won the 2021 Vezina Trophy voted as the top goalie in the NHL. “He’ll say ‘Hi’ or ‘Oh, I almost got you. I’m going to get you on the next one.’ And I’m like, ‘No way. You’re not getting [anything].’ It’s funny, though. I like how he does it.” “I like to play against him,” he said. “I think he brings the best out of you.”