Having returned to the Capitals' Tuesday afternoon skate, Alex Ovechkin then addressed the media Wednesday for his first remarks following a stretch of roughly a week-plus spent off the rink.
With Nastya, his wife, and sons Sergei plus Ilya alongside him, Ovechkin took the time off in Dubai, where a portion of his wider circle of relatives and friends came along.
The 40-year-old said after Tuesday's skate that the break had been wonderful, that the flight was long but worthwhile, and that he'd enjoyed time with family and friends without dwelling on hockey or the wider world.
One more subject stayed off his mind, too. Pressed on whether he had watched any of the action, Ovechkin offered a single "no" before wrapping up the media session.
Because of the country's invasion of Ukraine, the Russians were excluded from the 12-team best-on-best hockey event — and from the Games altogether. The nation hasn't competed internationally in the sport since the early part of 2022, and the prohibition will persist into 2026-27 as well.
Artemi Panarin spoke to the New York Post and said he understands the situation, but called it genuinely sorrowful for competitors who pour their entire lives into the game and hold dreams around it. He said it's painful from their side, though it's beyond their control, and he hopes people sort it out — adding that the other players headed to the Olympics he's spoken with wish Russia were taking part.
Ovechkin, who hoped to claim hockey's biggest club prize as well as Olympic gold before retiring, has been absent from the Games for more than ten years, going back to the Sochi edition held in Russia. Throughout his career, the Caps captain appeared at just three Olympics, in 2006, then 2010, then 2014, and never stood on the podium.
This year's event isn't the only one Ovechkin bypassed; he also paid no attention to last year's 4 Nations event. For the very same rationale, the NHL had likewise excluded the Russians: the country's conflict in Ukraine.
Ovechkin had stated he wouldn't follow that Four Nations competition, wondering what the use was of viewing something the Russian squad isn't part of.
A trio of Caps stay alive at the tournament: Logan Thompson and Tom Wilson with Canada, along with Martin Fehervary suiting up for Slovakia.