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Alex Ovechkin led the Washington Capitals to the playoffs in the 2023-24 season. He did so after the Capitals missed the playoffs in the previous campaign. A mid-season run with 10 goals and five assists from Ovechkin in March helped Washington in their playoff pursuit. But they lost by a shutout in the first round to New York Rangers.
Despite Washington's loss, Ovechkin improved his regular season stats. He scored 31 goals, which was looking unachievable in October and November. He's pursuing Wayne Gretzky's 894-goal record, which is the most goals scored by a player in the NHL.
He's 42 goals away from breaking that record. While many are excited about it, his mother, Tatyana Ovechkina, finds the constant talk about it repetitive. In a statement during the Ovi Cup in Russia, Tatyana talked about Ovechkin.
"Personally, I’m not interested in (talk about the goals record) at all," Tatyana said in the interview (via RMNB).
She shared that Alex, known as "Sasha" to his family, focuses on playing hockey and not records.
“Sasha just plays hockey, not bothering his head with personal statistics,” Tatyana added. “And the pucks they’ll come. They won’t go anywhere. We all know that Sasha loves and knows how to score. God willing, he’ll succeed.”
Tatyana used to stay up late in Russia to watch her son's games. After her husband’s death in February 2023, she returned to Russia full-time. She believes Alex will find peace and strength in his family. He enjoys spending time at home and relaxing with his loved ones.
"His family is like an oasis for him. He relaxes at home," she explained.
As Alex Ovechkin continues his record pursuit, his family’s support helps him stay focused and grounded.
Alex Ovechkin praises son at 'Ovi Cup' as he prepares for 20th NHL season
Alex Ovechkin held his "Ovi Cup" in Moscow. He played with NHL stars like Evgeni Malkin and Kirill Kaprizov. His son Sergei scored a breakaway goal in a 6-6 tie. Ovechkin praised Sergei’s dedication to hockey:
“I don’t want to force them. Sergei loves hockey. He just adores it. Ilya has just started playing hockey. We’ll see what happens," Ovechkin said.
The Capitals made key changes this offseason, adding Pierre-Luc Dubois, Jakob Chychrun and Andrew Mangiapane. Ovechkin noted the value of young players from Hershey and is hopeful for another Stanley Cup. He will return for training camp in September.
