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Alexander Ovechkin

Russian ice hockey player

Alexander Mikhaylovich Ovechkin (born September 17, 1985, in Moscow, Russia) is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League. In January 2008, he signed a thirteen-year contract extension worth $124 million with the Capitals, the most valuable contract in NHL history. He currently resides in Arlington, Virginia, U.S.

Alexander Ovechkin in 2008

Quotes

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  • You can't just stand and say to yourself, 'OK, right now I'm the best. That's it. No more working.' If you're a good player you have to be working harder and harder. This is not just my goal, it's my team goal. We can improve more and we can probably be even better than last year. My dream is to be the best.
    • Helene Elliott (October 16, 2008) "Ovechkin Is Good for NHL, Bad for Opposing Goalies", Los Angeles Times.
  • We never give up, we believe in each other, we believe in the coach, we believe in everybody. Only when you believe do you win the Stanley Cup.
  • I want to win, I want to win everything. If I have a chance to win, why not?
    • Paul Hunter (June 12, 2008) "Ovechkin fashions himself a designer", The Toronto Star, p. S02.
  • It was a good year. When I win the Stanley Cup, I'll say it's my best year.
  • All friends and relatives supported me. I do not know what to say. This is the victory for all Russians, for the whole country. We won the gold medal we were dreaming about. We deserved it.
  • I'm ready. They hit me hard. I hit them hard. Doesn't matter who hits. What matters is results.
    • Steve Schrader (April 13, 2008) "What the NBC microphones picked up: Predator taunting", Detroit Free Press.
  • I don't want to play for a no-good team. I want to win. I want to be on a good team like we see right now. We have great young guys. We have great experienced guys. Everything goes up.
    • Bill Beacon (January 29, 2008) "Backstrom, Ovechkin combination promises bright future for Capitals", The Canadian Press.
  • We're young and we just have fun and right now we're here in the all-star game and it's unbelievable.
    • Pierre Lebrun (January 22, 2007) "Will infusion of youth give the NHL all-star game more of edge this year?", The Canadian Press.
  • I don't care what people say about me and what they think about me. I care about my team and I care about myself. Lots of people watch hockey, and I think everybody has different thinking.
    • John Vogl (December 27, 2006) "No standing ovation for Ovechkin", The Buffalo News, p. D4.
  • I always look forward to playing in Toronto because it's such a historic city when it comes to hockey.
    • Benjamin Leszcz (November 1, 2006) "They like us! They really like us!", Toronto Life, Toronto Life Publishing Company, Volume 40, Issue 11.
  • I don't think about (being) the face of the NHL - I just enjoy my time right now. Playing in the NHL was my dream come true and I'm playing with great players. I feel trust and I'm happy because I'm having the time of my life.
    • Kevin McGran (October 28, 2006) "'Having the time of my life' - Capitals' Alexander Ovechkin says he loves to deliver hits and isn't averse to taking a few, either Rangers' Lundqvist's experiencing problems keeping the puck out this season, by Kevin McGran", The Toronto Star, p. E05.
  • My dream has come true. I play with the great players and on a great team. I'm smiling and happy and enjoying the time of my life.
    • Canadian Press (October 27, 2006) "More than just the next superstar - Ovechkin's zest for life contagious with Capitals", The Record (Kitchner, Ontario, Canada), p. D2.
  • My goal is the same, work like last year, play hard all the time. Try and score goals.
    • Turkish Daily News staff (October 4, 2006) "New season brings optimism and challenges for NHL", Turkish Daily News.
  • Sometimes I want to joke but my English isn't perfect. Sometimes people are wondering what I'm talking about.
  • My coaches and teammates really trusted me and gave me a chance to improve. They would come to me after a game I didn't score and say, 'Hey, don't worry about it. Next game you'll score.' The guys were great. It's an unbelievable team. It feels like home for me.

About

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  • Alex, you just enjoy watching because he's like a bull in a china shop. And he does everything. He's got all the great skills, and he can run over you as well.
    • Bruce Boudreau, interview in Jill Painter (November 20, 2008) "The Pursuit of Happiness: Whether On or Off the Ice, Washington's Ovechkin Always Enjoys Himself", Los Angeles Daily News, p. C1.
  • I don't think pressure, that word, is on his mind. He loves to play hockey and enjoys the way he's playing. He's kind of made me re-establish my thinking.
  • You can have the best skill in the world, but he has lots of will and that’s why he’s great. You look at the great young players around the league, including our players that we have here, and it’s their will. That’s what separates great players from medium players.
    • Denis Savard, interview in Tim Sassone (October 11, 2008) "Can Hawks close gaps on Ovechkin?", Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois), p. 4.
  • He's getting wrapped up before the game and iced down after it. And you see that and you might have an injury, but you are like, 'Well, if Ovie can go out there and skate as hard as he does, I can go out there.' That rubs off on guys a lot, too.
  • He's got Mike Bossy's hands, Jari Kurri's on-ice awareness, and Mark Messier's physicality.
    • Wayne Gretzky, interview in Kevin Paul Dupont (April 13, 2008) "This rink gives you chills: In Montreal, they have the magic down cold", Boston Globe, Globe Newspaper Company, p. 9D.
  • He's a fantastic player. I don't know what else you guys can write about him, but he's the best I've ever played with.
    • Olie Kolzig, interview in The Capital staff (March 6, 2008) "March is meaningful for Ovechkin, Capitals", The Capital, Capital-Gazette Newspapers, p. C5.
  • He's a great player. Everybody knows that. He's a very dangerous player, but if you limit his speed and time to make plays it's tough for anybody. It wasn't just me, it was the whole team playing well defensively against that line.
  • Everybody looks comfortable playing on the same line as Ovechkin because that guy is unbelievable. Everybody has said that Alex and Pavel Bure are kind of the same caliber of player, and I think I agree with them. They both scored 50 goals and both are unbelievable. Playing with Alex, you know he's a great player. So you just give him the puck and stay away from him and give him room to operate. It's that easy.
  • We're lucky we have personalities on this team. Outgoing guys. (Alexander) Ovechkin is our top player and he's a free spirit. We let them have fun. Maybe there comes a time we need to do something to get to the next step. We'll see. Nothing is forever.
    • Glen Hanlon, interview in Rich Chere (December 31, 2006) "Young Capitals playing a game within a game: ON THE NHL", The Star-Ledger, p. 13.
  • I have a lot of respect for Ovechkin as a player. I like his enthusiasm. I know the kid has a zest for life and a joy for the game.
    • Ryan Miller, interview in John Vogl (December 4, 2006) "Ovechkin's star eclipsed by few - Briere hit a rare misstep for Capitals' boy wonder", The Buffalo News, p. D7.
  • He's one of the worst practice players I've played with. He rests and when the game comes, he flips the switch on. He plays a dominant physical style, so I think he just relaxes in practice and as a veteran player, I admire that.
    • Jeff Friesen, interview in Canadian Press (November 1, 2006) "The great debate rages on - Ovechkin vs. Phaneuf: Which one has greater impact for their team?", The Record (Kitchner, Ontario, Canada), p. E1.
  • He's obviously a dynamic player that you have to pay attention to when he's out there.
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