FORT LAUDERDALE | Alex Ovechkin leaves the media meeting and walks past supporters in the hotel lobby. He goes to the exit with the eldest of his two boys, Sergeï.
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For once, the Washington Capitals captain doesn’t draw all the attention. Sergei, a little four-year-old man, also attracts attention. With the intensity of his famous father after a goal, Sohn gives a good clapping to an older fan who bursts out laughing.
At the same time, Ovechkin had a big smile on his face. A smile that reflected all his happiness to share with his boy this week of the stars, an eighth participation for him.
“Sergei already recognizes the faces of some players but he will be even more excited when he enters the dressing room on Friday,” said Ovechkin during his press crowd. He can’t wait to see the players. He’ll have a lot of fun, just like me. »
“Before he got here he asked me a lot of questions and chained the number 8 of the capitals. He is happy. It warms my heart to see that. Last year I had given up the All-Star Game in Vegas because of a positive test for Covid-19. This year I can recover. »
Ovechkin also has another boy: Ilya. But at two years old, he’s too young to see behind the scenes at an All-Star game.
Gretzky: The next target
At 37, Ovechkin has had gray-white hair in his hair for several seasons. If the weight of the years is felt at the capillary level, it is not the same phenomenon on the ice.
There’s still a formidable goalscorer out there. After 52 games he has scored 32 goals and accumulated 54 points. He’s increasingly knocking on the door of a record we thought was unbeatable: Wayne Gretzky’s 894 goals.
“I still don’t think it’s possible to beat that record,” Ovechkin replied with a smile. I go one game at a time, one day at a time. »
“Ovi will be the all-time top scorer,” predicted Lightning goalkeeper Andrei Vasilevskiy. I helped him in his quest by scoring a few goals against him. »
Vasilevskiy, one of the best goalies in the NHL, was beaten 11 times by his compatriot.