Alexander Ovechkin is a Russian ice hockey player who plays on the left wing and leads the Washington Capitals team in the NHL.
Ovechkin is one of the best goal scorers ever. He’s second only to Wayne Gretzky in all-time goal-scoring. Ovechkin also has many records, like the most power play goals, most goals in away games, most overtime goals, and most goals with one team in NHL history. He’s the third NHL player, after Gordie Howe and Gretzky, to score 800 goals in regular season games.
Early life and career
Ovechkin comes from a sporting family – his mother won two Olympic gold medals in basketball, and his father was a pro soccer player. He showed his talent early, playing in Russia’s top hockey league at 16 and excelling for the national junior hockey team at 17. The Washington Capitals picked him first in the 2004 NHL draft, but he had to wait a year due to a labor dispute. In 2005, he made his NHL debut alongside Sidney Crosby, and he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year with 106 points in the 2005–06 season.
In the 2006–07 season, Ovechkin had his first NHL All-Star Game appearance, but the Capitals finished last in their division for the second time in his two years with the team. However, the next season, he scored 65 goals and led the Capitals to a division title. Although they lost in the playoffs, Ovechkin won his first Hart Memorial Trophy. In 2008–09, the Capitals won another division title and their first postseason series. Ovechkin led the NHL in goals again and won his second Hart Memorial Trophy. He led the team to several more playoff appearances but with fewer goals in the following seasons. In the 2012–13 season, he had a strong second half and won his third Hart Trophy.
In the 2013–14 season, Ovechkin led the NHL in goals (51), but the Capitals missed the playoffs after a six-season streak. In 2014–15, he scored 53 goals, led the Capitals to the playoffs, but they lost a tight second-round series. In November 2015, he became the top-scoring Russian-born NHL player with 484 career goals. In 2015–16, he scored 50 goals and led the Capitals to a franchise-record 56 wins, but they were eliminated in the second round. His performance dipped in 2016–17, with just 69 points, and the Capitals, despite the best regular-season record, were again knocked out in the second round.
Ovechkin led the NHL in goals in 2017–18 and helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup, ending a long drought. He was the first Russian captain to achieve this and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He led the league in goals again in 2018–19, but the Capitals lost in the playoffs. The next two seasons were cut short due to COVID-19, and Ovechkin’s team lost in the first round both times. Despite scoring 50 goals in 2021–22, the Capitals faced another early playoff exit. In the following season, he scored his 802nd career goal, moving into second place on the all-time NHL goals list.
Alexander Ovechkin net worth
Ovechkin is considered one of the richest NHL players, with an estimated net worth of about $80 million. He has a five-year contract with the Washington Capitals, valued at $47.5 million, and he earns $9.5 million each year from it.
| Name | Alexander Ovechkin |
| Salary | $9.5 million |
| Net Worth | $80 million |
