For a guy who’s spent his career chasing history, Alex Ovechkin knows when to pause for something bigger. With his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record heating up, the Capitals’ captain took a rare detour from the grind Sunday night, stepping onto the ice not as a goal machine but as part of something far more human.
At Capital One Arena, a different kind of history was honored—the lives of 67 people, including 28 from the skating world, lost in January’s tragic plane crash.
The “Legacy on Ice” tribute brought figure skating royalty together, from Kristi Yamaguchi to Scott Hamilton, with performances that hit deeper than any competition ever could. But it was 13-year-old Isabella Aparicio who delivered the night’s most heart-wrenching moment, skating in memory of her father and brother, as a recording of her late dad playing Canon in D filled the arena. By the time she finished, collapsing to the ice in tears, the crowd was on its feet.
Alex Ovechkin was among those in attendance at today’s Legacy on Ice event, joining the skaters at the end of the tribute for a group photo. pic.twitter.com/K1f0F50B4p
— Katie Adler (@katieEadler) March 2, 2025
Alex Ovechkin, usually laser-focused on his next goal, stood alongside the skaters for a powerful group photo—one of those rare moments in sports where records and stats take a backseat.
Sure, his chase for 895 continues when the Caps take on the Senators, but on this night, the Great 8 proved that some moments are more significant than the game. And sometimes, the most meaningful moments in a player’s career don’t even happen on the ice.
Alex Ovechkin’s trophy-winning moment that he didn’t even play in
Alex Ovechkin has handed out plenty of signed sticks over his two decades in the NHL, but the one he gave Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson last Tuesday? That one carried a little extra history. It wasn’t a mere token of respect—it was a silent nod to a moment in 2019 that kept Ovechkin alone at the top of the goal-scoring leaderboard.
Senior columnist Eric Francis, sharing glimpses of the signed Hockey, wrote, “This is the stick I spoke about on the broadcast, which Alex Ovechkin gave to Rasmus Andersson in Washington for playing a role in securing Ovie’s Rocket Richard Trophy in 2019.”
This is the stick I spoke about on the broadcast, which Alex Ovechkin gave to Rasmus Andersson in Washington for playing a role in securing Ovie’s Rocket Richard Trophy in 2019. pic.twitter.com/Rk4Z2a6Zcy
— Eric Francis (@EricFrancis) March 1, 2025
Flashback to April 6, 2019. Alex Ovechkin had already secured his eighth Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy with 51 goals, but Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl was on his heels. Draisaitl fired what looked like his 51st goal with an empty net in sight, ready to force a tie at the top. Then came Andersson, reaching up, swatting the puck down with a high stick, and, just like that, Ovechkin’s crown stayed untouched.
And now, five years later, Alex Ovechkin found a way to covey his gratitude with a signed stick. Definitely a moment to keep framed, isn’t it?
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