“Then I came to Ovi, and I looked up and I said: ‘Holy f—! I’m coaching Alex Ovechkin,’” Bruce Boudreau recalled back in 2007 when he became the head coach of the Washington Capitals. Yeah, the reaction totally makes sense. Ovi stepped into the NHL as a top prospect and really wowed everyone with some amazing performances in those early seasons. With Boudreau at the helm, Ovechkin hit a career-high of 65 goals and snagged his first Hart Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player during the 2007-08 season.
This was the year Ovi made his debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and he had some pretty solid stats for a rookie, finishing with 4 goals and 5 assists for a total of 9 points in just 7 games. Boudreau and Ovi had quite the dynamic relationship in the NHL, and even now, Boudreau still enjoys Ovi’s antics on the ice. He recently hopped on The Hockey News’ YouTube channel with Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos to chat about Ovi’s career.
When asked, “Will Alex Ovechkin retire before the age of 50?” Bruce chuckled and said, “Yeah, I think his wife will make him retire before the age of 50, but, uh, hey, listen, the way he’s playing this year, like he, he looks like he’s 25, 26 years old again.” Alex Ovechkin and Anastasia Shubskaya have a strong and supportive relationship that has really grown, both in their personal lives and in the public eye.
Their connection really grew fast, and it led to a memorable proposal in 2015 when Ovechkin popped the magical words while Shubskaya was in the shower—a moment she always shares with a giggle. No, but seriously, what was Ovi really thinking? So, according to Boudreau, the Russian hockey star is ready to hang up his skates as soon as his family gives him the nod. But the former Caps coach also highlighted Ovi’s style of play, even at 39 years old. Boudreau pointed out that the way Ovi plays in the NHL makes him seem much younger than he actually is. Why is that?
“And I’m not saying even the goal scoring, but the way he’s hitting right now, like, I mean, he, last year, for example, like, which was a real off year for him, uh, for most of the year, he, he wouldn’t move his legs and he wouldn’t hit, he would be bouncing into it. Now he’s punishing guys again. And when that man hits, it hurts.” Ovechkin is 39 now, and at that age, it’s pretty common for players to step away from the game to avoid injuries since their bodies just aren’t as resilient as those of younger players.
So, you’ve probably heard the saying, “Russian machine never breaks,” right? Well, it actually came from Ovi. The former Caps coach mentioned that Ovechkin plays aggressively on the ice. Even though he might be past his prime, he still knows how to keep the younger players in check when needed. Did you know that when Ovi broke the record, his wife got a special gift?
Alex Ovechkin’s wife received a massive gift
You know, when Wayne Gretzky shattered Gordie Howe’s goal record, there was a sweet moment where Howe’s wife, Colleen, gave Gretzky’s wife, Janet, a diamond ring as a gift. Just like Colleen, Janet also gave Alex Ovechkin’s wife, Anastasia, an eight-diamond ring that could be worth six figures.
Gretzky shared, “A month ago, my wife said, ‘You know, Colleen Howe started a tradition. I’m not sure if anyone is going to break Alex’s record, but I want to give her (Ovechkin’s wife, Anastasia Shubskaya) something really unique.’ So, we went out and she picked out an eight-diamond ring for Alex’s wife. Not only do hockey guys pass down traditions. So do the families and wives.”
These guys really thrive on mutual respect. Even if Ovi managed to pull off the impossible and pass that 894-mark, Gretzky is just really proud of him. The two families really want to stay on good terms, and what better way to do that than by giving Ovi’s wife a gift that’s both valuable and memorable? Who knows, maybe this will happen again in the future?
The post “Make Him Retire”: Alex Ovechkin’s Former Washington Capitals Coach Reveals Record Breaker’s Secret appeared first on EssentiallySports.
