Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin to receive Wayne Gretzky International Award

Alex Ovechkin joins Tim and Sid to discuss several topics including NHL players going to the Olympics, Wayne Gretzky's goal record, and how motivated he is to win the Stanley Cup a second time with the Washington Capitals

USA Hockey is awarding Alex Ovechkin with this year’s Wayne Gretzky International Award for his contributions to the growth and advancement of hockey in the United States.

The Washington Capitals superstar will receive the award on Dec. 12 during the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Celebration.

Jim Smith, the president of USA Hockey, said Ovechkin has inspired the next generation of hockey players in Washington, D.C., and beyond.

“Apart from his talent on the ice, he’s made an enormous contribution to the hockey community off the ice as well,” Smith said in a statement Wednesday.

Ovechkin’s achievements in the community involve hosting players from the American Special Hockey Association, which gives people of all ages a chance to learn and play hockey. He also launched Ovi’s Crazy 8’s in 2006 to give underserved children a chance to see a Capitals game.

A press release said hockey participation in the D.C. area has grown from 400 players prior to Ovechkin’s arrival to around 1,500.

Ovechkin, from Russia, was the Capitals’ first-overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft and helped Washington win the Stanley Cup in 2018.

[relatedlinks]

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.