Alexander Ovechkin

Alexander Ovechkin
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Name:
Alexander Ovechkin
Who is:
Birth date:
(39 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Moscow
Height:
6'3 ft ()
Weight:
218 lb (99 kg)
Relationship:
married
Namesakes:
Birth Sign:
Chinese zodiac:
Links:

Photos: Alexander Ovechkin

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Biography of Alexander Ovechkin

Alexander Ovechkin (known as Alexander the Great, Ovi, or the Great Eight by his fans) is one of the best forwards in modern hockey history. He is skilled, fast, and incredibly accurate. His physical style of play, often criticized, leads his teams to victories, and his signature toothless smile has sparked many girls' interest in hockey. On April 6, 2025, Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky's 31-year record to become the NHL's top scorer with 895 goals.
NHL Star Alexander Ovechkin
NHL Star Alexander Ovechkin
Everyone probably knows what kind of player Alexander Ovechkin is today. But what kind of person is this talented hockey player? How did his life unfold off the ice, and how did he reach professional sports? Read the detailed story of one of the world's best forwards below.

Early Years, Childhood, and Family

Alexander Ovechkin was born on September 17, 1985, into a Moscow family that wasn't involved in hockey, but was athletic. His mother, Tatyana Ovechkina, was a well-known basketball player in the USSR. Her achievements included numerous matches for the Soviet Union national team and the title of a two-time Olympic champion.
Alexander Ovechkin's Childhood Photo
Alexander Ovechkin's Childhood Photo
Alexander's father, Mikhail Ovechkin, also had impressive achievements. He played for the Moscow soccer team Dynamo for almost his entire professional career, achieving many glorious victories with them. Reflecting on his childhood, Alexander Ovechkin often admitted that his parents' sports careers served as an example for him and ultimately led him into professional sports.
Alexander Ovechkin's Parents Were Outstanding Athletes
Alexander Ovechkin's Parents Were Outstanding Athletes
The hockey player's father recalled that Alexander's first passion was fishing. During vacations in the countryside at Tatyana's parents' place, the independent five-year-old would put on a hat, take a fishing rod, and go fishing with his grandmother's shepherd dog.

At eight, Alexander suddenly developed a love for hockey. It happened like this: Mikhail was watching a Dynamo match against an obscure team on TV. The game was sluggish, so he switched the channel, causing Alexander to throw a tantrum. They had to turn hockey back on, and until the end of the match, the boy, not even knowing the rules, watched the players' actions in fascination.
Alexander Ovechkin Has Been Playing Hockey Since He Was 8 Years Old
Alexander Ovechkin Has Been Playing Hockey Since He Was 8 Years Old
After this incident, Mikhail took his son to a familiar Dynamo coach, Alexander Filippov. Filippov refused because Alexander's peers had been training for several years, and Ovechkin couldn't even stand on skates! Eventually, Alexander went to train with coach Vyacheslav Kirillov. Although he had to learn basic skills from scratch, within a year, he became a leader in the youth team.
Young Alexander Ovechkin and His Childhood Friend Nikita
Young Alexander Ovechkin and His Childhood Friend Nikita
When Alexander turned 10, tragedy struck the family. His 25-year-old brother, Sergei, was in an accident and died from a blood clot. He had always supported Alexander's passion for hockey, and the young boy vowed to play on the ice for both of them.

At 12, Alexander's team played against Vympel. Before the match, a coach mentioned that the famous hockey player Pavel Bure had scored 56 goals at the Moscow championship at that age. Ovechkin had slightly fewer — 53. Alexander got into the zone and scored six goals in that memorable match, breaking Bure's childhood record.

Hockey Career

After that, there were many more spectacular matches and game achievements. Seeing the progress of the young player, the bosses of Moscow's "Dynamo" included the promising forward in the main team. In 2000, Alexander was first included in the roster for a Russian Superleague match. A year later, he became a key player for HC Dynamo Moscow.
Amazing Ovechkin Goal at the World Junior Championship (2003)
In the same year, 17-year-old Ovechkin, who had recently triumphed in the world junior championship, debuted for the Russian national team under coach Viktor Tikhonov (Ceska Pojistovna Cup). He managed to score a goal against the opponent, becoming both the youngest player ever to take the ice with the main Russian national team and the youngest hockey player to score a goal for the main national team. By that time, his reputation as a rising hockey star had spread beyond Russia.

In 2003, representatives from the NHL club "Florida Panthers" contacted the player's agent. That time, the deal to move to the world's strongest league fell through. However, it became clear that the talented young player wouldn't stay in the Russian Superleague for long. Eventually, that's exactly what happened.
Alexander Ovechkin – 10 Best Goals in the NHL
In 2004, he was drafted by the "Washington Capitals" with the first overall pick. The young hockey player planned to play for the American club that fall, but a lockout disrupted his plans. As a result, he played for "Dynamo" for another year, alongside Andrei Markov, Pavel Datsyuk, and Maxim Afinogenov. Incidentally, that year was incredibly successful for the club — they became the Russian Champions for the first time in 5 years. Ovechkin participated in ten playoff games and broke his own points record despite a shoulder injury.

After the lockout ended, Ovechkin signed a contract with the Washington team. They offered him a record salary for an NHL rookie — he earned $3.85 million in one season. On October 5, 2005, he played his first NHL game against the "Columbus Blue Jackets." During the match, he scored twice and led his team to victory.
Ovechkin on the Day of His NHL Debut
Ovechkin on the Day of His NHL Debut
The club's management's hopes for the Russian player were justified from the very first matches. Three months after his debut, he was named Rookie of the Month, and he began to be talked about as a "Calder Trophy" favorite alongside Sidney Crosby (by the end of the season, he indeed became the leader, surpassing Crosby). In the first half of the 05/06 season, he scored 49 points. Among Russians, only Ilya Kovalchuk scored more that season.
Ovechkin's First NHL Goal
In February 2006, Ovechkin suffered a groin injury but still went to the Turin Olympics. By the end of the Winter Games, he was one of the best players (6 points) and was included in the all-star team, although the team did not win a medal.

In May 2008, Ovechkin was called up to the Russian national team. That year was triumphant for the team: for the first time in 15 years, they won the "gold," defeating the host of the tournament, Canada. Ovechkin missed the next World Championship due to participating in the Stanley Cup.
Hockey World Championship in Quebec (2008)
Hockey World Championship in Quebec (2008)
In December 2008, Ovechkin signed a new contract with the "Washington Capitals." He agreed to play for 13 seasons, during which he was promised $124 million (the first 6 at $9 million each, the next 7 at $10 million each). Before this, the NHL had never signed contracts worth more than $100 million.

In early 2010, Ovechkin became the team's captain, replacing Chris Clark, who left for "Columbus."
Ovechkin's 500th NHL Goal
In January 2017, he achieved his 1000th point in the NHL, scoring his 546th goal.

Personal Life of Alexander Ovechkin

The famous hockey player's name frequently appeared in overseas press headlines due to various high-profile romances. Over the years, journalists linked the Russian athlete to well-known beauties like Victoria Lopyreva, Zhanna Friske, and even Fergie (the lead singer of Black Eyed Peas). It's hard to judge how true these rumors are.

The hockey player dated famous Russian tennis player Maria Kirilenko for a long time. On December 31, 2012, the couple announced their engagement. However, in mid-2014, the hockey star's press service announced their breakup. Later, Maria gave an interview where she said she was tired of "certain habits of Alexander" and wished him happiness in his future career. Rumors spread in the media that the breakup was caused by the hockey player's affair with 19-year-old gymnast Karolina Sevastyanova.
In the photo: Alexander Ovechkin and Maria Kirilenko
In the photo: Alexander Ovechkin and Maria Kirilenko
In 2015, the hockey player began dating 21-year-old model Anastasia Shubskaya, daughter of actress Vera Glagoleva and millionaire Kirill Shubsky. They met at the Beijing Olympics (2008) but didn’t maintain a relationship for a long time. In 2015, the girl nearly drowned in Dubai and shared the incident with her blog followers. Among them was Ovechkin. Concerned about Nastya's condition, he decided to support her personally. This sparked their passionate romance, which ended in a lavish wedding.
Alexander Ovechkin is married to Anastasia Shubskaya
Alexander Ovechkin is married to Anastasia Shubskaya
The celebration took place in July 2017. On August 18, their son Sergey was born, the first child for both Ovi and Shubskaya. On May 27, 2020, the family welcomed another son, Ilya.
Alexander Ovechkin and Anastasia Shubskaya with two boys and a black dog pose by the New Year tree, parents are dressed festively
Alexander Ovechkin with his wife and children
Source: @nastyashubskaya
In 2022, the hockey player shared that he doesn’t want to stop at this point: "I dream of having no fewer than five or, even better, six of us in the family."

The couple's eldest son showed interest in hockey at the age of two. But Alexander and Anastasia don’t want to pressure him or insist that he pursue this sport.
As soon as he started walking well, he almost immediately grabbed a stick. We even have a video of him at two years old flipping the puck on the stick's blade, it flips in the air, and he catches it. Even adults don't always manage that trick.
Alexander Ovechkin on his eldest son
Alexander Ovechkin is the founder of the public movement "Putin Team," aimed at uniting supporters of the Russian president. He publicly announced the creation of this movement in November 2017 through his page on the social network Instagram, which is banned in Russia:
Today I want to announce the creation of a public movement called Putin Team. Being part of such a team is a pride for me, similar to the feeling when you wear the Russian national team jersey, knowing the whole country supports you. I am sure there are many of us who support Vladimir Putin! So let's unite and show everyone a strong and united Russia.
After Ovechkin's announcement, several other Russian athletes, including gymnast Svetlana Khorkina and mixed martial artist Fedor Emelianenko, joined the movement. The organization conducted various actions in support of Putin, published materials on social networks, and participated in public events. However, over time, the activity of "Putin Team" in the public space decreased.

Alexander Ovechkin Now

On April 6, 2025, Alexander Ovechkin officially became the greatest goal scorer in NHL regular season history, surpassing Wayne Gretzky's legendary mark, which had been a record since March 1994, for 31 years.

In a game against the New York Islanders, the Russian forward scored his 895th goal, firmly securing his place in hockey history.

The captain of the Washington Capitals reached this incredible milestone after playing 1,487 NHL games.

The landmark goal became the culmination of Ovechkin's impressive 20-year career in the league, which began on October 5, 2005, when the 20-year-old forward scored his first two goals in his debut game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

At the celebratory ceremony after this historic achievement, Alexander delivered an emotional speech, concluding with the words: "The whole world, Russians, we did it!"