Fourteen years ago, Sporting News wrote these four words after Washington won the No. 1 pick of the 2004 NHL Draft lottery:
Capitals hockey is saved.
So great was the anticipation of the arrival of a Russian prospect named Alexander Ovechkin, he was being heralded as not just a savior for the Caps, but the entire league — which was headed for an ugly labor dispute that would ultimately shut down the entire 2004-05 season.
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"Ovechkin is a 100 percent complete package," Goran Stubb, European director for the NHL's central scouting, told Sporting News in 2004. "He can skate, pass, score, hit, check. [He's] a two-way player but also a real power forward. He has an excellent attitude. Everything is 10 out of 10 points. He has all the tools needed to be a superstar, even in the NHL in [the] near future."
Ovechkin did become an immediate star — even if he also became associated with his team's playoff failures (justified or not). Time after time, the Capitals invented new ways to blow sure-thing series leads and choke in Game 7s. Sidney Crosby, Ovechkin's main adversary and frequent playoff foil, hoisted three Stanley Cups for the Penguins while the Caps rebooted Presidents' Trophy-winning rosters and replaced head coaches on a cyclical basis. Unable to get over the second-round hump, Ovechkin on occasion became the subject of trade rumors himself, even while soaring past NHL greats on the all-time goal list.
Now, 14 years after being appointed as Caps savior, "The Great Eight" finally has won the Stanley Cup.
Here's a look at back at some of Ovechkin's notable moments — both good and bad — to reach this point.
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The Great One (goal, that is)
You could create a dozen top 10 lists from the highlight-reel goals Ovechkin's scored in his career, but there's one that stands out above them all, No. 32 of 607: Ovechkin’s falling, stick-above-his-head goal in January of his rookie season against the Coyotes is one of the most famous in NHL history. It was a transcendent moment, one that visibly dumfounded the greatest goal-scorer of them all sitting behind the opposing bench.
Thirst for a title
In 2011, Ovechkin sat down with Sporting News for a conversation before heading into the playoffs. When asked about his legacy, he offered this memorable quote, with comparisons to two basketball stars:
"You want to be successful like every person, like hockey players in the past. I want to be like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant — the kind of people who won championships and they’re on top of everybody."
The interview followed a tumultuous 2010 for Ovechkin, which included Russia's sixth-place failure at the Olympics in Vancouver and a stunning first-round loss to a No. 8-seeded Canadiens team. Both served as a megaphone for criticism from a typically conservative hockey community and questions about his legacy.
Here are a few other responses that stood out, especially now in the context of the Stanley Cup Final berth.
How much do you think about your legacy?
"Sometimes you just want to see, you want to be in history. You want to be all-time. … I don’t want to be the guy who wins almost every year but isn’t successful as a team. It’s something I want to do right now. I want to be successful — not by myself."
Do you worry about being known as the star who can’t win the big one?
"Lots of players play well and they have the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, and they didn’t win and it doesn’t matter. Sometimes you have to have luck to win the game and you have to go and play well. It’s a team sport; it’s not you all by yourself."
When you sit down and look at your career in 25 years, what do you want us to think?
"You want to be successful like every person, like hockey players in the past. I want to be like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant — the kind of people who won championships and they’re on top of everybody."
On the world stage
Ovechkin has always taken great pride in playing for Russia in international tournaments. While he's yet to win an Olympic medal, Ovechkin has enjoyed much success at the world championships. He’s helped Russia win the tournament four times, including an overtime gold medal victory against Canada in 2008 on its soil. It was Russia’s first win in 15 years. Ovechkin missed out on both the Olympics and world championships in 2018 — but a first Stanley Cup would more than make up for it.
A clean sweep
A few weeks after winning the 2008 world championship, Ovechkin was at the NHL awards show winning … just about everything. In a fitting celebration of one of the most dominant seasons in modern NHL history, Ovechkin won both league MVP trophies and received the Rocket Richard and Art Ross trophies after scoring 65 goals and 112 points. Ovechkin's NHL trophy case includes the Art Ross, three MVPs and seven goal-scoring titles — with one notable omission.
Game 7 woes
Before knocking out the Lightning, the Capitals had been 3-7 in Game 7s under Ovechkin. There was the 2-1 loss to the Canadiens in 2010, Henrik Lundqvist putting up a brick wall in 2012, a 5-0 blowout to the same Rangers a year later, Derek Stepan's overtime heartbreaker in 2015, and the 2-0 dud against the Penguins in 2016. Ovechkin's three Game 7 victories all came in the first round, one big reason why this conference finals triumph was so liberating.
Ovechkin vs. Crosby
It doesn't matter whether it's Capitals vs. Penguins or Canada vs. Russia. It's always a classic matchup when Ovechkin and Crosby, joined at the hip since they were rookies, get together to extend one of the great player rivalries in hockey history. "Snow-vechkin" and the "Dueling Hat Tricks" games stand out as two of their famous NHL chapters, and Crosby's Team Canada embarrassed Russia 7-3 in the 2010 Games, the only Olympic meeting between the two stars.
In their 44 head-to-head meetings during the regular season, Crosby holds a 63-56 advantage in points (though Ovechkin has the edge in goals, 33-20). In the playoffs, it was no contest until this year. Crosby's Penguins had eliminated the Capitals in the second round three times, including each of the last two seasons. Ovechkin finally led Washington over the hump in 2018.
'We're not gonna be suck this year'
It's amusing looking back at Ovechkin's quotes coming into the 2017-18 season. A salary-cap gutted roster set expectations at an all-time low, and there were questions about a slimmed-down Ovechkin's summer conditioning. But the best was his reassurance (in broken English) to fans concerned the Caps' championship window might have closed.
Alex Ovechkin on #Caps: "We're still gonna be a good team. We're not gonna suck this year. We're gonna be fine."
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) September 15, 2017
At last, a championship
Fourteen years after being anointed the Caps' savior, Ovechkin became a Stanley Cup winner. The Washington captain led his team to a five-game victory over the Golden Knights, turning in a performance that netted him the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP. Joy, relief, wonder — it was all there on Ovi's face after he had finally reached hockey's summit.
BELIEVE IT, OVI! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/Ioi6CF2h2s
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) June 8, 2018
Finally. pic.twitter.com/C0vki57YoP
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) June 8, 2018
And then it was time to quench another thirst.
Alex Ovechkin, Stanley Cup champion and king of words.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) June 8, 2018
"Fans, we did it. Get some beers. Get some whatever and start celebrating. We're the Stanley Cup champions!" pic.twitter.com/0P0AOXRdmT
