Alex Ovechkin's B-Day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALEX !!!


ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, who turns 22 on Sept. 17, will celebrate his birthday with a group of his teammates by volunteering at Shaw Junior High School in Northwest Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 18. Ovechkin, his teammates, students from the school and staff from both the Washington Capitals and Serve DC, in the Executive Office of the Mayor will be painting and performing grounds maintenance from 1:30-3:15 p.m.

The event will start with a birthday cake and the distribution of commemorative Ovechkin T-shirts to students and volunteers before everyone is divided into groups to begin work.

WHO: Alex Ovechkin, select Capitals teammates and staff
Serve DC – Executive Office of the Mayor staff
Shaw Junior High School students

WHAT: Painting the school’s interior recreation area and lockers
Grounds work including planting flower beds and mulching

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 18
1:30 to 3:15 p.m.

WHERE: Shaw Junior High School
925 Rhode Island Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20001

This is the latest in a series of community initiatives Ovechkin has participated in since arriving in Washington in 2005-06. The 2006 Calder Trophy winner as the NHL’s top rookie, Ovechkin purchases eight season tickets to Capitals games in his “Crazy 8s” section that he donates to needy children or members of the military through Most Valuable Kids. He has also supported both Athletes Against Autism and Right To Play with generous contributions, both financial and of his time.


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Update from Dump and Chase Sep 18, 2007

Tuesday’s event was a service project in honor of Alex Ovechkin’s 22nd birthday, which was Monday. Immediately after Tuesday’ practice at the K-Plex, Ovechkin, Sutherby, Nicklas Backstrom, Matt Bradley, Donald Brashear and Mike Green drove over to Shaw to help students and a handful of Caps staffers and Serve DC, in the Executive Office of the Mayor in a beautification project at the school. Everyone was clad in red t-shirts bearing Ovechkin’s name and his familiar No. 8 on the back.

With dozens of hands — large and small — doing the work, the courtyard area in front of the school was awash in color within an hour. Flowers and plants were planted in rich new soil and mulch was added. The kids worked alongside the players, asking them questions about hockey as they did. Even the players wore Ovechkin t-shirts; Ovechkin completed his look with Dolce & Gabbana (what else?) track pants and sandals. It was quite a sight to see dozens of identically shirted people buzzing around the courtyard on a mission of beautification.

The players signed the kids’ shirts as they worked beneath the brilliant sunlight. Once the work was completed, Ovechkin cut two large birthday cakes, one with his likeness emblazoned on top and the other with the Caps’ new logo. One of the playful youths smeared some cake on the Caps’ left wing, and then the third-year pro was treated to a loud and rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” before he and his teammates passed out slices of cake to the red-shirted horde.

The Most Talented Young Player in NHL

John McGourty | NHL.com Staff Writer
Sep 14, 2007, 10:00 AM EDT

Don't shoot the messenger, but some people, including Ovechkin, think he's the most talented young player in the NHL, not Sidney Crosby. They may make funny commercials together, but compete like demons on the ice.

For the NHL, it's deja vu to 50 years ago, like arguing whether Jean Beliveau or Rocket Richard was better.

Crosby, like Beliveau, is tall, strong and graceful on ice with a tremendous determination to win.

Ovechkin, like Richard, can be unorthodox, can score in traditional ways or from his knees, his belly and his butt, and has a fanatical determination to win.

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Sure, Crosby is tall, but Ovechkin is taller. :)))

Out-Of-Nowhere Punch Lines

Since my job is to document everything related to Ovechkin, I couldn't miss this one (thanks to J.P.)

The Jester's Quart: Ice to See You Again, Ovechkin
By Greg Wyshynski
Friday, September 14, 2007

Ovechkin's turn in the media scrum provided his trademarked mix of broken (though much improved) English and out-of-nowhere punch lines. Like, for example, when one reporter noted that some Capitals had been giving Ovechkin grief about his hair.

"It's my style," he said, waiting a few beats before grinning. "Gangster style."

Later, as I walked out of the practice facility, Ovechkin and a Capitals media relations assistant were walking back in. The star winger spotted an "Ovechkin 8" T-shirt in the window of the gift shop and pointed his stick at it.

"Wait," Ovechkin deadpanned to whatever audience he was speaking to, "who's that guy?"

Millions of hockey fans already know his name.

It's time Lord Stanley started getting a little more familiar with him as well...

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Here's another perl from Capitals Insider :))

Ovechkin, when asked about his improved English, said with a laugh:

"I practice on the girls."

Superstar Alexander Ovechkin Heads NHL Players Joining Right To Play

From Capitals insider:
September 11, 2007; 10:43 AM ET
Alex Ovechkin, meantime, is due to arrive in Washington later today after participating in a Right to Play appearance in Toronto.

Canadian Press
September 11, 2007 at 7:07 PM EDT

The 21-year-old Ovechkin made a stop in Toronto as part of his involvement with Right To Play, an international charitable organization that uses sport to improve the lives of children and communities affected by war, poverty and disease.

Ovechkin skated with some minor hockey players on Tuesday night. He's been involved with the organization since last summer and is interested in visiting Africa as an ambassador, just as Andrew Ference of the Boston Bruins and Steve Montador of the Florida Panthers did in July.

"I'd love to go on the same trip some time," said Ovechkin.

This article's from the last year, but I think I missed it. Better late than never.


(L-R) Andrew Ference, Alexander Ovechkin, and Alexander Steen

Toronto, Canada, September 5, 2006

Today, NHL superstar Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, along with Alexander Steen of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Andrew Ference of the Calgary Flames, joined Right To Play as Athlete Ambassadors.

“Sport is the biggest part of my life. It has allowed me to meet different people from various cultures and background and has greatly enriched my life,” said Ovechkin, winner of the 2006 Calder Trophy and a First-Team NHL All-Star. “I believe sport brings people together and allows them to feel united for a common goal. Sport is important for children, especially from disadvantaged places, to bring up their self esteem. I am joining Right To Play because it is an organization that works to spread the power of sport to kids who need it most."

Ovechkin also announced he is donating to Right To Play his $10,000 prize for finishing as runner-up for the NHL Players' Association's Lester Pearson Award in 2005-06 (most outstanding player as selected by the players).

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Sasha's blog: Q. and A.

Alex showed up on his blog and answered a few questions. He apologized for short answers and said he was too busy before leaving to North America and next time he will be on his blog from Washington D.C.

I've translated some answers. I am busy too :-)

From the blog of Sasha Ovechkin (Posted on Sep. 5th, 2007 at 11:31 pm):

Всем привет! :))) Hello to everybody!

Q. What is more important for you, to be the most productive player in your team in the new season, or to get into playoffs?

A. I want my team to get into playoffs, because we have not gotten in the playoffs for a long time, we were not even close to it. ((( But I am sure it's in the near future, it's all ahead for Washington Capitals.

Q. What can you say about Hanlon? Based on last season I have an impression that he is a good Coach at AHL level, but he is not good for NHL.

A. Every fan and every player has their own opinion. For me he is a good Coach and a good man. He is doing his job, and he works hard. That's why I believe one can't say that he is not good for NHL.

Q. Can you tell us about your influence on the team decisions? Is it true that Washington Capitals signed the contracts with Varlamov and Kozlov only after talking to you?

A. About Varlamov... it's a BS, as of Kozlov, yes, they asked my opinion, but it were scouts, not the bosses.

Q. Can you name the top 10 NHL players of the last season and the next rookie of the year?

A. Crosby, Kovalchuk, Nabokov, Malkin, Datsyuk, Jagr, Thornton, Hossa, Heatley... lots of good players. As of next rookie of the year, it will be
Bäckström.

Q. Who do you think will be playing in the Stanley Cap finals this season?

A. Washington - Pittsburgh. :)))) How's that?))

Alex at Kovalchuk's wedding

Update: An interview from SovSport on September 8, 2007:

– На скольких свадьбах вы побывали этим летом?

– На трех. Последний раз – у Ильи Ковальчука. Приехал сразу в ресторан, потому что в загсе были только его родственники. Свадьба не самая шумная – человек 20 – 30. Что я подарил Илюхе? Только цветы. Не успел подготовиться, меня за день пригласили. Вообще обстановка была непринужденной. Я даже в шортах пришел, но в ресторан меня пустили.

– Многие спрашивают, что произошло между вами и агентом Малкина?

– А разве что-то происходило? – удивляется Овечкин. – Слухами земля полнится.

Q. How many weddings have you gone to this summer?

A. I was at 3 weddings, the last one was Ilya Kovalchuck's. I came straight to the restaurant because only relatives were present at the wedding registration. it was a quiet wedding, only 20-30 people. What present did I bring to Ilya? Only flowers. Had no time to prepare, I was invited a day before that. It was very casual, I even came to the wedding celebration in shorts, but they let me in to the restaurant anyway.

Q. A lot of people ask what happened between you and Malkin's agent.

A. And what happened? (Ovechkin is surprised) It's all rumors and nothing but the rumors.

Новоиспеченные супруги и их гости отпраздновали свадьбу в ресторане "Бистрот" на набережной Москва-реки. Всего на гуляние было приглашено около 50 человек. Среди них были хоккеисты Александр Овечкин, Вадим Епанчинцев, Алексей Морозов, Данис Зарипов, Сергей Зубов со своими женами.

Newlyweds had their wedding at the restoraunt "Bistrot" on Moscow river. There were about 50 guests. Alex Ovechkin, Alexei Morozov, Sergei Zubov were among them.




Ilya Kovalchuk with his wife Nicole Ambrazaitis (yes she is Lithuanian like Zubrus and Kasparaitis) and daughter Carolina Sofia (Courtesy golden-news)

Here's an excerpt of Pavel Lysenkov's interview with Kovalchuk dated June 2, 2006

– Что вы сказали Овечкину, когда его «Вашингтон» победил «Атланту» (6:4) и не пустил вас в плей-офф?

– А что я ему скажу? Это же не его заслуга, а вратаря Олафа Кольцига. Тяжело ему забить. Мы с Сашей – друзья. Хотя в одной из газет написали бред, что мы с ним подрались в последний вечер в Турине.



Q. What did you say to Ovechkin when Washington Capitals beat Atlanta 6:4 and eliminated any chance for you to get into playoffs?

A. What can I say to him? It was Kolzig, hard to score on him. Sasha and I are friends, but one newspaper raved that we got into a fist fight on the last day in Tourin.

Bhahaha. First it was a fight with Kovy, now with Malkin's agent Ushakov.

I wonder if it was the same Russian newspaper.

Alex talks about basketball

The TV show host starts the talk and says "We'll talk about genetics because Alexander's Mom Tatiana Ovechkina was two times Olympic Champion in basketball. I believe your basketball skills gotta be very good." Alex answers that they are not as good as his Mom's, but not bad.

"Talking about genetics..." says Alex, "My Mom would always stick her tongue out while playing and I do it as well, so it was passed to me from my Mom". They talk about why it helps when Alex is sticking his tongue out, does it help to breathe better? Alex jokes when he waggles his tongue it fools an opponent.





The host notes that Alex can bite it accidentally and Alex answers that so far… petew, petew, petew (spitting sound) ... it didn't happen. The host says that everyone who is watching the show should spit three times over the left shoulder too. :-)

Note:
Spitting three times over the left shoulder is the Russian equivalent to keeping the fingers crossed. If you watched the movie "My big fat Greek wedding" the Greeks spit in the movie for good luck, I think this tradition came to Russia from Greece together with Orthodox Christianity, and of course, everything came from Greece! :-)

Here’s the explanation why sticking your tongue out would help the sport performance:

The key to a great sport performance might be as plain as the look on an athlete's face.

The look of success isn't the stereotypical grimace, with clenched teeth, Nova Scotia dentist Anil Makkar says. The best performances come when an athlete has a relaxed jaw.

"Some athletes always seemed to do that naturally," Makkar said in an interview. "Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player ever, stuck his tongue out as he was driving for the basket. By sticking his tongue out, he was putting his jaw in that relaxed position. It probably wasn't done consciously. It was something he just started doing at the age of 12 and it worked for him."

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Now back to interview... :-)
Alex is showing his basketball skills and says that he grew up playing hockey and basketball. He says his Mom was a basketball Coach and a lot of times he was with her at the team trainings.

Then the host asks how Alex parents reacted to his leaving to America. Alex says that his Mom was worried a lot. His Dad worried less, he wanted Alex to play in NHL, but Mom worried a lot.

"What about now?" asks the host, "Is she still worried, or more happy for you?".

Alex answers "Now she is more happy (less worried), she really is..."