Capitals Captain Alex Ovechkin Named To 2022 Russian Olympic Team

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is going for gold once again.

Ovechkin will represent Russia in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He joins Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy and forward Nikita Kucherov as one of the first three players named to the Russian Olympic Committee’s roster.

This marks the fourth Olympics appearance for the Great 8 in his pro career. He received all-tournament honors and tallied five goals in eight games during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino. Ovechkin started wearing the “A” for Russia at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, dishing two goals and four points in four games. He was one of the torchbearers for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and also added a goal and assist in five games.

Ovechkin has a total of 45 goals and 79 points in 106 senior international games for Russia.

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Beyond the Olympics, the 6-3, 238-pound winger is no stranger to the international stage. He represented Russia in three World Junior Championships, 13 World Championships and two World Cups of Hockey. Ovechkin has won gold three times at Worlds, while also winning two silver and four bronze medals. At the senior level, Ovechkin has a total of 45 goals and 79 points in 106 international games.

The 36-year-old is the highest-scoring Russian in NHL history with 730 goals and 1,320 points. He’s also the leader in power-play goals (269), power-play points (499), overtime goals (24) and game-winning tallies (116).

Ovechkin is still chasing Wayne Gretzky’s goal record and is just 165 goals away from passing No. 99. He needs to average 33 per season over the next five years to accomplish the feat in his latest Capitals contract. Right now, he sits two goals behind Marcel Dionne for sole possession of fifth place.

The 2004 first-overall selection has led Washington to new heights since entering the league in 2005-06 and won the Calder in his rookie campaign. Ovechkin is also a nine-time Rocket Richard winner, three-time Hart winner and is a 12-time All-Star. Now, he’ll fight for his first Olympic gold medal.

Ovechkin is the first Capitals player named to an Olympic team.