Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals’ captain, is on the cusp of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time leading goal scorer record with 894 goals. While he has achieved greatness alone, Ovechkin acknowledges that not every player can skate with him and thrive.
“It takes a very smart player to play with Alex Ovechkin,” said longtime Capitals play-by-play announcer Joe Beninati. “It takes a player with great vision and a high hockey IQ.”
Throughout his career, Nicklas Backstrom has been one of Ovechkin’s primary teammates, assisting on 284 of his 724 regular-season goals from 2007-23. Strome, who is currently skating with Ovi, has also made significant contributions.
“Nicklas always knew with his vision and touch, it was a matter of finding the right spot where Alex would be,” Beninati said.
As Ovechkin continues to chase history, coach Spencer Carbery adjusts his line combinations game-to-game, often swapping out players like Pierre-Luc Dubois or Dylan Strome.
“It’s funny because they’re going to be attached to history,” said Capitals Radio Network play-by-play announcer John Walton. “One of them is, two of them maybe, when you have who’s going to assist on a goal like that?”
The quest for greatness requires more than just individual talent; it demands smart teammates who can complement Ovechkin’s skills.
“It was a big point in my career when I was given the chance to go up, play on the first line with him, and learn how to play in the top six and learn how to play offensively,” said Tom Wilson, another player who has thrived on Ovi’s line.
Source: https://wtop.com/washington-capitals/2025/04/history-on-the-line-it-takes-something-special-to-skate-with-ovi