Alex Ovechkin on career with Sidney Crosby: ‘We Saved the NHL’
Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby have been dominating the NHL over the course of their lengthy careers. Now the duo is growing older and older and the league is getting younger and faster. The Russian superstar, Ovechkin, now claims that Crosby and himself have ‘Saved the NHL.’
In the 2004 NHL entry draft, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins brought home the bacon. Washington selected the Russian winger Alexander Ovechkin first overall and the Penguins selected Crosby’s future co-star Evgeni Malkin. Only a year later, a historic NHL draft class joined the league. The Penguins once again selected in the top two. This time, “Sid the Kid” joined the national hockey league. Ever since, the league has been ruled by these two rivals.
“We saved the league. Now they come in, and I guess we’re old news,” Ovechkin said to The Athletic’s Rob Rossi. “But we saved it. It’s up to those guys to come in and prove me wrong that we’re not the best.
“We saved the NHL.”
The duo has combined for over 2,500 games played in the NHL as well as just under 3,000 total points. As for Ovechkin, he is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s goal record. With 827 goals so far in his 19-year career. Gretzky scored an all-time leading 894 goals in his career. It’s only a matter of time until the 38-year-old breaks “The Great One’s” record.
Both Ovechkin and Crosby are in the top 20 points scorers of all-time. Crosby is edging out his rival, sitting at 27 more points.
Crosby and Ovechkin are still coming along. Climbing the record books as we speak, but are slowly getting older. For the Penguins’ longtime leader and captain, Crosby is hoping the two won’t be finished just yet.
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