WATCH: Capitals' Alex Ovechkin sweats it out in offseason training with fellow Russian athletes and ex-NHLer

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Jun 15, 2024 16:38 GMT

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin likes to eat Subway sandwiches and Flamin Hot Cheetos during regular-season travel. This resulted in many cracking jokes regarding his fitness.

On Friday, a video of Ovechkin surfaced on the internet, where he can be seen doing workouts with other athletes.

"Ovi heard all your fat jokes." a hockey fan page tweeted.

Ovechkin played pickleball on Friday during a family vacation in Turkey. Ovechkin joined KHL defenseman Egor Yakovlev, former tennis player Anastasia Myskina, and basketball star Vitaly Fridzon for a friendly game at the Maxx Royal Kemer Resort. Ovechkin is sweating it out to stay in shape.

Ovechkin himself shared earlier, during an interview with Sports.ru, that he stays in the opposite zone.

"There is 9dieting during training, but when the regular season starts, that's it. No diet," Ovechkin said. "More calories. Some people go on a diet during the season. Some don't eat pasta, some don't eat meat or chicken. But I eat whatever I want."

The Capitals’ star forward was in high spirits as he broke a sweat playing the increasingly popular sport.

Looking ahead to the 2024–25 season, Ovechkin is ensuring to be in his peak condition.

“It was tough with the whole situation, the injuries, line combinations," Ovechkin said via The Hockey News.

"I was talking to Carbs all the time, and we just try to figure out like, 'Okay, what’s the best way for me to start doing my job and start to scoring goals, make some points?'... We have to figure out the system-wise, game-wise, and everything like that."

Alex Ovechkin nearing Wayne Gretzky's record amid struggling season

The upcoming NHL season will be Alex Ovechkin's 20th and he has a chance of breaking Wayne Gretzky's 894-goal record. With 853 goals in 1,426 games, all for the Capitals, he needs 41 more to match Gretzky.

Ovechkin's 2024 NHL season had its highs and lows. In 79 games, he scored 31 goals, assisted 34 times and totaled 65 points. His plus/minus rating was -22, a decline from previous years. His points fell steadily, from 90 in 2022 to 65 in 2024.

Ovechkin struggled early, netting only eight goals in the first 43 games. However, after the All-Star break, he improved, scoring 23 goals and 13 assists in the final 36 games, crucial for Washington's playoff spot. But in the postseason, Alex Ovechkin disappointed, ending with zero points in four games.