The Great Eight | The Story Behind Alexander Ovechkin

He's one of the greatest hockey players to ever lace them up. A model of consistency and excellence, with a legitimate chance to break one of The Great One's all-time records. He is The Great Eight.
Written & Narrated by: Joseph Casciaro (@JosephCasciaro | Twitter)
Produced and Edited by: Zack Underhill (@ZackUnderhill | Instagram)
Thumbnail Design by: Justin Shipley (@shipleysportstudio | Instagram)
Courtesy List: pastebin.com/mKdyc05x
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#AlexOvechkin #WashingtonCapitals #NHL

[@thescore]

Correction: Ovechkin has won 3 Hart Memorial Trophies and made 11 All-Star teams

[@theandrigo1]

My favorite player to watch growing up. Nobody has his goal scoring ability. No one. He is the best goal scorer to ever play the game of hockey and it isn’t even close. Even Gretzky admitted it

[@morganmurphy38]

Probably will need to correct this for the end of this season, another all star appearance and he might just win another Hart trophy!

[@bhkell5602]

Joe, Zack and Justin, This was a great episode/ mini doc on 'Ovie' ! I love the channel and just 'subbed'! I know you probably dont take requests but, Id love to see a, "The Story Behind", The St. Louis Blues' magical, and incredible Stanley Cup Championship run in 2019!! There are so many ''behind the scenes'', feel good story lines to highlight from this 1 team,... from the die hard fans who have been literally waiting their whole lives for that championship to happen, to everything surrounding that Blues team and their Organization that was, (and still is), both inspirational and encouraging! Their never give up attitude,.. being in a "dead last" position in the standings, to fighting their way to the very top becoming Stanley Cup Champs in just half a season!! But if you dont t this, its all good.. Ill still be watching regardless!

[@davidtuttle7556]

@@bhkell5602 Caps fan here. Grew up watching Scotty Stevens and Big Chief Berube. Watching you guys follow us was the second greatest moment for me as a hockey fan. Much respect to you and yours. And thank you for Adam Oates the player. (Coach Oates not so much).

[@imnotyourfriendbuddy1883]

Also supported at least one war criminal

[@HazardaG]

7:41 I'm the kid in the pic with the terrible middle-part long hair on the left of Backstrom. My dad is the one to my right bangin on the glass. I have this picture signed and framed in my room. Ovi has been a part of me growing up and he will always be my favorite athlete. Regardless of whether he passes Gretzky or not, he's the greatest goal scorer in NHL history to me!

[@nadyamaximova7478]

I haven't been to the US let alone the Nhl games but as millions of others, I can relate to your experience of Ovi fandom. Go Caps go. Удачи болельщикам Саши Овечкина, самого крутого спортсмена!

[@oblivionfreaksssssad]

no shame for your lettuce. letting it flow

[@user-bg4yo2ko2p]

A lifetime memory, great！

[@v4v819]

You have beautiful hair... Always glad to see girls getting into the game! Glad you and your father got to witness hockey history first hand! Hope you and your father remain close and all the best to you all!

[@stanleysui]

love him or hate him, even if he doesn't pass Gretzky. He will still be considered the GOAT scorer for decades after he retires. It is truly a blessing watching him continue to play today, this is all just icing on the cake at this point.

[@kylesanders5999]

Sure is he missed a whole season and covid hit. Would break it easy

[@UFCMania155]

Draisaitl and McDavid will be as good or better than him. McDavid has had two 40 goal seasons and has scored 100 points every year except his rookie year. Draisaitl has led the league in scoring many times and had back to back 100 point seasons and 50 goals in one of those

[@Falllll]

@@UFCMania155 lul

[@UFCMania155]

@@Falllll it's not funny...it's true. Look up McDavid and Draisaitl's stats. McDavid has had 100 points each year except for his rookie year and Draisaitl has had a ton of points and goals as well and has led the league in scoring many times

[@Falllll]

@@UFCMania155 It's funny because...nvm you wouldn't get it. Both of those guys are in their primes, have each other to play off of, and a 36 year old Ovechkin who is missing half of his team is keeping pace with them. If the Capitals figure out how to score on power plays, then he'll blow them both away in goal scoring this season. Ovechkin has 9 Rocket Richard Trophies. He's not the guy you want to try and say is an inferior player when talking about "leading the league in scoring many times." Don't get me wrong, they're both incredible players and McDavid is expected to be an inner circle HoF at least. But neither of them are likely to come close to Ovechkin's career totals in goal scoring.

[@Josh-vw3yl]

I cried when he won the cup.

[@ZESCREATIVE]

Same, and i'm a Flames fan. The greatest of all time

[@kode-man23]

Big same. Him winning in 2018 and Dirk winning in 2011 were two of the most emotional moments for me haha.

[@whippin1335]

Same, and I’m a leafs fan. Ovi is just so easy to love and it’s impossible to not want to see him succeed

[@unclefreddieDied]

i cried cause i hoped he'd never win one

[@yanlavallee4317]

same here and i still have goosebump when i see the video again

[@Ic3h0rnEt14]

Here after he scored #800 last night. He is absolutely taking that #1 spot, no doubt.

[@nadyamaximova7478]

Hello from a Russian hockey fan. This is the best ever video on Ovechkin and Ive seen them all.

[@CanPen92]

Ovechkin’s road to the Stanley Cup reminds me of my own life. I try my hardest to get to where I need to be in life, but some how I always fall short in the most ridiculously unluckiest ways. But I keep pushing through because I know someday my patience, hard work, and growth will finally be rewarded. That’s why Ovi is a such a legend. That’s what I’ve learned throughout his career. The summer of 2018 will always be in my memories. I was happy and relieved when I finally saw Ovi lift that cup with tears in his eyes.

[@terryparenteau1200]

Ovi has as many fans in Canada as Gretzky.Many realize that Ovi is more of an all around player than Gretzky ever was.

[@terryparenteau1200]

Crosby and Ovi both had teams with mediocre players.Gretzky was on a team with many star players until he left for the USA.Gretzky became mediocre after that move.

[@twatttheworldaccordingtoto4339]

Can you imagine if Ovechkin, had been in the NHL back in the 80's! And, been on this goal scoring level!

[@narniawarrior0924]

He would’ve had a Goal record that wouldn’t be breakable.. most likely more goals then Gretzkys point record..

[@BSlaughter12]

If he played in the 80's he would have to use a wood stick, and all the equipment would be much heavier and less protective than what he's used too. I hate making comparisons between eras. The technology and the game changes so much over time, it's impossible to compare. You give Ovi everything he uses today (training, diet, equipment) and throw him in a time machine, he would score 250 points a season no problem

[@1georgekitchen]

@@BSlaughter12 I agree with not comparing generations, but you then do so, so I have to give the counter of goalies. For all the ways goal scoring equipment has improved, so has the goalie opposing it, as well as the talent pool of defensive players. It's really just a wash, like your original point.

[@langenbrunner1]

@@narniawarrior0924 he wouldn’t score 200 goals a season but he’d probably have a couple 100 goal seasons in the 80’s and a few 80-90 goal seasons

[@twatttheworldaccordingtoto4339]

@@BSlaughter12 They did have aluminum sticks in the 80's. But, that's a good point about the training and the equipment in general use at the time.

[@jacobburnett1175]

As a pens fan, I loved the pens beatin him up every year, but loved it even more when he won a cup. Nothing but respect

[@justawinddown]

The Crosby winning more cups comparisons are ridiculous. Crosby had another 1st overall pick, 2 other 2nd overall picks and Kris Letang playing with him when he was winning those cups.

[@matthewburga]

Still feels good. Go Pens!

[@marcpelu2558]

We’re just going to act like Backstrom and Kuznetsov aren’t world class talents? Common now..

[@joeyfreitas1942]

Yet you still felt the need to say this

[@vaudou_]

@@marcpelu2558 Backstrom isn't Malkin who literally made those teams go. Malkin didn't get the credit though.

[@tacticalpete44]

I did the math at the start of the season on him getting to beat Gretzky's goals record. He averaged 45 goals per season through all seasons with actual games played, including shortened seasons. I would take him somewhere between 3 and 4 seasons to beat Gretzky at that rate if he kept it up. And with how we see his scoring picking up rather than slowing down, I would say he is again a man on a mission. The mission to be known as the greatest goal scorer ever in the league.

[@Partheseus]

Imagine if there was no lockout in 05’, 13’ and no pandemic shortened seasons

[@juliansitarski6533]

No chance too many lockouts and covid pauses , but it looks good on the nhl stopping a Russian from being the greatest of all time , lets see what other reasons they can come up with for stopping OV from becoming the greatest player ever, but def too far and not enough time left to catch wayne , nice job garry

[@Somefatguyification]

So far so good!

[@traviscons2302]

@@juliansitarski6533 your eating your words now hahaha

[@syzzn.aiden.]

@@juliansitarski6533u like boys. u wanna change ur opinion yet?

[@brendan9868]

If Ovi had played in the Gretzky’s era he would’ve been dropping 100+ goal seasons and would’ve posted 1000 goals easy in his career.

[@GotConsciousness]

as a pens fan....i can't argue with this at all. Ovi is the goal scoring goat

[@AM-qw8zd]

Way more lol

[@jessebowles5632]

Everything Ovi had to overcome and he never gave up... brings a tear to your eye

[@JordBrown91]

The snapshot of gretzky staring at the replay like "wtf just happened?" is so legendary.

[@Cr7KaKa8BeNzEmA9]

The fact that he even has a chance to break Gretzky's record in this era is ridiculous. Regardless of whether he breaks the record or not, he already has the most goal scoring titles in history which has already cemented him as the GOAT goal scorer.

[@longhornduck]

Alexander Ovechkin will be the all time NHL goals scorer!

[@jacobkorvazarvi]

The moment of ovi rejoicing and lifting the cup was just simply heartwarming

[@Only1SamRaw]

The greatest goal scorer of our generation

[@thegreatbadon8033]

Im a huge caps fan and I’ve seen great points scores like Mcdavid Mackinnon Draistitl and Matthew and more but I don’t don’t think we’ll ever find another goal scorer and player like Ovi for a long time

[@name028hfjsiwh2]

Michkov? He’s doing better then ovi did at his age

[@CanPen92]

@@name028hfjsiwh2 still way too early. Michkov is a beast tho. Unfortunately, the truth is, we as fans will never see anything like this again, in our lifetime. Same thing could be said with Crosby. I get it. We have McDavid. We have Matthews. Bedard looks promising… but the reality is, we wouldn’t have any of those players, if we never had Ovi or Crosby. When they both started playing, the NHL hadn’t seen anything like it before.

[@2wenty7even95]

*Ovi won the game of life, he's simply doing sidequests now*

[@Scott-xo1id]

The pure happiness, and joy in his eyes when he wins the cup brings me to tears every time. Being a Caps fan my whole life, the most deserving player to win the cup after so many seasons of heartbreaks. Beautiful

[@kcrowther14]

Even if you weren't an Ovi fan before he won the Cup..you were after he won it..he was as happy as a kid on Xmas😁

[@dylanvela2981]

your videos are legit good. the quality of each video is better than 90% of sports content out on youtube. especially the variety with different sports is amazing.

[@MosaicTileUniversity]

Thank you so much for this video. Huge Ovi fan here!

[@millionfish]

Honestly, before 2018, I had given up on Ovi winning a cup unless he was traded. The Caps could never get passed Pittsburgh it seemed. I thought he was going to end up like Bure (also an elite Russian goal scorer with no cup). Glad I was wrong. There's only one thing left for him to do and that's break Gretzky's record. Hopefully it happens!

[@AlexAnder-ky2ce]

With great content like this it's only a matter of time before your channel reaches millions of subs! Thank you

[@jessebowles5632]

Saw him play in DC rookie year... you knew he was gonna be great

[@triplemango101]

Great report. Thank you❤ Oviiiii is the 🐐

[@griffinconnors4964]

That's MY Captain!!!

[@XaviRonaldo0]

He looks so determined this year. He's scoring goals at an amazing rate for a guy his age and add to that he has more assists than goals which is unusual for him. He's slowed down in recent games and is still on pace to have his best season points wise

[@mickshealthjourney3635]

Goal scoring records that Ovechkin holds (as of 12/13/22): Most goals with a single franchise: 800 Most power play goals: 292 Most overtime goals: 25 Most Consecutive 30-goal seasons: 15 (tied with Jaromir Jagr and Mike Gartner) Most 40-goal seasons: 12 (tied with Wayne Gretzky) Most 50-goal seasons: 9 (tied with Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy) Most Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophies: 9 Goal scoring records that Ovechkin is closing in on (as of 12/13/22): Most 30-goal seasons: 16 (Jagr has 17) Most game-winning goals: 124 (Jagr has 135) Most goals, career: 800 (Howe has 801, Gretzky has 894) The Great 8, indeed.

[@MaxPlaysRiffs]

3:01 I was at those games and saw a young Ovi playing, incredible feeling

[@DaveRossignol]

I used to dislike him but he won me over when he won the cup. That look of pure joy was so authentic. Gretzky supports him in his quest to score the most NHL goals of all time. Chances are strong - he’ll do it. I too will salute him when he does.

[@k20a_dave]

watching ovechkin get that cup was a legendary moment in NHL history, some hate him some love him but god is he heck of a player this still gives me chills years and years after watching him lift that cup

[@OnVainJokerit]

Great video. Thank you.

[@SIX6SIXer]

Ovechkin is the best player to ever lace up a pair of skates. Second to none. Period.

[@Richness0fCalciuM]

God watching this kinda brings the feels out of me knowing that in the next 5 years Crosby and ovi will most likely be retired, these guys were my childhood watching highlights on the tv on Saturday mornings. Never picked a favourite between them just loved watching them play

[@johngore3364]

I never got to see Gretzky play, mainly I wasn’t big into hockey then. So between Crosby and Ovi, I just liked Ovi more. I was so thrilled he finally won the cup.

[@williamwilliam728]

As a very long time believer that Bobby Orr was the GOAt of all time, I have had to shed myself of the Maple Leaf flag and pledge my allegiance to the red, blue and white horizontally striped flag of russia haha OVI won me over as that 13 year contract seemed to show Ted Leonsis knew character beyond reproach. Now with his new 5 year $9.5 million contract in hand he continues to show coasting is never going to be an option. When he breaks Gretzky's goal scoring record he will have proven to be the GOAT of all time. Not because of goals, or Stanley cups, but because of his heart and never say never attitude!

[@THEBIGLYO]

great video

[@brokebankfishin4839]

This is the man in the arena we all wanted

[@KentyFresh]

Ummmm can we just talk about the insane hockey awareness on the goal at 13:05 ?!? The only highlight I hadn't seen before, Great video!

[@kingsalomon6459]

Great content bro i even watch you basketballs videos 👊🏾♥️

[@DerekKauf]

Impossible not to love the sport and not Ovi. No matter what happens, he's been an amazing player for the game. I hope he surpasses the goal record!

[@GoodlyRogue]

What a great video

[@Falllll]

Quick note, Ovechkin went into the contract negotiations with his mother essentially doing the bulk of it after they fired his agent. Turned out to be a good deal for both sides.

[@catneedham4913]

I have a picture with him with my back to the camera in a tshirt that says “We’re not gonna be f***ing SUCK this year!” It’s one of my favorite possessions

[@fumastertoo]

For me, he's already the GOAT! Fantastic video.

[@walhalla254]

nice video... congrats

[@funtimes8296]

How crazy is it that Gretzky and Ovechkin's heir to the goal scoring throne in Matthews were both there live for that goal

[@marcpelu2558]

Lol Matthews will be lucky to hit 600

[@eriklakeland3857]

I’m a huge Leafs fan but Matthews hasn’t proven to be durable enough to challenge Ovi’s level of scoring. Russian Machine Never Breaks

[@seth6393]

Time to redo this!!! Gr800!!!!!!

[@frankyaeger675]

When Ovechkin first joined the league and it was Crosby vs Ovechkin I rooted for Crosby like a good Canadian but as the years went by it got hard not to like Ovie he's to charismatic. Wayne Gretzky is my favorite player of all time and I hope Ovie breaks his all time goal record

[@westaylor2444]

Has been in every way a heaven sent answer to my prayers

[@anthonyhardy96]

Great video! Thought I was watching something from ESPN

[@Mayor_Of_Eureka17]

Your active Goat baby.

[@stoss-11]

809 today, he’s gunna make it 😈

[@KillJoy323]

Long live the Great 8

[@sjsj9106]

Never understood how it was EVER Sid vs Alex when Geno was HUGE part of pens success. Like him and sid were 50/50 always. The only cup where u can say that Sid played bigger role was 2016 cuz geno was injured but then again he was the best player in 2009.

[@Peksisarvinen]

The argument about team awards was always just a bunch of BS. No athlete, no matter if it's Jordan, Gretzky, LeBron, Howe, Messi, Brady or ANYONE else playing a team sport cannot win by themselves. Ovi has ALWAYS brought it, and as much of it or more than anyone, whether it's in the playoffs, the World Championships or the Olympics, but the supporting caste has let him down. Until they didn't, whether it's Kuznetsov, Holtby, Eller, Smith-Pelly, Carlson or any other member of the cup winning roster who brought it the year they got there. In the Olympics it's even worse. Playing for team Canada and winning the gold is effectively meaningless, since they always have by far the most stacked roster there. My grandma would have a pretty good chance of winning gold by just showing up and sitting on the bench knitting. Ovi has always been the guy who has had to carry the whole weight of the Russian roster on his back, with him at the top and everyone else far below. No Canadian player will ever have to carry that type of a load. But that's the only thing the critics have, and they need something to try to bring Ovi down, because he's not Canadian, and the North American sports media is nothing if not horribly biased towards their own, even to this day. If Ovi was Canadian, the BS negative narrative surrounding his career would be entirely different. Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer of all time, and the most electric player the league has ever seen. And has always been the kind of a fun, lovable, goofy personality that the league needs WAY more of, amidst all the wooden, cardboard cutout players. Moreover, he is my favorite player of all time, having surpassed the other great goal scorer who wore number 8 (for the majority of his career). And who, similarly, was a lovable fan favorite.

[@chocolatemonk]

I know the vid is less than 19 mins but the cup run was lacing the details and really the gravity of the 2018 playoffs where beating the pens was almost as good as winning the cup

[@nikaoharbour6962]

Being from baltimore I got to see the caps and nationals heartbreaks Which made 18 and 19 sweeter

[@thomaspetawabano3664]

I hate how the media always try to fuel up this Crosby and Ovi “rivalry” it’s so unnecessary like just let them play, they’re both great players

[@barrymacfarlane8977]

OV is amazing...im 55 and a huge gretzky fan, but like gretzky i think it would be good for hockey if OV breaks his record.....he is so unique. i once heard lots of guys can be compared to Crosby, OV is unique

[@matej2251]

Not a Pens fan...Love Ovi!!!

[@mikeb.2925]

To this day I can't believe that George McPhee tried to trade the Ovechkin pick and somehow is still in an NHL front office.

[@mikem1006]

Gotta remember this is the guy that traded our #1 draft pick Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat and Michael Latta. I still can't believe that happened.

[@travisrogers5634]

In his defence two teams he built were in 2018 cup final js

[@mikeb.2925]

@@travisrogers5634 he didn't build the Cup winning Capitals. He built the franchise that failed year after year after year after year. Mac made major changes when he got promoted and those changes were addressing the glaring holes McPhee left unfilled time and time again.

[@travisrogers5634]

@@mikeb.2925 dude all the key players were drafted by mcphee yes he choked miserably alot of the time but give him his due carlson ovi nicky all drafted by him. Like him or not the team wouldnt look at all close to what it is without him

[@mikeb.2925]

@@travisrogers5634 again he lucked into the Ovechkin pick and tried to trade it, he lucked into the Backstrom pick and tried to trade it to Boston, the Eminger for Carlson trade was nice. But McPhee didn't believe in big money UFA Dmen. Mac went and got Orpik and Nisky at free agency and signed them to big fat deals. McPhee never hired veteran coaches but Mac brought in Trotz. Acting like it was McPhee's team and not the changes that Mac made to get them over the hump is disingenuous.

[@rogerred3855]

You know you the best when you mess around with the best eh!!! Ovi is that dude you want in your team all day eh!!!!

[@rogerred3855]

Stanley Cup is really special, 80+ games, blood sweat and tears, I'm new to this, but i get what it takes to get that Stanley Cup after awhhile,

[@mr.devil9577]

Ovi Malkin Greatest top 2 picks in draft history

[@ozymandias2561]

It’s crazy too - you mentioned durability, but the man is one of the hardest hitting players in the league - even in his 30s. I’d love to see his career hit totals be mentioned in these because not only is he burying pucks nightly, he’s burying bodies in the corners. #RMNB

[@rogerred3855]

You know when you are the best of em all when you are blessed with ovechkin and Tom Wilson eh!! You ask what you gettin for eh!!

[@capsfan8585]

Ovechkin won 3 Hart Trophies 🏆 not 2, with 3 Ted Lindsay. Crosby is the one that only won 2 Hart Trophies 🏆 and 3 Ted Lindsay.

[@ADL21]

He's the GOAT.

[@davidkornbluth1847]

He definitely deserves the hart this year he's literally keeping up with mcdavid

[@kpk33x]

Very good video. Only 1 minor error not covered. His debut was Oct 2005 just after he turned 20, not 19, @ 5:24

[@XaviRonaldo0]

Imagine if he was born just 2 days earlier. Would've added to that ridiculously deep '03 draft and probably would've gone first overall to the Panthers. His career might've turned out very different

[@hectikhector8482]

Crazy how Washinton drafted him 3rd overall, some things are just meant to be

[@rogerred3855]

Every athlete def vibes with me, damn, it's hard to play 80 regular season games, but man, when you put 5© in reality,y'all know how hard is it to filter the best from the rest!

[@xlr0gd205]

Maybe he's not the greatest goalscorer of all time, but he's definitely the greatest power forward of all time. 4th in hits since when the league started tracking them in 1997 and probably top 20 all time which is crazy if you sum that up with his goals and points

[@mikem1006]

America loves Ovechkin!

[@GotConsciousness]

Goat Goal Scorer...... Sid is the best 2 way player and might end up with more points then Ovi. Even with missing significant time do to injuries. You cant miss with either guy.

[@younggucci820]

The Lebron to the Jordan conversation 💬 for basketball players that don’t know how good he is 😅

[@connormchenry3401]

And keep in mind, mans lost 1.5 seasons due to lockout and had covid shortened seasons, he’d be infinitely closer if not for those

[@callmeshaggy5166]

You were probably meaning to use the | symbol for the title instead of a capital I

[@kylesanders5999]

This shit was awesome I was drunk for like 2 months straight lol. Dc we know how to party baby.love ovi

[@craigsmith6879]

He's at 751 he is on pace for at least 780 this year.. has like 52 games left needed 29 goals.. then after that he needs to average 29 goals per season to pass Gretzky ... He will do it if he's healthy.. he has four years after this season..

[@780tk]

Holy fck he looks like his family so much

[@bensmith2786]

Don’t ever leave D.C we love you Ovi

[@richardlacroix9591]

do not challenge this man, he's hockey's manster, half man, half monster...

[@GreekboyyD]

44 goals away from 895😮

[@MicBergsma]

Oh man no CC 😣

[@homemadepecanpie]

Pens fan, and I still love ovi.

[@one80srocker96]

Just imagine how many more goals Ovechkin would have if not for all these lock-outs and, uh, lockdown. Same goes for Jagr who went to the KHL for 3 years instead due to a lock-out.

[@thenobletaco4232]

It's those yellow skate laces.

[@DP-hn6rl]

Not trying to be divisive but I’d bet a winning lotto ticket, this man is NOT jabbed.

[@ryancasteel8213]

Missed the other interesting fact that a young Austin Mathews was in n the crowd for that game

[@Regalman]

Imagine if crosby had ovechkin's health. Ovechkin's health is the most impressive thing.

[@anonymanonym6236]

Crosby and ovi are the two best of this generation in my opinion. Hands down.

[@XaviRonaldo0]

5:23 he was actually 20 his whole rookie season.

[@rogerred3855]

You know it doesn't matter if it's capitals or nationals!!!!

[@andredelay8111]

The irony of Dick Cherry talking about class

[@anonymous134y]

no one has ever hoisted the cup like that.... 14:33