Since winning his first Stanley Cup early last month, Washington Capitals’ winger Alex Ovechkin has been celebrating, partying the night of, several days after, and beyond. Each player on the winning team traditionally gets to spend some time taking the Cup wherever they want, and Ovechkin got to do that this weekend, heading to Russia with the Cup and spending two days and nights with it in his hometown of Moscow. And boy, were there celebrations to be had, but also some reflective moments.
Tom Gulitti of NHL.com and Isabelle Kurshudyan of The Washington Post were amongst the media with Ovechkin to chronicle the Cup tour, and they did so in several remarkable articles, plus plenty of tweets. Here are some of the best tweets showing off Ovechkin’s trip, which had everything from touching quiet moments with his family to incredible private parties to visits with thousands of fans:
Alex Ovechkin has arrived with the Stanley Cup at FIFA World Cup Fanfest in Moscow pic.twitter.com/O2Yo8RTAjM
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) July 7, 2018
Ovechkin carrying the Cup into World Cup Fanfest. He was enveloped by security and media. He had to come back and to get security to let me, @ikhurshudyan and a few others through. pic.twitter.com/gT3AmCA8kf
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) July 7, 2018
It’s raining, and this line to take a photo with Ovechkin and the Cup stretches on for what feels like forever. He’s been here for more than two hours already. pic.twitter.com/aLeGL6uvLz
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) July 7, 2018
One fan’s gift to Ovechkin pic.twitter.com/9dVx8fRt9v
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) July 7, 2018
This is dedication. pic.twitter.com/nJaMv9UA7F
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) July 7, 2018
It seems the fans are coming on a conveyer belt to take their photo with @ovi8 pic.twitter.com/bFWwkAQDgu
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) July 7, 2018
Ovechkin stops by Nicklas Backstrom’s photo and jersey in the Dynamo museum. pic.twitter.com/QyBg8XaVHs
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) July 7, 2018
Ovechkin’s father wasn’t in the U.S. when Caps won the Cup. This is the moment he first touched the trophy. pic.twitter.com/WSyw4yv3Bq
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) July 7, 2018
Ovechkin and his father on the Dynamo ice. He skated a lap with the Cup here earlier. pic.twitter.com/oAriPVcqzO
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) July 7, 2018
NYR fans might remember Vladimir Vorobiev, who had eight points in his first six NHL games back in 1997 (also played briefly for Edmonton). He's the coach of Moscow Dynamo now. Ovi promised him last summer he'd bring Cup to Dynamo if he won it and they'd drink beers. (They did) https://t.co/gh0x6qMklp
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) July 8, 2018
First time in Washington, now in Moscow…good morning sunshine! Life is good! #StanleyCup @ovi8 @Capitals @HockeyHallFame@NHL pic.twitter.com/st5fvUoSaX
— Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) July 8, 2018
Alex Ovechkin just made a surprise visit to Red Square with the Cup. The reaction of tourists there was what you might expect. pic.twitter.com/RgDvJlIE8P
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) July 8, 2018
Here’s @ovi8 arriving unannounced at Red Square with the Stanley Cup earlier (my best attempt at taking video on the run.) pic.twitter.com/Kxw8MThZid
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) July 8, 2018
Oh my god navigating a mob as Ovechkin spontaneously carried the Stanley Cup through Red Square is the craziest thing I’ve ever done. pic.twitter.com/Bx9oFgOrOv
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) July 8, 2018
Total mob scene. Had to throw up the elbows to survive. https://t.co/kKsOZ2MU6h
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) July 8, 2018
Good read here from @ikhurshudyan on Ovechkin’s spin around Moscow with the Stanley Cup. Amidst the booze and caviar, did not expect this: https://t.co/3TiLj8wwCt pic.twitter.com/tXdRLtMUoF
— Rick Maese (@RickMaese) July 8, 2018
And it’s black caviar. The best kind.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) July 8, 2018
That’s Dmitry Orlov, his wife, Varvara, and Evgeny Kuznetsov posing with Cup, which is filled with black caviar. pic.twitter.com/ync96xeGLj
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) July 8, 2018
From Russia with Love #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/2B9XqiVXWp
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 8, 2018
Just chatted with Ovechkin. Confirmed his arms are weary after carrying the Cup all over Moscow. “But after a couple of beers, I feel pretty good.”
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) July 8, 2018
This very, very large cake was introduced to “We Are The Champions.” pic.twitter.com/DqAypSV9qm
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) July 8, 2018
… possibly #gr8est cake ever pic.twitter.com/dHgzLoF3rv
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 8, 2018
Ovechkin cuts the giant @ovi8 cake. Sparklers go off. Great fun had by all. (Plus more “We are the Champions”) pic.twitter.com/qmTXVGPzgJ
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) July 8, 2018
Ovi also brought a kid, a cancer survivor named Kirill, to the party with him tonight. Took a photo with the Cup.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) July 8, 2018
Ovechkin trip’s is notable not just for the celebrations, but also for the way he shared the trophy with his teammates, his family, and the Russian public. It shows just how special the Stanley Cup can be, and what it can mean to a lot of people. It’s very cool to see Ovechkin do this. And hey, as his “see you next year” here indicates, he’s certainly not content after winning this once:
Next up, Michal Kempny #ALLCAPS #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/5sX4CKrTyT
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 8, 2018
A Stanley Cup victory’s incredibly hard to achieve, as Ovechkin knows all too well, and title defenses are rare. So it’s certainly worth enjoying time with the Cup while you have it. But don’t think he’s giving up after this, either. Ovechkin seems motivated to try and do this all again, and it might not be wise to count him out.
[The Washington Post and NHL.com]
