Roman Rotenberg, First Vice President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (FHR) and a member of the board of directors of Dynamo Moscow, has praised Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin for his impact on the sport.
The 40-year-old forward just completed the final season of his current contract with the Capitals. Ovechkin has announced that he will decide this summer whether to continue his career or retire from the NHL.
Ovechkin is the all-time leading goal scorer in NHL regular-season history. Including playoffs, he has netted 1,006 goals in the league, ranking second all-time behind Wayne Gretzky (1,016).
“Alex is a role model for all young kids! Thanks to Ovechkin, children are joining our hockey programs, and everyone around is talking about hockey,” Rotenberg said. “We must thank Alex for promoting the sport. He is number one in statistics and in every possible metric. Ovechkin is the best at popularizing our beloved game.”
Rotenberg emphasized that Ovechkin’s success and visibility are driving a new generation of players to the sport, with many parents now enrolling their children in hockey sections inspired by the legendary sniper.
