Ovechkin impresses former Capitals standout Bondra

If there's anyone who knows what Alex Ovechkin is going through, it's Peter Bondra.

Ovechkin has been the face of the Washington Capitals for the past decade, a role he took over from Bondra, who scored 472 goals and had 825 points in 13-plus seasons in Washington, each a Capitals record until Ovechkin broke it last season.

"I see him all the time," Bondra said Wednesday, shortly after being named a scout for Team Europe for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. "We talk. I congratulated him so many times because he passed a couple of my records, so I was in the locker room a couple times as well."

The No. 1 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, Ovechkin has scored 50 or more goals in six of his first 10 seasons in the League. He will have a chance to score his 484th career goal and move past Hockey Hall of Fame member Sergei Fedorov for the most by a Russian-born player in NHL history when the Capitals host the Calgary Flames on Friday (7 p.m. ET; SNW, CSN-DC).

Bondra scored 503 goals and had 892 points in 1,081 NHL games. After playing 23 games with the Ottawa Senators in 2003-04 following a midseason trade from Washington, he played 60 with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2005-06 and 37 with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2006-07.

Bondra got a chance to play against a young Ovechkin during his final two seasons and has enjoyed his career ever since.

"He's definitely one of the most exciting players to watch," Bondra said. "I live in D.C. pretty much. I watch most of the games and I've seen him as he's grown up with the team. It's good to see him and his success. It's scary that he's going to [reach] 500 goals this year and he's only 30 years old. Who knows what his goal total will be when he retires?"

Bondra didn't enter the League with the hype Ovechkin did; he was selected by Washington in the eighth round (No.156) of the 1990 draft. But he played in five All-Star Games and had nine 30-goal seasons with the Capitals, including a career-high 52 in 1995-96 and 1997-98.

Bondra led the NHL in goals with 34 in 47 games during the shortened 1994-95 season, something Ovechkin has done five times, including each of the past three seasons.

"It's good to see, and this year it looks like he is on a mission," Bondra said. "[Tuesday], he had 15 shots on goal. I was just waiting for the net to open up, but [Detroit Red Wings goalie Petr] Mrazek was good."

About the only thing Ovechkin hasn't done is win the Stanley Cup, but that's something Bondra thinks can change soon.

"More importantly, I think he's trying to get D.C. a Cup," he said. "The fans and organization is excited about this year, and we'll see what happens."

Follow David Satriano on Twitter: @davidsatriano