Ovechkin surprises fans at hockey activations at Fanatics Fest NYC

Alex Ovechkin's offseason training for next season is underway.

Well, sort of.

The Washington Capitals captain, who announced that he would be returning for a 22nd NHL season when he signed a one-year contract on July 1, surprised fans at Fanatics Fest NYC with an impromptu visit to the NHL activation.

The NHL's all-time leading goal scorer (929 regular-season goals and counting), took shots on the Shoot and Score activation, hitting pucks from different distances into the goalie's five-hole in a small cutout at the bottom center of the net.

No surprise, he made it look fairly easy, even scoring one when there was another puck in the way.

After his practice session, Ovechkin went over to the DroneCam 360 activation. The 2018 Stanley Cup winner who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs that season, held a replica Cup and raised it over his head.

Ovechkin has shown no signs of slowing down, The 40-year-old led Washington with 64 points while not missing a regular-season game last season.

In addition to being the NHL's all-time leader in goals, after surpassing Wayne Gretzky (894) when he scored his 895th goal on April 6, 2025, against the New York Islanders, Ovechkin ranks first in NHL history in power-play goals (331), game-winning goals (141), overtime goals (27), empty-net goals (72), 30-goal seasons (20), 40-goal seasons (14) and 50-goal seasons (nine -- tied with Gretzky and Mike Bossy).

He's won the Rocket Richard Trophy for leading the NHL in goals a record nine times and ranks 10th in NHL history with 1,686 points in 1,572 regular-season games.

With 10 goals this season, Ovechkin would pass Gretzky for the most goals in the regular season and playoffs combined. Ovechkin has 1,006 goals, including 77 in the playoffs, while Gretzky ended his Hall of Fame career with 1,016.

Fanatics Fest NYC, which is taking place at the Javits Center this weekend, was a concept conceived, developed and operated by Fanatics, the global sports distribution giant and NHL partner. Other NHL players and former players who have or are expected to appear throughout the event include Quinn, Jack and Luke Hughes, Marc-Andre Fleury, Henrik Lundqvist, Patrick Kane and Mathew Barzal.