He experienced it himself the night of the clinching Game 5 win against the Vegas Golden Knights, and he's enjoyed having the opportunity to allow others to be part of the celebration.
"We were excited when we touched it for the first time, when we spent a couple minutes with it for the first time," Ovechkin said. "It was probably the best moment of my career and I think of all my teammates' career. That's why we play. For [the fans], it's maybe a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be around it, touch it; someone [kissed] it already. It's great.
"It's fun to see how people react, how people give you a hug because they really love it, they really enjoy it and they support us."
Patrol officer Sarah Butzer had seen the Stanley Cup twice before it arrived at the Arlington County Police Department headquarters, where Ovechkin and Leonsis posed for photos with members of the police and fire departments. She saw the Cup the first time at an Arlington, Virginia, firehouse when it was in the area during the Stanley Cup Final.
She saw it again when the Capitals brought it to an Arlington restaurant, Don Tito, for a private party after returning from Las Vegas last Friday. That night, she had an opportunity to touch the trophy.
"It was a zoo. It was crazy," she said. "I was able to go up briefly and see the players, see the Cup. I had to work at 4:30 the next morning, but it was worth it being tired. I just drank a lot of coffee."
Butzer was grateful Ovechkin and Leonsis gave her and others the opportunity to spend a little time up close with the Stanley Cup.
"It's wonderful that they're so supportive of law enforcement and public safety in general with the fire department and everything," she said. "So we just really appreciate that they've taken the time to come see us and show their appreciation back to us."
At the hospital, children waited in line to take photos. Many of them drew pictures to give to Ovechkin, who reminded them to make sure they touched the Stanley Cup when they had the chance.
"It meant a lot to me," 11-year-old cancer survivor Tyler DeMille said. "I finally got to touch the Stanley Cup. Woo-hoo!"
When Ovechkin arrived at Fort Dupont Ice Arena, he greeted coach Neal Henderson with a hug.
"Oh, my," Henderson said. "That's something that I'll never forget. I'll carry it to the afterlife."