Bondra talks Capitals, Ovechkin chasing Gretzky in Q&A with NHL.com

NHL.com's Q&A feature called "Sitting Down with…" runs each Sunday. We talk to key figures in the game, gaining insight into their lives on and off the ice.
This edition features retired former NHL forward Peter Bondra.

Peter Bondra joined the Washington Capitals as a 22-year-old in 1990 knowing little about the NHL.
"I never saw the NHL, I never saw a game before I came over," the Ukraine-born Slovak said. "My first game I saw, I was in it."
An eighth-round pick (No. 156) in the 1990 NHL Draft, Bondra scored 892 points (503 goals, 389 assists) in 1,081 regular-season games over 16 seasons with the Capitals, Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers and Chicago Blackhawks. Bondra, who retired in 2007, ranks second in Capitals history with 472 goals (behind Alex Ovechkin with 750), ninth in assists with 353, and third in points with 825 (behind Ovechkin with 1,363 and Nicklas Backstrom with 980) in 961 regular-season games over 14 seasons.
The 53-years-old returned works for the Capitals as their director of alumni affairs and business development.
NHL.com caught up with Bondra recently to ask him about the Capitals' play this season, Ovechkin chasing Wayne Gretzky's NHL record of 894 goals, his native Slovakia's chances at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and Zdeno Chara.
What are you up to now in your work for the Capitals?
"I have two titles. I work in business development at Monumental Sports and Entertainment, and my second job is I'm director of the alumni association. We've been active. Before COVID, obviously, we did a lot of great things. We are growing as an alumni association and our goal is to be involved in the community. We do two, three events a year in normal years and we created a scholarship fund for local kids. We donate over $35,000 a year for those programs, so those kids can continue to play hockey, and also help them with the scholarship."
What do you think of how the Capitals have played this season?
"We've been a little bit banged up, which a lot of teams these days have been for different reasons. We haven't had a full lineup, but we come up on the top. I like what I see. We have seven players who scored their first NHL goal (defenseman Martin Fehervary and forwards Connor McMichael, Aliaksei Protas, Hendrix Lapierre, Brett Leason, Beck Malenstyn, and Garrett Pilon), so that's great. And to have that depth, wow, it's great. I wouldn't say it's a luxury, but somebody did a great job before to have those guys ready and they don't look any different than any veteran on the team. I watch them, because those young guys you want to see what they can do, and they are not lost there. They definitely deserve to be on the team."
Ovechkin has scored 20 goals, 23 assists and 43 points in 27 games. How is he doing this at 36 years old?
"I'm looking at him more and more and the key to his game is he's excited about the game. He's excited when he scores. He's excited for his teammates to score. He provides different looks for his scoring. Before, everybody knows, including 18,000 people in the arena, where he's going to score from. Now, he's got different goals and he's adjusting, and actually those adjustments are helping him. I look at Alex as he's one of a kind, a generational player. Over 100 years-plus in NHL history, his shot is just something that I can say maybe a couple guys in my days got close to it, but I think I have to put Alex on top with his shot. That's why he's making a difference during this stride toward Gretzky's record."

Do you think he can catch Gretzky?
"I think that we are talking about it is great. If he's going to accomplish it, we'll see. I hope he does, but if he doesn't, just to be in the talk and be in the top two or three on the NHL scoring list, it's amazing."
You played in the Olympics twice for Slovakia and you were the GM for Slovakia at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. What do you think Slovakia's chances will be at the 2022 Beijing Olympics?
"My last Olympics I was involved with Team Slovakia as a general manager was in 2010. We almost got a medal. We lost the bronze medal game (5-3 to Finland). It's a special place. For me, I had that experience as a player. I played in Torino in 2006 and in 1998 in Nagano. So that's definitely a special place for every hockey player. … Maybe 2006, I think that was the best (Olympic) team that I was on, including the talent and how many NHL players. Now, obviously, we are getting thinner on the NHL side, but we have a lot of good players who play in European leagues or the KHL (in Russia). We are not favored, but we can surprise, I'm sure, a few teams. Strong teams, too."
You played with Chara at the Olympics and the defenseman continues to play in the NHL for the New York Islanders this season at 44 years old. Would you like to see him play for Slovakia again in Beijing?
"I talked to 'Zee' a few days ago. It's still kind of a discussion, but he wasn't sure if he's going to commit or not. So it's kind of we'll see. I hope he finds a way to go there, but if not, obviously, we're going to miss him. His leadership is hard to replace, but it's going to be up to him and his family. For sure, he's going to make the right decision for himself first."
We're getting close to Christmas. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a kid?
"I remember I got these skates. You are supposed to wear hard shoes, but those skates with a special key you can screw them to the bottom of the sole on the shoe. I remember skating everywhere with those skates, even on the road where cars were driving, and the snow was pressed. There was no ice, but I was not heavy, and I skated on the hard snow."
How old were you then?
"I think I was 6 or 7. Something like that."