A traditional media day was held at Washington Capitals, during which hockey players talked with reporters on various topics. Team captain Alexander Ovechkin answered many questions. He had to answer for his teammate Yevgeny Kuznetsov, who was awaiting a NHL decision on a recent incident with a doping test that showed the presence of cocaine in his body.
The first thing journalists asked was why there were a lot of abrasions on Ovechkin’s face, after which the conversation turned to discussing Kuznetsov, a new contract with Capitals and changes in the playing style.
- What do you have with your face?
- Incident with a new bike.
- And what bike do you ride?
- Yes, on the usual.
- Now you are the oldest player in Washington. What is it like to be a grandfather on a team?
“Of course, I'm not a grandfather ... But yes, time flies.” Next week I will turn 34. But it's okay, I feel good. I hope I will continue to feel the same as in the last couple of seasons.
- You have slightly changed the system of preparations for the new season. What changed?
- Yes, we changed the strategy a bit. There are fewer weight lifting exercises, running training has changed, some general exercises too. We rode bicycles last year, but then there were no accidents. We strive for self-improvement, and on the threshold of the next season we discuss a lot of things.
- This summer you had more time to relax. Feeling fresher?
- Of course, there were no crazy celebrations. I spent time with my family, with friends, with my son Sergei. This summer was completely different.
- Can you, as the captain of Washington, comment on the situation around Yevgeny Kuznetsov?
“I’ll say it not as a captain, but as a close friend: we must support him.” He understands that he made a mistake. Everyone tends to make mistakes. Sometimes it’s best to just support a person, be on the same side with him and not turn away. In trouble you need to hold on to each other. We will support him with the whole team, try to forget about everything and hope that he will not repeat his mistake.
- Maybe he needs to go to the journalists and tell everything himself?
- I do not think that this is exactly the situation when you need to go out and start making excuses. Unfortunately, everyone found out about the incident, but I don’t think that Zhenya should go out and apologize publicly. He already asked for forgiveness from fans, relatives and teammates. As I said, we must support him and be on his side.
“Did you immediately contact him or wait a couple of weeks until he arrives?”
- Seeing this news, I immediately called him and asked how to help. I’m sure many would do the same. It doesn’t matter if we play in the same team or in different ones. We have a very good relationship, we support each other in various situations. He was not lucky to be in this situation, and we are trying to help him.
- What is his psychological state now? By his own admission, he failed a lot of people.
- He understands that this mistake should teach him a lot - and, in my opinion, not of him alone, but of many other people from the hockey world, to warn them of similar cases and mistakes.
- Your contract is valid until 2021. Have you been thinking about what will happen next?
- Now I can’t talk about signing a new contract, I need to wait another year, perhaps. Of course, I would gladly stay in Washington, but, again, wait and see. I would not want to play in another team.
- Has your physical condition changed in the last year?
- No, I feel good both physically and psychologically. It really helps not only me, but the rest. At the end of last year, we had a hard time, there were many injuries, including among key players, and we failed. But when you get a lot of time to recover, you gather strength and return in even better shape and more focused.
- Do you plan to somehow change the style of the game? For example, go to shorter shifts?
“Well, I'm still young.” I want to play my own way. It all depends on the circumstances. Of course, I don’t want to get into situations when you play only 10-12 minutes. I want to spend more time on ice. But it's not that. We are not here to play, say, 25 minutes. Our goal is to win the Stanley Cup at all costs.
- Last year you experienced tremendous stress in connection with the defense of the champion title. Will it be easier in this regard this year?
“This is a big challenge for us.” Last season, we had almost the same roster that won the Stanley Cup. Now we have lost a couple of key players and acquired new ones. The backbone of the team will help beginners feel comfortable. Everyone knows who we are and how we know how to play. First you need to prepare for the first match against the St. Louis Blues, try to win it and perk up.
- That is, it is good that there is no close attention to you now?
- Yes, this is good, but many teams know who we are, and it will not be easy for us.
- Do you follow the changes in the composition of other teams?
“We don't care who we play against.” We just need to show our hockey. Let the rivals worry about having to play with us, and not vice versa.