"Sasha, hold on! The whole hockey world is with you”: Ovechkin announced the death of his father

Hockey player Alexander Ovechkin announced the death of his father on his social networks.

According to Russian Telegram channels, Mikhail Ovechkin was hospitalized on January 10th.

He had an exacerbated chronic disease - a dissecting aneurysm.

But during a more thorough examination, doctors discovered a malignant neoplasm in the 71-year-old father of the hockey player, and on February 15 it became known that he had died. 

“I thank everyone for their support, but please be understanding and do not disturb my family at such a difficult time for us!

Thank you, ”the Washington Capitals forward wrote on social networks.

For a Russian, the departure of his father is a big blow.

Alexander had a very warm relationship with Mikhail Viktorovich, who played a huge role in his formation: in the summer, the forward, for example, even participated in a friendly Dynamo football match, paying tribute to his father, who played for the double of the blue and white, and then worked children's coach.

The Moscow football club was one of the first to express condolences to the Ovechkin family.

“Tragic news from our blue and white family: Mikhail Ovechkin, Sasha Ovechkin’s dad, passed away today.

Mikhail Viktorovich played for football Dynamo and brought up a true Dynamo player and one of the greatest athletes in history.

Uncle Misha, thank you for everything!

Rest in peace," Dynamo said in a statement.

Doted on his son and Mikhail Viktorovich.

During the Olympics in Sochi, Ovechkin Sr. experienced a heart attack while watching the match between the Russian national team and the United States.

Mikhail Viktorovich was well known by the hockey players of the Russian national team and managers.

As noted by the head of the headquarters of the national teams Roman Rotenberg, for him the departure of Ovechkin Sr. is terrible news.

“He was a real Russian peasant: direct, honest, hardworking.

Raised a great son.

Father was always proud of Alexander, was his main mentor, did a lot to ensure that his son became the way we know him.

A man with a capital letter… Sasha, hold on!

The whole hockey world is with you!” SKA head coach wrote in his Telegram channel. 

Many kind words were said about Ovechkin Sr. by the head of the FHR, Vladislav Tretyak.

He also noted that the departure of Mikhail Viktorovich is a great loss for the hockey community.

“In the life of every man, one of the most important things is the upbringing of children.

And he did it brilliantly.

The whole world knows the athlete and hockey player Alexander Ovechkin.

The fact that Sasha managed to build such a great career, a very big merit belongs to his parents - Mikhail Viktorovich and Tatyana Nikolaevna.

It was they who laid in their son a love for sports, diligence, the desire to win, the right attitudes in life.

It was they who brought up in Alexander the character of a purposeful champion.

I am sincerely grateful to both of them, ”the official website of the FHR quotes Tretiak as saying. 

They tried their best to support the Russian overseas, even when it was not known about the death of his father and Ovi was just going to his homeland.

According to Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette, the team tried to recruit him as much as possible.

“When it comes to family and parents, this is important,” ESPN quoted an expert as saying.

Laviolette also noted that he does not yet know when Alexander will again go on the ice.

At the same time, no one rushes him.

He will be able to stay in Russia with his family for as long as it takes.

"I don't see him coming back in the foreseeable future," the coach added.

The Russian left the “Washington” in a difficult period.

The team had problems with the composition.

The Capitals have been coping for the second month without their best defender John Carlson, who was injured on December 23.

Also, the team lacks Tom Wilson and Nick Dowd, and now they still have to reshape the links due to Ovechkin's departure.

In this regard, the Capitals had to call forward Joe Snivly from the AHL to help. 

As striker Lars Eller noted, the team had problems with the squad before.

“We played without the key guys the whole season, as well as last year and the year before.

We will miss him.

We get better as a team when he is with us, but for now, other guys will have to take his place, and

we can handle it,” said the Dane.

Alas, in the first match without Ovechkin, it was not possible to realize the plan.

Hockey players fought, and the newcomer Snivly even scored one of the goals, but in the end, Carolina won away with a score of 3:2. 

It remains to be hoped that this tragedy will not break Alexander.

He will be able to return, once again become the leader of the Capitals and realize the dream, catching up with Wayne Gretzky.

After all, this is exactly what Mikhail Viktorovich wanted, for sure.

“It’s hard to say how the death of his father will affect Ovechkin’s game.

It won't be easy at first.

Then, over time, maybe he will let go.

Although another scenario is also possible: he will go headlong into work and will play even better, ”said the former head coach of Dynamo Vladimir Krikunov in an interview with Metaratings.