WASHINGTON (AP) - Alex Ovechkin released a statement Thursday night through the Washington Capitals acknowledging that the ability to represent Russia in the 2018 Olympics has been taken out of his hands.
On the eve of the first day of on-ice training camp workouts, Ovechkin said in the statement that while he loves playing for his country, it won’t happen because the International Ice Hockey Federation has assured the NHL that players under contract won’t be able to play in South Korea. The NHL announced in April it wouldn’t be sending players to the Games for the first time since 1994.
“I said every time I was asked since last Olympics that nobody is going to tell me I can’t play because my country was going to be allowed to ask me,” Ovechkin said. “Now the IIHF and NHL say my country is not allowed to ask anybody in the NHL to play and there is nothing to talk about anymore.”
The Athletic first reported the IIHF’s assurances to the league last week. Ovechkin is set to address reporters after his first official camp practice Friday.
Ovechkin began saying a year ago that he was going to the Olympics no matter what. NHL players had participated in the past five Olympics, and Ovechkin played for Russia in the past three. Russia has a long history of using its top players in the Olympics, well before the NHL began participating in Nagano in 1998. The Soviet Union, and then the Unified Team, won eight of 10 Olympic gold medals from 1956-1992.
“I wanted to make this statement so that my words are clear and nobody misunderstands what I am saying,” Ovechkin said. “The Olympics are in my blood and everybody knows how much I love my country. Ever since I was a kid and all the time I have played in the NHL, NHL players have played in the Olympic Games. We never have to make choice between our team and our country my whole career. I love the Capitals and my teammates here as much as I love my country and I know all the other NHL players feel the same for their teams. We should not have to be in position to make this choice.”
In the statement, Ovechkin thanked owner Ted Leonsis for his support. Leonsis had gone on record saying he’d allow Ovechkin and other top players to go to the Olympics if they wanted to, even if it meant missing Capitals games.
That won’t happen now.
“Our countries are now not allowed to ask us to play in the Olympics,” the six-time NHL goals leader said. “Me, my teammates and all players who want to go all lose. So do all the fans of hockey with this decision that we are not allowed to be invited. NHL players in the Olympics is good for hockey and good for Olympics. It sucks that will we not be there to play!!”
Ovechkin, who turns 32 next week, had 33 goals and 36 assists in 82 regular-season games last season and added five goals and three assists in 13 playoff games. In 12 NHL seasons, all with the Capitals, he has 558 goals and 477 goals in 921 regular-season games and 46 goals and 44 assists in 97 playoff games.
“My focus as it always is this time of year is on my other dream as a kid, to try to win the Stanley Cup,” Ovechkin wrote. “I am excited training camp has started in Washington and the time for talking is done. We just have to go out and do it and I will try my hardest to help my teammates win like I do every year since I came to the NHL.”
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