Alex Ovechkin says he'll play in 2018 Olympics regardless of NHL participation

By Pete Blackburn
Published

While it remains up in the air as to whether many of the NHL's top stars will participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics, one of the game's most elite players has already voiced his commitment.

Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin said Thursday that he will play for Russia at the 2018 Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, regardless of whether the rest of the NHL's stars decide to do the same. Several Russian players took a similar stance when it was still unknown if the NHL would send players to Sochi in 2014 (they ultimately did), but Ovechkin is doubling down.

"I will go there," the 30-year-old Ovechkin told reporters on Thursday, according to the AP.

While the NHL insists that the revitalization of the league-sanctioned World Cup of Hockey doesn't mean that it won't release players to the 2018 Winter Games, there have been rumblings that it may vote against participation. Not only would the league have to strike a deal with the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation, team owners would also have to vote in favor of sending players to the site in PyeongChang. They may not find that it's worth it.

Either way, Ovechkin insists the league won't be able to stop him going and suiting up for Team Russia. Ovechkin has been a staple of the country's international squads for over a decade. Though he's led Russia to three World Championships (and one World Junior Championship), he has gone 0 for 3 in his quest at winning an Olympic medal. The most recent failed attempt, which saw the Russians eliminated in a quarterfinal matchup as the host country, was particularly heartbreaking for Ovechkin and he later apologized to Russian fans for coming up short.

Whether it's undeniable pride in being able to represent his country or an unquenchable thirst for a medal -- or both -- it's clear that the Olympics mean a lot to Ovechkin. He likely knows that 2018 will present one of his last opportunities at Olympic glory, and he refuses to pass up the chance at bringing Russia their first hockey medal since 1992.

If the NHL decides to skip the Games and Ovechkin overrides that decision, it will be interesting to see if any of his peers follow suit.