Near Putin
NHL superstar Knacken Record-and is criticized
07.04.2025 – 9:58 a.m.Reading time: 3 min.
Snoop Dogg, Michael Jordan and Roger Federer: The list of well -wishers is long. You all pay homage to ice hockey superstar Alexander Owetschkin. But there is criticism of the keeping of the Russian.
It was the moment that many had been waiting for: Alexander Owetschkin broke the Torrecord in the NHL and ended an era – and at the same time started a new one. With its 895th goal in the North American ice hockey profile, the Russian overtook the legendary Wayne Gretzky and is now at the top.
The 39-year-old scored the interim goal for 1: 2 in the second third of his Washington Capitals against the New York Islanders in the second third. Owetschkin dropped on his stomach, slipped over the ice and was surrounded by his teammates and celebrated shortly afterwards.
With 895 goals, the attacker now has one more goal in the account than the former Canadian superstar Gretzky. Already in the previous game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Owetschkin had set the until then unmatched record of 894 goals with a double pack – and that in front of the eyes of Gretzky.
The 64-year-old was sporty after the record: Records were there to be broken, he said-but added that he was not sure who would score more goals in the future.
Owetschkin thanked for the support: “I always said that it is a team sport. Thank you very much, I love so much.”
Various star athletes and other celebrities also paid tribute to the sports-historical afternoon. In a congratulations video, legends like Michael Jordan, Roger Federer and Michael Phelps immortalized themselves in honor of Owetschkins – as well as rapper snoop dogg and film size Danny Devito.
Lebron James, who has been listing the point list of the Basketball League NBA since the beginning of 2023, said: “This is an incredible performance. I am super grateful to have experienced many of your big moments.”
The native Moscow Owetschkin is one of the most prominent athletes in Russia. However, he is mainly criticized abroad, since he never distanced himself from Russia’s authoritarian President Vladimir Putin and never condemned the war of aggression against Ukraine.
In 2017 he founded the “Putin Team”, which supported the re -election of the Russian president a year later. According to Owetschkin’s model, the movement joined further prominent athletes.
Owetschkin called for peace on the beginning of the Russian war of attack against Ukraine. But he did not criticize Putin. To date, a common picture with the Kremlin boss can be seen as a profile picture on his Instagram account.
His open near the Kremlin gave him the reputation as “our husband in America” in Russia.
Owetschkin comes from a sporty family. His father was a soccer player, his mother played basketball. Already in 2004 he was selected by the Capitals as number one in the draft, a year later he made his debut in the NHL. In 2018 he celebrated his greatest success with the Washington club: the Stanley Cup’s win.
He also collected titles at the Russian national team – three times he became world champion. However, he was denied an Olympic medal. Since Russia’s exclusion from international competitions, a return to this stage has been uncertain.
In a video message, his mother Tatyana reminded of Owetschkin’s deceased father: “Your father would be so proud.” He died in 2023.