Bruce Boudreau on Alex Ovechkin’s influence in building a winning culture with the Capitals: ‘He’s created an atmosphere in that room that is second to none’
Alex Ovechkin stands as the greatest goal scorer in NHL history and among the league’s most storied players. At 40 years old, the legendary winger could easily grow distant from his teammates, yet he has done the exact opposite, consistently fostering a winning environment with the Washington Capitals.
Bruce Boudreau, who coached a younger Ovechkin during portions of five seasons with the Capitals (2007–2012), has witnessed firsthand the impact The Great 8 has had on the club’s culture. In a recent conversation with RG’s Andrew Knoll, Boudreau discussed the Caps captain’s enduring positive influence on a team he has been part of for 21 seasons.
“He’s created an atmosphere in that room that is second to none, where everyone plays for the team,” Boudreau remarked. “Too often you see superstars do something great and the rest of the room simply nods. With Washington, though, people genuinely celebrate when Ovechkin succeeds because he responds in kind and supports them in return.”
Ovechkin is renowned for his exuberant goal celebrations, which sometimes reach even bigger levels when the goal scorer isn’t him. The “big man,” as teammates affectionately call him, shares in the excitement for colleagues like Brandon Duhaime—who scored his 33rd career goal—as much as for his own 911th tally.
“[Ovi has] been doing it for 25 years or so; he’s seen it all,” Duhaime said in September. “For him to bring the same energy year after year is, from what I’ve heard about his younger days to today, pretty incredible.”
Boudreau believes that Ovechkin’s relatability and charisma are key ingredients in his leadership, helping propel the Capitals forward as a unit. Over the 20 seasons Ovechkin has spent with the Capitals, the team has missed the playoffs only four times.
“He’s not the kind of superstar who exudes arrogance about his own greatness,” Boudreau explained. “He’s incredibly down-to-earth. He enjoys things like playing video games and other fun activities—he’s basically a big kid, and that makes him incredibly endearing.”
Ovechkin still shows that youthful energy: this season he’s tallied 14 goals in 30 games, placing him on pace for another 40-goal campaign. He’s also just three points behind Tom Wilson for the team scoring lead with 29 points and recently concluded a six-game point streak.
Thanks in part to a smart deployment strategy by head coach Spencer Carbery, the Capitals continue to excel at five-on-five with Ovechkin on the ice. In his minutes this season, Washington has controlled 53.4 percent of shot attempts, 54.9 percent of expected goals, 55.2 percent of scoring chances, and 52.8 percent of high-danger chances.
The strong individual performance and team results have Boudreau envisioning the possibility that Ovechkin might sign on for another season after his current contract expires next summer.
“At 35 to 40 goals, if he remains healthy, people will start asking whether he wants to play again next year and whether a 1,000-goal milestone could be reached,” Boudreau said. “I can picture those questions coming more frequently in the latter half of the season.”
Ovechkin is currently 89 goals shy of the 1,000-goal milestone and, if he continues at his current pace, could finish the 2025–26 season around 935 goals. Reaching four digits would likely require at least two more seasons at his current production level.
Whether that path unfolds remains up to Ovechkin and his willingness to remain in the NHL, a possibility Boudreau still believes exists.
“He’s scored goals this season—whether it was his 900th or another milestone—yet you can see the pure joy in his smile; he’s clearly thriving. If you’d asked anyone when he was 20 years old, they’d say he loved to play the game, and today that same love appears to be alive and well.”
