Alexander Mikhaylovich Ovechkin

Alexander Mikhaylovich Ovechkin was born on September 17 1985.in Moscow Russia also known as the USSR. His parents were Tatyana Ovechkin who was a pro basketball player, and his father Mikhail was a pro soccer player. His mother won Olympic gold medals with the Soviet Union in 1976 and 1980.He had two other brothers. His older brother Sergei was the one who introduced him to hockey he was also a champion wrestler. He also had a younger brother named Mikhail.

He started playing and watching hockey at the age of two. He had learned of the NHL during the waning years of the Soviet Union. He had became captivated by the 1990 Stanley cup champs the Pittsburgh penguins star Mario Lemieux. His favorite home team was the Moscow dynamo and his hero was Alexander Maltsev. He constantly moved up the ranks of the competitive youth program. He constantly drew attention to himself very fast with his powerful skating and quick accurate wrist shot. He was often the youngest and best player and was suppose to carry the team sticks but was often carrying his trophies and awards.

In 2000 Alex moved to within a level of the Dynamo's super league squad. In the same year, which should have been a year of happiness was darkened by the death of his brother Sergei in a car accident. In 2001-2002 season the 16 year old played in 21 games and tailed 2 goals and 2 assists. His first appearance was in a major international tournament in 2002 world under 18 -championship. One year later he played in the world junior championship for his first time. In the spring of 2003 he learned that the Florida panthers had attempted to draft him in the ninth round. The NHL ruled against the pick because he was too young by two days, but the panthers argued that there had been four leap years since he was born that should have made him eligible.

His breakthrough came in 2003-2004 when he became the youngest player in history to lead the Dynamo in scoring. He netted 23 points in 53 games and was voted the super league's top left wing. He started watching English language TV shows to learn a new language and was comfortable by draft day to stumble through interviews without an interpreter. The capitals who lucked past the last place penguins made it official and took Alex, but he had to wait a year before displaying his skills, as the NHL had cancelled the 2004-20005 season. He officially became a legend in a January game against the phoenix coyotes, when he scored a goal while on his back. He finished his freshmen campaign with 52 goals and 54 assists. In 2008 the capitals went from the worst to the first in the southeastern division winning 43 games and making it back to the playoffs. Ovechkin versed the Flyers in his first playoff game though the flyers eventually won the series in seven games he scored five goals and had four assist in the series.

All in all Alex Ovechkin is a bright,