It has been a year that Alex Ovechkin and Washington Capitals fans will never forget. Although it did not end with them lifting the Stanley Cup, it was still one of the best seasons in the Capitals' franchise history. From the team winning the Metro division for the first time in five years, to Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky's career goal record, something no one thought would ever be broken. There was little for fans to complain about.
However, the praise for Ovechkin continues to pour in. But his most recent award nominations have more to do with what he does off the ice. It was announced on Tuesday that Ovechkin is a finalist for the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award. He, along with CJ McCollum and Sloane Stephens, are all in the running for the award, and hope to hear their name called on July 11th at the 11th annual Sports Humanitarian Awards.
Ovechkin was nominated due to his charity work with pediatric cancer. He, along with the Capitals, Hockey Fights Cancer, and the V Foundation, started "THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Cancer. This foundation was started as part of Ovi's chase to break Gretzky's record. The goal is to raise awareness and money for pediatric cancer research. As of now, it's raised $150,000 for research.
“As athletes we’re lucky to be recognized, and we have the opportunity to help kids.”
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 1, 2025
Through “THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Cancer,” Ovi’s 8’s, @specialhockey and so much more, @ovi8's legacy off the ice can be felt across the globe.#ALLCAPS x #SportsHumanitarian pic.twitter.com/zQRTupERou
This should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed Ovi's career. He has been a caring person and leader both on and off the ice. Since coming to D.C. in 2005, he has done a great deal of work to increase youth hockey participation. He has organized numerous skating and street hockey events to encourage kids to play hockey in any way possible. He also won the Mark Messier Leadership Award this past season.
Of all the accomplishments and accolades "The Great 8" has won over his career, this one would be the most fulfilling. It would be a well-earned acknowledgment of all the great work Ovechkin does off the ice.