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Ovechkin ready to prove doubters wrong in the playoffs
Photo credit: YouTube
Many can say that the Washington Capitals weren't supposed to have such a succesfull season this year. Some might also say that they simply overachieved expectations.
Well if there's one player that always believed in his team from the very start, it's Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals' captain is proud of how his team proved critics wrong all season and that they're ready to do it again in the playoffs.
Alex Ovechkin wasn't happy with how last season ended, especially after the Capitals were swept by the Rangers in the first round and he didn't register a single point. Determined to turn things around, he took action in the offseason and 'bounced back' to say the least.
Sammi Silber of the The Hockey News writes that Ovechkin spearheaded the resurgence of the revamped Capitals, transforming them from a team that just scraped into the playoffs last year into the top seed in the Eastern Conference this season.
At 39 years old, and even after missing 16 games due to a broken leg, he still racked up 44 goals to become the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer. He also chipped in 29 assists, finishing the regular season with 73 points in just 65 games. INSANE!
Ovechkin said the Capitals are proud of how they proved critics wrong this season.
"Nobody thought we was gonna make the playoffs, even this year. Like,
yeah, the Capitals are good, but they're not going to do success in the season."
"Nobody thought we was gonna make the playoffs, even this year. Like,
yeah, the Capitals are good, but they're not going to do success in the season."
Now that the regular season is in the rearview mirror and the Capitals have officially begun their 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs run, Ovechkin's focus is locked in on one thing, winning it all once more.
"Regular season is over, this is why you play six months, working out, for this kind of moment. It's why you work all year hard to be able to be in this position, in this situation. It's a fun time of the year." -Ovechkin
Heading into this first-round matchup with the Montreal Canadiens, Ovechkin has a clear mindset. He and the team are putting their late-season struggles behind them, hitting the reset button with their sights set squarely on a fresh goal, the Stanley Cup.
The Capitals will kick off their first-round series on Monday, hosting the Canadiens at Capital One Arena for Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Previously on Washington Hockey Insider
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 20 | 40 ANSWERS Ovechkin ready to prove doubters wrong in the playoffs Will the Capitals have a deep playoff run this postseason? | ||
| yes | 35 | 87.5 % |
| no | 5 | 12.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
