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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 27, 2006

Alex Ovechkin

DAVID KEON: Good afternoon, everyone. I'm David Keon of the National Hockey League's public relations department. I'd like to welcome you to today's call.
With us we have Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin. Thanks to Alex for taking the time today to answer your questions, and thanks to Nate Ewell of the Capitals' public relations department for arranging the call.
Alex finished third in National Hockey League scoring last season, tallying 52 goals, 54 assists for 106 points in 81 games played. His 52 goals were the third highest total in the league last season, also the third highest total among all time rookies, trailing Teemu Selanne who scored 76 and Mike Bossy who had 53.
The winner of the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie, Alex was also the first rookie to lead the league in shots on goal when he recorded a rookie record 425 last season.
The Caps host the Philadelphia Flyers Friday and the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday to close out their exhibition schedule.
Before that, though, Alex is scheduled to throw out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals/Philadelphia Phillies game this evening. The Capitals will open the regular season next Thursday when they travel to New York where they meet the Rangers.
Again, thanks to Alex for taking the time to answer your questions today. We'll open it up for questions.

Q. Can you just talk a little bit about what your expectations are for the Capitals as a team and for yourself in your second NHL season?
ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, our team keeps on getting better. We got a couple good players. Our goal right now go to players. My goal do the same: Work like last year, try to play hard all the time, try to score goals, and try do some, you know, work to help team to win, you know.

Q. They're going to allow more curvature of the stick. Do you think that will have any impact at all on the game? Will you expand the curve on your stick?
ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, last year I used a little bit not normal stick, but I think it's help more European player than American, Canadian player, because Canadian and American player like more play straight curve. European players like more bigger curve.
I think it's Europe player.

Q. Why do European players like the bigger curve?
ALEX OVECHKIN: I don't know. Maybe for shot. Maybe it's different control the puck. I don't know.
For me it's more shot, you know, like if I have bigger curve, I can shot more faster, you know, be like faster and stronger.

Q. Can you describe your first fight with Mike Richards.
ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, it was normal thing for NHL. It was my second fight. I don't like fight actually. I don't know how I fight. I just fighting. I don't know, for me, lose or win, for me it doesn't matter. I just try to protect my partners.
It's normal things.

Q. Is it difficult for you in that you do not have an established National Hockey League center to play with in Washington, say a center who has played in the league for five years or 10 years or anything like that?
ALEX OVECHKIN: We have very good center, Daini Zubrus. Last year we play each other, we know our game. He knows me, I know him. If I have puck, I know where he stay when we go to attack zone. I know where he stay. If he's screaming, I know where is his stick. The same situation when he's having the puck. He knows where my stick always. We understand each other.

Q. Your rookie season was the first year back playing after a lockout. You kind of became one of the big stories of the league. What was that like for you? Did the attention ever get to you? Was it too much?
ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, it was attention. But, you know, I just try to concentrate about just hockey. You know, I concentrate hockey all the time. I come home, just relax. If I go to the movie, I watch movie, not think about what I must do the next game, you know.
I see lots of people watching me, Washington Capitals trust me. I don't know, they just, you know, just tell me like, Don't worry about it, go to ice and play how you can. I think this is the most biggest thing. If coach tell me like, Don't worry about nothing, just go on ice and prove and enjoy your time right now.

Q. Sidney Crosby was in the same boat with you. Do you kind of think of yourself as the guys in like the same class? Do you talk about what that was like?
ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, we talked about him lots of time. You know, he is a good player. He do a great job last year. He deserve the rookie of the year, too. But I'm glad I win. You know, last year I just come here, nobody knows me. Everybody knows Crosby, Crosby, television, radio. Whole hockey world, Crosby, Crosby.
I come here. You know, Russian hockey, Ovechkin can play better like Canadian, like Crosby.

Q. I know in addition to being a great hockey player, you're also a fan of the game. Do you have any thoughts on who might win the Calder Trophy this year?
ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, I hope Malkin win the Calder Trophy, but you never know.

Q. Coming back to this rivalry between you and Sidney Crosby, how much did it push you to give even more of what you can give game after game?
ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, when Washington play Pittsburgh, everybody talk about me and Sidney. You know, it was great attention, great feelings. We go to there. Everybody watch only two person, me and Crosby.
But, you know, hockey is a team play. If play (indiscernible) in Washington, it's not like playing Russian and Crosby, we play Pittsburgh and Russian. You know what I mean?

Q. Now that everybody has seen what you can do, do you think the expectations will be even greater for you this year?
ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, you know, I just -- everybody talk to me like second year will be harder, will be not good like first year.
You know, if you play the same like you play last year, it will be the same, you know. It's just physical, you know. If you go to ice, don't think about first year you play very well, second year you score (indiscernible) games, everybody say, Okay, so first year was rocky year, everything like that. It just don't think about it, go to ice and play.

Q. Alexander Semin, what can you tell us about this guy?
ALEX OVECHKIN: He's good player. He have great hands. He's very, very hard player. He is tough. He have unbelievable shots.

Q. Could you talk about your new captain, Chris Clark, what he's like, if you're going to be watching him to kind of get used to maybe somebody taking over that role.
ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, you know, last year we have great captain, Jeff Halpern, but he didn't stay. Last year was couple guys who was already leaders in our locker room, Olli, (indiscernible), Clarky, (indiscernible). You know, not this guy, everybody was our leader. But these guys, you know, was biggest leader. Clarky I think is our leader on the ice and off the ice.
I agree that he is our captain, and I agree with that.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about Evgeni Malkin. Obviously he's hurt, but the expectation when he comes back, he's going to have the sort of impact that you or Crosby had last year. Can you describe how you think he'll play this season?
ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, he's big, he's strong. First of all, he's unbelievable person. Pittsburgh pick themselves a great young guy. Crosby, Malkin. Malkin, unbelievable passer. He can score unbelievable. He's a very good player.
DAVID KEON: Thanks very much, Alex, for your time today.
ALEX OVECHKIN: Thank you.
DAVID KEON: Good luck tonight.
ALEX OVECHKIN: Yeah, thanks.

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