- Ovechkin surprised fans at a Moscow bar who had gathered weekly hoping he would show up for a beer
- The Capitals captain signed autographs, posed for photos, and drank a pint with the crowd
- Read below for the viral video and what is next for the 40-year-old in 2026-27
Alex Ovechkin has a trophy case full of records. Now he has a bar full of fans who waited weeks just to buy him a beer.
A group of hockey fans in Moscow had been meeting every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. at a pub called Clovelly, hoping the Capitals captain would swing by for a pint. They kept a glass waiting for him each week and turned the whole thing into a running ritual.
Brian McDonald laid out how the whole thing started:
This week was the seventh try. One regular said in the video that the group had become friends over the weeks of showing up. Then the murmurs started that he was coming.
And he came. Fans chanted “Ovi the great” as Ovechkin walked in. Someone handed him a beer, and he answered with one word.
“Awesome,” Ovechkin said. He clinked glasses, signed autographs, and stuck around to chat while he drank.
Here is the translated video that set the internet off:
The clip went viral fast, with fans calling it proof that the greatest goal scorer in history is still one of them.
Ovechkin is not slowing down on the ice either. He signed a one-year deal worth $4.25 million to return to Washington for a 22nd NHL season in 2026-27.
He put up 32 goals and 64 points in 82 games last season and became the fourth player in league history to score 30 at age 40 or older. That was his 20th career 30-goal season, a record by itself.
The man who passed Wayne Gretzky last year now sits at 929 career goals. He still finds time to share a pint with the people who chant his name.
