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Washington Capitals legend Alex Ovechkin recently passed Gordie Howe on the all-time goal-scoring leaderboard. For one former teammate, this news is not surprising in the least.
Detroit Red Wings forward Jakub Vrana is preparing to return to the ice after missing time for personal reasons. However, he took a moment to speak about the accomplishment of his former Capitals teammate.
“I’m not surprised, he’s driven,” Vrana said. “He works hard, real hard, and is a competitive guy but in the locker room it’s all fun.”
Vrana played in the nation's capital for five seasons alongside Ovechkin. The two won the Stanley Cup together with the Capitals in 2018, defeating the then-expansion Vegas Golden Knights.
The 26-year-old former Capitals forward says Ovechkin has maintained a desire for more throughout his career. However, there's another underrated aspect to his success: his health.
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“When you have that many goals in your career, he’s (Ovechkin) a guy he’s always going to want more,” Vrana said. “And he’s never been injured. He’s always been real solid, never really went through a long (term) injury.”
Vrana's time with Ovechkin in Washington came to an end during the 2021 trade deadline. The Capitals traded Vrana as part of a package to the Red Wings in exchange for forward Anthony Mantha.
The NHL returns from their winter break on Tuesday. Vrana and the Red Wings take on the Pittsburgh Penguins as they look to gain momentum and confidence after a losing streak.
Ovechkin now turns his attention to surpassing Wayne Gretzky as the league's all-time leading goal scorer. He and the Capitals take on their Metropolitan Division rival New York Rangers on Tuesday.
