Alex Ovechkin has a lot in his repertoire, but his shot speed is probably his greatest asset. Just ask Radko Gudas. The veteran defenseman recently shared details about what happened the first time he blocked a shot from The Great 8—and the valuable lesson he learned from it.
For years, many believed Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record was unbreakable. But Ovechkin has spent his career proving doubters wrong, and now, it looks like he’ll surpass the milestone in early April. He is, without question, one of the most natural goal scorers in hockey history, and soon, he’ll have the record to prove it.
Ovechkin has always been a superstar on the ice, but if there’s one thing he’s mastered better than anyone else, it’s his shot. His accuracy is nearly flawless, and he’s possessed one of the hardest shots in the league since debuting in 2005.
Gudas blocked a shot from Alex Ovechkin
When the Washington Capitals faced the Anaheim Ducks in the 2024-25 regular season, veteran defenseman Radko Gudas spoke with Al Koken of Monumental Sports Network, sharing first-hand insight into what it’s like to play against Ovechkin.
“I asked Radko, a former Capital, if he was ready to go against his old friend, Alexander Ovechkin,” Koken said during the game, per RMNB. “He said, ‘Of course.’ I asked, ‘Are you going to try to land a big hit on him?’ He said, ‘I’d love to.’ But then he added, ‘The problem is, A, it’s tough to get a clean look at him, and B, when you do, you usually feel it just as much as Ovi does.’”
Koken also shared a story Gudas told him about the first time he blocked a shot from the Russian superstar.
“[Gudas] told me about a shot he took from Ovechkin underneath the right shoulder pad, right on his tricep,” Koken recalled. “After the game, he checked and thought, ‘Oh, there’s a bruise.’ But when he woke up the next morning, guys—his entire arm was black and blue. He said he learned a valuable lesson: how not to block an Alex Ovechkin shot.”
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