The Washington Capitals were heading to the locker room after their 4-2 defeat to the Minnesota Wild when Alex Ovechkin suddenly skated over to his teammates. His incredible gesture toward Marc-André Fleury immediately went viral, with fans absolutely loving what he did.
Fleury is set to retire after the 2024-25 season, marking the end of an era for one of the most legendary players in modern NHL history. On Thursday, the Capitals faced the Wild for the final time in this year’s regular season, making it their last-ever game against Fleury.
Although Fleury didn’t start, the Capitals still showed him the respect he so richly deserves. As they made their way to the locker room, Alex Ovechkin—Washington’s captain and superstar forward—pulled his teammates back onto the ice for handshakes with their longtime rival. Leading the line, Ovechkin set the tone for a classy tribute, and his gesture quickly went viral on social media.
Alex Ovechkin’s awesome gesture
After their handshake and a shared hug, Alex Ovechkin and Fleury took a moment to chat. Postgame, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery revealed that the tribute was Ovechkin’s idea all along.
“We wanted to do that,” Carbery said. “O had mentioned this morning that it was the last time going up against Marc-André and that he wanted to pay the respects he deserves for an impressive career. He’s done so much—they’ve had so many battles, especially with the Caps and with O. So, pretty classy to be able to send him off and acknowledge how incredible his career has been.”
Before the game, Alex Ovechkin reflected on his long-standing rivalry with Fleury, which has spanned nearly their entire careers.
“Obviously, he’s one of the best goalies to ever play,” Ovechkin said. “It was always a great battle between me and him… It’s been almost 20 years of playing against each other. Pittsburgh, Vegas—it’s been an honor to compete against him.”
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