"He's got the Stanley Cup, and I don't": When Alex Ovechkin envied $24,400,000 NHL superstar during early Russian rivalry

Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin were once close friends. Both were drafted first and second in 2004 and played for Team Russia. They even shared a room at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino. Their careers began around the same time, and both achieved success early in the league. However, by 2007, something changed.

Between 2007 and 2010, their friendship turned into a big rivalry. On the ice, Ovechkin began hitting Malkin more often. In a game during the 2007-08 season, Ovechkin charged at Malkin near the boards.

Malkin avoided the hit, but it was something more than just physical play. Ovi later hit Malkin’s agent, Gennady Ushakov, in a Moscow nightclub, further intensifying the rift.

Ovechkin shared his feelings in an October 2010 interview with GQ. He said he would trade all his MVP awards for one Stanley Cup. When asked about Malkin, he replied:

“He’s got the Stanley Cup, and I don’t.”

At that time, Ovechkin already had major awards, such as the Hart, Calder, and Art Ross Trophies. But Malkin had what mattered most to his rival. That changed in 2018 when Ovechkin finally lifted the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals.

But by that time, Malkin had already won the Cup thrice with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009, 2016, and 2017). On July 12, 2022, he signed a four-year contract worth $24.4 million to stay in Pittsburgh.

Ovechkin, on the other hand, remained loyal to Washington throughout his career. In the 2024–25 season, he scored 44 goals and recorded 29 assists. He ended the season with 73 points and a +15 rating. In the playoffs, he added five goals and one assist in 10 games.

On April 6, 2025, in New York, Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th goal, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record. After the game, Malkin shared a few kind words for the Moscow native.

“It’s a huge day for hockey,” he said (via The Athletic). “I’m glad I’ve played with him, against him. He’s a machine. He never stops. Bad times. Good times. He finds a way to score.”

Alex Ovechkin names Evgeni Malkin among NHL’s toughest fighters

Earlier this week, Alex Ovechkin named Evgeni Malkin as one of the toughest NHL fighters he has seen. In a chat with Kamil Gadzhiev, he also mentioned Georges Laraque and Donald Brashear.

Ovechkin named Malkin, who is known more for his offensive play. Malkin has scored 514 goals and 1346 points in 1213 games.

“Well, Gino, yes,” he replied when asked about his rival.

Alex Ovechkin added that growing up in Moscow, he learned to fight not through training but real-life experiences. Now, he is heading into his 21st NHL season with a few more records on his wishlist. One of them is to complete 1500 NHL games; he is nine games short of that number.