Alex Ovechkin takes homeless man shopping in freezing Edmonton
EDMONTON, Alberta - Professional hockey doesn't get much of the spotlight in October. Not with the NFL in full swing, and certainly not with an epic World Series captivating the nation. But one of hockey's biggest superstars did something off the ice, and out of every spotlight, that fans of any sport can appreciate. When Alex Ovechkin, saw a homeless man in Edmonton on the street without a shirt -- He took him shopping.
Ovechkin didn't do it for a headline, he did it because it was the right thing to do. With freezing temperatures around the corner in Edmonton, it was the human thing to do.
He told The Washington Post, "If you see a guy almost naked out there with that kind of temperature, I think every human can do something, you know?"
There's no shortage of nicknames for Ovechkin. Ovi. The Great 8. Alexander the Great. It doesn't have the same ring to it, but 'a really nice guy' could also work.
Initially he was out shopping with his Washington Capitals teammates the day before their matchup against the Edmonton Oilers. Instead, he took the man shopping, and bought him a sweater, coat, and hat.
If only all guests who visit cities behaved that way.
His coach, Barry Trotz, wasn't surprised to hear about it. He told Sportsnet, "I think what you're going to find in hockey in general is that they're pretty giving people. They give of their time and of their blessings, and that doesn't surprise me at all."
And Ovechkin kept on giving. He recorded three assists against the Oilers in a 5-2 win.
Watch the video to see more on the selfless superstar.