Alex Ovechkin, the longtime Washington Capitals star, has spoken openly about how his two sons, Sergei and Ilya, have naturally fallen in love with hockey.
During a recent interview with Match TV, Ovechkin described a small rink he built in his Moscow apartment, where the boys practice shooting and stickhandling whenever they feel like it.
The family’s routine includes regular trips to the Capital One Arena, where the boys watch the Capitals and often exchange fist bumps with their father through the glass.
Beyond the arena, the brothers are frequent visitors to Capitals practices, where they mingle with players like Aliaksei Protas and Ilya Protas, absorbing the professional atmosphere.
A Homegrown Hockey Environment
At the Red Machine Junior Academy in Moscow, founded by Roman Rotenberg, Sergei and Ilya have committed to a training program that emphasizes a genuine passion for the game rather than pressure to become stars.
The academy’s philosophy resonates with other Russian hockey greats; Alexander Radulov, for example, has also enrolled his children there.
Balancing Ambition and Choice
Ovechkin also revealed that his sons have challenged him about his own future in the NHL, asking whether he plans to stay with the Capitals beyond the current season.
While the boys are eager to improve, Ovechkin stresses that they are not being pushed into the sport; they simply express interest on their own terms, and the family respects their choices.
The story reflects a broader trend in Russian hockey, where families balance ambition with personal freedom, creating a new generation that values enjoyment as much as achievement.