Ovechkin playing tutor to rookie Miroshnichenko with Capitals

WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin has been doing a little bit of everything on and off the ice to help Washington Capitals rookie Ivan Miroshnichenko with the adjustment to the NHL and North America.

So it was fitting the Washington captain also served as Miroshnichenko's interpreter after the 19-year-old Russia-born forward had two assists, playing on a line with Ovechkin, in a 4-3 victory against the Detroit Red Wings in his NHL preseason debut at Capital One Arena on Thursday.

"Yeah, it's (a) pretty special moment," Miroshnichenko said through Ovechkin of playing with Ovechkin, second in NHL history with 822 goals, 72 behind Wayne Gretzky's League record of 894.

At that moment, Ovechkin, who is 38, seemed to realize he's twice Miroshnichenko's age and interrupted relaying Miroshnichenko's words with a thought of his own.

"I was drafted when he was 1. Jesus, I'm old," said Ovechkin, who was selected by the Capitals with the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft. "Yeah, but he's watching us on TV (when he was younger), and it's kind of a dream come true."

It was a night Miroshnichenko dreamed of since Washington selected him with the No. 20 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. He had been projected to be a top-five pick in the draft before being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in February 2022.

Now cancer free and focused on trying to make the Capitals opening night roster in his first NHL training camp, he shook off some early nerves and had three shots on goal, six shot attempts and three hits in 16:23 in ice time in addition to his two secondary assists playing with Ovechkin and Ovechkin's longtime center Nicklas Backstrom.

In the second period, Miroshnichenko worked the puck free behind the net before Ovechkin set up Backstrom in front for a goal that tied the score at 1-1 at 7:38. In the third, he spun to throw the puck in front from the left circle and defenseman John Carlson eventually swept it in past Red Wings goalie Sebastian Cossa to give Washington a 4-1 lead at 16:11.

"Two assists, had pretty good chances," Ovechkin said in assessing Miroshnichenko's game. "I think the first period was emotional for him, but (in) the second one and third, I think that he kind of realized what's happening and I think he had a good game."

Miroshnichenko began working with a tutor this summer to learn English and seemed to understand Capitals coach Spencer Carbery's message after practice Wednesday that he wanted him not to worry about systems and structure and just "go out and compete his butt off and work all over the ice."

Carbery's postgame evaluation of Miroshnichenko's play was, "He was sort of similar to a lot of our players, I would say, as they got better as the game went along."

A right-hand shot who usually plays the left wing, Miroshnichenko played right wing Thursday, so Carbery could put him on the line with Ovechkin and Backstrom.

Who better for Miroshnichenko to learn from than Ovechkin? Heading into is 19th NHL season, Ovechkin is Washington's all-time leader in games (1,347), goals (822) and points (1,485) and second in assists (633). He's scored at least 40 goals in a season an NHL-record 13 times, including 42 last season to lead the Capitals, and is tied with Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most 50-goal seasons in League history with nine.

"It's pretty cool when those kids come over there and they have one of the greatest of all time leading the way for them," Washington forward Tom Wilson said.

Ovechkin has taken Miroshnichenko under his wing, having him over to his house for dinner and taking him and other young Russian players such as defenseman Alexander Alexeyev with him to run on the track as part of his off-ice training prior to the start of training camp. During practices, Ovechkin has passed along helpful tips to Miroshnichenko in addition to whatever the coaches have been saying in English.

He did the same during the game Thursday.

"You probably saw flashes on the bench multiple times and sometimes he pushes young 'Miro' as well, like, ‘Hey, you've got to do this, this and this.'" Carbery said. "But that's huge. It's huge because he's just constantly getting the little tidbits of information and help, whether he's helping him understand or hear things that coaches are reiterating or stuff he's seen on the ice. I can only imagine that it's helped."

Ovechkin views it as paying forward what the Capitals veteran players did for him when came from Russia to Washington to play as NHL rookie in 2005-06.

"I was in the same position when the boys helped me out my first year and I will never forget," Ovechkin said. "And I hope when they're going be old and young guys are going to come here, they're going to help them out as well."