Alex Ovechkin Admits Major Change in Relationship With Sidney Crosby

Ovechkin described how their once-heated rivalry has matured into mutual respect, given their achievements as professional hockey players performing at the top of the game in the NHL.

“Those relationships is like, you know, from the battle to like in hockey and outside of hockey, it’s total different thing,” Ovechkin said. “After the game we always talk, we always chatting and yeah we have respect to each other.”

“What we did to NHL, it’s a tremendous thing," Ovechkin said. "People gonna talk about Crosby and Ovechkin, Pittsburgh and Washington for maybe 20 or 50 more years, and it’s great. 

”So yeah, it’s a battle, but it’s a friendship right now.”

Now 39, Ovechkin enters the final week of the regular season with 896 career goals after scoring his latest one on Sunday. He’ll close the campaign in Pittsburgh, fittingly against Crosby. 

Meanwhile, Crosby, 37, has scored 89 points in 79 games this season and clinched his 20th consecutive season of averaging a point per game, breaking Wayne Gretzky's streak of 19, on March 27.