Alex Ovechkin broke one of the great records in sport when he surpassed the legendary Wayne Gretzky for goals in the NHL, but the Russian’s association with president Vladimir Putin adds another layer to the historic achievement.
The 39-year-old Ovechkin scored the 895th goal of his NHL career as his Washington Capitals team played the New York Islanders on Sunday night. Canadian Gretzky, widely considered the greatest ice hockey player of all time, was present and his record, which had stood since 1999, was previously considered unbreakable.
