Mostovoi: Ovechkin's lifestyle hasn't slowed him down

Alexander Mostovoi, the former Russia international, says Alexander Ovechkin has kept up the same lifestyle for a decade and a half without it costing him on the ice.

Ovechkin, who turns 41 on 17 September, left Moscow for Dubai on 10 September before continuing on to Washington, where the Capitals open training camp on his birthday. He holds the NHL's all-time regular-season goals record with 929.

"As far as we know, Sasha denies himself nothing, he's lived like that for 10-15 years. I played abroad, and there were lads there who could drink wine and then train in a way the rest couldn't manage. It's all individual when it comes to training. I've also seen disciplined types who went out onto the pitch and didn't know how to handle a puck. Besides, he doesn't have to prove anything to anyone anymore. He can turn up on the ice at any moment and everyone should applaud, the way they would for Wayne Gretzky. I've met Ovechkin, we've talked. I wouldn't say we're close friends — there's an age gap, after all. It's clear he knows who I am, and I know who he is. But we speak the same language, the language of sport. He had a packed schedule in Moscow, he's a star on the biggest scale, there's no keeping up with him. He doesn't need to finish yet, he needs to break every record still out there, and there aren't that many left. He looked great, we watched some European football together a couple of times, he's full of energy, laughing and joking the whole time. I was the same at his age," said Mostovoi.

The remarks follow similar assessments from other Russian hockey figures this week. Ilya Kovalchuk has said he has no doubt Ovechkin will get the 11 goals needed to pass Gretzky's all-time mark of 1,016, while Rotenberg, who coaches Russia’s U25 side, said Ovechkin could reach 1,000 NHL goals this season and still outplay younger rivals.

Washington open the campaign at Carolina on 3 October, with the record on the line.