Alexander Ovechkin Heading To Russia

If hockey fans want to watch their favorite NHL players this year they should probably figure out a way to tune into the KHL. Alexander Ovechkin announced today that he was signing a deal with his former Russian team Dynamo Moscow.

Ovechkin said that he does not know how long the NHL lockout is going to last but he wouldn’t be surprised it lasted the entire season.

Ovechkin said:

“If the league keeps holding its ground, the lockout may last the entire year… We are not planning to give up, either. That way I could spend the entire season with KHL. It’s quite possible.”

The Toronto Sun reports that Ovechkin started his professional career with Dynamo Moscow in the KHL. The NHL star joined the Washington Capitals in 2005 and was the league MVP in 2008 and 2009.

Alexander Ovechkin is just the latest player to head overseas during the NHL lockout. Several players, including the league’s leading scorer Evgeni Malkin, signed deals in Europe just hours after the NHL lockout went into effect.

Eustace King, an agent with several NHL players, said:

“All of my guys are disappointed in the position the league has taken, but they all love the game of hockey…. They have trained all summer and want to play so I’ll be looking to place guys in short order in the various Elite Leagues across Europe.”

Do you think the NHL lockout will last all season? The last time there was a lockout was in 2004. That lockout wasn’t resolved until the following season.