Alex Ovechkin names Evgeni Malkin, Georges Laraque & 6'3" ex-Capitals teammate as NHL's toughest fighters

ESPY award winner for "Record-Breaking Performance", Alex Ovechkin, recently shared the names of the NHL’s toughest fighters that he has seen. In a chat with Kamil Gadzhiev, he named Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, former Canadian hockey star Georges Laraque and another former player Donald Brashear, the most dangerous fighters in the hockey community.

All three played with toughness, and Ovechkin has great respect for each of them. The 39-year-old also said that he learned to fight as a child growing up in Moscow.

“Street,” he answered when asked how he picked up fighting.

Ovechkin didn’t take boxing or wrestling classes, but his experience came from real situations, not training. He added that boxing might help hockey players on select occasions, but wrestling is not necessary.

"It depends on the person, whether he likes it or not. For example, wrestling – I don’t know if hockey players need it," Ovi said.

Donald Brashear, who once played for the Capitals, was one of the biggest enforcers in the league. He stood at 6-foot-3 and brought strength and intimidation to the ice. Ovechkin played with him in Washington and remembered how effective he was during physical confrontations.

Georges Laraque also made Ovechkin’s list. Laraque spent most of his NHL career with the Oilers and Canadiens. He was known for being strong and clean during fights.

Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin’s Russian teammate from the national team and longtime NHL opponent, was also included in the list.

“Well, Gino, yes,” Ovechkin said when asked about him.

Malkin isn’t known for fighting often, but he earned Ovechkin’s respect.

Alex Ovechkin is known for scoring, not fighting. But he still values the physical side of the game. At 39, he continues to be a strong presence on the ice. He scored 44 goals and 29 assists in the 2024–25 regular season.

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Alex Ovechkin hopes his goal record will be broken one day

Alex Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer this season with 895 goals. He passed Wayne Gretzky in a game against the Islanders on April 6. Gretzky was present in the arena and saw Ovechkin score.

After the game, Gretzky told him (via RMNB):

“I can tell you first-hand, I know how hard it is to get to 894; 895 is pretty special. ... My congratulations to not only Alex, his mom and dad, his family, his wife and kids.”

Ovechkin tied Gretzky’s goal total in the same number of games, 1,487. On July 19, when asked about someone breaking his record one day, he said:

“God willing, someone will break my record. ... I will congratulate that player, just like Gretzky congratulated me.”

Alex Ovechkin didn’t name any player but said there are many talented ones who could achieve the feat.

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Edited by Satagni Sikder