Now three months removed from setting the NHL goals record, Alex Ovechkin is under consideration for more honors.
ESPN announced Tuesday that the Washington Capitals’ star is a finalist for the 2025 Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award.
As part of the “Gr8 Chase” to pass Wayne Gretzky on the goals leaderboard, Ovechkin started a “Victory Over Cancer” campaign to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research. Starting with his 885th goal that moved him nine behind Gretzky, the Russian committed to donating money for each score the rest of his career.
“The whole thing, everything that’s happening right now with the organization, with the ’GR8 Chase,’ everybody has heard about it, right?” Ovechkin told NHL.com in March as he launched the initiative. “So I think it’s very important for us (to use that) to help kids, help people who have cancer to fight for it. It’s a cause that’s very important.”
The record-breaking 895th goal in April was met with a $895 donation by Ovechkin.
To date, the campaign has raised more than $150,000, with funds supporting the V Foundation, Hockey Fights Cancer and Ovechkin’s own Pediatric Cancer Research Grant.
Other finalists for the award include NBA guard CJ McCollum, who was traded from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Washington Wizards last month, and tennis star Sloane Stephens.
The winner will be announced on July 15 and featured during ESPN’s ESPY awards the following night.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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