Washington Capitals legend Alexander Ovechkin became the all-time leading goalscorer in the NHL on Sunday- and his drop-dead gorgeous wife Nastya was there to witness it all.
He recorded his eagerly-awaited goal number 895 into the Capitals' history books at UBS Arena during its match against New York Islanders, thus surpassing a long-standing mark set by ice hockey great Wayne Gretzky.
Alex Ovechkin is married to Anastasia Shubskaya, who is also known by her nicknames Nastya or Nastasiya. The couple got engaged in September 2015 and tied the knot the following year, officially becoming husband and wife in 2016.
Shubskaya is the daughter of the late Russian film star Vera Glagoleva. The love story between Ovechkin and Shubskaya traces back to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where they initially met, according to People Magazine. However, it wasn’t until 2015 that they reconnected and began their relationship in earnest.
Having previously pursued a modeling career, Shubskaya has built a sizable following on social media, boasting over 500,000 Instagram followers.
Kids
Alex Ovechkin shares two young sons with his wife, Shubskaya: his firstborn, Sergei, was born in 2018, after which he was named in honor of Ovechkin's deceased brother, followed by the second son, Ilya, born in 2020.
Sergei and Ilya are spotted frequently cheering on their dad at games hosted by the Washington Capitals, indirectly endearing them as fans as they cheer Ovechkin on his record-breaking journey in the NHL.
Early Life
Born and raised in a tiny Russian town, the boy made his way into the NHL on an unbroken path. Early in his life, he was born in the capital of the biggest country and began his hockey career in the youth ranks of Dynamo Moscow. He made his professional debut in the 2001–02 season, playing in the Russian Super League.
Though drafted in the 2004 NHL Draft, Ovechkin's North American debut was postponed because of the 2004-05 NHL lockout, which made him opt to play another year with Dynamo Moscow. He made his much-awaited glory debut with the Washington Capitals during the 2005-06 season, thus starting what was to become a legendary career.
NHL's All-Time Greatest Goal Scorers: Ovechkin Chasing Gretzky
The list of the top 21 goal scorers in NHL history features legends of the game, with each player having scored at least 600 career goals. All are enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame—except Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, and Jaromir Jagr, who are either still active or not yet eligible.
Here’s where Ovechkin stands among the greatest to ever do it:
1. Wayne Gretzky – 895 goals (1,488 games)
2. Alex Ovechkin – 892 goals (1,485 games)
3. Gordie Howe – 801 goals (1,767 games)
4. Jaromir Jagr – 766 goals (1,733 games)
5. Brett Hull – 741 goals (1,269 games)
6. Marcel Dionne – 731 goals (1,348 games)
7. Phil Esposito – 717 goals (1,282 games)
8. Mike Gartner – 708 goals (1,432 games)
9. Mark Messier – 694 goals (1,756 games)
10. Steve Yzerman – 692 goals (1,514 games)
11. Mario Lemieux – 690 goals (915 games)
12. Teemu Selanne – 684 goals (1,451 games)
13. Luc Robitaille – 668 goals (1,431 games)
14. Brendan Shanahan – 656 goals (1,524 games)
15. Dave Andreychuk – 640 goals (1,639 games)
16. Joe Sakic – 625 goals (1,378 games)
17. Jarome Iginla – 625 goals (1,554 games)
18. Sidney Crosby – 619 goals (1,345 games)
19. Bobby Hull – 610 goals (1,063 games)
20. Dino Ciccarelli – 608 goals (1,232 games)
21. Jari Kurri – 601 goals (1,251 games)