When a team has one of the league’s purest goal scorers in their line-up, as well as one of the best puck moving defencemen, it is without a doubt a known fact that kids and hockey fans all over the world are going to admire them. When your top forward and defencemen both give back generously to charities and foundations – and even start up their own – it is almost certain that you will win every time.
When Alexander Ovechkin and Mike Green were both drafted in the first round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, the city of Washington and all of its fans knew what they were getting from the young Russian phenom Alex Ovechkin, but only GM George McPhee and Caps owner Ted Leonsis seemed to believe in the fire sale of their team. McPhee managed to trade Robert Lang to the Detroit Red Wings for Tomas Fleischmann and a first-round pick in that year’s draft – which the Capitals used to select Mike Green 29th overall, as well they sent superstars like Jaromir Jagr, Sergei Gonchar and Peter Bondra packing.
Six years later the two players have established themselves as not only fan favourites in Washington, but fan favourites worldwide. They have both started their own charities, Alex started Ovi’s Crazy 8’s in 2006 and Mike started Green’s Gang in 2008, which provides underserved children, recuperating injured soldiers and active military and their families a chance to come down to the Verizon Center and catch a Capitals hockey game. Both players buy out on average, seven or eight season tickets per season and then donate them to the Most Valuable Kids (MVK). From there, MVK distributes the tickets to either injured soldiers or active military and their families; or to boys and girls, 18 and under, through numerous non-profit organizations that focus on children in low-income and underserved homes.
Both groups of kids get to sit in the lower bowl for the game, where Ovi’s Crazy 8’s are given a foam NO. 8 and are given a chance to meet Alexander Ovechkin after certain games, while Green’s Gang don Green’s Gang t-shirts, rock the fohawk just like Green and are also given a chance after certain games to meet the NHL superstar.
When Caps GM George McPhee blew up his roster in 2004, he knew exactly what he was doing. He knew about the young, talented players he was bringing on board and how they would affect his team on the ice. I don’t think he saw all of this coming with it.
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