Fathers are an indispensable part of the support system that is one’s family. Unfortunately for NHL legend Alexander Ovechkin, he lost that support forever with the demise of his beloved father. The misfortune is a shock for Ovechkin as well as his fans, who remember his father as a loving and supportive figure. Ovechkin’s father, Mikhail Ovechkin, never missed an opportunity to express how proud he was of his son.

Alexander Ovechkin took to Instagram to announce the news that has left him and his family forlorn. The post ignited an emotional response in his fans and followers.

Alexander Ovechkin loses his father, Mikhail Ovechkin

Ovechkin’s father passed away at the age of 71 after battling with health issues. According to the blog Russian Machine Never Breaks, Ovechkin’s father had been battling heart issues since 2014. Recently, Alexander Ovechkin flew to Moscow to attend to his father, who was in ill health. And today, he announced the tragedy on Instagram.

With this, Ovechkin has taken a hiatus from playing with the Capitals as of now. Mikhail Ovechkin was one of his son’s biggest supporters, and during this hard time, it makes sense that Ovechkin would want to be with his family.

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His fans have not been far in comforting him. One comment especially tugged at the heartstrings because it recalled an anecdote related to Ovechkin’s father. The fan wrote, “Your father loved you to the point he stole the draft board with your name on it! Peace and love to the Ovechkin family he was beyond proud of you.” 

Read more: “Sorry to Hear This”: Alexander Ovechkin’s Saddening News Leaves NHL World Worried

Another fan called upon everyone to pray for the family, commenting, “I’m extremely sorry for your loss Ovi.🙏😭 It doesn’t even feel real coming from fan! I’m extremely sorry and I hope you and your family heal and take as much time as you need. Pray for the Ovechkin family please😭🙏”

Many sent their deepest condolences to Ovechkin:

“This is extremely sad news. My deepest condolences to u!! 😔 Hang in there Sanya! 🙏🏻”

“My sincere condolences ! In loving memory of Uncle Misha 🙏 hold on Sanya”

“My deepest condolences 😢 hold on 🙏 irreparable loss 😢 Rest in peace to a wonderful man 🙏”

“May his memory be everlasting Ovi. He raised an amazing son and left his legacy on this earth.”

“my heart breaks for you Ovi. lucky to have such a wonderful dad— as he was lucky to have you for a son. ❤️”

The undying support of Mikhail Ovechkin

While Mikhail might have left us, his caring actions toward his son will forever immortalize the love and support he provided. According to RMNB, Ovechkin’s father described the day his son got drafted as his “most pleasant moment.” Even when his father was suffering from health issues, he would stay up late to watch his games.

In fact, his father and his mother both stayed up well into the morning to watch the game when Ovechkin crossed Gordie Howe and became the second player on the list of the most goals. Ovechkin’s father used to play for the Russian football club, Dynamo Moscow. During one of his visits to Moscow, Ovechkin played a game with the club’s players and wore his father’s jersey, No. 3, the entire time. Clearly, the bond between Ovi and his father was too special for words to describe.

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