‘Great Eight’ Alex Ovechkin opens up about mental health problem during 2011 trolling and criticism incident

Just like every person has their downtime, the ‘Great Eight’ Alex Ovechkin of Washinton Capitals has faced similar situations. Mental issues and weight have been an active voice in the recent sports world. Many athletes are coming out of their curtains to share their stories and inspire others.

Ovechkin is no different. Compared to normal people who stroll across the road regularly, a sports person or anyone who’s on media needs to be careful of every little thing. Their biggest factor is their outward appearance, especially their weight. Now weight is certainly an essential topic for sportspersons overall.

The captain of the Washington Capitals had his fair share of weight war during his earlier days on the team. He certainly was a little bit plumper compared to what he is now. His freshmen year at NHL was his nightmare year, as he reached his pit bottom due to social media and open criticism.

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Alex Ovechkin talks about his journey from getting trolled to the ‘Great Eight’

Like a stigma attached to you, Alex Ovechkin faced weight problems when people online started trolling him. He was different from the other players who are fit and in proper shape. Certainly, a player needs to maintain their health, but public mockery due to weight issues can lead someone to have a mental breakdown.

Ovechkin didn’t shy away from sharing his story with NBC Sports in 2011, as he stated, “You see all these hockey players on the cover of ESPN and Sports Illustrated and they look so skinny and in shape.” “It just hurts because not everyone can look like that and people like me who carry a little extra weight are ostracized.”

Ovie became so sensitive to the topic of weight that he couldn’t even take a joke made by his close ones. His worst nightmare came when he went strolling on the beach. The whole idea was to take his mind off the social media trolling and relax a bit, which sure wasn’t in his fate. All these experiences pilled up causing him the addiction of binge eating to relieve stress.

Forget mocking or trolling people online. Ovie firsthand experienced what public mockery meant. According to him, he was trolled live in public. It was too much for him to take and he decided to participate in a body transformation show ‘The Biggest Loser’.

There he met friends and trainers who whooped him up in good shape. Not only that, Ovechkin mentioned that he himself enjoyed the whole process very much. By the end of the program, he successfully lost 253 pounds, making him confident and prepared for the upcoming NHL season.

His brilliant performance on ice quickly caught the eyes of the League and the fans. Starting from his powerful debut to his journey of being named the captain of the Washington Capitals is a beautiful memoir to note. 

Currently, the NHL star is close to becoming one of the greatest legends, as he is only a step away from crossing Gordie Howe’s record. He already crossed Howe in records of being played in the same team for the most goals. Now he is chasing the ‘Great One’ Wayne Gretzky. No doubt he’ll reach the milestone before he hangs his jersey.

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