Ovechkin: I would love to play for Canadiens

What else can you say about the the best goal scorer in the NHL​. They call him the great 8, Alexander the great, Ovie, call him whatever you like, the bottom line is he hits, he scores, and is leading the Washington Capitals​ to the playoffs.

The Washington Capitals face the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre Thursday night and Alex Ovechkin is excited about it.

In an alternate NHL universe, Ovechkin could be lining up on the Canadiens’ side of the ice.

As Ovechkin prepared to sit down with ESPN for an interview Thursday, the NHL’s leading goal scorer expressed his love for the city of Montreal and the atmosphere at the Bell Centre.

“I love playing here,” Ovechkin told ESPN.

When asked if he could picture himself playing for the Canadiens’ if he wasn’t holding down his position as face of the Capitals’ franchise, the Great 8 gave Montreal hockey fans something to dream about.

“Yeah, probably, if I would have a choice,” Ovechkin said. “The culture, the atmosphere, the city . . . If I wasn’t in Washington? Yes, here.”

Ovechkin has experienced the excitement of playoff hockey in Montreal first-hand, albeit on the losing end of a series.

The Capitals fell to the Canadiens in a seven-game series back in 2010, with Montreal winning 4-1 at the Bell Centre in Game 6.

Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals with 50 and currently sits second in points with 77.

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