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Meet Washington Capitals’ Stanley Pup, Alex Ofetchkin

Posted on by angelo
Meet Washington Capitals’ Stanley Pup, Alex Ofetchkin

The 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final kicked off last night, and while we won’t see Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin in the Stanley Cup Final this year, his puppy counterpart will certainly make an impact on the ice. Melon (aka Alex Ofetchkin) represented the Caps in the NHL’s first “Stanley Pup” which took place Friday night. The NHL has teamed up with the non-profit organization Petco Love to host an adorable competition between rescue dogs.

Meet Washington Capitals’ Stanley Pup, Alex Ofetchkin

Alex Ofetchkin goes through Wolf Trap Animal Rescue (WTAR) in Fairfax, Virginia. WTAR is a veterinarian-led nonprofit organization whose mission focuses on saving high-risk animals from euthanasia, neglect and abuse. The nine-week-old Heeler mix is ​​listed as a 14-pound forward on his official roster card. Additionally, the card states that he “believes in the power of Pawsitivity,” a play on words on the Capitals’ “Power of Friendship” mantra this season.

All 16 NHL teams that qualified for the playoffs were represented by a puppy, several of whom are available for adoption in their city. In addition, each four-legged friend bears the name of a player from the team for which he plays.

“We are honored that the NHL is highlighting these star puppies,” Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love, said in a May 28 press release. “Everyone can be a champion in the life of a pet. When you adopt a pet from your local shelter, everyone wins! »

“At the NHL, we love supporting great causes and the opportunity to produce a program that finds homes for rescue dogs is very rewarding,” also said Steve Mayer, NHL Chief Content Officer. “The show promises to be a lot of fun and we can’t wait for our participating pups Nathan McKibble, Joe Pawvelski, Alexander Ofetchkin and many more to visit our Stanley Pup Rink.”

“I am very proud to launch this dog sports spectacle with the NHL and very grateful for their passion in supporting adoption. The show is sure to be the biggest night of the year for dog-loving hockey fans,” added creator and producer Michael Levitt. “The cuteness overload is going to be out of this world!” I can’t wait to show viewers how special rescue dogs are and how profoundly they improve our lives when we welcome them into our families.

The show featured special appearances from celebrities Kristin Chenoweth, Mickey Guyton and Miranda Lambert. Additionally, Alexa Landestoy of the Capitals was reporting from the ice.

Capitals Partnership with WTAR

The Capitals and WTAR are long-standing community partners. Every year, the Capitals release their Caps Canine calendar. The fun calendar features photos of Capitals players posing with dogs. Additionally, proceeds from every $20 calendar sold benefit WTAR and the MSE Foundation.

According to NHL.com, the sale of Caps Canine calendars generated more than $600,000 for local animal shelters.

This year’s calendar featured, among others, Caps favorites Alex Ovechkin, TJ Oshie, Charlie Lindgren and Dylan Strome, posing with their own dogs. Additionally, Tom Wilson, Nicklas Backstrom and Sonny Milano took photos with adoptable dogs from WTAR. It’s always nice to see players having fun while giving back to the community they represent. Calendar photos were taken by Virgil Ocampo of Virgil Ocampo Photography. Paige Dowd, Annie van Riemsdyk and Taylor Wilson served as artistic directors on the project.

In 2020, the Wilson family rescued an eight-week-old lab mix from WTAR. The puppy, who the couple affectionately named Halle, was rescued from an animal cruelty situation in Mississippi. Halle made an appearance with Wilson in this year’s calendar.

To meet the dogs featured in the “Stanley Pup” and learn more about dogs available for adoption in your area, visit PetcoLove.org/StanleyPup.

Main photo credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports