President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia congratulated hockey player Alex Ovechkin on Monday for breaking the N.H.L.’s goal-scoring record.
Mr. Ovechkin, 39, captain of the Washington Capitals, scored his 895th career goal on Sunday afternoon in a game against the New York Islanders, surpassing a record set by Wayne Gretzky that had stood for 26 years.
In a statement, Mr. Putin praised Mr. Ovechkin for the “momentous achievement,” calling it “a genuine cause for celebration for fans in Russia and beyond.”
The sports milestone and the Kremlin's comments have renewed focus on Mr. Ovechkin’s past support for Mr. Putin and his position regarding the war in Ukraine.
Mr. Ovechkin, who has played for the Washington Capitals since 2005, has resided in the United States for the past two decades. His Instagram profile photo features him with Mr. Putin, and in 2017, he initiated a social media movement called #PutinTeam prior to Russia’s elections.
In 2022, he drew attention for not outright condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. When asked about it during a news conference, Mr. Ovechkin stated, “Please, no more war.” He acknowledged his support for Mr. Putin by saying, “He’s my president,” but emphasized, “I am not in politics. I’m an athlete.”
Following his record-setting goal, Mr. Ovechkin expressed gratitude to his fellow players and stated, “Russia, we did it!”
On Monday, Russian state television hailed Mr. Ovechkin as “our pride, a Russian hockey player who made history,” noting the admiration he has garnered on both sides of the Atlantic.
Pro-Putin commentators quickly highlighted Mr. Ovechkin’s achievements, with political scientist Sergei Markov remarking on social media that “Ovechkin has showed many times he is not afraid and not ashamed of being Russian, even when Russians have been bullied for being Russian.”
Mr. Ovechkin has not represented Russia internationally since 2019, and the Russian national team has been barred from global competitions by the International Ice Hockey Federation since the onset of the war in Ukraine.
The conflict has become a contentious issue in international sports, with Russian athletes facing pressure to denounce the war.