No matter the sport, many elite athletes dedicate themself to their craft by being overly cautious about the food they eat.
Diet choices often vary by sport and preference. Some athletes go for a high-protein, low-fat diet. Others may even go with a keto-based diet. But for Alex Ovechkin, one of the greatest players in NHL history, he doesn’t pay much mind to the foods he ingests.
The longtime Capitals star has drawn attention for his unique dietary choices that in many ways, contradict the commitment and discipline many athletes show with food in order to build strength and stamina.
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Here’s what to know about Ovechkin’s diet.
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Alex Ovehckin diet, explained
Ovechkin, 39, has previously been asked about his dietary choices. Unexpectedly, he said he had no strict rules he follows.
“Some people go on a diet during the season. Some don’t eat pasta, some don’t eat meat… But I eat whatever I want,” Ovechkin said through translation, according to The Hockey News.
Subway
Back in March 2024, the Capitals star was spotted boarding a team flight with a Subway sandwich and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in hand.
Ovechkin at 39: Subway, Hot Cheetos, and chasing greatness 🥪👑
Built different. pic.twitter.com/xPl35KgNMx
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 24, 2025
Ovechkin is a known Subway fan. His teammate, Lars Eller, once told The Athletic that Ovechkin always picks up the same sandwich for team flights, which Ovechkin joked is “one of the secrets” of his diet.
“Every time we go on the plane he always picks up a footlong spicy Italian from Subway,” Eller told The Athletic. “He always comes on the plane, he sits down and he just eats this huge, footlong spicy Italian sandwich.”
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Soda
Ovechkin has also reportedly drunk soda during his games. A teammate of his once picked up a drink off the bench, realizing Ovechkin’s bottle was full of soda. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan said in 2021 that he keeps Pepsi in a water bottle and sips on it throughout his matchups.
Alex Ovechkin’s drink of choice during games may surprise you🥤
đź“ş: Penguins-Captials, ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/ZU5qSh0OfU
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 11, 2021
Ovechkin certainly hasn’t hidden his love for soda, either.Â
Pasta
Another former teammate of Ovechkin’s, Brooks Oprik, once called the superstar’s diet “borderline inspiring” in a Players’ Tribune article.Â
“Ovi always orders the same thing — Mama Lucia, which is this pasta dish that’s like chicken parm with noodles, bread, cheese, the kind of thing you want to take a five-hour nap after eating. He makes a big display of it too,” Oprik wrote. “There’s no shame. It’ll be eleven in the morning, way before anyone is really thinking about eating lunch, and Ovi will walk into the dining area yelling, ‘Mama Lucia! Mama Lucia!’ I don’t know. It’s weird, but it seems normal now.
Then, a few hours later, he’s outskating everyone on the ice, knocking guys on their asses and sniping pucks wherever he wants.”
Ovechkin’s wife, Nastya Ovechkin, once recorded him eating a plate of spaghetti the morning before a 12:30 p.m. game.Â
Between an influx of heavy carbs before taking the ice, sipping on soda while playing and eating Subway sandwiches on flights, Ovechkin’s diet likely isn’t one that a nutritionist would recommend for a star athlete. But it certainly hasn’t affected the all-time hockey great, who’s been a steady force in the NHL since 2005.
Ovechkin has even said he isn’t a big fan of offseason workouts, another complete contradiction to everything professional athletes often represent.
“I hate prep. I hate it,” Ovechkin said, according to The Hockey News. “I just don’t like training. Before the season, that’s the hardest part. Can you imagine, after vacation, you arrive, you’re tan, everything’s fine, happy, and your coach calls you and says, ‘Well Sasha, tomorrow we start training.’ And it starts, you go to training, then rest, then another training. I hate it, I can’t stand it.”
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