Every now and then, an athlete will warm your heart with a random act of kindness.
In the case of a kind act by Alex Ovechkin in Edmonton, it came down to warmth. As a local cafe first revealed, Ovechkin was seen giving a homeless man clothing. (Ovechkin later revealed that he went to a store to buy the man a sweater, coat, and hat.)
Ovechkin seemed almost a bit sheepish in answering questions about giving the man some clothes in a dire situation, noting that he believes “every human can do something” to help others.
Here’s the original tweet:
As the Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson notes, Ovechkin’s act of kindness is reminiscent of what Nail Yakupov once did for an Edmonton local in need:
Uplifting stuff. Don’t be surprised if Ovechkin gets a few extra cheers tonight as his Washington Capitals face the Oilers in Edmonton.
In more mundane Caps news, the line blender is-a-whirring:
This stands as a fantastic opportunity for Devante Smith-Pelly.
James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.