Hockey has always been a physical game, with fistfights and on-ice scuffles being a daily occurrence. However, while the physicality of the sport may have evolved over the years, one aspect that has remained constant is the trash talk.
And which position knows about this better than the goaltender? As Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders mentioned, he has seen his fair share of talking smack, but one player that stands out? Alex Ovechkin.
And in a recent interview, he revealed what the Capitals legend’s trash talk is all about.
Alex Ovechkin Is Both Hilarious and Brutal in His Trash Talk, As per Ilya Sorokin
Sorokin has been a standout goaltender in the NHL since joining the Islanders back in 2020. And since then, Sorokin has faced names like Connor McDavid, Sam Bennett, and Mitch Marner, among other forwards. But Ovechkin stands out among them all.
After all, Sorokin and Ovechkin go way back. They have been teammates on the Russian National Team, and Sorokin was also the goaltender against whom Ovechkin scored his 895th goal, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s record back in April.
So when the time came to talk about the best trash talk he has heard in his career, ‘Ovi’s’ name easily came up. The host mentioned that Sorokin has this completely unreadable face when he plays and asked him who the dirtiest trash-talker is.
Every goalie faces players trying to get under their skin sooner or later. Ilya Sorokin just gave us the most hilarious breakdown of the NHL’s dirtiest trash-talkers. Happy 30th, Ilya! 🥳🎉 #Isles pic.twitter.com/uI8ITEQb7w
— Uggg (@Uggg_uggg) August 4, 2025
The name of Evgeny Kuznetsov came up, as he likes to chirp all the time. To this, Sorokin replies, “If a guy comes at you just once with some chirp, does that even count as a trash-talker?” He continues with, “Like if he skates by and says, ‘Are you gonna make a save today or what?'”
But when the name of Ovechkin came up, Sorokin simply mentioned, “Nothing too dirty; he will just go, ‘Alright, I’m scoring on you now.'” Sorokin mentions that he mostly just says, “I know.” He says that it’s mostly just that and nothing more.
Sorokin continues, “With me, it’s a short conversation. I don’t engage with anyone. Just nod and move on. Makes it easier on me.” But while Sorokin mentioned that he doesn’t let too much talk get to him, he has the upper hand when it comes to head-to-head games.
Sorokin has faced Ovechkin five times since 2023 and has won three games. Ovechkin and the Capitals walked out the winners just once, in April this year, when Ovechkin scored his only goal past Sorokin. After this moment, Sorokin even hugged his national teammate.
When going back to April 6, Sorokin mentioned, “It was amazing.” Sorokin, who grew up watching Ovechkin’s debut in the NHL, says, “So it’s a big moment for the hockey world. Congrats to Ovi and his family. He’s a big player. It’s unbelievable watching it.”
