Alex Ovechkin settles childhood grudge with NJ Devils’ Miles Wood

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is getting old.

We know this because he’s been through two NHL lockouts, and because he has some gray in his hair, and because players on opposing teams can now testify that they “grew up” as Ovechkin fans.

One such player is Miles Wood of the New Jersey Devils. The 21-year-old rookie forward, a Buffalo native and the son of former NHLer Randy Wood, actually sent Ovechkin a letter 10 years ago as a young fan. Inside was a hockey card that he wanted autographed, a self-addressed stamped envelope so he could return it … and a warning.

“He said, ‘If you don’t sign this and send it back to me when I make it to the NHL, I’m going to give you a big body-check,” recalled Randy Wood on the Devils’ Facebook Live.

Miles Wood never got the card back.

On Thursday night, he faced Ovechkin for the first time in his career.

The hockey world – OK, the Devils and the Wood family – waited with breathless anticipation to see what would happen; would the bitter 10-year-old come out and try to lay a hit on the Russian Machine?

Well, Ovechkin decided to get ahead of the collision and defuse the situation. He sent over an autographed picture to Wood before the game, asking the Devils rookie to “take it easy tonight.”

Priceless.

Through two periods, Wood had laid out a couple of hits but none against Ovechkin, whom he clearly hopes will sign his copy of NHL 07 after the game …

UPDATE:

Image via Capitals

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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