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Ovechkin discusses Semin, Oates and being a spectator

Alex Ovechkin, NHL star and boyfriend of

Alex Ovechkin, NHL star and boyfriend of Russia’s Maria Kirilenko watches her women’s singles quarter-final match against Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska on day eight of the 2012 Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 3, 2012. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages)

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This has been a summer of change for Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin.

He discussed those alterations with The Washington Post. Let’s begin with his thoughts on Alexander Semin’s departure:

“It was a fun time to play with him,” Ovechkin said. “But how I said before: It’s a business. It’s hockey … Right now, it’s time to move on. We’re not going to cry. We’re not going to be sad.”

Ovechkin didn’t outright say that he’s glad Dale Hunter is gone, but he didn’t hide the fact that he’s pleased that Adam Oates is Washington’s new head coach.

“I think it’s good for us right now, because I think we are more [an] offensive team than [a]defensive team,” Oveckin said. “For me, I don’t want to say [anything] bad, but Dale [is a] great person, great coach, but maybe different people are pretty excited to have him.”

One more abstract change for Ovechkin is playing the role of spectator.

He said watching his girlfriend Maria Kirilenko in the Olympics helps him understand why his family would get nervous watching him perform.

“I say, ‘Why are you nervous? It’s simple,’” Ovechkin said. “Right now, I [am] just watching her play, and I get nervous, because you think, ‘Jesus Christ. Come on. Do something better.’”

Hopefully Ovechkin won’t start yelling “Shooooot!” though.