The luxurious mansion, gorgeous girlfriend, hot car and public adoration come right out of an American dream.

But, as April Witt discovers in her story that appeared in yesterday's Washington Post Magazine, the iron will that made the Capitals' Alexander Ovechkin hockey's future came straight from Russia. Witt will be online fielding questions and comments today. Joining Witt is Slava Malamud, a sports writer for the Russian-language Sports-Express Daily.

April Witt is a Magazine staff writer.

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Bowie, Md.: Slava - I would like to know how much the fans in Russia are following how Alex is doing here in the NHL, as well as folks like Alexander Semin and Evgeni Malkin.

Slava Malamud: I try my best to make sure they are riveted.

Ovie, Malkin and Kovalchuk are easily the three biggest names in Russian hockey right now. Virtually any interesting thing they do (like scoring a hat trick, for example, or getting hurt) is automatically front-page news in the Russian press.

I work for a national daily publication with about 700,000 readers in Russia alone, and we cover all sports, not just hockey, but I have written several Ovechkin-related front page stories this season already.

Ovechkin's Olympic success in particular made him one of the central sports figures in Russia. My publication named him Athlete of the Month twice since his NHL debut.

The same is true for Malkin, mostly because of the detective story which surrounded his coming to America. This one really got out of hand in the media. At one point I found myself taking part in a conference call that was broadcast all over Russia on a Jerry Springer-like talk show, arguing with Velichkin (if you followed the story, you know who he is).

Semin, thanks to his quiet personality and to the fact that he is a country boy from an unassuming team, is less of an attraction at this point.

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April Witt: Hi. I'm glad so many of you enjoyed the piece. I certainly enjoyed reporting and writing it. One of the pleasures of working on that story was meeting Slava Malamud, who was kind enough to serve as my Russian-language interpreter for several interviews. Slava is a sports writer for Sport-Express, the largest Russian-language sports daily in Eastern Europe. Slava, who is based here, writes regularly about the NHL, the Caps and Alexander Ovechkin. I'm pleased he's joining us here today. Let's get started.

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Princeton, NJ: April,

What a great article and look and one of the stars of the new NHL. I was wondering if there was any resentment from Russia with Alex coming over to the US? Are they supportive or his move or would they rather him star in his home country?

Slava Malamud: Russia is a complicated country, my friend. Just going to the NHL doesn't automatically mean you will be resented there. It all depends on things like:

- the circumstances in which you left

- how well you play for the national team at the World Championships and Olympics

- what kinds of things you say to the press

- whether you are generally a nice guy.

While Alex's manner of leaving Dynamo Moscow was not without controversy (OK, Dynamo fans did burn his effigy once... but that could happen to anyone), he passes all other conditions with flying colors.

Generally, he is very well liked in Russia right now. More so that Kovalchuk and Malkin, for example.

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Charlottesville, Va: Thank you for such a lovely and inspiring article. But why not at least mention his teammates just a bit more?

April Witt: Thanks for the compliment. I'm glad you found the story inspiring. You make an excellent point about mentioning other Caps more. Several Caps went out of their way to help me report this story. To say that I am not a sports writer is an understatement. I've been a reporter for more than 20 years and this is the first sports story I've ever written. I'd expected the Caps player to be at least somewhat disdainful of a reporter who didn't normally cover hockey. Instead, they were exceptionally polite and helpful. I wish I'd add space to include more of their comments. In the end, a decided to include much more of the parents and less of the players. I made that choice only because I wanted to focus on the forces that shaped Alex, which led me to his childhood stories.

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Rockville, Md: I'd like to know how many pairs of skates Ovie goes thru in a season, why he still wears the same old pair of tattered pants each game, and what made him decide to change shoulder pads in the offseason. (I'd also like to tell Ovie that it's a pleasure to watch him play.)

Slava Malamud: I am sure only Ovie himself and the Caps equipment manager can answer the skate question for you. I can only offer my best guess.

I know that many players are a bit crazy about their equipment. It's not only superstition. In hockey a lot of little things, like having your pants fit just right, take huge importance. The same is with skates and the exact way they must be sharpened.

Ovie started last year wearing his old Dynamo Moscow pads with 32 (his Dynamo jersey number) scribbled in magic marker on them. They looked quite battered to me and there is little surprise in him changing them. He probably got a set to try from a sponsor company and liked how it felt.

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Bowie, Md.: I hope everyone who read the article in the Washington area begins to spend some time to watch him on the ice every time the Capitals play a game here. If he played anywhere in Canada, he's get more time in the media than their Prime Minister. We have a major superstar here, and he could probably walk through the aisles at Giant Food and no one would know him from Chris Clark.

April Witt: Hi Chris. Thanks so much for taking time to write. You are definitely one of the players who went out of their way to help me on the story. So I'm glad to be able to give you public thanks. You are, unfortunately, correct to say Alex could walk through the aisles of Giant and not be mobbed. I've seen him mobbed by hockey fans outside practices and games. But those are places hockey fans seek him out. I went to the mall with Alex once and the general public didn't have a clue who he was. In Canada, I understand that he's mobbed like a rock star 24-7. I'm sure hockey fans elsewhere would be thrilled to have Alex play in their hometown regularly. They would no doubt be puzzled to see so many empty seats at the Verizon center on hockey nights.

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Los Angeles via Potomac, MD: Thanks for the terrific insight into the best young talent in

the NHL. I've read plenty about his mother being a notable

basketball player in Russia, but it's interesting that his dad

played soccer competitively as well. Any thoughts as to how

Alex settled on hockey as his sport of choice?

April Witt: Alex was reportedly good at every sport he tried. His mother says he's a heck of a basketball player, and she should know. His father says Alex was also adept at soccer. I think Alex first became interesting in hockey watching games on TV as a small boy. He had wanted to start playing when he was very young, about six. But his parents could not work out a schedule to get him to practices. So he didn't start skating until about age eight.

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Bethesda, Md:

Great Story! I am male, and have never really understood Hockey, as I grew up in the DC area and never played it. Your article breathed life into a sport I thought was dead. How did you ever learn enough about the game to write such a great story?

Thanks.

April Witt: Well, if you hadn't said you were male I'd suspect that my mom wrote that question. I am so please you think I breathed life into hockey for you. I didn't know anything about hockey when I started reporting this story. I did what I always do when I report: I watched, I asked questions. It's easy to write about people who are passionate and obsessive about what they do. They are just fare more interesting than people who live or work on autopilot.

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Virginia: Is Alex learning English? What is the NHL doing to help foreign players learn English? MLB has a high percent of non-speaking English players.

April Witt: Alex has learned a lot of English very rapidly. He knew some basic English when he arrived. He roomed with a North American teammate (rather than a fellow Russian speaker) so he could continue to work on his English. I interviewed him at times in English. But his English wasn't quite good enough to answer abstract questions. So Slava translated in a long sit-down with Alex.

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Arlington, Va: I enjoyed your article, but nearly laughed out loud when I read that Ovechkin lives in "downtown Arlington". I bet if you asked 5 Arlingtonians where downtown was you'd get 5 different answers. Where is your downtown Arlington?

April Witt: Busted. My personal downtown is in Bethesda where I live. You are the second person from Northern Virginia to point out to me that the concept of downtown Arlington is a disputed one. I guess I should cross the state line more often.

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Ottawa, Ontario Canada: Congrats on a wonderful look into Alex's family and emotions about the game.

When does alex think he will win the Cup?

April Witt: Thanks. Alex, other players, and managers talk about a show building process. In the story, Alex talks about dreaming repeatedly that the Caps have won the Cup and he is holding it. Even in his dreams, I don't believe he's counting on that happening soon.

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Arlington, Va: Thanks for the great article. One thing though: I thought Alex fired his agent and rehired his parents. Is the agent mentioned in your article a new agent, or the one that got fired?

April Witt: Ah, you have hit on one of the few downsides of working for The Washington Post magazine. My story was written weeks ago. It cleared the copy desk and was published about three weeks ago. Alex fired his agents AFTER my story was published, but before it landed on your doorstep. So that's why his old agent is mentioned in the story.

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Washington, D.C.: While Ovechkin is arguably the biggest star today in the NHL, the Caps' average home attendance has consistently hovered near the bottom of the league ever since Alex began playing for Washington. While I am under the impression that he likes DC, do you think he might prefer to play in a City that actually appreciates hockey?

April Witt: I had that same question when I started working on this story. I have no way of knowing whether they are just being politic, but the entire Ovechkin family went out of their way to tell me repeatedly how thrilled they are that Alex is playing for the Caps. Alex's father told me that it's hard to say who is luckier in the deal -- Alex or the Caps. According to the dad, because Alex has been such a standout star on a team without a lot of stars he's gotten more exposure than he would have on a stronger team.

Slava Malamud: Alex and his family seem to genuinely enjoy being in Washington. His dad initially had some apprehension about DC because he thought that a capital of the United States must surely be a big city with lots of distractions. He actually would've preferred Alex to play in as unassuming circumstances as possible.

So, as you can see, the size of the market is not a big deal for them.

But Alex is so focused on hockey and hockey alone, he tends to defer other decisions to people who surround him. While currently he has absolutely no plans for switching teams, I could see him being persuaded to leave if the situation changes and whoever that represents him thinks he'd be a lot more marketable elsewhere.

But this is not something Caps fans should worry about just now.

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Virginia: If you noticed in each past games, Alex was slammed or hit physically harder by other Russian players in the NHL this season. Jealousy?

Slava Malamud: Professionalism.

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Vienna, Va: As a Caps fan, I was excited to see Ovechkin and the team get some really nice exposure from your article. Do you think more people in the DC area are catching on to the fact that we have such an amazing talent playing for the home team? I'd like to see more coverage like this for him and the team. Potentially one of the greatest players ever to take the ice plays 40+ games a season in downtown DC...let's sell them all out!!!

April Witt: It isn't just the Caps who are struggling to fill seats. All of hockey has had a hard time coming back from the lockout. But given how rare a talent Alex is, you would think that more people would make an effort to watch his games.

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Washington, D.C.: I find it odd that Alexander Ovechkin and the Russia mafia have nothing to do with each other. Were there money exchange for his protection? Why did he left Russia suddenly? Was his family threatened?

April Witt: Uh, I don't think it's any mystery why he left Russia suddenly. He's always wanted to play in the NHL and he finally had the opportunity. Coming here has also turned out to be a financial windfall. Although his Russian team was paying him a higher basic salary, he earned so many bonuses here last season that playing for the Caps turned out to be very lucrative for him.

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Pensacola Fla:"He stood on the tee, greeting golfers, signing autographs and taking practice shots. On about his 100th shot, something happened that most golfers wait a lifetime to achieve: The ball soared 160 yards, bounced three times and dropped into the cup -- a hole-in-one."

That's not a hole-in-one......it's a hole-in-a-hundred. A "hole in one" can only be made during a score card keeping round...not in practice.

Otherwise a good article.

April Witt: I appreciate your point. The people I asked, however, considered that a hole-in-one with a caveat. Any golfers out there who want to weigh in on that point, feel free.

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Flin Flon, Manitoba : Slava - Russia has an extraordinary array of game-breaking talent at forward, but there's a conspicuous dropp in talent on the blueline. Why? And will it change soon?

Slava Malamud: The traditional Russian (actually, I should say "Soviet") style of hockey tends to focuse fast-skating and highly skilled players. This is the way we were able to win all those world championships and Olympics in the past and nobody saw any reason to fix what wasn't broken. Developing crafty forwards was always a top priority.

Defensively, we were more than adequate on the world stage, without the NHLers present to prove otherwise. We did have huge, skilled and very tough blueliners such as Ragulin, Fetisov, Kasatonov and Konstantinov, just never in the same amounts as light, fast wingers.

Currently more and more people in Russia realize the deficincies of this single-minded approach, but change never comes quickly or easily in my country.

This could also be due to the fact that defensmen take a lot longer to develop. This position is less about raw talent and more about work ethic an experience. And Russian players tend to move to North America while still very young these days.

Still, our blueline problems are nothing compared to the deisaster that is Russian goalie development.

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Burke, Va: Who had the idea for the piece? You or the editors of the Post? Hockey coverage in the Post leaves a lot to be desired, so I was wondering who took the initiative to for the cover story of the magazine.

It was a refreshing change and an outstanding piece.

We need more of that!

Cheers!

April Witt: Actually, I went to a Caps game on a date last season and my date suggested that I write about this hot new Russian player named Alexander Ovechkin. I didn't think I could write a sustained magazine piece on Alex at the time because he spoke so little English. Several months ago, I was lunching with a colleague who mentioned that Ovechkin would make a good cover story for the magazine. By then, Alex had learned enough English to make a magazine cover feasible. Frankly, I don't think he was all that thrilled about giving me the access I needed to write the piece. He's accustomed to sports writers asking questions in the locker room - not following him home! I was impressed by how gracious he was even when he clearly wanted to get rid of me.

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Washington, DC: alex recently split w/ his agent to have his mother handle his affairs. do you have any insight as to why? this doesn't sound like a good move for any athlete. what do you think the impact will be on alex and his future in washington.

April Witt: I think the drive to replace his agents came from his mother. She made it clear in conversation that she wasn't happy with the representation, although she declined to say why. Obviously, it's been a difficult adjustment for his parents (who oversaw his career in Russia) to essentially turn him over to others here. Untimately, I don't think they could do that emotionally.

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Annandale, Va: Slava, who is said to be the 'next' big thing from Russia? And do you have any comments on goaltender Semen Varlamov, who the Caps drafted this past June?

Slava Malamud: Since in Russia goalies are notoriously underdeveloped, it usually takes a tremendous natural talent to emerge from our system. Varlamov has plenty of it, but he is also very raw. Time will tell if he can adjust to the North American game.

The "next big thing" right now appears to be Nashville's Radulov, who lit up the Quebec junior league last year.

One guy you might not have heard about yet is 17-y.o. Alexei Cherepanov, who plays in Omsk and averages alsmot a point a game against adults.

He will be a hot commodity in next year's draft. If the Caps are lucky again... But he, reportedly, is a huge Avs fan.

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Virginia: Slava, you mentioned Kovalchuk and Malkin. How are they viewed in Russia? Did Malkin's 'stealthy' move to the US turn a lot of people off?

Slava Malamud: Yes, it surely did. It was a very controvercial issue, with views ranging from accusations of treason to calling him a hero. More of the former, actually.

However, all it will take for him is to help Russia succeed in World Championships once or twice and all will be forgiven.

Kovalchuk has a history of underperforming on the international stage, however, so he is an even more polarizing figure right now. Most people seem to think that he only cares about American money.

In truth, his biggest problem is the playing time he gets on the national team. He told me this in an interview last season and the story developed into a nasty trans-Atlantic verbal fight with the national team coach, who (also in my paper) accused Kovy of alcoholism and told him to take a vacation in Hawaii and not bother to show up for the 2006 Worlds.

Right now, Ilya has some things to prove to Russian fans.

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April Witt: To the person who asked above how many pairs of skates Alex goes through in a season, this just in from the Caps: Six.

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Charlottesville, Va: Right, I thought so. Have you talked to Ovie since the article came out?

Oh, I love how the Washington Post provides another way for me to procrasinate on work...

April Witt: I am not sure what your "right" refers to. But I'm always happy to help provided distraction for a bored worker. I haven't spoken to Ovie since the story ran. I don't believe he's read the story yet. Someone with the Caps showed him the magazine after their last game. But given the outcome of the game, he wasn't in the mood to read it at that moment.

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Russian hockey: Hi, is there any good websites or publications providing information about Russian (and other countries) hockey in English? Right now, all I get are tiny little blurbs in The Hockey News, but I'd love to read more about international players. For instance, that bit of gossip about Kovalchuk was priceless, and I have no idea what prospects are hot or former NHLers are doing over there.

Slava Malamud: Russianprospects.com is really top-notch.

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Halifax, Nova Scotia : April, based on your experience with hockey players for this article, would you like to profile more of them? The Post could certanly use a regular columnist willing to consider writing about hockey.

April Witt: No. I like to mix it up, and constantly tackle new subjects. I think the Post hockey coverage is good, by the way.

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Burke, Va:"April Witt: Actually, I went to a Caps game on a date last season and my date suggested that I write about this hot new Russian player named Alexander Ovechkin."

Was it your first hockey game live?

April Witt: It was my first professional hockey game. I attended a few games in college.

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20008: Who doesn't like AO? He may be the most popular player in the NHL and Slava says in Russia too. Is there anyone (either of) you found who has an unkind word to say about him?

Slava Malamud: I am sure the Dynamo fans who burned his effigy on the streets last year have since repented.

He is really Russia's golden boy right now.

April Witt: I didn't find one person who had an unkind thing to say about him. His teammates made a point of saying nobody doesn't like him. He's a very likeable young man. One of his teammates told me a story about Alex showing up for training camp last year wearing tight, cut-off shorts. A fellow player teased him saying that in this country only girls where shorts like that. Alex took the razzing very well. He laughed at himself....and never wore the shorts again.

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Washington, DC: I love hockey. I would love to see Ovie. But ticket prices are outrageous, especially if I want to take my kids. If seats are empty, why not lower ticket prices?

April Witt: Since you are one of several readers who mention that high ticket prices are a barrier to their attending, I'll post this as a comment for the Caps managers/owners to read and consider.

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Clarksburg: Could you explain the differences in how Russian players are contracted to their Russian league teams with the way NHL players are.

Slava Malamud: Every pro team in Russia, unlike here, has its own youth development system.

Russian players go into professional teams' systems at a very young age, usually between 7 and 10.

The team signs a contract with the player's parents, assuring them that their kid will be trained for free and his equipment, travel expenses and per diems will be taken care of. Some "under the table" money, however, can also change hands, both ways.

Until the players are 16 or 17, they develop in the team's youth squads, where the level of competition can be quite demanding. Long-distance travel (a train ride from Siberia to the Volga River can take several days) is also very tough. High school hockey this is not, folks.

At the age of 16 or 17, when the player is ready to join the professional team, he signs a standard 5-year deal. Some contracts have an escape clause, letting the player jump to the NHL whenever he wants, some don't.

This, of course, is vastly different from the NHL, where players are never a team's property until drafted at the age of 18.

The NHL has a transfer agreement with European leagues, allowing North American teams to pluck any drafted player for an agreed-upon standard compensation. Russia, however, is not a part of this agreement. But since Russian labor laws allow players to break their countracts with a two-week notice, the NHL simply takes whomever it wants. Since Russian teams, who invest into players from elementary-school age, feel entitled to big money, this leads to problems. Big ones.

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Washington, DC: Slava - did you have the opportunity to see the Capitals' new training facility, and if so, what were your impressions?

Slava Malamud: The best one I've ever seen.

Practice rinks, even in the NHL, are usually quite ho-hum. They are working places, not fan attractions. This one is both.

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Poolesville, Md: Great article! Does Alex and his peers have a business plan to increase the interest and attendance of the Caps? The team needs to cultivate the sport of hockey among the inter-city youth and thus develop the interest of kids and their parents of all ethnic backgrounds This would promote interest, attendance and the financial stability of the franchise.

April Witt: Alex, the Caps and the NHL are keenly aware that they need to increase ticket sales and are working on it. Alex makes himself available to do promotions whenever asked. In fact, I've been told he has a problem saying no even when it might be in his best interest to do so. The NHL has Alex on a short list of players they want to try to promote in the general media to heighten interest in hockey. I didn't know that when I proposed doing a cover story on Alex.

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Thunder Bay, Ontario: Slava - what was the general view of Pavel Bure's leadership of Russian international hockey, especially with respect to last year's Olympics?

Slava Malamud: Leadership? What leadership?

He is a GM of the National Team and since in Russia all national team roster moves are always made by the head coach, this position is nothing but a sinecure.

Pavel's leadership days are probably well ahead of him. He is a masterful politician, who has managed the art of being liked by all.

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Eveleth, Minn: If you were going to redesign the Caps around Ovechkin, what would you change?

Slava Malamud: The Caps have lots of glaring weaknesses, defense and the lack of a good passing center being the biggest, but I am sure the management knows it all better than we do.

PR-wise, they are handling the Ovechkin case expertly, in my opinion.

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Belle Cote, Nova Scotia : Slava, I have enjoyed terrifically your answers today. The Russian hockey system and culture I find fascinating. The Capitals have a weekly Internet broadcast program, and I wonder if you would concider being a guest on it in the future if they invited you?

Slava Malamud: Thanks, I'd like that.

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Hamburg, Germany: Hi April!

Thanks for the great read!

As you know, Ovechkin fired his Agent and rumour has it, he's going to be managed by his mother. Like most capsfans I am rather nervous about this. As you pointed out, she doesn't know the language, doesn't know the culture, doesn't know the way things are handled in the US. Having been around his family and himself for quite some time how do you judge this? Wouldn't it be time for Tatiana to let go of her little boy a bit and let him live his own life?

April Witt: I think it's excruciatingly difficult for Tatiana to let go. She's an extremely forceful woman. She's a devoted mother. From her perspective, she and her husband - not any agent - are responsible for helping Alex get to the NHL. It will be fascinating to see how this drama plays out. While huge sums of money are at stake, I'd water that the decision to fire the agent was driven more by family dynamics.

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April Witt: Thanks to everyone to wrote in. Thanks especially to Slava for joining us and bringing his expertise to this discussion. Goodbye.

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