Hottest NHL Dads: Hockey Players Whose Kids Are Their No. 1 Fans

If there was a Stanley Cup for parenting, surely these NHL all-stars would win it all.

Washington Capitals athlete Alex Ovechkin, for his part, shares sons Ilya and Sergei with his wife, Nastasiya Ovechkina. Alex and Nastasiya’s boys have frequently been in the stands, but they aren’t pushing their kids to follow in Dad’s footsteps.

“[Sergei] really likes hockey, but we never forced him to play,” Nastasiya told Hello! Magazine Russia in 2022. “Dad, of course, played a big role here. [Sergei] has been going to matches since he was a baby [and] it’s very interesting for him. He is a sporty boy: he loves football, tennis is easy for him, and, of course, his grandmother [Alex’s mother, Olympian Tatyana Nikolaevna Ovechkina] plays basketball with him.”

William Karlsson — who plays for the Vegas Golden Knights — became a first-time dad one month before his NHL team won the 2023 Stanley Cup in June. Karlsson’s wife, Emily Ferguson, gave birth to son Beckham that May.

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“Such a special game🤎. Glad we could make it for the raising of the Stanley Cup Championship banner!!” the Bachelor in Paradise alum gushed via Instagram in October 2023, sharing a pic with Beckham at the Golden Knights’ home stadium. “Truly an unforgettable year. Now let’s do it again!!! GO KNIGHTS GO!!! ⚔️”

Keep scrolling to see photos of the biggest hockey stars and their children:

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