Breaking: Alex Ovechkin Files A Patent

Speculation has run rampant in the hockey world about whether Ovechkin could surpass Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goal record, a feat that appears increasingly likely. However, now that the Capitals' season has concluded, Ovechkin seems to have shifted his focus to a different pursuit.

The NHL veteran has been working on securing a mysterious patent, a project almost 17 years in the making. According to sports.ru, Ovechkin has filed an application with Rospatent, Russia's Federal Service for Intellectual Property, to register a well-known saying. He's also seeking to register the logo for his international hockey academy.

At this time, it's unclear whether Ovechkin's application pertains to a trademark or copyright. Should it gain approval, the phrase in question could not be used without Ovechkin's express consent. He would maintain exclusive rights to it, potentially allowing him to profit from this intellectual property, as the report suggests.

Ovechkin first uttered the phrase on October 26, 2006, during a post-practice interview. When queried about his wellbeing, Ovechkin's response was,

Now at the age of 37, Ovechkin remains as dynamic as ever, continuing to 'light the lamp' just as he did in his prime. I am intrigued to see how this patent saga unfolds. It's entirely conceivable that merchandise featuring the phrase "The Russian machine never breaks" could become a hot commodity.