The NHL All-Star weekend's biggest surprise has been Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby's bromance
Los Angeles - Yeah, this is super weird.
The NHL has its share of great duos (think Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane) but two names that don't really go together, unless you're talking about how much their respective teams hate each other, are Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.
Crosby and Ovechkin usually share a fierce rivalry. Though the personal rift between the two players has always been exaggerated, they've never exactly mixed well. In the past, Crosby complained about their being too many hats on the ice when Ovechkin scored a hat trick. Ovechkin has always played rough and physical against Crosby.
But, NHL All-Star Weekend has changed that dynamic a bit.
On Friday night, Crosby and Ovechkin palled around at the NHL's Top 100 Ceremony and even took a picture with Ovechkin's dad.
In a video of the event, the duo even shared a joke. Here's a translation via Russian Machine:
"When are you going to get a group of guys like this together again, you know?" Crosby asks Ovechkin in awe.
Next the two rivals take a photo together, with Ovechkin's father Mikhail figuratively being the meat of the superstar sandwich.
"Все!" Mikhail says. "Скажи, в Русской газете на первой странице!"
Both players laugh.
"What did he say?" Crosby asks.
"Russian newspapers. First page!" Ovechkin responds.
True, it does look like a historic peace summit.
On Saturday, Crosby and Ovechkin hardley left each other's side at the All-Star Skill Competition.
Here they are on the bench together.
Goofing around on the ice
Sharing a quiet moment together
And sealing a joke with a fist bump
The two also chatted it up with P.K. Subban, who is as surprised as the rest of us by the unlikely duo.
This video has it all…
1) Sid wearing @Spectacles.
2) @PKSubban1 providing fashion advice.
3) Sid and @Ovi8 hamming it up #NHLAllStarpic.twitter.com/AYo3t2rDyu- NHL (@NHL) January 29, 2017
NHL.com asked Crosby about hanging out with his rival.
"We were just chatting. We're both enjoying the opportunity to be here," Crosby said. "As you get older you realize the opportunities for this become less and less and you really try to soak it all in, interact with as many guys as you can."
There's even a chance the two could play on the same line during Sunday's All-Star Game. Both Crosby and Ovechkin were coy when asked about wanting to do it, but Metro Division Coach Wayne Gretzky said he'll let the new best friends decide.
"I'll talk to them. Whatever they're happy with and comfortable with, we'll do," he said.
Ovechkin seems all in.
"Yeah, if it's going to be tomorrow me and him going to play together it's going to be fun," Ovechkin told reporters. "I'm going to try to pass him the puck, because I am a passer right now."