There’s not a lot in common with hockey and racing, but there are some similarities. Both have loud, electric atmospheres, with goal horns and loud engines. Both require the need for speed, whether it's a breakaway goal to seal the deal or an overtake on a rival. Most importantly, each sport has their stars, old and young. The new rising stars show that dreams can come true as they work tirelessly to maintain their dream. The older stars show that age is just a number, and that hard work and determination pays off no matter what. What are the best examples? The NHL and Formula 1: where these stars defy the odds and show the world their worth.

Comparison 1: Alex Ovechkin as Fernando Alonso
Both athletes are legends in their respective sports, but only have one to two championships to their name. Ovechkin only has one Stanley Cup, along with three Hart Trophies, a Calder Trophy, and a Conn Smythe Trophy. Ovechkin is currently chasing Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, trying to score more than 894 goals. Ovechkin is currently at 876 goals, just 18 goals away. He has a chance to beat the record this season, or going into the 2025-26 season. He is currently in his 20th season with the Washington Capitals, and will go into his 21st season in the NHL. He is the fourth oldest player in the NHL at 38 years old.
Fernando Alonso, the oldest member of the Formula One grid, and currently races for Aston Martin alongside Lance Stroll. Alonso started racing in Formula One in 2001, and won two world championships in 2005 and 2006 with Renault Racing, now called BWT Alpine. The Motorsport legend has competed against greats such as Michael Schumacher and Kimi Räikkönen, and current great Lewis Hamilton.
Much like Ovechkin, Alonso has chased records in the racing world. He stepped aside from Formula One in 2018 and 2019, securing two 24 Hours of Le Mans wins with the Toyota TS050 Hybrid. He also attempted the Indy 500, but fell short in all three of his attempts. Both men are still breaking records despite their age, and will continue to do so until they retire.

Comparison 2: Lewis Hamilton and Patrick Kane
The two respective legends in their sports made drastic team switches as of late. Former Chicago Blackhawk Patrick Kane ended his 16-year run with the team, requesting a trade from the Blackhawks in 2023. He was traded to the New York Rangers on February 28th, 2023, and the Blackhawks got a conditional second-round pick in the 2023 draft, a fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft, and defenseman Andy Welinski. After a short time with the Rangers, Kane left the Big Apple for Motor City, joining the Detroit Red Wings, reuniting with former teammate Alex DeBrincat. Kane left his Blackhawks legacy with three Stanley Cups, eight all-star appearances, a Conn Smythe Trophy, was the first American-born player to secure the Hart Memorial Trophy, and won the Art Ross Trophy for the 2015-16 season.
Lewis Hamilton announced at the beginning of the 2024 season that he was swapping teams for 2025 and beyond, moving from Mercedes, where he won six of his seven world championships, to the iconic Scuderia Ferrari. Ferrari has the most driver’s championships out of any team, and Hamilton looks to win his eighth championship with the team in red.
Both athletes have swapped their original colors to join teams in red (Hamilton to Ferrari, Kane from Chicago to New York to Detroit). These shake-ups shocked both the racing and hockey worlds alike. The respective legends will continue to seek another piece of hardware for their trophy cases with their new teams.

Comparison 3: Franco Colapinto and Macklin Celebrini
Here are two rookies who made a splash in their debut seasons. Macklin Celebrini, drafted first overall in 2024 by the San Jose Sharks, currently has 16 goals, 21 assists, and 37 points in 42 games. Him and fellow center rookie Will Smith have taken the hockey world (and social media) by storm with their on-ice skills and off-ice personality.
When the Williams Racing team announced Franco Colapinto would replace American driver Logan Sargeant, many fans were torn between the two. However, the Argentine’s relaxed and confident personality made him well-liked among fans and drivers alike. While he may not have scored in his first race, he has scored five points in eight races, making him a future target for teams to recruit. After the season’s finale, Colapinto signed with Alpine as a reserve driver, ready to take over in case Pierre Gasly or Jack Doohan cannot race.
The two young guns had impressive starts to their season: from Celebrini’s spin-o-rama first goal, to Colapinto’s impressive drive in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, to TikTok trends and iconic personalities, these two have shown that they are here to stay in their respective sports.

Comparison 4: Oscar Piastri and Connor Bedard
It’s sophomore season for Connor Bedard, and Oscar Piastri just wrapped up his second year on the grid with McLaren. Both had impressive rookie years and showed improvement in their second seasons. Bedard recently hit 100 career points in 112 games, at just 19-years-old. Despite being out with a broken jaw last season, he managed 61 points in 68 games. With a coaching change and frequent lineup changes, Bedard has made it clear that he is a key piece in the Blackhawks’ rebuild.
Oscar Piastri played a pivotal role in McLaren’s Constructors Championship win. With two wins in Hungary and Baku and 292 points this season, he showed tremendous improvement from his rookie season. He started all 24 races, made the top ten 23 times, and the top five 15 times. Piastri finished just behind Charles Leclerc in fourth in the driver’s championship, proving he can come back and make it in the top three in 2025.
Growth is what separates good from great. Both sophomores have shown the growth needed to prove their worth. With Bedard out of his scoring drought, Piastri making the top ten almost all season, these two know they are worth it. Some might even say they look similar as well…

Comparison 5: Max Verstappen and Connor McDavid
Why: To be considered great, an athlete must show dominance. That’s exactly what both Max Verstappen and Connor McDavid have done. In ten seasons, McDavid has 356 goals, 693 assists, and 1,049 points. McDavid led the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final last season, falling just short of the Cup in a loss to the Florida Panthers. Despite the series loss, McDavid became the first Oiler to win the Conn Smythe Trophy since netminder Bill Ranford, who won the award in 1990. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, McDavid had 42 points in 25 games, with 8 goals and 34 assists. Right now, McDavid has 67 points in 45 games, with one goal in mind: the Stanley Cup.
Max Verstappen became a household name after his first world driver’s championship. In 2021, Verstappen went head to head with Lewis Hamilton and took the first championship of his career. He has won three more titles since, scoring a whopping 1,879 points since 2021. Since starting in 2015, he’s had 63 wins, 145 top-five finishes, 173 top-ten finishes, and 3,041.5 total career points.
With that championship mindset, both athletes have shown that they are ready to show their dominance at any given moment. While McDavid may not have a Stanley Cup, his determination and ethic shows off in his hardware collection. While these two work hard on and off the ice and track, they will continue to show why they are the best of the best.
While the NHL is preparing for their Four Nations Face-Off series, Formula One is preparing for the upcoming 2025 season, starting with their F1-75 livery launch at the O2 in London, England. It’s almost time for the world’s stars to take the center stage, both on the ice and on the track.
Edited by Megan Wines
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