The 27-year-old (pictured top) who captains the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL), and was also part of the undefeated Russian team that lifted the World Championship title in Helsinki last year.

The upcoming campaign by Gillette, who are part of Olympic TOP sponsor Procter & Gamble, will also feature the star taking part in various television, print, digital and social media elements which are set to debut in his native country before being launched worldwide.

Ovechkin has already featured in one television commercial advert which was aired in Moscow.

The deal is just one of many for Russia's most endorsed male athlete, as 2011 saw him leave ice hockey manufacturer CCM to sign a new deal with competitor Bauer along with an additional long-term deal with Nike, where he supports their products, including apparel, footwear and casual wear in training and in his lifestyle.


Ovechkin, who has been a Sochi 2014 ambassador since 2009, first signed up with Gillette back in 2010 and the new contract has many similar terms to the original, whereby the winger has to be clean-shaven throughout any future NHL calendar, apart from in the play-offs when many NHL players traditionally grow beards.

He continues as the ambassador for Russia and Eastern Europe and joins fellow international sports icons such as American baseball player Derek Jeter, footballers Kaka from Brazil and Rafa Marquez from Mexico, and England rugby star Jonny Wilkinson in representing the company.

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