Capitals defenseman Alexander Alexeyev found himself in hot water this weekend after a late-night incident outside a popular Arlington pizza spot turned violent.
The 25-year-old was arrested and charged with public intoxication after police had to use pepper spray to subdue him during an altercation early Saturday morning.
It all went down around 3:26 a.m. outside Big Tony’s Pizza in the bustling Clarendon neighborhood. A witness flagged down nearby officers after spotting two men fighting on the 3100 block of Clarendon Blvd.
When police arrived, they say Alexeyev attacked the other man right in front of them.
“Officers had to deploy pepper spray to take him into custody,” Arlington County Police spokesperson Kiyah Daniell told ARLnow. Medics treated Alexeyev at the scene for the pepper spray exposure.
He was booked into Arlington County jail just before 4:30 a.m. He’s since been released.
The timing couldn’t be worse for the young defenseman. Alexeyev, who was Washington’s first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, is heading into restricted free agency this summer.
He’s played 80 games for the Caps since making his NHL debut in 2021. This season was a mixed bag – he only appeared in eight regular-season games without scoring a point, but did suit up for all 10 of Washington’s playoff matches.
The Capitals haven’t yet commented on the incident, which could impact upcoming contract negotiations with the Russian defenseman.
