A playoff beard represents how far a team goes in the postseason.  The longer a team is in the playoffs, the longer the beards of the players get.

It's safe to say we had never seen Alex Ovechkin's beard as long as it was because for the first time in his career, he made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final and won it all.

Sadly, all players eventually shave their playoff beards and on Wednesday, Ovi did just that.

Clean-shaven Ovechkin looks more like a young kid than a 32-year-old Stanley Cup champion.

Dave Sandford/Getty Images for NHL

While we're upset the playoff beard is gone, we'll always have the memories and who knows, maybe next year it will be longer if Ovi and company make it back to the Cup Final again.

 

 

A picture worth a thousand words. . Via Ethan Miller/Getty Images

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Ovi brings back his slogan from the beginning of the year πŸ˜‚

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(H/T: Washington Capitals)