Capitals' Alexander Alexeyev pepper-sprayed, charged with public intoxication following alleged fight

The Washington defenseman ran afoul of the law early Saturday morning

Washington Capitals defenseman Alexander Alexeyev was pepper-sprayed and arrested on Saturday, according to a report from ARLnow. Alexeyev was charged with public intoxication following an alleged altercation with another man outside a bar in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia.

Arlington County Police Department spokesperson Kiyah Daniell told ARLnow that a witness flagged down police officers after seeing a fight between two men at 3:26 a.m. outside Big Tony's Pizza on the 3100 block of Clarendon Blvd.

When officers arrived at the scene, Alexeyev allegedly assaulted the other man, prompting the police to use pepper spray on the Capitals defenseman.

"Officers subsequently observed the male suspect involved in a physical altercation with the male subject," Daniell said. "As officers approached, the male suspect assaulted the male subject, and one officer deployed pepper spray as he was taken into custody. The suspect was treated on scene by medics for pepper spray exposure."

Alexeyev was booked at the Arlington County jail at 4:19 a.m. on Saturday morning. He has since been released.

Alexeyev, 25, was a first-round pick by Washington in the 2018 NHL Draft. Alexeyev made his NHL debut in 2021 and has played 80 games for the Capitals since then.

This past season, Alexeyev appeared in eight games without registering a point, but he did play in all 10 of the Capitals' playoff games. His current contract with Washington expires this summer, and he is slated to become a restricted free agent.