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Posts Tagged ‘Alexander Ovechkin’
The Ice Will Show Everything
30, Jul 2010©2010 On Frozen Blog. All Rights Reserved..
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Penguins fans, forget about the Flyers. It’s time to focus on our quickly developing rivalry with the Capitals.
If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, the Winter Classic will be held on Heinz Field in Pittsburgh against the Capitals. Let the roaring Crosby v. Ovie debate begin.
Wait…what’s that? A new rivalry has developed?
Yes folks, while the better player rivalry between the sport’s two superstars is still alive, a new player has stepped onto the ice.
On Tuesday, after the official Winter Classic announcement was made in Pittsburgh, Pens player Maxime Talbot was interviewed by a radio station and called Alex Ovechkin a “douche.” He went as far as to say he was happy the Russian player wasn’t at the media conference.
Talbot recalled his first meeting with the superstar hockey player. “Malkin knew Ovechkin and introduced me to him and the first impression wasn’t great,” said Talbot. “I’m not really gonna say what happened, but I’m like, ‘OK, this guy is a real douche.’”
Ovechkin has not been reached for comment but you can bet his revenge will come on the ice when the teams meet up outside on the ice in January.
Will the rest of the players on the teams follow suit and turn this two-person battle into a full out team rivalry?
While the NHL no doubt officially frowned on Talbot for his comment, you know it must secretly be jumping with excitement over the controversy it has become.
The Ovechkin v. Crosby battle has been beaten to death since both players first stepped into the professional hockey ranks, but the Talbot v. Ovechkin battle is one that leaves many opportunities.
In one corner, you have one of the best NHL players of our generation that has never won a Stanley Cup. In the other, you have the Stanley Cup hero who may be a cut under the best players in the league.
Let the fun begin.
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- Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, max talbot, nhl, Opinion, Pittsburgh Penguins
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Maxime Talbot Calls Alex Ovechkin “A Real Douche”
28, Jul 2010Maxime “I have fewer goals in my NHL career than you have in one season” Talbot called Alex Ovechkin “a real douche” during an interview with a Pittsburgh radio station.
Talbot then stated: “I just hate the guy.”
Talbot, who has split time between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the AHL, seems to have forgotten about not giving the other team “bulletin board fodder.”
I understand Talbot is trying to promote 2011’s Winter Classic, which will be a game featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals, but he could have come across a little more mature.
Calling the two-time NHL MVP “a real douche” is fairly childish and not a very smart way to promote the NHL’s second most heavily hyped event.
Hopefully someone from the NHL office gets in touch with Mr. Talbot and lets him know that this is the NHL, not the WWE, and the “morning zoo” radio comments do not help the game in the least.
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- Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, max talbot, nhl, NHL Southeast, Opinion, Washington Capitals
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The End of a Precious Innocence
21, Jul 2010Yesterday Greg Wyshynski touted New Jersey General Manager Lou Lamoriello’s savvy manipulations of the league’s player movement regulations over the years. Also yesterday, the NHL ruled that DevilLou had become too clever by half with his work in this area. This morning, one of the league’s most respected accomplished managers looks a heck of a [...]
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It’s clear to any hockey fan that Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are the NHL’s poster boys. They are arguably the two best players in the NHL today.
The debate will continue on as to who is actually better of the two, but these two get all the media attention for being the best players in the game today.
Although I do not disagree that these players are certainly very talented and gifted in the sport of hockey, I do think there are plenty of players who do not get enough recognition because of these two.
Guys like Jonathan Toews, Zach Parise, Anze Kopitar, and probably the biggest person I can think of, Steven Stamkos.
I’m sure most of you know of Steven Stamkos.
Like Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, Stamkos is a young, talented player that should be a great leader for his team over the next few years. Stamkos is continuing to get better and last season, it was very evident.
Stamkos finished fifth in the points bracket last season with an impressive total of 95 points. The highlight of the breakout season for this young superstar was the 51 goals scored by Stamkos that season which had him tied with Sidney Crosby for the most goals of the 09/10 NHL season.
He has shown some great promise considering he is in his second season in the National Hockey League. Plus, it’s a big step up from his first season when he socred only 49 points.
Stamkos was taken first overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, and there’s no doubt they made the right move that day. Stamkos dominated the OHL with his incredible play and there is no reason that he won’t be able to do the same in the NHL.
The Lightning are going to be a team on the rise for the next few years, and Stamkos will be a big part of Tampa’s climb out of the Eastern Conference basement.
Going into his third NHL season, Stamkos will be heavily looked upon to put up some big numbers for the Lightning as they try to make the playoffs.
Stamkos could also potentially be a great captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning. It would be interesting to see if Vincent Lecavalier is stripped of the captaincy again. Bestowing some leadership upon this young man should encourage Stamkos to keep producing like he did last season.
As soon as the puck drops the lights will shine brightly upon this young man. Whether he will embrace the work load or choke under the spotlight is up for discussion, but if you ask me, he’ll do just fine.
Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby will certainly be big competition in the playoffs for young Stamkos and the Lightning.
Whether Stamkos will be a superstar that can be counted upon in clutch situations like Sidney Crosby or one that will choke like Ovechkin will be a big factor in Stamkos’ legacy as a hockey superstar.
However, the kid is still young, he has plenty of years to mold into the superstar many, including myself expect him to be.
To be honest though, I don’t really think that will take too long. Sure it’s a challenge to adapt yourself to the NHL game, Stamkos’ rather weak showing in his debut year proved that, but this kid will go far.
So all of you out there can have your Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin or whoever you may choose, because I got myself the man known as Steven Stamkos.
This article was originally posted on The Sports Dossier under the name “ Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, How About Steven Stamkos? .” Check out more great pieces from our talented staff of writers.
If you’re a writer who thinks they have what it takes to write about NHL, NBA, MLB, MMA, NFL, World Football, Pro Wrestling and more, then apply to TSD . Email me at thejerichomark@hotmail.com and we’ll talk business.
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Lots of star players in the NHL are signing megadeals. 12-year and seven-year deals are being made, but are they just using this to cheat the salary cap?
Consider Marian Hossa.
He signed a 12-year $62.8 million contract for a cap hit of about $5.23 million per year for the entire 12 years. However, he is being paid $7.9 million per year for the first seven years, then $4 million, and the last four years he is being paid $1 million or less. He was 30 years old when he signed the contract so he would have to play until he is 42 to live out the life of the contract.
Who the heck plays until they’re 42 (Chris Chelios notwithstanding)? I fully expect him to retire when he is 38, so up until that point he would have made an average of $7.4125 million per year.
These are savings of over $2 million on the cap hit which they can spend on other players, interesting no?
Then we look at Chris Pronger.
He was under 35 when he signed the contract but since the deal kicks in when he is over 35 they said that even if he retires it will count against the cap.
The Philadelphia Flyers challenged this ruling to no avail. Look at the way they are paying him (over $7 million per year in the first four years and $4 million in the fifth year. If it was only a five-year contract, the cap hit would have been $6.68 million and if the deal was only four years, then it would have been $7.35 million.
The list goes on and on with Henrik Zetterberg’s cap hit coming off the books when he’s 40, Johan Franzen’s also comes off when he’s 40. Zetterberg might play until he’s 40 (though it’s unlikely) and Franzen, with all his injuries, will be lucky to make it to 35.
I always like to end on a good note however, so we will discuss Alexander Ovechkin.
He plays a hard style but his contract comes off the books when he’s only 35. Also, the amount of money they are paying him yearly more or less stays the same. So that has been a fair contract that allowed them to lock up the greatest player of this generation.
For those of you who know me, you know that Ovechkin is in my opinion above everyone else. So I respect this contract.
In conclusion, I think these long term contracts (with the exception of Ovechkin) are just a way to circumvent the salary cap. I think what the league should do is count the amount of money paid each year as the cap hit. If there are signing bonuses, you can prorate them over the life of the contract, essentially the NFL rules. I think that would solve this problem.
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Worst 20 Raw Corsi Ratings
7, Jul 2010I am continuing my look at sabermetrics and hockey today. Yesterday, I listed the players with the top 20 Corsi ratings as counting numbers and today I will list the worst 20. Corsi is a measure of the difference between shots directed at goal (on goal, missed net and blocked) by a player’s team and his opponents. It is used as an alternative for +/- because it encompasses far more events than only goals scored and is an indicator of puck possession.
The players scoring worst in Corsi Ratings are poor at puck possession. They also likely play on teams that are poor at puck possession and are often used in defensive roles, where it is expected that the opposition team will most likely control the puck. While being on this list is not a sign of a good player, it is not necessarily a sign of a poor NHL player. Other factors can have come into play to keep the rating low.
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My Kingdom for an Igloo
5, Jul 2010These are the times that try frozen souls. One hundred and two degrees outside today? And tomorrow? The high in Miami the next few days will be in the 80s. South Florida will be appreciably cooler than D.C. this week. (Maybe Miami is a hockey town. Maybe the commissioner should pursue an expansion franchise there.) [...]
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Ted, Shall We Have a Wager on Next Spring?
3, Jul 2010The owner isn’t thrilled with me. Infrequently but once in a while we squabble, always respectfully. He and I share a passion for seeing greatness on the ice here; we just might go about its architecture in different ways. I’d like to see the Capitals annually look a heck of a lot more like the [...]
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Mining for Gems Deep in a Draft’s Bedrock
28, Jun 2010SI.com’s Allan Muir has offered a glowing assessment of the Capitals’ draft work in L.A. this past weekend. George McPhee bolstered his status as a procurer of top-end talent deep in round one, Muir claimed, and the team added skill guys of intrigue afterward. He termed the Caps’ class the “crop we may be talking about most [...]
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I had the opportunity to attend the NHL awards at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada last Wednesday.
Never having attended one before, I certainly didn’t know what to expect once showtime came. Prior to the actual show, fans were invited to gather around the red carpet, where players, their families, and the NHL’s top dogs walked en route to the Pearl Concert Theater.
Many of the nominees and regular season winners stopped to be interviewed prior to walking in. And some, such as Henrik Sedin, Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, and Martin Brodeur, who had already secured their individual awards, would be presented with their hardware and later replayed to viewers to make it seem live.
Once inside the hotel, guests made their way to their seats and were briefed by the producer on how the show would run, and when to produce applause or reactions to pre-taped events, such as the performance by Snoop Dogg.
Audience members were forbidden to take any pictures or videos. But seeing how I don’t attend league award shows often, I figured I would risk getting told to turn my cameras off anyway.
Compared to past NHL award shows I’ve watched, this one was much edgier with it’s jokes and flow. Known as more of a reserved sport to many, hockey has always tried to stay clear of things that would reflect poorly on the league.
But this show pushed the envelope several times, which made the experience much more enjoyable. The Russian humor provided by Pavel Datsyuk and Alex Ovechkin’s two part speech showed the players’ more colorful sides.
Can we see a show hosted by Ovie himself one day? That might be a tough sell, but I guarantee it would make for good television. Even Jay Mohr was funny, despite hating hockey.
On the award front, Datsyuk won his third straight Selke Trophy for best defensive forward, but would lose out on his fourth straight Lady Bing to Martin St.Louis.
Speaking of St. Louis, he referred to his blackberry to read off his thank you’s, which was definitely a sign of the times.
As for Ovechkin, he won his third straight Ted Lindsay Award (formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award) for most outstanding player, as voted by the NHLPA. He would miss out on the Hart Memorial (MVP) trophy to Henrik Sedin, however, who deserved it slightly more in my opinion.
Ilya Bryzgalov came in second to Ryan Miller in the Vezina, awarded for best goalie. While I think most of the voting was based off Olympic performance since I enjoy conspiracy theories am a true Russian patriot, I believe that Bryz was the backbone to a dying franchise. Miller’s stats plummeted after the Olympic break.
Being a Devils fan, I would have been more upset if Brodeur had won yet another one over Bryz, but he finished third in the voting.
After the award show concluded, many were invited to the after-party by the pool section of the resort, where we got to rub shoulders with NHL elite such as commissioner Gary Bettman.
There was definitely something about going to the bar, looking to your left, and seeing Luc Robitaille ordering a drink, or turning around and bumping into Brett Hull.
From a hockey fan’s perspective, it just got better and better as more people filled into the open space. Making a special appearance was none other than Lord Stanley’s Cup, which was placed on a stand in the middle of the pool for all to see.
Players from past and present joined party goers, award presenters, and other NHL execs for a night which ended up being very enjoyable for yours truly, although I wished more players were in attendance.
This aritcle was originally posted on http://www.fromrussiawithglove.com/
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I had the opportunity to attend the NHL awards at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada last Wednesday.
Never having attended one before, I certainly didn’t know what to expect once showtime came. Prior to the actual show, fans were invited to gather around the red carpet, where players, their families, and the NHL’s top dogs walked en route to the Pearl Concert Theater.
Many of the nominees and regular season winners stopped to be interviewed prior to walking in. And some, such as Henrik Sedin, Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, and Martin Brodeur, who had already secured their individual awards, would be presented with their hardware and later replayed to viewers to make it seem live.
Once inside the hotel, guests made their way to their seats and were briefed by the producer on how the show would run, and when to produce applause or reactions to pre-taped events, such as the performance by Snoop Dogg.
Audience members were forbidden to take any pictures or videos. But seeing how I don’t attend league award shows often, I figured I would risk getting told to turn my cameras off anyway.
Compared to past NHL award shows I’ve watched, this one was much edgier with it’s jokes and flow. Known as more of a reserved sport to many, hockey has always tried to stay clear of things that would reflect poorly on the league.
But this show pushed the envelope several times, which made the experience much more enjoyable. The Russian humor provided by Pavel Datsyuk and Alex Ovechkin’s two part speech showed the players’ more colorful sides.
Can we see a show hosted by Ovie himself one day? That might be a tough sell, but I guarantee it would make for good television. Even Jay Mohr was funny, despite hating hockey.
On the award front, Datsyuk won his third straight Selke Trophy for best defensive forward, but would lose out on his fourth straight Lady Bing to Martin St.Louis.
Speaking of St. Louis, he referred to his blackberry to read off his thank you’s, which was definitely a sign of the times.
As for Ovechkin, he won his third straight Ted Lindsay Award (formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award) for most outstanding player, as voted by the NHLPA. He would miss out on the Hart Memorial (MVP) trophy to Henrik Sedin, however, who deserved it slightly more in my opinion.
Ilya Bryzgalov came in second to Ryan Miller in the Vezina, awarded for best goalie. While I think most of the voting was based off Olympic performance since I enjoy conspiracy theories am a true Russian patriot, I believe that Bryz was the backbone to a dying franchise. Miller’s stats plummeted after the Olympic break.
Being a Devils fan, I would have been more upset if Brodeur had won yet another one over Bryz, but he finished third in the voting.
After the award show concluded, many were invited to the after-party by the pool section of the resort, where we got to rub shoulders with NHL elite such as commissioner Gary Bettman.
There was definitely something about going to the bar, looking to your left, and seeing Luc Robitaille ordering a drink, or turning around and bumping into Brett Hull.
From a hockey fan’s perspective, it just got better and better as more people filled into the open space. Making a special appearance was none other than Lord Stanley’s Cup, which was placed on a stand in the middle of the pool for all to see.
Players from past and present joined party goers, award presenters, and other NHL execs for a night which ended up being very enjoyable for yours truly, although I wished more players were in attendance.
This aritcle was originally posted on http://www.fromrussiawithglove.com/
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
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Say Hello to Semin 2.0
26, Jun 2010Dynamic skill level. Exceptional hands. Controls the puck as if he’s got it on a string. Natural sniper. Elite one-on-one talent. Can manufacture his own offense. Great acceleration and finishing ability. Looks to score each shift. Oh, and he’s Russian. Sound like anybody you know? Meet Evgeny Kuznetsov, your newest highly skilled Russian Washington Capital, [...]
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Today the Washington Capitals announced their 2010-11 Season Schedule—well, they revealed the 81 games we didn’t already know about. Some highlights (and lowlights) of next season’s slate:
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Note To The NHL: Use Youth To Your Advantage
22, Jun 2010The ongoing question for the NHL since its lockout in 2005 has been finding a way to make NHL hockey a must-watch sport in American households.
Selling the sport to a country dominated by football, baseball, and basketball is a daunting task.
But now, as the late NHL Coach Badger Bob Johnson once said, “It’s a great day for hockey.”
It also so happens to be a great time for hockey.
Look around. Since the lockout, there has been an overwhelming resurgence of talent, bringing unlikely teams deep into the playoffs and sometimes to championship seasons. These have created some of the best story lines in sports.
Most importantly, though, is that the great talent in the NHL is young talent.
Gary Bettman and the rest of the NHL need to use this to their advantage by attracting America’s youth.
As a young kid, I was always intrigued by young athletes who were making it big in the professional sports world.
They were close to my age; I could relate to them rather than the older veterans that grew up in a different time.
That’s what made it so cool to watch young players work hard and become the “youngest player to do xyz.”
Surely if someone close to my age could achieve greatness, then it must be possible for me to do the same if I mimic his or her work ethic.
We are in the midst of a generation of gifted hockey players and they have all but taken over the NHL.
I’m talking about players like Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Rick Nash, Zach Parise, Drew Doughty, and Mike Richards.
Bettman should market these players.
The NHL had the right mindset to market Crosby and Ovechkin as they became breakout players their rookie years. They were fresh faces full of potential in a League that was losing its spark.
However, I think the NHL can increase revenue while bringing in fans, young and old, by showing the different kinds of talent in their young players.
Crosby and Ovechkin are high-power, high-scoring forwards, but not every aspiring hockey player wants to—or will be able to—play their style.
For kids who find themselves on offense but playing more of a defensive game, what better NHL players demonstrate those skills other than Jonathan Toews or Zach Parise?
How about forwards with a physical punch? I say Mike Richards.
What about defensemen with an offensive touch? There were few—if any—better than Drew Doughty.
Or stay-at-home defensemen? Brent Seabrook and Marc Staal have made strong cases.
I don’t want to bring down the play of the “older” NHLers like Joe Thorton, Henrik Zetterberg, or Martin Brodeur, but they are as established as they’ll get. Now is the time for the emergence of the young hockey players.
All necessary proof can be found in the last two NHL seasons. Crosby and Toews became two of the youngest captains to win the Cup. Ovechkin’s never-ending dominance in scoring. Stamkos reached the 50 goal threshold at the age of 20. Doughty, also 20, received a Norris Trophy nomination. Goalie Steve Mason tallied a record seven shutouts as a rookie. The list goes on.
The NHL needs to keep in mind that successful, young athletes are the connection between kids and their dreams of becoming great athletes.
Make kids feel more connected to these athletes and you will find more young fans.
Once you’ve caught the interest of the youth, everyone else will follow.
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2010 NHL Awards: Who Has the Hart?
22, Jun 2010The Hart Trophy goes to “the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team,” where the winner is selected by a poll from the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
While the winner will be announced at the 2010 NHL Awards on June 23 in buzzing Las Vegas. As before many big choices, we’ll speculate the potential outcome.
Of the three finalists, two are usual suspects in Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, but this year there is a new dark horse.
Fresh off a contract extension, Henrik Sedin avoided that post-signing slouch and put up big numbers this year for the Vancouver Canucks. He finished the 2009-2010 campaign with 29 goals and 83 assists for 112 points on the season.
Here is a breakdown of why each player could receive this most honorable award.
Sidney Crosby
While being in the running for the Hart year after year, Crosby, once known for his playmaking ability, has balanced his game and turned into much more of a goal scorer. He had to be because he didn’t have the same supporting cast that both of the other candidates for the award did (Nicklas Backstrom and Daniel Sedin, for example).
He tied Steven Stamkos for the league lead with 51 goals on the season, obtaining his first Maurice Richard Trophy. Of the 51, six of them were game-winners.
He finished with 109 points, second only to Sedin.
He also led the league in number of face-offs taken with 1,791 and in face-offs won with 1,001 for a 55.9 percent faceoff percentage, also good for the league lead.
He was accountable for 42.4 percent of his team’s scoring, and with Evgeni Malkin missing significant time due to injury, he had to be that player.
Year after year, Sid the Kid makes a case for the Hart Trophy with unbelievable consistency—guess that’s why he’s widely considered the best player on the planet.
Alexander Ovechkin
On top of being one of the most exciting players in the world to watch, Alexander the Great knows how to put up big numbers—and on a regular basis. His name comes up every year at this time, and every time he has the potential to take an award home.
Despite missing 10 games due to a suspension, he registered 109 points, three back from the leader Henrik, with 50 goals, much like that of Crosby, but did it in nine games fewer than Sid did. Seven of the 50 were game-winners, and he rounded out the year with a plus-45 rating.
Ovechkin brings a different element to his game than the other two finalists, not being afraid to throw his body around and rough it up. Watch any Capitals game and you’ll see Ovechkin dropping some of the league’s best. He ended up with 185 hits, 50 more than any of the league’s top 30 scorers.
Henrik Sedin
After finishing the season leading the NHL in points (29 G, 83 A, 112 PTS), Henrik Sedin was an obvious candidate for the Hart Trophy. Amazingly, his point total this year outdid his previous career-high point total by an astonishing 30 points and was a big reason for much of the Canucks’ postseason position.
He also led the league in assists by a long shot, 14 ahead of Joe Thornton in second place.
He set another career-high in goals, scoring 29 over the course of the year, five of them turning out to be game-winners.
He put up these huge numbers while missing his long-term line mate and brother Daniel, who was out for 19 games with a broken foot.
At a 36-plus, it makes it even harder to argue with the fact that he’s a shoo-in for the award.
But much of Sedin’s impact on his team was not his own personal success, because we all know in hockey you can’t do it alone—you rely on your teammates, your family. Henrik didn’t just rely on his teammates; he made them better so everyone was able to rely on him.
Take Mikael Samuelsson and Alexandre Burrows, for example. Before this year Samuelsson’s career high in goals was 25, and he broke the 30-goal mark this past season playing alongside Sedin. Burrows, on the other hand, made the transition from a gritty, grinder-type player to a 35-goal man.
Oh, and I almost forgot—of those 35 goals, Sedin assisted on 23 of them.
So who will take home this year’s Hart Trophy? If I were to pick, it’d be Henrik Sedin. He has all the makings to win this award, and on top of his vast improvement from last season, he also makes everyone around him that much better.
It should be a lock for Henrik.
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Long Road to Redemption For Alexander Ovechkin
14, Jun 2010Shutout during 2009-10 NHL Season, NHL Playoffs,2010 Winter Olympics, and IIHF World Championships it was obviously a frustrating campaign for Washington Capitals left winger Alexander Ovechkin.
Ovechkin, fresh off two consecutive Hart Trophies as the NHL’s most valuable player, was expected to take the next step in his development as a player, and leader this season.
Instead, his teams during both the Olympics and Stanley Cup playoffs crashed and burned, failing to come close to meeting expectations both as a team and as an individual. Though he did help Russia to the silver at the World Championships.
It seems obvious that if the player that Washingtonians affectionately refer to as “Ovie” is to reach the heights of super stardom he attained during his first four seasons, he needs to progress. Ovechkin needs to become a more team-oriented player, one that uses his teammates more. Though he has improved in this area over the past 18 months.
The emergence of Nick Backstrom as an elite NHL centerman has helped take some of the offensive burden off of Ovechkin’s shoulders. But at the end of the day, the Caps live and die with their fearless leader’s play.
The Olympics showed that Ovechkin can be contained. The Canadian line (designed specifically to minimize Ovechkin’s impact on the game) of Rick Nash, Mike Richards, and Jonathan Toews limited Ovechkin to perimeter shots, as the Russian team collapsed.
The Montreal Canadiens used a similar technique, blocking his shots, and forcing him to pass the puck on the rush rather than shoot it during the opening round of the postseason.
These defensive strategies teams are implementing to contain Ovechkin call for new offensive strategies out of the superstar and his line mates. He will not score 65 goals as he did in 2007-08 again unless his offensive mindset and style is altered to beat the defenses that have proved to be his kryptonite so far.
While it’s fair to say this season was the first disappointing campaign of his career, Ovechkin still produced statistically. He scored 50 goals for the third straight season and fourth time overall, lead the NHL in points-per-game and tallied nine points in seven playoff games.
The issue is, when the Capitals needed him to score, he couldn’t, as the Canadiens won three straight games to eliminate heavy favorite, and top seed Washington.
His physical brand of play also drew criticism from those around the hockey world, as he was suspended twice for questionable hits on Brian Campbell and Tim Gleason.
Ovechkin’s play also led him to being injured on two different occasions, and for the first time in his career he seemed to stray from the smash-mouth, hard hitting style fans and opposing players had become accustomed to. As brilliant as Ovechkin can be at times, he can also become invisible (see Game One of the Montreal-Washington series).
As happy and outgoing as Ovechkin can appear at times, he can also be as reserved and unfriendly. He seems to be the most mercurial superstar in hockey today, which is part of his mystique.
Ovechkin could be the most talented and physically gifted hockey player since Mario Lemieux. He has the capability to win a game on his own at any time, and is without a doubt the most electrifying performer in hockey.
For Ovechkin, his current situation is somewhat like that of LeBron James. He has won everything there is to be won as an individual in his sport, but has had minimal success as part of a team. For him to take his legend to the next level, winning championships is a necessity, though the next step for him may be a deep playoff run.
The expectations for ‘the Great Eight” wouldn’t be so high if he didn’t have the potential to be the undisputed best player in hockey (as he was for two years). With the success of Sidney Crosby in the last calendar year, until he wins a Cup, there is no contest between the two.
This summer is an important one for Ovechkin, and for the rest of the Capitals for that matter. If he is to once again be the consensus top dog in the NHL, the fiery phenom must develop into a player that is geared towards winning (and sometimes scoring less) at any cost.
The crossroads Ovechkin stands at are a critical point in his career.
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