Lets talk about Alexander Ovechkin

[ThomasTomasz]

Pretty interesting read, if short. Seems that he believes Ovechkin has already reached his peak. I have my own thoughts on what's wrong, but I'd like to hear what you guys think before I weigh in.

A lot was made about the Washington Capitals' first four games of the season, and not just because they didn't win any of them. The defense was bad, allowing 17 goals. The offense was worse, scoring just eight.

And in the middle of it all was Alex Ovechkin, who labored through those first four games with a carousel of linemates that included everyone from Nick Backstrom and Marcus Johansson to Joey Crabb and Jay Beagle. All he had to show for it at the end of that was one measly assist, a secondary helper for Matt Hendricks in a 4-2 loss to Winnipeg.

"What," everyone wondered, "is wrong with Alex Ovechkin?"

It's become pretty common knowledge at this point that no one's ever going to put him up for the Hart again in his career barring some sort of miraculous turnaround, and even his staunchest supporters have to wonder what, exactly, happened to the guy who averaged 55 goals a year over the first five season he spent in the NHL. Not that his 38 goals last season is anything to sniff at, particularly given how much Dale Hunter seemed to delight in not giving him much of a chance offensively, and his time on ice per game dropped below 20 minutes.

It seemed the hope was that bringing in a new coach like Adam Oates, who was a power play specialist as a player and therefore knows a thing or two about juicing offense, would return Ovechkin to the form that allowed him to light up the league. But it wasn't until yesterday's game with hapless Buffalo that Ovechkin and Oates finally found that old magic for a second.

On a power play early in the third period, Mike Green fed him right in his wheelhouse at the top of the circle, and the shot was vintage Ovechkin. Low, hard, perfectly placed, unstoppable. This was the Ovechkin we want to remember, and visions of him firing home perfect one-timers from the Stamkos Spot is something most hockey fans would welcome as it danced through their heads. There was a lot of that kind of comment on Twitter as soon as the puck rippled the back of the net.

The sad fact, though, is that these flashes of olden days Alex Ovechkin seems to be just about all we'll ever get from the guy any more.
He can still hammer home one-timers every once in a while, but the Ovechkin we have now is far more pedestrian.

He's 27 now. Statistically, it's pretty safe to say he's never going to produce like he did before. Move him to the right wing or back to the left all you want, but there's simply not a magical cure to make him score 50 a year any more.

Yes, his 38 goals last season was still good for fifth in the league, and it must be stated again that there were indeed mitigating factors, but at some point the hockey world has to stop talking about Ovechkin as being the kind of elite player he once was, right?

There's nothing wrong with not topping 40 goals because most guys don't do it, but this is now officially the paradigm for the rest of Ovechkin's career, isn't it?

So the question becomes whether everyone's perception of Ovechkin catches up with reality, and when that happens. He's not worth the money he's being paid these days, and in another year or three it's going to be interesting to see just how bad that contract is. He'll be the face of the Capitals for as long as he's on the team, and one suspects that will be a considerable amount of time, but all this sitting around and clock-watching while people wait for the surge seems a colossal waste of time.

Going four games straight without a goal to start the season is the norm for Ovechkin, and shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who's watching Caps games these days.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...-ovechkin-now-predictable-142932597--nhl.html

 

[Ravin]

While reading this post, Ovechkin skated along the boards, cut back towards centre and let a wrist shot go.
:lesmug:

 

[ssags11]

Holy over reactions to Ovechkin's play. The guy is 27 and this blogger called him done? Does Ovy need to leap buildings in a single bound to regain respect? Guy lands in 5th in goals and the haters are hating. I don't understand

Like I have said to you before Thomas, I think Ovechkin is trying to become a more rounded player instead of the guy that floated at the blue line waiting for the puck. I'd rather have a well rounded Ovechkin than that guy that came into the league and didn't know what defense was.

 

[Ravin]

The thing with Ovey is, you need to look at him through a bunch of different coloured glasses, and not the same one you see him as that was scoring 55 goals a year.

His production is down, and he isn't that force he once was. When you use to list the top players in the NHL, the list would normally start with Crosby/Ovey at 1/2 or 2/1 depending on who was talking. Now players like Stamkos and to an extent Datsyuk (who is finally getting the respect) would be in front of Ovey who has fell down to 4-5 spot. So Ovey is always going to hear harsh reactions to his play when he isn't putting pucks in the net constantly, because that is the Ovey everyone in Washington wants back again.

Main thing is, they haven't won a cup, or got close to it at all, and Ovechkin is the captain of the ship. So as captain, he is getting a lot of harsh words as well. He is the franchise player who is starting to drop a few steps back, and still isn't able to take the Capitals into serious cup contention. You can even say last season with Hunter as coach showed the capitals didn't need Ovey to his full degree to win a playoff series, but they still need his goal production.

Let's also not forget that Semin is gone as well, and he was the secondary scoring for Washington, so now the scoring role is Ovey's alone till someone up steps up and starts scoring 30 a year as well.

Washington is just one of those teams you really have no idea where they are. They were run and gun for years and it worked for the regular season, but not the playoffs. Then the defence first thing was a some what success, but then Hunter left and that was dropped. They don't need a full rebuild, but they need a drastic shift in something to turn the team around. Goalie situation is obviously a nightmare.

 

[dave]

Ovechkin hasn't been right since that playoff loss to Montreal.

 

[ssags11]

Yeah but Ovechkin is tapping this chick

http://www.playerwives.com/nhl/washington-capitals/alex-ovechkins-girlfriend-maria-kirilenko/

 

[ssags11]

]The thing with Ovey is, you need to look at him through a bunch of different coloured glasses, and not the same one you see him as that was scoring 55 goals a year.[/B]

I have, I have been saying to you, since Federov played with him, I believe he has changed his game to more of a well rounded game. What I mean is, he knows defense wins games now. It started with Federov, than Hunter came in and reinforced that. Not sure why everyone thinks because of OT's offensive skills when he played means he is going to change the Caps back to a run and gun team or offensive minded. OT was incredible in his own end when he played.

I think Ovechkin knows defense wins Cups, not just offensive play. People are nit picking the guy too much.

 

[Rudi]

Typical 5 game sample over reaction. Ovie will be fine.

 

[leaffan]

Should of included this line:

By Ryan Lambert

Guy doesn't know shit and it bothers me yahoo lets him post retarded articles like that. His twitter account is pretty much a joke as well.

Anyways to dispute:

- New coach, new offense, new system. 5 days to learn it.

- Avg. goals per game last year was about the same as 03-04 aka the lowest its been since the last lock out. For comparison sake there was only 4 guys with 40 or more goals this year and there was 3 guys in 03-04. Morale of the story defense was better and everyone except stamkos and a select few (like kessel :smug: ) were down in scoring.

-

Joey Crabb and Jay Beagle

:rofl:

 

[ssags11]

Phil "the 50 goal according to Leaf fans scorer" Kessel? That guy?


That's right I fired that shot across your bow :lalala: