A Valid Ovechkin Comparison

[Captain Conservative]

I know some people are banging their heads over the Lemieux/Ovechkin comparisons, so I figured I'd offer up who I think Ovechkin could be as good as one day. Jarome Iginla. Look at the scouting reports. Both are extremely fast wingers, love to hit, and are powerful skaters with a wicked arsenal of shots. Can anyone who has seen Ovechkin play comment on this similarities/dissimilarities of Iginla and Ovechkin?




I'm just trying to get a sense of what kind of talent we are drafting.

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[Biscuit Bullet]

Ovechkin is probably a better stickhandler and skater while Iginla is more forceful player who embodies a powerforward. Their shooting abilities are most definitely comprable though.

 

[Jacob]

I still think he's more like Kovalchuk. Iginla usually comes down the right side, while a lot of Ovechkin's goals come from the off wing.

Ovechkin is a better passer than Iginla, although he probably doesn't have Iginla's slapshot-in-flight.

 

[EroCaps]

I know some people are banging their heads over the Lemieux/Ovechkin comparisons, so I figured I'd offer up who I think Ovechkin could be as good as one day. Jarome Iginla. Look at the scouting reports. Both are extremely fast wingers, love to hit, and are powerful skaters with a wicked arsenal of shots. Can anyone who has seen Ovechkin play comment on this similarities/dissimilarities of Iginla and Ovechkin?




I'm just trying to get a sense of what kind of talent we are drafting.

Ovechkin has everything Iginla has minus an established physical presence at the NHL level, plus better skating and passing, and I'm tempted to say a better wrist shot (Sakic, and uncanny have been used by scouts to describe it), but after watching Iginla this postseason, I'll have to wait on that.

 

[Ajacied]

Actually, from what I know about him, Ovechkin seems like a young Mike Modano. Mike is an original winger (LW) and played so during his first few years in the league. Both have around the same size (6'3), and both their offensive game is based on tremendous speed and an impressive skillset. Mike's strongest assets have always been the ability to control the puck no matter what, it was especially noticeable at full speed, another strong part is his accurate and rather deadly wristshot.. That, and he developed into a two-way powerhouse, the potential Ovechkin also seems to have from what I've read about him. Modano isn't/wasn't soft either, in fact, he enjoyed stretches of which he was actually a physical force, though this decreased over the years.

Mike Modano has changed quite a lot though, so I don't expect this comparison to be made that much, but if he never were to play center and if Hitchcock never coached him, he could've been the player they would compare Ovechkin with.

 

[KM]

Modano isn't/wasn't soft either, in fact, he enjoyed stretches of which he was actually a physical force, though this decreased over the years.

How many of his games where he was a physical force have you seen him play?

 

[Ajacied]

How many of his games where he was a physical force have you seen him play?

Mike Modano enjoyed physical stretches. But for some reason he never used his body consistantly enough to be called physical. In the playoffs for example, Mike plays with a lot more grit, and he often gets mad during a game, he then hits everything in sight, often losing his control. He by no means is a powerforward or anything, but Mike can play a physical game.

 

[moosefan]

I know some people are banging their heads over the Lemieux/Ovechkin comparisons, so I figured I'd offer up who I think Ovechkin could be as good as one day. Jarome Iginla. Look at the scouting reports. Both are extremely fast wingers, love to hit, and are powerful skaters with a wicked arsenal of shots. Can anyone who has seen Ovechkin play comment on this similarities/dissimilarities of Iginla and Ovechkin?




I'm just trying to get a sense of what kind of talent we are drafting.

I have seen Ovechkin play, and the Beckett mag is right he plays like Forsberg. I don't think the Iginla comparisson is bang on myself.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I think the Kovalchuk comparison is spot on, mainly because alot of people undervalue the total package Kovalchuk brings to the table:

1) He's big
2) He's a great skater
3) He's physical
4) He's chippy
5) Flair to spare
6) Excellent arsenal of shots
7) Nice playmaking ability
8) Passion for the game


From what I can tell that description fits Ovechkin to a tee, although he goes about his business in a slightly more subdued manner.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

How many of his games where he was a physical force have you seen him play?

Plenty. Modano doesn't kill people, but he'll play the body and fight through crap to make a play. People tend to forget that although he's a "finesse" player, Modano has considerable size and strength and isn't afraid to use it.

 

[West]

A young Sergie Federov back in the day when he was considered a checking center. Granted a high scoring checking center.

 

[Steve Latin*]

Ovechkin has everything Iginla has minus an established physical presence at the NHL level, plus better skating and passing, and I'm tempted to say a better wrist shot (Sakic, and uncanny have been used by scouts to describe it), but after watching Iginla this postseason, I'll have to wait on that.

Ovechkin on par, if not better than Iginla *now*? wank, wank, wank.

S L

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Ovechkin on par, if not better than Iginla *now*? wank, wank, wank.

S L

I can't stand when people make statements like that. An unproven prospect (albeit a highly touted one) is superior to one of the top five players in the game?

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

I can't stand when people make statements like that. An unproven prospect (albeit a highly touted one) is superior to one of the top five players in the game?

I think you missed the sarcasm in SL's post. To be fair, the original poster did specify that AO's could play like JI "some day". This isn't one of the threads that "he who shall not be named" stated that AO is a top 3 player in the NHL right now.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I think you missed the sarcasm in SL's post. To be fair, the original poster did specify that AO's could play like JI "some day". This isn't one of the threads that "he who shall not be named" stated that AO is a top 3 player in the NHL right now.

No, I got the sarcasm. I was agreeing with him. I was making my statement in response to the post he was responding to if that makes sense.

 

[leafaholix*]

I think the Kovalchuk comparison is spot on, mainly because alot of people undervalue the total package Kovalchuk brings to the table:

1) He's big
2) He's a great skater
3) He's physical
4) He's chippy
5) Flair to spare
6) Excellent arsenal of shots
7) Nice playmaking ability
8) Passion for the game


From what I can tell that description fits Ovechkin to a tee, although he goes about his business in a slightly more subdued manner.

Ovechkin's not a floater... he also plays a physical game.

Offensively, he's as talented as Kovalchuk.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Ovechkin's not a floater... he also plays a physical game.

Offensively, he's as talented as Kovalchuk.

Personally I don't think Kovalchuk is a floater, and he also plays a physical game.

 

[leafaholix*]

Personally I don't think Kovalchuk is a floater, and he also plays a physical game.

Ovechkin models his game after Owen Nolan.

He plays physical all the time and plays defense, something Kovalchuk does not do.

 

[EroCaps]

Ovechkin on par, if not better than Iginla *now*? wank, wank, wank.

S L

Pardon, I meant has in terms of potential. I usually use that context. No one would take Ovechkin over a Kovalchuck or Iginla at this stage.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Ovechkin models his game after Owen Nolan.

He plays physical all the time and plays defense, something Kovalchuk does not do.

If you say so. I don't think Ovechkin's as polished as you're making him out to be, but whatever.

 

[Ajacied]

Ovechkin models his game after Owen Nolan.

He plays physical all the time and plays defense, something Kovalchuk does not do.

No, Ovechkin used to be a huge fan of San Jose, because of Owen Nolan. I've never heard him saying that he models himself after him.

 

[EroCaps]

If you say so. I don't think Ovechkin's as polished as you're making him out to be, but whatever.

Ovechkin may not be a Selke candidate, but physically speaking his game is always aggressive, and he plays defense, is coachable, etc. McPhee said he has never seen an 18 year old play as well as Ovy did for Russia last month, and coming from McPhee, that's something. Unless he's hyping the kid up for a trade.

 

[ChemiseBleuHonnete]

No, Ovechkin used to be a huge fan of San Jose, because of Owen Nolan. I've never heard him saying that he models himself after him.

He didn't said that but, he meant it when he was talking of his style...

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Ovechkin may not be a Selke candidate, but physically speaking his game is always aggressive, and he plays defense, is coachable, etc. McPhee said he has never seen an 18 year old play as well as Ovy did for Russia last month, and coming from McPhee, that's something. Unless he's hyping the kid up for a trade.

That's great. I just don't think he's the hockey world's version of the emperor or whoever that was from GI-Joe who was a composite of all the great military leaders from history.

 

[EroCaps]

He didn't said that but, he meant it when he was talking of his style...

At the time, he was a kid who liked the Sharks for their jerseys, and Owen Nolan was probably the best model available. They do have similar games though.