How do you think Ovechkin feels?

[Back in Black]

How do you think McDavid or Crosby feels?

 

[illpucks]

How do you think McDavid or Crosby feels?

Crosby has 2 gold. Ovie has nothing. Crosby doesn't care. McDavid is so young that he doesn't care either. He will get chances before he is done. Ovie has one more chance in 2022 and that's likely it.

 

[Baxterman]

Damn. I really wanted him to go even if other NHLers didn’t. I really love him as a player despite him being the face of a semi rival team to the one I follow. Would be nice for him to break the rules a little to represent his country and he’d definitely be huge for them winning

He can't "break the rules" because the IIHF and thus the Olympics would have declared him ineligible.

 

[Baxterman]

Waited his whole life to get to the chance to win gold for his country. Even said he would leave his NHL team and take any punishment. Was denied and now his country is practically assured the gold but he isn't on the team!

He wasn't denied anything.

It wasn't like this tournament was a pop-up surprise deal. I mean you could have predicted these games happening this year way back in 1994 when they altered the Olympic cycle.

Ovechkin at any point could have signed a deal that would have him as a UFA prior to this season and he would have been free as a bird to go to the games.

There is one person that "denied" AO a chance to go to the Olympics and that person was him.

 

[Philadelphia Ducks]

Waited his whole life to get to the chance to win gold for his country. Even said he would leave his NHL team and take any punishment. Was denied and now his country is practically assured the gold but he isn't on the team!

If he was willing to take any punishment that he wouldn't have been denied. And I'm sure he feels fine, there is always another chance in 4 years.

 

[Crosbyfan]

If he was willing to take any punishment that he wouldn't have been denied. And I'm sure he feels fine, there is always another chance in 4 years.

He could have gone and watched...he chose not to do that...so we can blame him for that...I guess...

 

[ottawa]

If I was him I wouldn't care. I'd rather wait 4 years when the real Olympic hockey might be back rather than "win" the gold in this joke.

In 4 years Ovechkin will be irrelevant and quite possibly on Russia's 3rd line

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

All talk again. Not so tough when its time to actually do something.

Ah, yes, the authority on toughness is the guy posting anonymously on an internet message board. Well done.

 

[shtorm2005]

Why would you feel jealous if your friends achieved something big?

Sarcasm

 

[shtorm2005]

in other hand, his team is in troubles. Fans wouldn't undestand if he would leave to play in team that powerfull enough. He did everything right.

 

[Barrie22]

He could have gone and watched...he chose not to do that...so we can blame him for that...I guess...

He could of played and faced no punishment what so ever.

 

[1Gold Standard]

I'm sure he's highly motivated to headline the World Hockey Championships this May. Sucks if you are a Caps fan. Glad I am not.

 

[jj cale]

This should just make him more motivated to do everything he can to help his team win the Stanley Cup.

 

[Harry22]

He is obviously not happy and wanted to play in the Olympics. But would he have won if NHLers would have played? If history tells us anything, the answer is no. Last time Russia won a best on best tournament was in 1981.

 

[Harry22]

How is this the first time that he had a chance to win gold for his country?

He had three chances.

2006: Russia finished fourth
2010: Russia finished sixth
2014: Russia finished fifth

 

[Harry22]

Waited his whole life to get to the chance to win gold for his country. Even said he would leave his NHL team and take any punishment. Was denied and now his country is practically assured the gold but he isn't on the team!

1) He played in three Olympics. Has no medals. So don't say he waited his whole life and did not get the chance. He had three chances, including once in his own country.

2) Would Russia have won if NHLers been allowed to participate? Doubt it, if history tells us anything.

3) He will most likely get another shot in 2022.

 

[Harry22]

Not quite. Canadian team of NHL stars would dominate current Olympics much more than Russian KHL players did. Anyhow, I'm pretty sure Russians would love to have best-on-best tournament, this year they would have much better roster who could give many troubles to Canadians. I think gap between teams were much smaller this tournament and everyone who played team game knows how difficult to stop a less talented team that started to believe they can win. Medal is deserved and worthy to celebrate.

Russia has to prove they can win a BEST on BEST tournament. Something they have not done since 1981. They came close once (1998) and that's all. Have won a bronze in 2002 and then did not medal in 2006, 2010 and 2014. If NHLers participated in 2018, Russia (OAR) would not have won gold. I am fairly confident in saying that.

 

[Harry22]

Crosby has 2 gold. Ovie has nothing. Crosby doesn't care. McDavid is so young that he doesn't care either. He will get chances before he is done. Ovie has one more chance in 2022 and that's likely it.

Crosby cares. 3 golds is better than 2

 

[Nervousbreakdown]

How do you think McDavid or Crosby feels?

Crosby will have another chance to win in 2022, Mcdavid will get his first chance to win in 2022 and he will probably have 2 more chances after that. If the NHL goes in 2022 and its back to a best on best tournament Russa will just get stomped again.

 

[Saku11]

Ah, yes, the authority on toughness is the guy posting anonymously on an internet message board. Well done.

Hey i say proudly say i never lie like your boy Alex.Remember that Alex has a job that involves publicity.He better not cry when he made a promise he didnt keep up

 

[Fantomas]

This is slightly off-topic, but the conversation has obviously shifted a little to a discussion of Ovy's playoff legacy.

I think the Caps just need to turn on the engines in the playoffs. They've had many first place teams in the past and couldn't live up to the high expectations.

Maybe the opposite will happen this time. We've seen many mediocre and struggling regular season teams catch fire in the post-season - why can't the Caps do it?

The NHL is one of those leagues where a pristine regular season doesn't mean a damn thing. The President's trophy is truly the definition of fool's gold. You need to win when it counts and until then just pace yourselves.

An extreme example, but the Bossy-Trottier Islanders teams were notorious playoff disappointments until 1980. They had a poor regular season performance that year, but then surprised everyone just as fans began to lose hope. This kind of stuff happens from time to time. Don't lose hope.