Alexander Ovechkin

[BobRouse]

Top-5, maybe top-3, but I can't put him past a few guys. I have him 4th right now. It's a pleasure to watch. I hope Caps fans remember the good times when Ovy starts to slip or just has another down year. We lucked into a franchise saving draft pick that's for sure. McPhee's greatest success, winning a ping pong ball game.

Well it was a deliberate tank (according to Ron Wilson GMGM had asked him to tank in the past as well) so I wouldn't attribute it all to "luck". Matt Yeats, Kolzig mystery injury and the great firesale.

Remember GMGM also traded Oates for a buttload of picks a couple years back and used one to trade up and get Semin.

Firesale also netted Green, Flash and others.


One thing Ovie has above most all those goal scorers is his "unmatched physicality"

He's a force of nature.

EDIT: It was still hilarious...first NHL game on opening night ...he came out in his first shift and drove suchy thru the glass causing a delay. He also scored 2 goals and we won.

Meanwhile Crosby got an assist in a 4-1 loss to New Jersey.

Guess who was player of the night?

 

[RandyHolt]

You are kidding, Ovi did not get Player of the Night? Like we need another reason to hate him.

That first game, his first hit dislodging the pane, was ****ing awesome.

 

[Corby78]

Ovie could score 60, add 50 assists, captain a team to the cup, and cure cancer, and guys like ****** bag Don Cherry would still rip him.

 

[Jacoby4HOF66]

How refreshing is it to have a player the caliber of OV, in the middle of a huge contract, asked to play a better all around game (lead by example) by a new HC and he does it? Considering the on going saga of the local NFL teams prized QB I will make sure to never take OV for granted, ever.

 

[BobRouse]

Yes RH absolutely the Croz got the player of the night award. NHL was coming out of the lockout and already labeled Crosby as the face of the NHL until Ovechkin rudely interrupted the party with brute force and finesse at the same time.

EDIT: It may actually have been a "rookie of the night" award...I can't remember honestly. Fact is that between Croz and Ovie it was clear who deserved it and that player didn't win because he wasn't scheduled to.

Hog

That's is why we need to keep this thread alive. APPRECIATE this player and know that we are witnessing an all time great. He is the opposite of RGIII as far as ego is concerned while yet also having the same flare.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

Yep. Ovie is a historically great player. We are truly blessed to be able to watch him.

When he finally hangs up his skates, he'll be a top ten player of all time, IMHO.

I just hope management can help him get at least one Stanley Cup.

 

[Calicaps]

I was watching some youtube Ovie stuff... not sure if I ever knew this... but I must've and just forgot:

He was only the 2nd player ALL-TIME to have 50 goals and 100 points as a rookie.

The other? Selanne.

Legendary.


EDIT: I had Gretzky as the first, but that's wrong. His rookie year (WHA) he didn't do it.

 

[WcRoenick97]

I was watching some youtube Ovie stuff... not sure if I ever knew this... but I must've and just forgot:

He was only the 2nd player ALL-TIME to have 50 goals and 100 points as a rookie.

The other? 99.

Legendary.

Teemu Selanne says hi. 76 goals and 132 pts in his rookie season.

 

[Calicaps]

Teemu Selanne says hi. 76 goals and 132 pts in his rookie season.

Ah! you are correct. Not 99; his rookie year was in the WHA when he broke 100 points but not 50 goals. I was erroneously looking at his first year in the NHL.

Still makes Ovie one of 2 all time.

 

[ryan519*]

I ****in love Ovi

If i had the option I'd choose Ovi over Crosby 10 times out of 10. They're both similar in skill level but Ovi's attitude and behavior on and off the ice make him much more likeable and respectable in my mind

 

[artilector]

Too bad Ovi's career was cut short by two lockouts.

That, plus decent management, he might've really given some legends a run for their money.

 

[BobRouse]

RE: Selanne

Selanne did the 50+50 in his rookie year for sure.

But a couple things:

Selanne was 22 at the time. Ovechkin was 20. Thats a huge difference in the developmental stage of a player. I believe at 22 Ovechkin had his 65 goal season.

Also...

Selanne did that in 1992-93..

21 players recoreded 100 pts. Mark Recchi was 10th in scoring at 123pts.

There were 7.25 goals per game. (compared to 6.05 in Ovie's rook year)

There were 2 expansion teams that were easy points.

Also there were 84 games that year.

So more games, more goals per game, expansion teams...so yeah that year was an abberation.

 

[txpd]

Too bad Ovi's career was cut short by two lockouts.

That, plus decent management, he might've really given some legends a run for their money.

Ov has had it rough. Just think of how much better life would have been had he been picked by Edmonton or numerous other teams who have had recent first overall picks. Poor guy.

 

[Stewie G]

Ov has had it rough. Just think of how much better life would have been had he been picked by Edmonton or numerous other teams who have had recent first overall picks. Poor guy.

I get what you're doing, but it doesn't make it less sad and wrong, all at the same time. The bar shouldn't be set at the lowest common denominator. It should be closer to

or

 

[txpd]

the need win one cup at this point to give Ov a better career than what Crosby has had to this point.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

the need win one cup at this point to give Ov a better career than what Crosby has had to this point.

It's even stupider that he's judged on his success at the Olympics but it happens. Players are judged on team success.

Elway vs. Marino
Crosby vs. Ovechkin
Mantle vs. Williams

And just because it's unfair doesn't mean we shouldn't try to get him one.

edit: I just saw that Mantle was elected to the HOF in his first year of elegibility with 88% of the votes. Baseball writers are the f'ing worst.

 

[Stewie G]

the need win one cup at this point to give Ov a better career than what Crosby has had to this point.

Umm, that's the whole point. People are saying the organization hasn't done enough to get him a Cup yet.

 

[Brian23]

Well it was a deliberate tank (according to Ron Wilson GMGM had asked him to tank in the past as well) so I wouldn't attribute it all to "luck". Matt Yeats, Kolzig mystery injury and the great firesale.

Remember GMGM also traded Oates for a buttload of picks a couple years back and used one to trade up and get Semin.

Firesale also netted Green, Flash and others.


One thing Ovie has above most all those goal scorers is his "unmatched physicality"

He's a force of nature.

EDIT: It was still hilarious...first NHL game on opening night ...he came out in his first shift and drove suchy thru the glass causing a delay. He also scored 2 goals and we won.

Meanwhile Crosby got an assist in a 4-1 loss to New Jersey.

Guess who was player of the night?

I went to try and find this first shift on youtube (couldn't sadly) and was amazed when watching Ovi's rookie season highlights. Now obviously they're highlights so its not like he did what he was doing every shift but its amazing to me just how wide open he was. How wide open the game was. It really opened my eyes to just how clogged down the game is now.

In my eyes, its not that Ovi isn't still capable of being that guy (well, maybe a little just due to age) but its he can't. Half these goals no ones touching him. Now a days he almost always has one or two guys hanging off of him after he rips a shot short of the PP.

EDIT: Actually, was this it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyz5sy4Ut-0

 

[SpinningEdge]

After watching Ovechkin this year I am pretty confident he's going to be a pretty good player. I see a lot of potential.

 

[BobRouse]

I went to try and find this first shift on youtube (couldn't sadly) and was amazed when watching Ovi's rookie season highlights. Now obviously they're highlights so its not like he did what he was doing every shift but its amazing to me just how wide open he was. How wide open the game was. It really opened my eyes to just how clogged down the game is now.

In my eyes, its not that Ovi isn't still capable of being that guy (well, maybe a little just due to age) but its he can't. Half these goals no ones touching him. Now a days he almost always has one or two guys hanging off of him after he rips a shot short of the PP.

EDIT: Actually, was this it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyz5sy4Ut-0

Yes that was the hit.

That game is one of the ones included in the "10 best Caps games" DVD set too

 

[Lexus]

Ovi is quite the character. (following win over Bruins)

 

[g00n]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...of--team-player--alex-ovechkin-131030437.html

What the?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...of--team-player--alex-ovechkin-131030437.html

What the?

"You can make an argument that he still isn't as committed to defense as he was in Oates' first year."

I stopped reading there.

 

[tycoonheart]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...of--team-player--alex-ovechkin-131030437.html

What the?

Did you read the article?

Its actually saying that analysts suggesting how Ovi has become defensively responsible this year aren't correct, that he was at this level under Bruce as well. They are better defensively because we have better Dmen and better goalie. The Ovi being a liability thing was nonsense.

The Caps as a whole are better at suppressing shots and keeping the puck out of the net, that much is true. But are we really willing to say that it's because Ovechkin got better, rather than Trotz made the whole team play better? Or that Braden Holtby actually played well this season (as his save percentage jumped to .923 from .915)? If anything, don't the last two charts above tell us Johansson improved his defensive game?

 

[tycoonheart]

"You can make an argument that he still isn't as committed to defense as he was in Oates' first year."

I stopped reading there.

Dude, the article isn't a negative on Ovi at all. Read the whole damn thing.