Kovalchuk - Ovechkin

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EroCaps

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Russian Fan said:
I was about to write a post about the Kovalchuk-Ovechkin but you wrote exactly what I was about to say.

Ovechkin to the Sakic comparison is exactly it !

Kovalchuk will probably score between 750-900 goals in his career IF he's stay healthy & in a DEFENSIVE ERA, that's what I called GIFTED !!!

I'd agree with the Sakic comparison, if Ovechkin wasn't as physical and strong w/the puck as he is. He's got that on Sakic.
 

thrashers=cup05

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Do you people watch Atl hockey. If you have watched Kovy play this season you would have noticed that he has begun to back check and that he is begining to develope into a two way player and will be a very good defensive player in 2 to 3 years. He can check and he can pass. He did lead his team in assists and scoring. He no longer cherry picks. Uncle Bob is making him play defense, if you don't believe me check out his ice time in the 3rd period against philly in their last home meeting.
 

Vincent_TheGreat

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Dr.Sens(e) said:
This simply isn't the case.

Kovalchuk was #1 well before Christmas - and most rankings the whol eyear. And while you might have found a few people whispering Spezza's name with statements like "you never know, Spezza may just turn out to be better..." it was hardly a case of Kovalchuk not being the consensus #1. You have the same whispers about Malkin, albeit a little more muted.

The reality is there were other players challenging for #1 as much as Spezza - and it wasn't that much of a challenge when it came down to it. The only publication I can recall that had someone other than Kovalchuk #1 after Christmas was the Red Line report. One month they put Chistov #1 as a statement on how high they felt about him (they put Kovalchuk back to #1 the next month). Hell, Red line had Spezza #4.

Ah no! Kovalchuk's WJC performance put him ahead of Spezza, thats after christmas just to let you know. There were only two choices for 1st overall(spezza and kovalchuk) don't try to say there was 4able to go first, there was a top tier of Spezza and Kovalchuk.
 

Dr.Sens(e)

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Vincent_TheGreat said:
Ah no! Kovalchuk's WJC performance put him ahead of Spezza, thats after christmas just to let you know. There were only two choices for 1st overall(spezza and kovalchuk) don't try to say there was 4able to go first, there was a top tier of Spezza and Kovalchuk.

Kovalchuk was ranked #1 on all the professional publications I read from the start of the year. Although I actually can't remember how HF had it ranked before Christmas.

Here's a link to Red Line as an example...Spezza never made it to #1 on their list, as I said Chistov was the only one to crack the top spot, and only for a month:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columns/kyle/102200.htm
 

Dr.Sens(e)

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Vincent_TheGreat said:
Ah no! Kovalchuk's WJC performance put him ahead of Spezza, thats after christmas just to let you know. There were only two choices for 1st overall(spezza and kovalchuk) don't try to say there was 4able to go first, there was a top tier of Spezza and Kovalchuk.

Here's another interesting article - WELL before the WJC. Actually, it's interesting to read their take on Spezza which provides some very eerie similarities to Schremp.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columns/kyle/112100.htm
 

YellHockey*

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Dr.Sens(e) said:
Here's another interesting article - WELL before the WJC. Actually, it's interesting to read their take on Spezza which provides some very eerie similarities to Schremp.

I'd never heard about any problems with Spezza and Brampton before. I remember his family moved from Mississauga to Brampton so that he could play with Brampton instead of the Ice Dogs (at 15 players can only play in their home area in the OHL) but he was then drafted by the Ice Dogs first overall in the OHL draft.

I can't blame Spezza too much for wanting out of Mississauga. That team was a nightmare that demonstrateds that Don Cherry doesn't know a fraction of the hockey that he thinks he does.
 
Vincent_TheGreat said:
Ah no! Kovalchuk's WJC performance put him ahead of Spezza, thats after christmas just to let you know. There were only two choices for 1st overall(spezza and kovalchuk) don't try to say there was 4able to go first, there was a top tier of Spezza and Kovalchuk.

Here's something from Redline which would seem to contradict what you said.

This year's World Juniors magnified the battle for top spot overall with a head-to-head showdown between two marquee players: Russia's Ilya Kovalchuk and Canada's Jason Spezza. Red Line's take on the matchup: there was a small gap between the No. 1 rated Kovalchuk and the No. 2 rated Spezza going in, so Spezza needed to play outstanding while Kovalchuk faltered for the order to flip-flop.

Spezza held up his end of the bargain, perhaps starting a bit slowly, but coming on like gangbusters down the stretch in the medal round, where he was seemingly instrumental in every scoring chance generated by Canada. But Kovalchuk was up to the task. While Team Russia disappointed the home crowd with an uncharacteristically poor seventh place showing, Kovalchuk scored four goals in the first four games, and was his usual flamboyant self. His emotional displays (both positive and negative) may detract from his overall game, but the bottom line is that he's a dynamic gamebreaker, capable of scoring or lifting the fans out of their seats every time he hits the ice.

Their stats are basically the same. Kovalchuk had 4 goals and 2 assists for 6 points in 7 games and Spezza had 3 goals and 3 assists for 6 points in 7 games. And it was Spezza, not Kovalchuk, who was named to the tournament all-star team. It seems more like their performances at the World Juniors just maintained the status quo, which was Kovalchuk at number 1 and Spezza at number 2.
 

stockwizard*

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Mizral said:
I would rank Kovalchuk's intensity up there with Steve Yzerman. I would rank his 'smartness' up there with Lemieux. Lemieux has never backchecked more than 3 or 4 times in his entire career, much less his first couple seasons. So don't give me that 'Kovalchuk is a stupid player' remark.

Physically, I think Kovalchuk could be every bit as physical as a Keith Tkachuk very soon - maybe even as soon as next year.

I think you'll find that all you Kovalchuk doubters are going to be very, very, VERY wrong inside of 3 years.

I can see this kid being ranked up there with Gretzky, Lemieux, Orr, and Howe. I think he's that good.

Ovechkin on the other hand, while a great player, I would compare him more to a Sakic type player. Insane skill, but I do not sense the same level of talent nor determination & pure force of will out there on the ice that I see in Kovalchuk. And that's what truely makes Kovalchuk a frighteningly good player.

Comparing Kovalchuk to Orr is akin to comparing me to Jesus. :shakehead
 

BobMarleyNYR

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I NEVER want to hear this **** again... who ever started this snowballing comparison was SO far off... that's like comparing Jagr and Roenick. TOTALLY different players... whos better? As of now, Kovalchuk... in five years, who knows?
 

thrashers=cup05

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[Kovi is 'stupid' when he takes the puck in transition, is covered by defenders and while his linemates are open he doesn't realize it or doesn't care and goes for the shot anyway.[/QUOTE]

Tell that to Carolina did you see him deke through 4 defenders and then score. Guess not.
 

Vincent_TheGreat

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Doomsday Device said:
Here's something from Redline which would seem to contradict what you said.



Their stats are basically the same. Kovalchuk had 4 goals and 2 assists for 6 points in 7 games and Spezza had 3 goals and 3 assists for 6 points in 7 games. And it was Spezza, not Kovalchuk, who was named to the tournament all-star team. It seems more like their performances at the World Juniors just maintained the status quo, which was Kovalchuk at number 1 and Spezza at number 2.

I don't listen to redline, its like listening to somebody fart! ITS USELESS!!! WORST CRAP EVER
 
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