So is the Crosby/Ovechkin rivalry dead?

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

To those of you who say it isn't a rivalry Id sure like to know what your definition or rivalry is? The Caps and Pena get up for each other and play hard. The passion is greater than normal in these games, there are many memorable moments on both sides. The fans argue with each other. It's a rivalry, get over it.

I don't know if they think about each other that much.

 

[Blades of Steel]

I don't know if they think about each other that much.

Yeah yeah, I saw it after I submitted it's not easy typing on an iPhone

 

[Sam Spade]

Yeah I think there could be more than one match up that gets more buzz. Like any series from the west, the conference that is actually going to win the cup (again)

Not as long as there is this thing called "the eastern time zone".

 

[Dynamo81]

Yeah it is dead, they were competitive but marketing played a role, and in my opinion it was beneficial to Hockey. It is dead mainly because Ovechkin lost that spark that made him so dominant (Yes he won the richard the two past seasons but it is not the same player). I wouldn't say Crosby has regressed much although somewhat evident this season, appears to be half a step off (Still the best player in the world).

They were the two best players in the world from 06-11. Ovechkin was the better player in some of those seasons (07-08, 08-09 09-10), as was Crosby (06-07, 10-11). Both had contrasting styles, I remember it was intense. The way the media would sell it was funny, Crosby the quiet hard working Canadian, Ovechkin the hard hitting, flashy party maniac Even on this forum there were arguments all the time about who is the best player They had a great play off series that went 7 games with the Penguins winning.

I actually enjoyed my hockey more back then, they were both immense. Whenever Crosby or Ovechkin were on the ice you almost expected a goal to come from their shift

Good times.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

They were the top 2 players from 07-10. After that ovechkin fell off and crosby stayed an 100 point player and yes he will still hit 100 points this season

 

[LongWayDown37]

It was forced to begin with, totally fabricated by a league starving for something marketable. It's appears to be lessened because NBCSN, et al no longer weave it into every god damn commercial.

 

[Sam Spade]

They were the top 2 players from 07-10. After that ovechkin fell off and crosby stayed an 100 point player and yes he will still hit 100 points this season

So two Rockets and a Hart is considered "falling off".

Unbelievable.

 

[nowhereman]

So two Rockets and a Hart is considered "falling off".

Unbelievable.

If you think Ovechkin is the same player he was back in 2008, you're delusional.

Peak Ovechkin was a monster. Now, he's not even in the conversation with Crosby. He can still score goals, as he's an extremely talent player, but his game has changed quite a bit and he's not the dynamic force he used to be.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

If you think Ovechkin is the same player he was back in 2008, you're delusional.

Peak Ovechkin was a monster. Now, he's not even in the conversation with Crosby.

Obviously today's Ovi is worse than 2008 Ovi but saying that he has fallen off is an overstatement.

I'd say that he has slowed down with age. He's still a beast.

 

[Spade]

Maybe but I still miss that time when Crosby and Ovechkin both wanted to prove the world that they were the best players in the world.

Now it's all over. :'(


It's gone...

When we look back at the Crosby/Ovie era in 10 years, people will realize just how amazing that 5-year period was. It might have single handedly saved (and destroyed, considering the newfound penchant for lockouts) the NHL from the fate of baseball and their last lockout.

2 dynamite players and easily the most dominant players of their generation. Yes, they've changed, but no one in the game today besides these two took over games with as much excitement and utter willpower as the days of Ovie and Crosby. The NHL basically were giftwrapped an entire generation of hockey fans for life largely because these two put on a show.

Nowadays there's more overall parity and even among the best players there's very little separation. No comparison to a few years ago.

 

[nowhereman]

When we look back at the Crosby/Ovie era in 10 years, people will realize just how amazing that 5-year period was. It might have single handedly saved (and destroyed, considering the newfound penchant for lockouts) the NHL from the fate of baseball and their last lockout.

2 dynamite players and easily the most dominant players of their generation. Yes, they've changed, but no one in the game today besides these two took over games with as much excitement and utter willpower as the days of Ovie and Crosby. The NHL basically were giftwrapped an entire generation of hockey fans for life largely because these two put on a show.

Nowadays there's more overall parity and even among the best players there's very little separation. No comparison to a few years ago.

And this is why I don't get how people can say that they "hated" the rivalry. It was great for the sport and made for some great hockey.

I think that Washington-Pittsburgh 2009 series was one of my favorites, since the lockout.

 

[The Cheat]

To me, there was never a real rivalry. Just hyped up by the media to create something for interest.

This. It was the nhl's jordan vs bird. Their golden goose

 

[TheAngryHank]

This. It was the nhl's jordan vs bird. Their golden goose

Magic..

 

[kingsholygrail]

This. It was the nhl's jordan vs bird. Their golden goose

Bird and Magic had a rivalry. What the media made up was the racial element between them when really neither player gave a damn about that aspect. They were rivals because they competed at the highest levels through their careers as opponents which included college.

 

[Dynamo81]

When we look back at the Crosby/Ovie era in 10 years, people will realize just how amazing that 5-year period was. It might have single handedly saved (and destroyed, considering the newfound penchant for lockouts) the NHL from the fate of baseball and their last lockout.

2 dynamite players and easily the most dominant players of their generation. Yes, they've changed, but no one in the game today besides these two took over games with as much excitement and utter willpower as the days of Ovie and Crosby. The NHL basically were giftwrapped an entire generation of hockey fans for life largely because these two put on a show.

Nowadays there's more overall parity and even among the best players there's very little separation. No comparison to a few years ago.

This

 

[Blades of Steel]

i'm still at some of you saying its not a rivalry. That's complete ********.


"A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sports_rivalries


So you guys think this isn't the case what so ever?

Is it as intense as it was right now? No, but that doesn't mean ****. It still exists and could heat right back up with a single play. As a Caps fan I still ****ing hate the pens and their fans, but I wouldn't want them to go away. Having a sports rival is what makes the game exciting.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

i'm still at some of you saying its not a rivalry. That's complete ********.


"A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sports_rivalries


So you guys think this isn't the case what so ever?

Is it as intense as it was right now? No, but that doesn't mean ****. It still exists and could heat right back up with a single play. As a Caps fan I still ****ing hate the pens and their fans, but I wouldn't want them to go away. Having a sports rival is what makes the game exciting.

As a Crosby fan, I still want Ovechkin and Crosby/the Caps and the Pens going at it against each other.

The rivalry has certainly calmed, but it is still there. I still want Sid to outscore Ovy and win more awards than Ovy and have the greater legacy than Ovy.

You can bet that somewhere in the back of their minds they are thinking the same thing. They would not be competitors if they weren't.

I am so thankful for the pleasure of cheering against Ovechkin for so long. If I step away from it, I love everything about the guy, but as a fan of his rival...cheering against him has been special and I would not want it to end. It makes all the losses more devastating and all the wins that much more fun. There have been both, and that is how a good rivalry should be.

 

[txpd]

If you think Ovechkin is the same player he was back in 2008, you're delusional.

Peak Ovechkin was a monster. Now, he's not even in the conversation with Crosby. He can still score goals, as he's an extremely talent player, but his game has changed quite a bit and he's not the dynamic force he used to be.

how has his game changed exactly? he still lead the nhl in shots on goal. he still is top 5 in hits. he lead the league in goals scored last year. he's one of his 20 game hot streaks from being in the middle of that again.

he plays in a less wide open system. he makes fewer bad decisions and plays better defense. what about him is so different?

 

[Big Phil]

Maybe but I still miss that time when Crosby and Ovechkin both wanted to prove the world that they were the best players in the world.

Now it's all over. :'(


It's gone...

I miss it too. When they were rookies you felt like this could be something we saw for a long time. In 2009 it hit its peak and I honestly felt like we'd be comparing them for a long, long time. I would say since 2010 it hasn't been very good. The Caps haven't been very good and there hasn't been a playoff series in 6 years between the two.

 

[19Yzerman19]

They were the top 2 players from 07-10. After that ovechkin fell off and crosby stayed an 100 point player and yes he will still hit 100 points this season

yep that actual 1 100 point season since 2010 = stayed 100 pt player to me as well

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

yep that actual 1 100 point season since 2010 = stayed 100 pt player to me as well

Nice simple minded approach.

 

[19Yzerman19]

Nice simple minded approach.

truth hurts I understand.

 

[Sam Spade]

Nice simple minded approach.

The letters "PPG" will be on Crosby's gravestone.

 

[Offtheboard412]

how has his game changed exactly? he still lead the nhl in shots on goal. he still is top 5 in hits. he lead the league in goals scored last year. he's one of his 20 game hot streaks from being in the middle of that again.

he plays in a less wide open system. he makes fewer bad decisions and plays better defense. what about him is so different?

His snapshot off the rush was absolutely unstoppable, he blended his release with his one on one moves so well. In a 2 on 2 situation you usually just hope to get a nice clean shot on net, with Ovi you would expect a goal to be scored.

 

[Frosty415]

While true... c'mon. He has definitely regressed.

I still love him as a player and he's still great, but he's not the Ovi from 5-7 years ago.

Have you not seen Crosby since the playoffs? That's regression.