The Official Alexander Ovechkin Thread

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superjonathan

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Grave77digger said:
i hope these russian kids start working on there english, i hate seeing interviews of in between periods and you cant understand a thing there saying

I think what you meant was "I hope these russian kids start working on their english. I hate seeing interviews in between periods in which you can't understand a thing they're saying." ;)
 

Foppa_Rules

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Zine said:
From the Russian forum:
Ovechkin had a 2 goal night in a 3-2 exhibition win vs Finland.(4-3-04)


Yup, Russia was down 1-0, Ovechkin tied it. Then again with 3 minutes left in the game, Russia was down 2-1 and Ovechkin tied it. Russia won in OT. He told Finland's goalie on April 1 in the first exibition game against Finland that he would score on him. Ovechkin scored two goals on April 3. :yo:

Still awaiting the Lottery results....... :help:
 

st_roland

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superjonathan said:
I think what you meant was "I hope these russian kids start working on their english. I hate seeing interviews in between periods in which you can't understand a thing they're saying." ;)


:bow: :joker:

Awesome.
 

Foppa_Rules

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So the Draft Lottery is over. Now we'll have to see if the Caps will keep Ovechkin when they find it difficult to get him out of Russia. In the meantime, Ovechkin plays another exibition game of the World Championships on April 16. He will probably make the team for the real games of the World Championships. The after that on the timeline is the Draft in June, the contract negotiations, negotiations over transfer fees in Russia and military duty, then the CBA expiring, then he may be in the World Cup. So that's the timeline.

One thing is for sure: Ovechkin is not the luckiest person in the world. He was born two days late for the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, his brother died in a car accident, a close friend and advisor died during the World Junior Championships, he will be drafted just before the expiration of both the CBA and the IIHF-NHL-NHLPA deals, destroying his rookie season. And there is the question of possible military duty.
 

leafaholix*

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If there was any doubt about the Capitals future in the NHL, this is great news for the fans of Washington. Ovechkin will save hockey in that city... he's going to carry that organization for years.

Now, Pittsburgh is a totally different story... :shakehead
 

EroCaps

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Foppa_Rules said:
Plus, added to his bad luck is probably the worst of the bottom 5 teams winning the Lottery.

do you follow the Caps, Foppa?

we have arguably the best collective prospect group in the NHL, including Sasha Ovechkin's talented team Russia teammate Alex Semin.

:huh:
 

Foppa_Rules

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But didn't they just start their restructuring? The Pens have been at it for a while and Columbus is a new franchise with Zherdev, Nash, and Klesla. Phoenix has Doan. Chicago has Arnason and Ruutu and Sutter to keep them working. It seems to me that the Caps just started their restructuring this year by dumping some superstars and some payroll.
 

SwOOsh*

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Well when we had that off-year and were able to get 3 first round selections, we stocked the organization with quite a bit of talent. Plus a few key deals here and there and I would say after this draft we will be the #1 organization on Hockey's Future by a long shot.
 

gb701

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Grave77digger said:
i hope these russian kids start working on there english, i hate seeing interviews of in between periods and you cant understand a thing there saying

Given the typos in this message, perhaps you should take your own advice. :joker:

Seriously, it is a bit much to criticize someone from another country because they don't give interviews you can understand. They are supposed to be hockey players...not talk show guests.
 

gb701

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Foppa_Rules said:
So the Draft Lottery is over. Now we'll have to see if the Caps will keep Ovechkin when they find it difficult to get him out of Russia. In the meantime, Ovechkin plays another exibition game of the World Championships on April 16. He will probably make the team for the real games of the World Championships. The after that on the timeline is the Draft in June, the contract negotiations, negotiations over transfer fees in Russia and military duty, then the CBA expiring, then he may be in the World Cup. So that's the timeline.

One thing is for sure: Ovechkin is not the luckiest person in the world. He was born two days late for the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, his brother died in a car accident, a close friend and advisor died during the World Junior Championships, he will be drafted just before the expiration of both the CBA and the IIHF-NHL-NHLPA deals, destroying his rookie season. And there is the question of possible military duty.

First of all - great idea on the thread.

I hope that the draft/CBA strike work out for the kid - and we don't have to wait 18 months before we get a chance to watch him

What were his stats this year?
 

Chimaera

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Leafaholix said:
If there was any doubt about the Capitals future in the NHL, this is great news for the fans of Washington. Ovechkin will save hockey in that city... he's going to carry that organization for years.

Now, Pittsburgh is a totally different story... :shakehead



Not sure about Pittsburgh, but there wasn't any real chance of Hockey leaving Washington anytime soon. Unless you know something we all don't about the NHL folding. Now washington is not the Hockey hotbed that is Toronto. But... the market is large enough with a new enough building to suceed financially if the Caps payroll isn't one of the top 5/10 (like it was in years past). Once the team plays well and consistently makes the playoffs, adding money to the team will not be a problem. Winning usually breeds new fans around these parts.


As for their talent in the system, Foppa, you're a bit off. Yes, the complete rebuilding has been fully started this year, but it has been a process that has been going on in minature for a while.

2 years back, the Caps missed the playoffs like this year, leading them to have a few higher picks then normal and also traded off a few of their players, i.e. Bulis/Zednik for Linden/Zubrus (which Linden turned into a decent draft pick) and Adam Oates for a 2 month rental for a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Oulette.

They've also had a few more project defensemen in the system. (though they haven't progressed much yet) Like Yonkman and Cutta, who have potential, but need positioning work. And time to mature like most larger defenseman.

The extra picks year, they turned those into Boyd Gordon, Steve Eminger, and Alex Semin. All decent prospects. Last year, we might have gotten a steal with Eric Fehr at 18.

And trading people away this year has only added to the depth in the system. Most of the prospects the Caps picked up this year are 2 years after their draft year, making them in line to be signed this year, and also right in line to make the jump to the AHL/NHL soon. With most of them, the Caps will find out shortly whether they can play.

There are a lot of role players, 3rd liners and potential 2nd liners in the Caps system, granted. The top end talent is not there yet. Thus, Ovechkin should change that some. But in the system there are some solid youngsters, of which a few should pan out.

The other thing to remember is the quality goaltending prospects. Oulette, Stana, Daigneault and Gherson are all better than average prospects, and could be used to pick up an extra defensemen or other prospect the Caps could use more.

This team should not take 3-4 years to rebuild. Especially considering there are a few players at the NHL level now, (Zubrus, Witt, Halpern) who aren't dinosaurs either and can help integrate.
 
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Kabers

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Foppa_Rules said:
But didn't they just start their restructuring? The Pens have been at it for a while and Columbus is a new franchise with Zherdev, Nash, and Klesla. Phoenix has Doan. Chicago has Arnason and Ruutu and Sutter to keep them working. It seems to me that the Caps just started their restructuring this year by dumping some superstars and some payroll.

Yes, but in exchange for all those players we got some great prospects in return - Aulin, Laich, and Morrison to name just a few. Plus, we already have great goal tending with Stana, Max O and Max D, Fehr is just tearing it up in the WHL (he could be up here sooner than we all think), all our "older" players such as Halpern, Pettinger, Wilsie and Berry really stepped it up at the end of this year, and not enough can be said about Semin's talent.

Also, you can't over look Glen Hanlon. Ever since he took over as coach the players have really responded to him positively. Even Jagr was singing the praises of Hanlon before and after his departure. Give him a young group which he can lead and mold to his own system and who knows how competitive and talented this team can become. Just look at how well he has handled the developement of Semin so far.

Ovechkin should fit in here rather nicely. This is in no way the worst situation a player could walk into. We may not be as far along as those other teams, but we're not as far behind as people think.
 
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gb701

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Foppa_Rules said:
Plus, added to his bad luck is probably the worst of the bottom 5 teams winning the Lottery.

Actually, given the choice of Washington versus, say, the Penguins, he may come out of this pretty well. Certainly, Washington is positioning itself for a serious rebuild, while the Penguins may or may not even survive.

This may turn out to be good luck.
 

Big McLargehuge

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gb701 said:
Actually, given the choice of Washington versus, say, the Penguins, he may come out of this pretty well. Certainly, Washington is positioning itself for a serious rebuild, while the Penguins may or may not even survive.

This may turn out to be good luck.

:shakehead :shakehead :shakehead
 

Foppa_Rules

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gb701 said:
First of all - great idea on the thread.

I hope that the draft/CBA strike work out for the kid - and we don't have to wait 18 months before we get a chance to watch him

What were his stats this year?

He has 13 goals 9 assists in 53 games playing his second year on a defensive team in a low-scoring league. Not to metion all the international tournaments he went to all year added to the Superleague regular season and 3 games of the playoffs.
 

daver

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Foppa_Rules said:
He has 13 goals 9 assists in 53 games playing his second year on a defensive team in a low-scoring league. Not to metion all the international tournaments he went to all year added to the Superleague regular season and 3 games of the playoffs.

How do those stats compare to Kovalchuk's pre-draft year stats?
 

Epsilon

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daver said:
How do those stats compare to Kovalchuk's pre-draft year stats?

Basically incomparable, because Kovalchuk never played in the Superleague. One reason many feel tha Ovechkin is ahead of where Kovalchuk was at the same age is he's been playing at a higher level than Kovalchuk did.
 
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