FINALLY seeing last night, that Ovi had not gotten his tooth fixed, said something to me. Maybe it was simply finally having a LD smart enough to get him the puck with the goalie out of position, maybe it was just a russian thing, finally collecting a pass with a cant miss empty goal, maybe it was feeling like the fat lady was lifted off his back. Maybe it was Dale easing the somewhat feeble attempt to reign in perhaps the best individual player in the league, to be a team player.
It was good to see and I saw it as a sign that Ovi and the boys are not rolling over dead just yet.
Agree with all of that RH, and he is responsible for our last 2 wins. But here comes the but. Look at the last 2 goals he scored. Against the Isles, a rookie D-man backs off him all the way down to the face-off circle, giving him plenty of time and space to shoot the puck between the callow kid's legs. The rest of the league stopped playing Ovie like that about 3 years ago. I'd say he doesn't get many more goals like that the rest of the year. And last night, Orly set him up for an empty night lay-up. He won't have an easier goal all year.
Now as Brooks "Esa Tikkanen" Laich showed last night, it's certainly possible to miss empty net lay-ups. And in no way am I complaining about 2 game-winning OT goals -it's great that he came through when the team needed him, and he's an emotional guy so that should help his game.
But (there it is again) we need him to show that he can start scoring goals and carrying the team even when the other team is taking away his strengths and forcing him to produce goals from outside his comfort zone. Because that's all he's going to see for the rest of the year.
Maybe Dale breaking it down to just "More will than skill" will help Ovy - because his will is strong and he's got a big heart. It's just that he's had his head up his arse much of the year.
It seems tough for Ovi to use his linemates. He is not the greatest passer. He sure likes to lug that puck, or lead the attack. Few can keep up. And we all know he likes to shoot that biscuit.
If Ovi didn't score on that Isles rookie that backed off on him, then I would worry. In the "Um Ovi its a team first game" Dale installed with Nick healthy, Ovi was on a 50 goal pace over a decent sample size. He has been adjusting his game since game 2 in Montreal. Working both wings, looking to pass, forced to not skate through players by the league, park gills in nets. It all remains a long term work in progress, as its just not him.
He can no longer win games by himself, the league is on to him. But he can lead the charge, bring the emotion, up the spirit in the locker room, like no other player in the leauge. Get the team believing in themselves. Like going after a slew footer, or smiling ear to ear after an OTGWG. That is the captain we sorely need now. Dale is not a rah rah cheerleader type, but Ovi kind of is. When Ovi is jumping off his skates a lot, that bodes well for us. For it means he is boarding or celebrating goals.
Ovi and the unique player and situation he is in, is very reflective of our team.
Is this true at all? He has excellent passing skills and sees the ice well. He is a shoot-first guy, but he is a very good passer IMO...
He's not a bad passer when he looks to pass. And there have been times this season when he does not treat a pass as the last possible option (after can I shoot, can I carry, can I deke). But there are lots of times when he won't think about making a pass until all other options that allow him to keep the puck are exhausted, and usually by then the passing lanes are closed. I think that's the concern people have about how he uses his linemates.
Of course, Nick, having the highest hockey IQ on the team and being the most situationally aware guy, could adapt to - and compensate for - that tendency on Ovie's part. Ovie didn't really have to be conscious of using his linemates more, because Nick basically made the gears mesh.
Unlike Semin or Nicky, Ovie's passes don't necessarily have a lot of touch on them -- so there are certain kinds of passes he doesn't make well. Also, because his passes come in a bit hot - and because, collectively, this team's hands ain't that great - we don't convert some of his cross-ice feeds.
He can be a good passer, but it's been somewhat inconsistent this year and we really, really need it now; and we need the guys to finish when he does make a good pass (Brooks, AuCoin, Chimmer, MoJo - I'm talking to all of you), or else he's going to revert to I-must-do-it-all-myself Ovie, which the league knows how to stop.
Is this true at all? He has excellent passing skills and sees the ice well. He is a shoot-first guy, but he is a very good passer IMO...
Maybe maybe not. What do you think is the weakest part of his offensive game?
But I have seen him make many great passes. I have also seen my neighbors kids make great passes playing roller hockey in the street.
There is a reason he usually racks up more goals than assists, and its not rocket science. He is a better shooter than passer. And for much of his NHL career, he rarely ever looked to pass. He started passing much more in the past 2 seasons and his stats show it. He has improved. But I think even his biggest fans have seen plenty of horrible passes.
We can sit hear and blame Ovechkin all we want, but the fact of the matter is everyones production is down, (with the exception of maybe Backstrom).
Bottom line, the so called defensive systems we've employed have all sucked. There needs to be more balance. We've basically been doing the exact opposite of run and gun hockey instead of finding a place somewhere near the middle.
I think many people became very unhappy with Ovi's play yep in our run and gun long before Dale got here. Admittedly, not in the playoffs. But we can only judge Dale in the regular season.
I think Dale and George attempted to change Ovi into adhering to team first play. Something wasn't working gunnin'. Team play most easily taught by playing a defensive shell. Sure it hasn't worked, but Ovi scored goals in our trap with Nick as his center, did he not?
Dale is finding balance as we speak. Our shots are up, but flashbacks to Montreal abound. Still no results, odd, isn't it? There is a happy balance somewhere in there, and I think Ovi smiling standing on the far blue makes it difficult to find that balance. It takes time.
Does defensive hockey = boring hockey = bad coaching?
Just wondering if there's any possibility at all that Ovechkin is moved in the offseason, and if so what would the caps be looking for? I think Vancouver has some nice pieces we could offer up.
EDIT: Not sure how you feel about Holtby or Neuvirth after this year but could Schneider be of interest? Perhaps something around Edler, Schneider, and Booth?
Just wondering if there's any possibility at all that Ovechkin is moved in the offseason, and if so what would the caps be looking for? I think Vancouver has some nice pieces we could offer up.
EDIT: Not sure how you feel about Holtby or Neuvirth after this year but could Schneider be of interest? Perhaps something around Edler, Schneider, and Booth?
Unless it involves Kesler, I doubt the Caps even think about sending Ovi to Vancouver. The caps won't move him though. For better or worse, Ovy is a capital as long as Ted is owner imo.
Maybe maybe not. What do you think is the weakest part of his offensive game?
Decision making, I think everyone agrees on that. He has nearly all physical skills at very high level.
I think a very big part of him labeled as an average passer is tendency to make difficult, high-risk passes (which is common among Russian hockey players) - if a shot gets blocked or missed, it's still a shot, and bad pass is often a chance for another team.
Just wondering if there's any possibility at all that Ovechkin is moved in the offseason, and if so what would the caps be looking for? I think Vancouver has some nice pieces we could offer up.
EDIT: Not sure how you feel about Holtby or Neuvirth after this year but could Schneider be of interest? Perhaps something around Edler, Schneider, and Booth?
Starts at Kesler....
__________________
George McPhee....The Teflon GM. 15 years of failure and counting....
6 - Number of playoff series the Capitals have won since George McPhee took over as General Manager in 1997 (which makes him the third-longest-tenured GM in the League), three of which came in McPhee's first season on the job.
The Great 8 Alexander Ovechkin was no.1 pick back in 2004 and after that he has won Calder trophy, Maurice Richard trophy, Art Ross and has been voted for MVP many times in his short career so far.
After 5 amazing seasons in the NHL Ovechkins 6th season with Caps was a little disappointment finishing 32 goals and 53 assists (85 points) but still in the top 10 in points.
After 23 games this season AO has scored 8 goals and 10 assists and -6 so far when guys like Kessel,Giroux,Sedin etc are over 10 points ahead.
Is the star of number 8 fading away and what has to be done to make AO a 50 goal scorer and over 100 point performer?
When comparing to his rival Sidney Crosby who just returned after long break AO has been left behind clearly and is it only a matter of time when Crosby passes Ovechkin and maybe everyone else?
Can Dale Hunter make AO a better player or where do you see the problem is?
Is it game plan, teammates, high expectations or what is the reason why Ovechkin is not who as we know him?
You're right - Alexander is washed up. Please trade him to Boston for Zach Hamill and a future consideration
Good article, but it sounds that Semin and Ovi have alienated themselves from the pack. This is both good and bad. Sever ties with one and bring the other back into the group and start a new foundation.
I think it's an excellent read but a little flawed too. In regards to the media (like color commentators, Eddie O), some have gone out of their way to dump on Ovi. I really got irritated with them recently when they went to extreme to find fault with Ovi on a goal scored against. It's a team sport and for the most part goals are scored because of a series of mistakes and I thought it was that type of goal.
In regard to Montreal's blueprint for defending Ovi - IDK hot goaltending helps. If Montreal is involved in this it's because Washington is trying to "adopt" their defensive system and not because it necessarily worked against Ovi.
In regards to young guns not hanging out together anymore - well I thought Mike Green pretty much summed it up. People change, lifestyles change, priorities change in relationships. I don't consider that a big deal really that they don't hang out together. Frankly, to have a life away from the workplace may work better.
IDK..........to me what hurts Ovi the most is the combination of not having Backstrom and Washington's philosophy change of employing a Montreal type system. It worked for Montreal because they don't/didn't have an Ovi or Semin or Backstrom. They had Markov but nobody to pick up the offense from the backend like a Carlson, Wideman and now Orlov when Markov was out. Jacques Martin succeeded because of a hot goalie and players that were defensive oriented to begin with.
If Ovi is happiest scoring goals then give him and the team the ingredients to do that. I understand it's not all about offense but it's not all about d either.
“Alex puts his worth into whether he scores or not,” said one person with knowledge of the situation. “He has no confidence right now, and it’s because he bases his worth on whether he’s scoring or not.”
Just wondering if there's any possibility at all that Ovechkin is moved in the offseason, and if so what would the caps be looking for? I think Vancouver has some nice pieces we could offer up.
EDIT: Not sure how you feel about Holtby or Neuvirth after this year but could Schneider be of interest? Perhaps something around Edler, Schneider, and Booth?
There is NO WAY, were I GM, that I'd ever consider trading Ovechkin. I would hang up the phone without listening to any offers.
This player's story is not finished. I forsee he will bounce back and lead the Caps to glory.
Good article, but it sounds that Semin and Ovi have alienated themselves from the pack. This is both good and bad. Sever ties with one and bring the other back into the group and start a new foundation.
So you boiled that whole article down to 'let Semin go?' Shocking...
“Alex puts his worth into whether he scores or not,” said one person with knowledge of the situation. “He has no confidence right now, and it’s because he bases his worth on whether he’s scoring or not.”
To bad he does not put his worth into his paycheck.
Everybody knows Ovi hasn't been taking his summer training seriously. Instead of hours at the gym or running in the russian mountains, it's partying in Moscow and lots of alcohol and women. Sure, nothing wrong with that, he's on vacation during the summer, but when 99% of all the other players work out and you don't, there will be a difference. This coming summer is very important. I'd like to see a hungry Ovi next fall, not hung over...
Everybody knows Ovi hasn't been taking his summer training seriously. Instead of hours at the gym or running in the russian mountains, it's partying in Moscow and lots of alcohol and women. Sure, nothing wrong with that, he's on vacation during the summer, but when 99% of all the other players work out and you don't, there will be a difference. This coming summer is very important. I'd like to see a hungry Ovi next fall, not hung over...
Commitment to being in best possible shape would be good, but I think that's about 5% of "what's wrong with Ovi". Because, in the end, physically he still looks fine, I can't actually remember saying to myself this season, "wow, he's lost a step".
The 95% is the mental part -- being willing to try a different approach, commit to a 2-way game if asked to do it, work harder on the boards, etc.
In a way, a commitment to fitness may require commitment to everything else, which requires a growth in "maturity". And it's not clear, what circumstances, if any, would enable that. That recent WaPo article does not fill one with optimism.. a small ethnic entourage that can keep a guy in a bubble, fanatical self-confidence of a superstar, and huge pressure to succeed in an environment where popular love is changing into.. something else. It's tough.. I guess we can only hope that Ovi can handle it. This question must give the Caps' brass lots of sleepless nights.. but they don't really have anybody to blame because they were in part the enablers..
He will figure it out, relax, and he is a winger so he needs his center-man to be at his best. Having Backstrom go down for over half a season is like having a limb cut off for OV, he got used to not working all by himself because Backstrom took that load off of him.
Give it some time, he's 26... in a few seasons we will have another Ovechkin Ovation on NHLN
Commitment to being in best possible shape would be good, but I think that's about 5% of "what's wrong with Ovi". Because, in the end, physically he still looks fine, I can't actually remember saying to myself this season, "wow, he's lost a step".
The 95% is the mental part -- being willing to try a different approach, commit to a 2-way game if asked to do it, work harder on the boards, etc.
In a way, a commitment to fitness may require commitment to everything else, which requires a growth in "maturity". And it's not clear, what circumstances, if any, would enable that. That recent WaPo article does not fill one with optimism.. a small ethnic entourage that can keep a guy in a bubble, fanatical self-confidence of a superstar, and huge pressure to succeed in an environment where popular love is changing into.. something else. It's tough.. I guess we can only hope that Ovi can handle it. This question must give the Caps' brass lots of sleepless nights.. but they don't really have anybody to blame because they were in part the enablers..
I'm not so sure that it's just the mental part that hurts his game. Of course, all the recent failures (both with the Caps and with the Russian NT) have left a scar, but one can't blame everything on them.
I don't think that a coach should ask his natural goal scorer to play defense, because that's not what makes him great. Ovi isn't a center nor is he a bottom six winger. He can score 60+ goals and that's what he is supposed to concentrate on.
Obviously, he has to train more. Those quotes in the Post article that state that Ovechkin is one of the first to leave the ice are really alarming. Recently I watched NHL 36 with Lidstrom, observed Nick's determination and restless training and thought to myself: "That is what Ovi needs." There was an old example with a violin virtuoso that polishes his skill every day. If he starts to practice less with his violin, then he will still remain a very good musician, but no longer a virtuoso. I think the same can be applied to a hockey player. There is no tactic you can't beat, so if Ovechkin (together with the coaches, of course) had spent more time to analyze the way d-men play against him, then he would have found a way to beat them.
I think it's an excellent read but a little flawed too. In regards to the media (like color commentators, Eddie O), some have gone out of their way to dump on Ovi. I really got irritated with them recently when they went to extreme to find fault with Ovi on a goal scored against. It's a team sport and for the most part goals are scored because of a series of mistakes and I thought it was that type of goal.
I think I remember this one, basically OV got caught puck-watching which Eddie O would lead you to believe never happens to elite players, and then instead of risking his body to block a shot (which I can almost guarantee he's advised against doing by from Ted Leonsis on down) he did his patented tin soldier defense...
That article gave a grim outlook, but it also seems to point to someone who is just depressed. I find the stuff about his relationship with his mom very interesting.
OV takes criticism in the media way too hard. I think he just does not know how to handle the pressure of being hated. He really is hated by much of the Canadian media. It's hard to do something you love and keep that passion when your every mistake/struggle is criticized to the extent OV's are. Hopefully he'll start coming around.
In all honesty, I never wanted the Caps to fire Bruce Boudreau, or even change their system from the run and gun. The post-Montreal panic was the death of what could've been a great era for DC-hockey. That is what people should point to as the main cause for the end of the OV era.
is not that cocky as before, I still remember when we played Habs in the playoff, after game 2, ovi said: in NHL, you lead 2:0, it doesn't mean anything with a lot of smile. I do not mind what he said, but, right now, seems that every game post-reaction interview, he didn't smile anymore, he looks like tortured mentally especially last night F$$ing Jets fans chanting: Crosby's better! I think that really hurt ovi, also, I agree Canadian media bugging him a lot, but, that is what canadian media looks like, everyone need to adapt to it, it happened to kessel same in Toronto, always talk about seguin; also happened to phanuef. Because in Canada, you have nothing to talk about except hockey, there is not much fun like in US particularly in winter, only hockey, nothing else.
I really hope ovi is going to be strong mentally;
Quote:
Originally Posted by amin723
I think I remember this one, basically OV got caught puck-watching which Eddie O would lead you to believe never happens to elite players, and then instead of risking his body to block a shot (which I can almost guarantee he's advised against doing by from Ted Leonsis on down) he did his patented tin soldier defense...
That article gave a grim outlook, but it also seems to point to someone who is just depressed. I find the stuff about his relationship with his mom very interesting.
OV takes criticism in the media way too hard. I think he just does not know how to handle the pressure of being hated. He really is hated by much of the Canadian media. It's hard to do something you love and keep that passion when your every mistake/struggle is criticized to the extent OV's are. Hopefully he'll start coming around.
In all honesty, I never wanted the Caps to fire Bruce Boudreau, or even change their system from the run and gun. The post-Montreal panic was the death of what could've been a great era for DC-hockey. That is what people should point to as the main cause for the end of the OV era.
