I think there is some slight holding back in the physical area that hurts the rest of his game. There where a couple times tonight where he could have just rail roaded someone and didn't do it. It happens almost every game. It's not the whole problem, but it certainly doesn't help.
Last year Ovechkin reminded me of Scott Gomez the way he would come down the left side, hit the blue line and cough up the puck. So I was kinda keen on him trying the right side thing if it forced him to be creative. I can just remember when he'd come down the left wing and cut across the ice and fire one. What happened to that move?
But he was a monster 2009-10 season, especially pre-Olympics. His mojo was gone the next season. Why would he stop 8 months later?
The PED thing doesn't fly. It's stupid, baseless speculation.
The PED theory holds water. He was a beast BEFORE the last olympics and never totally regained form. He's got the lifetime contract. NHL testing isn't the most stringent. There were reports of a steroids doctor w ties to the Caps. His decline has been swift and precipitous. And doping, in case you haven't noticed, is rampant in sports.
Hate to break your bubble but it's the most compelling speculation out there and it would explain everything. You want me to believe he just lost his passion for the game and now he can't even coral a hockey puck?
He looks slower, weaker shots, softer hits, less aggressive and less focused. Nah man he stopped taking steroids or something similar before the last Olympics, never went back on them and the rest is history.
We may never know but that's the best explanation I can see. I don't know why everyone continues to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to their sports heroes and doping.
The PED theory holds water. He was a beast BEFORE the last olympics and never totally regained form. He's got the lifetime contract. NHL testing isn't the most stringent. There were reports of a steroids doctor w ties to the Caps. His decline has been swift and precipitous. And doping, in case you haven't noticed, is rampant in sports.
Hate to break your bubble but it's the most compelling speculation out there and it would explain everything. You want me to believe he just lost his passion for the game and now he can't even coral a hockey puck?
He looks slower, weaker shots, softer hits, less aggressive and less focused. Nah man he stopped taking steroids or something similar before the last Olympics, never went back on them and the rest is history.
We may never know but that's the best explanation I can see. I don't know why everyone continues to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to their sports heroes and doping.
Your full of crap. Doping has nothing to do with your shot, stick-handling, or taking onetimers. Nothing.
Your full of crap. Doping has nothing to do with your shot, stick-handling, or taking onetimers. Nothing.
So doping can make you hit more home runs, run faster, bike faster, jump higher, lift more weight etc, but it doesn't effect any hockey related skills? OK pal, who's really full of crap?
Your full of crap. Doping has nothing to do with your shot, stick-handling, or taking onetimers. Nothing.
It does help with physical recovery and exertion though. Take away that advantage and maybe mental issues creep into his head and his skills suffer.
What would you have everyone believe it is? I'm not on board with the PED angle, but these days nothing would surprise me about any pro athlete trying to get an edge.
__________________
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 PED theory holds water. He was a beast BEFORE the last olympics and never totally regained form. He's got the lifetime contract. NHL testing isn't the most stringent. There were reports of a steroids doctor w ties to the Caps. His decline has been swift and precipitous. And doping, in case you haven't noticed, is rampant in sports.
Then why would he have stopped altogether to begin with?
So doping can make you hit more home runs, run faster, bike faster, jump higher, lift more weight etc, but it doesn't effect any hockey related skills? OK pal, who's really full of crap?
Yea, all the hockey skills that are important for dynamic wingers are about timing and fluidity. Taking steroids isn't going to help you stick handle. Taking steroids does not help you time onetimers. These are all timing related finesse skills that Ovechkin has completely lost. The guy can't go one shift without mishandling the puck.
Steroids arn't even going to help your shot. The shot is all about getting the right flex on your stick and the flick of your wrists.
He just looks like he doesn't care anymore. He looks like he hates hockey right now.
If OV got caught with PED's, could we void his contract?
Yankees are considering the same thing with A-rod right now. Early legal opinion says the most the team could punish A-rod is what the league discipline allows for, that things were written to specifically keep teams from terminating deals willy nilly.
If OV got caught with PED's, could we void his contract?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PSUCapsFan
how?
Shot power is generated from the flex of the stick.
What made his shot deadly was his quick release. I don't see how stopping steroids would change his release.
Do you really believe that PEDs have no effect on a hockey player? None at all? Come on man...
I'd agree that some skills PEDs aren't going to do much sure, but to discount the whole angle over a few specific skills out of many that make up a hockey star....seems short sighted.
Jäger once said he was dying to get out of pit, I hope this isn't the same issue here. Does anyone remember why he hated Pitt so much? It could be similar to ovies issues.
He played great in Russia, perhaps he is homesick. Come on, he has not lost his ability, look at his Russian season for god sake.
Jäger once said he was dying to get out of pit, I hope this isn't the same issue here. Does anyone remember why he hated Pitt so much? It could be similar to ovies issues.
He played great in Russia, perhaps he is homesick. Come on, he has not lost his ability, look at his Russian season for god sake.
I would say it's more that the idiot Shanny has got in his head.
Ovie perhaps missing Russian contingent on the team?
Don't be absurd. When has he ever done anything to indicate he likes being around Russians? Also, his game isn't emotionally driven whatsoever, so even if he did it wouldn't matter.
Don't be absurd. When has he ever done anything to indicate he likes being around Russians? Also, his game isn't emotionally driven whatsoever, so even if he did it wouldn't matter.
Patronizing and aggressive.. Nice combo. No wonder I never post here with such people on the prowl.
Then why would he have stopped altogether to begin with?
Easy. He stopped for the Olympics and he decided not to resume after. Perhaps he was starting to suffer some of the negative effects of steroids and he decided it wasn't worth it any more. He does have the contract after all.
I'm obviously not saying this is definitely true. It just seems to be an increasingly valid explanation for his decline.
If it is in fact true, however, I'm sure Ovie is just as shocked as we are by how far it has made him fall. In fact, I think it could be contributing to his apparent lack of desire these days. The guy is probably pretty crestfallen by all this. He took out an advance on his talents and now he's paying back far more than he bargained for.
Don't be absurd. When has he ever done anything to indicate he likes being around Russians? Also, his game isn't emotionally driven whatsoever, so even if he did it wouldn't matter.
