Alexander Ovechkin and 5 NHL Players Who Haven't Lived Up to Their Expectations

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In the two months that have passed since the 2011-12 NHL season began, we've seen some pretty crazy things happen.

We've seen superstars like Sidney Crosby and Claude Giroux fall victim to every team's worst nightmare, a concussion. We have seen unlikely heroes step up and have breakout seasons. We have also seen some players who looked very promising last year do a complete switcheroo, and now are nearly invisible.

In this slideshow, I'll list five players who looked like they had promising careers last season, but just can't seem to find their game this year. I hope you enjoy. As always, feedback is appreciated!

You can reach me on Twitter @ManayunkMike for more news, rumors, and updates.

5. Simon Gagne, Los Angeles Kings

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It seems as though Simon Gagne has never been quite the same after leaving the Philadelphia Flyers two seasons ago. 

Gagne was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning last year, where he played out the remainder of his hefty contract. He played fairly well and looked as though he would fit in quite well. For a while, he did.

Then came the expected injuries. 

Gagne was in and out of the lineup a few times last season with nagging injuries, tallying 17 goals and 23 assists in 68 games last season with Tampa. However, that wasn't enough for the Bolts to keep him around any longer.

On July 2, 2011, Simon Gagne signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings, where he now has the privilege of playing with a familiar face, Mike Richards. Unfortunately, it hasn't helped him much. Gagne only has seven goals and eight assists on the season.

While that isn't all that bad, his numbers are slowly diminishing. 

Good luck in L.A., Gags.

4. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings

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I swear I'm not picking on the Kings. They have loads of talent; they just seem a bit lost this year.

Case and point: Drew Doughty.

Before I even go any further, let me just say that I believe Drew Doughty is an elite defenseman. Anybody in their right mind would love to have him on their team. Unfortunately, he is L.A. property, and most likely will remain that way for a long time.

That being said, Doughty hasn't exactly wooed Kings fans too much this season. While numbers don't mean a heck of a lot to defensemen, Drew's numbers are not acceptable. 

Doughty has only two goals and six assists for eight points through 25 games this season. For a player of his caliber, that is totally unacceptable. I'm sure Drew will find his game sooner rather than later, but right now, it's not looking good for Doughty or his team.

This probably isn't what Doughty wanted to go through after all of the rumors in the offseason about him possibly being traded. It really doesn't bode well when you demand big money and can't produce to justify your contract.

As long as his play isn't up to par, the rumors will not subside.

3. Tomas Kaberle, Montreal Canadiens

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For any of you who haven't been "in the know" the past few weeks, Tomas Kaberle was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Jaroslav Spacek.

This came as a surprise to Montreal fans, as Spacek was a fan favorite. While Habs fans were a little upset about the trade, they probably aren't as upset now that he's actually producing. He has a point per game since joining the Habs roster.

You can't exactly complain about having a Stanley Cup winner on your team, even if he didn't have much to do with it.

However, before he was traded, Kaberle was having a bad year with Carolina. He failed to register a goal through 29 games with the 'Canes, although he did register nine assists. With the Canadiens, Kaberle has three assists through three games.

Perhaps Tomas has turned the ship around with Montreal, but until I see some stronger play and a few goals from Kaberle, he's still considered a dud in my book.

2. Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

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The Great One hasn't exactly been so great for some time now.

After breaking into the league in the 2005-06 season, Ovechkin has been one of the most consistent, electrifying players in the NHL. His ability to find the back of the net is on a whole separate level than most of the other better forwards in the league. 

Ovie has put up 50 goals or more in almost every season he's been in the league, something that not even some of the best forwards in the league can boast. However, something has changed in Washington and nobody is really sure exactly what is going wrong.

This season, Alex has only posted nine goals and 12 assists through 29 games. While those numbers aren't all that bad, he certainly isn't on pace for another 50-goal season. 

Lately, Ovie has seemed to find his game a bit, especially after Bruce Boudreau was fired. Now it's all on Dale Hunter, the new coach, to help Ovie find his game once more.

1. Ville Leino, Buffalo Sabres

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When the Philadelphia Flyers let Ville Leino walk in free agency this past summer, Philly fans were ready to jump off a bridge. 

Leino had a few great years in Philly after being traded to the Flyers from the Red Wings. He was a consistent forward with the Flyers who could move the puck extremely well and was always in the right spot on the ice. He really flourished with Philly.

Now, I'll bet Philadelphia fans are breathing a selective sigh of relief he hasn't returned. 

Leino signed a six-year deal with Buffalo with a $4.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2017-18 season. Through 29 games this season, he's recorded three goals and seven assists for 10 points.

Now tell me, is he living up to his contract? 

Not only that, but word just came out today that Leino will be sidelined for "weeks," according to Lindy Ruff, with a lower-body injury. 

Boy, I bet the Sabres are kicking themselves in the butt.