Bleacher Report - Alexander Ovechkin

New York Rangers: There's Always an Excuse When You Need One

Frank Castaldi — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:22:43 -0500

Many fans love to point fingers and call for heads when teams underachieve. When fans spend their hard-earned money to support their favorite teams, whether it be on buying tickets to watch them play or buying apparrel—they get angry when they don't see results—and rightfully so.

But where does the blame deserve to land in the case of the New York Rangers?

Does it fall at the feet of John Tortorella?

Is his coaching strategy simply not working and should he take the heat for the lackluster performances night-in and night-out?

Or is it not his fault—but rather the players fault—for not performing the way they should be. Are the players simply not giving the effort that they should be giving at a professional level?

Or are they not the right players for the job? Does the blame then shift to GM Glen Sather for assembling the wrong group of players to consistently win?

Is Sather to blame for handcuffing the Rangers with several contracts that weren't warranted?

Did signing the likes of Chris Drury, Wade Redden, and Michal Rozsival to absurd contracts—both in length and worth—hurt this team so badly that it cannot rebound?

Speaking of rebounds, is this the fault of Henrik Lundqvist? Was he too good? Was he simply so good these past few seasons that the rest of his team relied on him too much, and now that he has shown that he is human the team can't compensate?

Maybe it wasn't Sather's fault, after all, it's not just him making the decisions. So are the scouts to blame? Did they simply mis-evaluate the talents that the Rangers invested in?

Was passing on the likes Zach Parise and Ryan Getzlaf to draft Hugh Jessiman enough to sabotage a team for years to come?

How about Neil Smith, remember him?

Was the Cup in '94 worth the dismantling of youth which has held the Blueshirts ransom for the next 10 years?

How about we go straight to the top. Right up to James Dolan himself. Is his disinterest in the Rangers hurting this team so badly that he doesn't even realize what is going on? I mean, we still shell out the money and sell out the Garden every night, so I guess it's not putting too much of a bearing on him now, is it?

Or does this go much, much deeper. Are we to blame? Are we as New Yorkers to blame for these troubling times? Is our "we want it yesterday" attitude so bad that we simply can't live with these results?

While other cities like Pittsburgh and Washington knew that they weren't going to be competitive for a few years if they stuck to a plan, were we too demanding to ever let that happen? Why not us? Why couldn't the Rangers have drafted Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Evegni Malkin, or Alex Semin?

Did we really think that Eric Lindros, Pavel Bure, Theo Fleury, Brendan Shanahan, Jaromir Jagr, Luc Robitaille, Martin Straka, Jari Kurri, and Wayne Gretzky were going to bring us Cups for years to come?

We were promised rebuilding and were asked for patience. But then the aging stars continued to come.

We were promised a disciplined decisive team, but got nothing but boring 2-1 losses.

We were promised an up-tempo team that delivered full 60-minute efforts—something that hasn't been seen in years—but all we've received is third-period collapses.

So maybe we are to blame; maybe it was our fault all along.

It was our fault for being gullible.

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Sell Alexander Ovechkin?: NHL Week 10 Fantasy Hockey Stock Watch

John Canario — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:39:00 -0500

Buy Jimmy Howard, check. Hold Dion Phaneuf, check. And, and...sell Alexander Ovechkin? Sell Alex Ovechkin?! Yep, now is the time.

Buy

Jimmy Howard, G, DET

Look out, Chris Osgood owners. The numbers tell the tale. Since Nov. 5, Jimmy Howard has six victories for the Wings. How many does Osgood have? Zip.

If Howard can mimic Ty Conklin’s 2008-09 performance and steal the regular-season starting job from Osgood, the addition of Howard could very well be the most important acquisition you make this year. Starting goaltenders are at a premium in most pools, and with Howard currently owned in just 22 percent of leagues, don’t take your time with this one.

David Backes, RW, STL

Both Iain and I have questioned Backes’s early struggles in the Stock Watch in recent weeks, but the RW seems to be coming around rapidly, accumulating six points during a current four-game point-streak.

Last season, Backes started out cold as well with just three goals in his first 21 games before finishing with 28 over his final 61 contests. Backes is as streaky as they come. He’s become available in a number of pools in recent weeks and is definitely worth the risk.

Maxim Afinogenov, RW, ATL

At just $800,000 per year, Afinogenov is hands down the acquisition of the 2009 offseason. After hitting rock-bottom over the last couple of years, he’s been re-energized since playing with fellow countryman Ilya Kovalchuk and should be a definite starter in all leagues. Now 75 percent owned, chances are he’s been scooped up in your pool, but it doesn’t hurt to check.

Hold

Dion Phaneuf, D, CGY

Don’t panic and sell Elisha Cuthbert’s lesser-half. While Phaneuf might not look like the fantasy warrior he was in 2007-08, he’s better than he’s played so far. Besides, with his lackluster numbers, you’re not going to get full value if you try moving him right now. Wait for a bump in production before weighing offers.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere/Jonas Hiller; Mike Smith/Antero Niittymaki; Semyon Varlamov/Jose Theodore

I’ve grouped these three goaltending battles together because they’re all still very much undecided. All you can really do here is wait and see who plays themselves into the starter’s spot, though I would rank Varlamov as the most likely of the six to win his battle.

While there is no argument that Niitymaki has outplayed Smith, Lightning coach Rick Tocchet seems to have a soft spot for Smith, and has been starting him regardless of his poor play. The Ducks find themselves in 13th in the Western Conference, thanks in part to sub-par goaltending from both Giguere and Hiller.

Sell

Alexander Ovechkin, LW, WAS

W-w-what?! That’s right, Ovie’s in the sell category. This suggestion isn’t for the faint of heart, and you’d need a real pair of cojones to send Ovechkin packing, but let’s consider the facts.

He’s the best hockey player in the world, and you will get virtually anything you want in return. Everyone in your pool is going to want Ovechkin, and you can play all the bidders against each other until you get a truly tantalizing offer. Finally, Ovechkin looks destined for the injured reserve this season with the increasingly reckless style of hockey he is playing, and if you’re without that kind of production for even 10 more games this season it could spell defeat for your fantasy team.

Niklas Hagman, LW, TOR

As a Leafs supporter, I am enjoying the Finn’s current pace, but his current fantasy value is too great to pass up as trade bait. With 13 goals through 25 games, you’ll probably be able to lure away a better talent from that Leafs fanatic in your pool.

John Canario is a fantasy hockey contributor at MyOfficePool.ca. To review the full article, click here. Check his weekly articles to help manage your team to the championship.

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Alex Ovechkin: Double-Edged Sword

Travis Loftis — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:53:35 -0500

Alexander Ovechkin has been under quite a bit of scrutiny lately. The franchise superstar and key attraction is running amok, with many fans tired of his play.

Coach Bruce Boudreau himself has sat down with the media and called Ovechkin "reckless."

Owner Ted Leonsis personally sat down to discuss the recent play.

The result of that meeting? Leonsis telling Ovechkin to keep playing like he plays.

The problem with Ovechkin's high-octane, breaks-off mentality is that it can lead to rough injuries and dangerous collisions. These can lead to the idea that Ovechkin is a dirty player, since he plays so hard and so fast.

Those rumblings are going on in several media outlets and fanbases.

The bigger problem? To the NHL and the Capitals, that's a double-edged sword.

If Alex tones his play down, fewer injuries are likely to happen. This is good.

The problem for the NHL and the Capitals is that part of the reason Ovechkin is such a massive draw at the turnstyles—and his sweater is so well sold—is his play.

The same play led to boarding and kneeing ejections in the last few days—and to a two-game suspension.

The NHL would be able to survive without Ovechkin, but the $9 million he brings home (before taxes and the payment the players make to the NHL) is less than what the NHL makes off of him. In short, he's obviously a profitable player.

While they don't want him to be suspended, his play can't change too much, or it may affect the ticket stands and the jersey racks.

Alex probably isn't thinking about that. Alex is thinking, "What do I have to do to win my team the game?" Or, "That guy has the puck, I must take it."

He's doing everything within his power to win the game.

Before labeling Ovechkin as dirty, let's look at two players who compare similarly to him in many ways.

Maurice Richard was a legend who did everything he could for his team. He won scoring titles and Stanley Cups. He fought hard and was willing to drop the gloves.

"Rocket" Richard had a fiery demeanor, one Ovechkin seems to have as well.

On March 13, 1955, Richard was high-sticked during a game against the Bruins.

A penalty call was on the way, but, with the Habs in control of the puck, no whistle was blown. An irate Richard swung his stick violently at the referee, hitting him, and causing a massive melee.

Earlier in the season, Richard had slapped a linesman in the face. The two incidents led to a suspension for the rest of the season and the playoffs. Richard lost the scoring title that year, and the Habs lost the Stanley Cup.

Dale Hunter is a Capitals legend. He has often said he would do whatever it took to win a game, even if it required some dirt.

He will be remembered by Caps fans, for the most part, for an overtime game-winning goal against Philadelphia. He's remembered by the rest of the league for his hit on Pierre Turgeon after Turgeon scored a goal that put the series out of reach.

His subsequent suspension did nothing to erase the stigma he received as a dirty player, and he was suspended on multiple occasions later in his career. Both of the suspensions were record-setting at their times.

Ovechkin has never swung a stick at a referee. He has never hit someone after a play with an obvious intent to injure.

Does he play hard? Yes, undoubtedly. He delivers hits in a fashion that's going to hurt.

The NHL needs to decide what they want from Ovechkin, and let him know soon.

Do they want the next Rocket? I have doubts that they want another Hunter.

The Capitals hands are tied. You can't tell your best player to change his game drastically.

Damned no matter what you do, Ovechkin. Might as well do what you do best, and go out there and play.

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NHL Appears Suspension Happy After Alex Ovechkin Hit

Ken Armer — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:40:37 -0500

It's clear wherever Alexander Ovechkin goes the spotlight follows; and the ever watchful eye of the National Hockey League moves as well to ensure one of its top superstars behaves in step. While the attention given by the league, the media, and the fans to players like Alexander Ovechkin is well warranted, it appears the NHL may be a little over zealous in handing out misconducts to players.

Most recently it was the knee on knee collision between Alex Ovechkin and Tim Gleason. While the whole "second misconduct in three games" issue requires review by the league, and generally ends in a suspension, can the league truly expect players of this highest caliber to slow down and soften hits in the interest of being overly nice to the opposition?

Did the hit on Gleason injure? Yes, and while I have to agree with the league on the terms in dealing with two suspensions in three games, I disagree with their aggressiveness in demonizing the knee to knee hit.

True, it is ugly, and can be a career ending hit. Moreover it can be done intentionally. But the replay clearly shows Ovechkin in the process of a check and the knee on knee just sort of happened. Additionally, take into account the fact that Ovie is generally not a "dirty" player and this hit is, by all accounts, accidental.

Penalize him and review the hit, but don't punish him for something far beyond his control. Other players seem to be trying to take each others' heads off; to react in such a way to a harmless knee to knee seems a little over zealous.

The first example to cause me concern regarding the NHL's overzealous approach to suspensions was James Neal. Ask any Stars fan and Neal would be at the very bottom of a Dallas Stars goon list. Steve Ott and the occasionally over-aggressive Brenden Morrow maybe, but not James Neal.

Several weeks ago, Neal was suspended for a brutal hit against Columbus Blue Jacket Derek Dorsett in which Dorsett's head hit the boards. He was clearly dazed and confused on the ice.

While I never like to see someone get hurt, it sort of fits the job description in hockey. Neal's hit was clean, and while perhaps a little excited on his part, he clearly didn't break his usual mold and lay a dirty hit to injure Dorsett.

Neal, like Ovechkin, was suspended for two games. The issue isn't the protection of players by the NHL, but the extreme coddling, to the point of overzealous punishment.

Can the NHL truly take on a "guilt by association" approach to situations and expect the game not to be hurt?

Can the league think it's right to group upright players like Ovechkin and Neal together with real goons who constantly hit high, injure, and play dirty, such as Chris Pronger?

Nothing positive will come from the over punishment of good, decent players. No regular player wants to injure, or even attempts to in most cases, but the NHL can't punish a player for a legal, clean hit just because it injures.

I myself admit both hits are highly controversial. While some punishment may have been necessary, it seems wrong to punish them in a manner which feels guiltier by association than truly a review of the injury, the hit, and the type of players involved.

Ken Armer is a Community Leader for the NHL and the Dallas Stars for Bleacher Report. He also covers the Anaheim Ducks for SoCalSportsHub.com and covers the Texas and Dallas Stars for Hockey54.com. He can be contacted at karmer@bleacherreport.com.

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Alex Ovechkin Suspended Two Games: Is He Aggressive, Reckless, or Dirty?

Dave Nichols — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:34:10 -0500

According to ESPN.com, and confirmed by Capitals Insider, Alex Ovechkin has been suspended for two games following his second game misconduct ejection in three games for the kneeing major he was assessed in Monday night's 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

"I regret that this has happened," Ovechkin said in a statement released by the league. "I'm glad that Tim [Gleason] wasn't injured because I never ever want to see anyone get hurt. I am disappointed to miss these games and I can't wait to get back on the ice next week to help my team."

Ovechkin skated before practice today for a couple of minutes and was listed as "day-to-day" with a sore right knee. The diagnosis is much better than the original fears from watching the 235-pound winger collide with Hurricanes defenseman Gleason and writhe on the ice for several moments before being helped from the ice by Capitals trainer Greg Smith and center Nicklas Backstrom.

Reaction around the league, from players and coaches to Web sites and blogs, is mixed. Is Ovechkin simply an aggressive player, built in the mode of Bobby Clarke and Rocket Richard? Is he, in the words of his own coach today, reckless? Or, as many Penguins fans would tell you, is he one of the dirtiest players in all of hockey?

My personal feeling is along the lines of coach Bruce Boudreau. Ovechkin plays with a reckless abandon that, to this point, has carried him to two Hart Trophies. From The Washington Post's Capitals Insider:

Q: Does he need to change the way he plays?

Boudreau: He's pretty reckless. It's hard telling a guy that scores 60 goals a year to change the way he plays. At the same time, I don't want to see him getting hurt. Maybe he has to pick his spots a little better. ...

You're lining guys up a lot of times and going to hit them, and once they move, everything gets exposed. Human nature is to react; if you've got a bead on them, if you're a hockey player, is to continue to try to hit him. It's something that has to be addressed by us, I guess.

Ovechkin does indeed need to "pick his spots" better, and last night's check was a prime example. He's 175 feet from his own goal, attacking a defenseman that was moving away from him in a response from a big check on his center, Backstrom, moments earlier.

That instance was neither the time, or the place, for payback. The game was very much in doubt, tied at 1, and only bad things could have resulted from the open-ice hit, from a minor roughing or charging penalty to a major injury for one or both of the parties.

What I'm saying is the hit was unnecessary and avoidable.

I am of the opinion that the boarding call he got against Patrick Kaleta of Buffalo last week was a completely different situation, and the game misconduct was not warranted.

In that matter, Ovechkin hit Kaleta shoulder-to-shoulder, and Kaleta saw the hit coming—then put his head down and steered himself toward the boards before Ovechkin hit him—making the situation appear worse than it actually was.

But since Kaleta's visor opened a gash on his face, the referee was left in the unenviable position of justifying the "injury" with the misconduct.

But Ovechkin's history is now littered with questionable hits. From his boarding of Daniel Briere three seasons ago, to the knee-on-knee hit against Sergei Gonchar in last season's playoffs, to the two game misconducts in the past week, and several others not mentioned here, the best goal-scorer in the league now has a rap sheet as long as anyone in the league.

And with it comes a two-game suspension and official placement on the "repeat offender" list.

Bleacher Report denizens, you decide. Take the poll and let everyone know how you feel in the comments.

Is Ovechkin aggressive, reckless, or dirty?

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Did NHL Go Too Far With Ovechkin's Suspension?

Eric LaForge — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:51:54 -0500

After a knee-on-knee collision with Tim Gleason of the Carolina Hurricanes, Alex Ovechkin has been suspended for two games. He was also issued a five-minute major and game misconduct for kneeing. This is his second game misconduct in three games.

He was suspended for two games as a result of the incident. However, Ovechkin said that the knee was unintentional and that Gleason turned away suddenly.

After looking at the replay , I kind of have to agree with him. After you commit to a check, it’s very difficult to adjust when a player changes directions.

Obviously, the NHL did not see that the same way I did. To me, there was nothing malicious about it, but the NHL obviously saw something. I haven’t heard an explanation from the NHL, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t given one, I may have missed it. (If you heard one, please leave a comment and let me know what they said.)

But I don’t think that any explanation will change my opinion. I looked at the hit, I saw the replay, and there wasn’t any chance that he meant to knee Gleason.

A lot of people are thinking that Ovechkin stuck his knee out, but if you look at the replay, you’ll see that Ovechkin was leaning into a hit. He was not sticking his knee out, he was sticking his shoulder out. You can see him try to change directions with Gleason. This supports his story that he was trying to do a regular hit.

Anyway, please leave a comment, I’m anxious to see what you have to say about this topic because I know that not everybody will agree with me.

Originally Posted at Tips for Hockey

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Injury To Alex Ovechkin Overshadows Capitals Win Over Carolina

Dave Nichols — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:39:04 -0500

The Washington Capitals got two goals from Nicklas Backstrom and 38 saves from Jose Theodore, making his first start in over two weeks, to beat Southeast Division foe Carolina on the road, 3-1.

But more importantly to the Capitals (16-5-6) was an injury to their two-time reigning Hart Trophy winner, Alex Ovechkin.

Ovechkin, trying to check Carolina defenseman Tim Gleason, sustained an apparent right knee injury when the two collided knee-to-knee in the first period.

The team released a statement to say that Ovechkin will not have an MRI tonight, but rather wait until the swelling goes down to get a better assessment of the injury.

The rugged left winger was observed by members of the press walking, apparently without crutches or a brace, on his way to the team bus after the game.

After Backstrom was wiped out by a big hit moments earlier, Ovechkin lined up Gleason for a hard check. Gleason managed to move his upper body to avoid the hit high, but their lower bodies collided, with Ovechkin taking the brunt of the contact. Gleason returned to the ice just a couple of shifts later.

Ovechkin was assessed a kneeing major penalty and game misconduct on the play, and the team managed to kill off the five-minute major. Coming on the heels of his recent boarding penalty against Buffalo last week, the league will have to review the hit and consider disciplinary action.

This type of play will only go to further reinforce some people's opinion that Ovechkin plays with a reckless, irresponsible, abandon. And as far as intention from the type of play that it was, much more can be read into this one than the hit against Buffalo, where he hit the player shoulder-to-shoulder.

What we do know about Ovechkin's style of play is that he is relentless, willing, and relishes the opportunity to throw his body around in a rough, tough, aggressive manner. And there are even those that say that Ovechkin plays "dirty."

Regardless of opinion, this is his second game misconduct in less than two weeks, prompting an automatic review and possible suspension.

But the disciplinary measures are secondary right now compared to the concerns about Ovechkin's health.

Meanwhile, Theodore played a magnificent game, especially early. Carolina got 13 shots on goal in the game's first six minutes, and the veteran goalie, who had not played since Nov. 14, was equal to the task.

Backstrom had a big game as well, netting two goals. He tipped in a nice feed from Ovechkin before the injury, and had a nice back-hander to beat Michael Leighton, who was badly out of position.

Eric Fehr buried his seventh goals of the season as well, completing a two-on-one with Backstrom.

So the Washington Capitals organization and faithful will hold their collective breath overnight as everyone awaits Ovechkin's date with the team orthopedist tomorrow morning. It's impossible to speculate at this point what the extent of the injury is until the results of his examination are released.

But Ovechkin, one of the toughest players in the NHL pound-for-pound, was delicately assisted from the ice, clearly hanging his right leg limp, unable to put any of his weight on the leg.

Ovechkin's injury, and the circumstances surrounding it, are matters that go beyond the Capitals community. The two-time MVP is one of the faces on the NHL, and expected to carry the torch for the Russian Olympic team in Vancouver in February.

His absence for an extended period of time would hurt the league and put a serious dent in Russia's Olympic hopes.

It's safe to say that the world's hockey community will anxiously await the Capitals' team doctor's diagnosis.

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