Ovechkin

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Among all the angst and anger, thought I'd bring up an outsider to talk about. Ovechkin just scored a hattrick today. That gives him 5 goals in less than 24 hours.

Just an incredible guy, and I'd take him over Crosby or Malkin any day of the week.

Discuss.

[MacK_Attack 108]

A hat-trick against Ottawa is akin to scoring three goals on the special kid at recess.

[titanium2 867]

He has quite the insane contract but I'd love to see him on Pav's wing. I'd like to think that I will during the Olympics next year but I doubt it. Everyone wants to see the #1 and #2 on the same line.

[Bluedevils_13 0]

Ottawa should just play 6 on 0. Mack, can you tell me why Toronto continues to go to Toskala? That Penguins game was brutal, they won and all, but those goals were real soft.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

A hat-trick against Ottawa is akin to scoring three goals on the special kid at recess.

And a pair of goals against the Wings?

[thedisappearer 291]

Among all the angst and anger, thought I'd bring up an outsider to talk about. Ovechkin just scored a hattrick today. That gives him 5 goals in less than 24 hours.

Just an incredible guy, and I'd take him over Crosby or Malkin any day of the week.

Discuss.

You are correct.

[xBrave_Heartx 0]

Among all the angst and anger, thought I'd bring up an outsider to talk about. Ovechkin just scored a hattrick today. That gives him 5 goals in less than 24 hours.

Just an incredible guy, and I'd take him over Crosby or Malkin any day of the week.

Discuss.

Ahmen. I was watching the comcast stream online and they called Ov the face of the NHL and not crosby, i was like omfg yes yes yes.

OV is mr. excitement, He is 110% player, hit hits, he scores, he does whatever it takes to win.. just amazing.

[FedorovGurl 2]

Just watched that game myself.

I love Ovechkin. Not just the (obvious) talent but his love of the game and the enthusiasm he brings to the ice every shift.

He is amazing to watch and a real asset to his team, the league and the game.

[tiff_luvs_homer 5]

A hat-trick against Ottawa is akin to scoring three goals on the special kid at recess.

[AtomicPunk 296]

He may not be the best "all-around" player in the NHL, but man, when he is going, he can't be stopped. I'd take him over anyone.

[akustyk 84]

OK, now question to those who are watching Boston-Montreal broadcast:

can you tell me where the *peep* did Canadiens got those stripped

pyjamas? because no way in hell it looks like an NHL jersey to me. it's just

plain and simply ridiculous :rotflmao:

Edited February 1, 2009 by akustyk

[edicius 3,269]

I'd love to see the Caps come out of the East this season. Ovie's a beast.

[eva unit zero 271]

I would trade Franzen+Filppula+Kronwall+1st pick+(Larsson or Howard or McCollum)+(Ericsson or Kindl) for just Ovechkin if that's what it took. Especially if this trade is coming after successfully retaining all of those players and Hossa. Just imagine the following lineup for next season...

Ovechkin/Datsyuk/Holmstrom

Hudler/Zetterberg/Hossa

Cleary/Leino/Samuelsson

Maltby/Draper/Kopecky

Lidstrom/Lilja

Ericsson(Kindl)/Rafalski

Meech/Stuart

Osgood

Larsson(Howard)

Frightening thought, isn't it?

[wngsfn2 0]

I live in the DC area and am a Wings fan first though I root for the Caps when the Wings aren't in town. The tickets were a Christmas present from my wife. I thought they included a guaranteed win for the Wings, but I guess she forgot that part.

Anyway, for 2/3 of the game the Wings made sure that they had Lidstrom on Ovie. It was quite a match to see. Lidstrom was able to skate backwards as fast as Ovie can skate forward. As much as I've always liked Lidstrom, his skating against Ovie raised my appreciation of him to a new level. Part of it was just a 44 year old liking an older player getting the better of a young gun at least for a little while.

I've been to quite a few Caps/Wings games over the years. This is the first time the Caps matched the Wings stride for stride, shot for shot. Ovie has some help in Backstrom and Semin. Theodore in net is also an upgrade.

Lastly, I have to take my hat off to Conks yesterday. He made some incredible stops that I'm not sure the Osgood of late would have made.

I realize I've strayed slightly off topic here. Suffice it so say, it was an incredible game to be at and had the feel of a playoff game.

[Guest mindfly]

Ovechkin is the best player in the league(world), absolutely no question about it.

Edited February 1, 2009 by mindfly

[hallelujahlogic 1]

i love ovie so much, man. he's always so dynamic and entertaining. and skilled! oh my god watching him play is an education in awesome. even though the wings are my favourite team (of course), he's far and away my favourite nhl player. i wish they'd move us on over to the eastern conference already so we'd get to see him more.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

He may not be the best "all-around" player in the NHL, but man, when he is going, he can't be stopped. I'd take him over anyone.

The only big thing that keeps Ovechkin from being the best all around or most complete player in the NHL is his defensive game. Other than that, what doesn't he do? Skill wise, hes a great passer, the best goal scorer, a great skater, has good speed, he's big, he's phsyical, he hits hard and often, he backchecks, and he's creative. Considering the intangibles, he's a leader, hes passionate, he wears his heart on his sleeve, never takes a shift off, always confident, and has an incredible work ethic.

And the best thing about Ovechkin? If he was asked to be the most complete player in the league, he could be, and he would be. But the Caps need him to be the offensive powerhouse that he is, and leave the defense to the other guys. In fact, Ovechkin simply being on the ice IS defense. There isn't a forward in this league he could go head to head with and be overtaken by.

If Ovechkin ever becomes a regular contributor on the PK, meaning one of the top 4 PKing forwards on his team, then he should be considered the most complete player ever to play the game.

I only wish I had seen Goride Howe in his prime. I imagine Ovechkin could give him a run for his money.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Ottawa should just play 6 on 0. Mack, can you tell me why Toronto continues to go to Toskala? That Penguins game was brutal, they won and all, but those goals were real soft.

Currently, their backup goalie:

Curtis Joseph.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

OK, now question to those who are watching Boston-Montreal broadcast:

can you tell me where the *peep* did Canadiens got those stripped

pyjamas? because no way in hell it looks like an NHL jersey to me. it's just

plain and simply ridiculous :rotflmao:

It's another one of the "throwback" jerseys honouring the 100th anniversary of the Canadiens. There is at least one more coming. The story behind:

The barber pole sweater

[Mike 0]

Ovechkin is the best player in the league(world), absolutely no question about it.

He is the best player in the league, but it is too bad that the league doesn't treat him like the best.

[MacK_Attack 108]

Ottawa should just play 6 on 0. Mack, can you tell me why Toronto continues to go to Toskala? That Penguins game was brutal, they won and all, but those goals were real soft.

Lack of options.

They've set up a rotation now with Toskala and Pogge. Pogge gets called up the day of the game he's starting, then heads back to the AHL to play between his NHL starts.

[akustyk 84]

It's another one of the "throwback" jerseys honouring the 100th anniversary of the Canadiens. There is at least one more coming. The story behind:

The barber pole sweater

thanks! I kinda knew the idea behind that but still find it difficult to believe

someone could order players to wear something so ugly. those pyjamas beat

basically every crap jersey designers put in the last 20 years, including infamous

Stars 3rd ("Bulls") jersey or Penguins vomit-baby-blue alternates or a number

of strange Thrashers designs.

although with their frenchie pride and tradition celebration I think we should be

thankful they didn't come out in cavemen furs

[T.Low 1,011]

I live in the DC area and am a Wings fan first though I root for the Caps when the Wings aren't in town. The tickets were a Christmas present from my wife. I thought they included a guaranteed win for the Wings, but I guess she forgot that part.

Anyway, for 2/3 of the game the Wings made sure that they had Lidstrom on Ovie. It was quite a match to see. Lidstrom was able to skate backwards as fast as Ovie can skate forward. As much as I've always liked Lidstrom, his skating against Ovie raised my appreciation of him to a new level. Part of it was just a 44 year old liking an older player getting the better of a young gun at least for a little while.

I've been to quite a few Caps/Wings games over the years. This is the first time the Caps matched the Wings stride for stride, shot for shot. Ovie has some help in Backstrom and Semin. Theodore in net is also an upgrade.

Lastly, I have to take my hat off to Conks yesterday. He made some incredible stops that I'm not sure the Osgood of late would have made.

I realize I've strayed slightly off topic here. Suffice it so say, it was an incredible game to be at and had the feel of a playoff game.

Good post. Thanks

[AtomicPunk 296]

The only big thing that keeps Ovechkin from being the best all around or most complete player in the NHL is his defensive game. Other than that, what doesn't he do? Skill wise, hes a great passer, the best goal scorer, a great skater, has good speed, he's big, he's phsyical, he hits hard and often, he backchecks, and he's creative. Considering the intangibles, he's a leader, hes passionate, he wears his heart on his sleeve, never takes a shift off, always confident, and has an incredible work ethic.

And the best thing about Ovechkin? If he was asked to be the most complete player in the league, he could be, and he would be. But the Caps need him to be the offensive powerhouse that he is, and leave the defense to the other guys. In fact, Ovechkin simply being on the ice IS defense. There isn't a forward in this league he could go head to head with and be overtaken by.

If Ovechkin ever becomes a regular contributor on the PK, meaning one of the top 4 PKing forwards on his team, then he should be considered the most complete player ever to play the game.

I only wish I had seen Goride Howe in his prime. I imagine Ovechkin could give him a run for his money.

When I was writing that, I had Mickey Redmond's homerism ringing in my ears about Datsyuk being the best forward in the NHL. While I think there are areas where OV simply is better than Dats, there are things that Dats does that I have not seen OV do.

Dude, I am all about that guy. Trade anyone on the Wings roster to get him here and I will not be upset.

[Datsyerberger 279]

Give me a fantasy draft and I take Ovy 10 out of 10. Some people say "Well mimimi, Crosby markets better because a Canadian.." but ffs, have you seen a Caps fan who doesn't love Ovy? Normally, I'd draft a #1 d-man first, but even though there are some impressive young d-men out there, I don't think any of them are quite up to the level that Ovy is (within that age range). I'd settle for a 2nd tier out of the young d-men to take Ovy 1st (in fact, for my first defensive pick, I'd probably go for a great, but not 1st tier, veteran middle aged d-man like, say, Jovo). But Ovy? He's hilarious, has personality, he pots goals all over the place, he hits, he passes, and as someone pointed out, Ovy on a roll is damned near impossible to stop. If he improves on his defensive game you have a modern day Gordie (albeit on the wrong wing).