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Entries with the tag: alexander+ovechkin
Should Ovechkin Be Suspended?
by Paul on 03/15/10 at 10:59 AM ET
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I am not going to put up a yes or no poll but rather ask you to comment and tell me if Alexander Ovechkin should/should not be suspended for his boarding call on Brian Campbell yesterday.
This from a Darren Dreger tweet this morning,
NHL is defining “boarding” now and in light of the severity of B.Campbell’s injury, Ovechkin may face suspension.
Also, Tarik El-Bashir tweeted earlier this morning,
I’m hearing the Caps have/are going to ask the NHL to rescind the major penalty assessed to Alex Ovechkin yesterday for his hit/shove.
If you want to review the hit, you can watch it here.
added 11:16am, via Ted Leonsis of Ted’s Take,
I don’t think Alex should have received a game misconduct for that play. I don’t think he should miss our next game either. Matt Cooke didn’t get suspended or a penalty called on his hit last week, but Alex Ovechkin the league’s MVP did on that play? I don’t get it. But it is what it is. We will move on, play hard and we won’t “explain or complain”.
added 11:20am, Damien Cox tweets,
NHL had no plans to suspend Ovechkin on Sunday. If they’ve changed their minds now, Caps should appeal.
added 11:26am, from Elliotte Friedman of CBC,
Since Alexander Ovechkin’s previous boarding major (Patrick Kaleta) happened more than 41 games ago, there is no automatic suspension. (Crazy coincidence: Chicago was game number 42.) But, he admitted post-game that he pushed Brian Campbell - and pushing guys from behind into the boards doesn’t go over well, especially now that Campbell may be out for the rest of the regular season.
read more hockey topics from Elliottte…
added 11:30am, Bob McKenzie tweets,
I will be surprised if Ovechkin is not suspended for a couple of games. Campbell’s injury is the big factor now.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Brian+Campbell,
Don’t Expect An Ovechkin Suspension
by Paul on 03/14/10 at 08:05 PM ET
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from Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun at the London Free Press,
...At the same time, don’t expect a suspension to be handed out in this matter, according to a league source.
While Ovechkin deservedly was slapped with a boarding major and game misconduct for his brain cramp, league officials know it did not contain the same type of intent or viciousness as the incident one week earlier in which the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Matt Cooke blindsided Boston’s Marc Savard, leaving the Bruins forward likely out for the season with a concussion.
By not suspending Cooke for a far more malicious act, how could the NHL justify any supplemental discipline for Ovechkin in this matter?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Brian+Campbell,
Ovechkin And Boudreau Talk About The Hit On Campbell
by Paul on 03/14/10 at 05:10 PM ET
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from Lindsay Applebaum of Capitals Insider,
“I didn’t hit him hard,” Ovechkin said of Campbell, who did not return to the game. “He fell bad. But you can see, every shift this happens—little pushes, little battles.”...
Unsurprisingly, Coach Bruce Boudreau had similar thoughts. “I didn’t think it was a bad, bad check worth a five and a game [misconduct],” he said. “A two at the most, but I don’t make the calls.”
more including video of both Ovechkin and Boudreau…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Brian+Campbell, Bruce+Boudreau,
Brian Campbell Out At Least Three Games
by Paul on 03/14/10 at 04:43 PM ET
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via Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago,
Campbell left the game and has been declared out for the Hawks’ upcoming three-game road trip that begins Wednesday in Anaheim. Coach Joel Quenneville couldn’t say for sure that the injury would not affect him the rest of the season.
“We’ll see. We’ll get a better assessment as we go along here,” Quenneville said. “Soupy [Campbell] is going to be out for a bit here…It was a tough hit. A dangerous hit.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Brian+Campbell,
Ovechkin With Five For Boarding and A Game Misconcduct
by Paul on 03/14/10 at 01:04 PM ET
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Pushed Brian Campbell into the boards and is gone from the game.
Campbell was slow in getting up, may be winded or a shoulder issue and did skate off and went to the locker room.
Proper call?
added 1:26pm, video of the hit…
added 1:35pm, NBC crew says Campbell will not return.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Brian+Campbell,
When It Comes To Crosby Against Ovechkin
by Paul on 03/07/10 at 08:32 AM ET
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from Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,
...a pattern is developing: When defining moments present themselves, Crosby’s teams rise up; Ovechkin’s melt down.
Ovechkin is (Wilt) Chamberlain, a larger-than-life scoring machine who racks up so many individual awards that we begin to lose track by his mid-20s.
Crosby is (Bill) Russell, the consummate winner, the guy who does a million little things (and some really big ones) to lead his team to championships.
A week ago today, Crosby’s team left Vancouver with gold medals; Ovechkin’s left in disgrace.
Crosby has helped his NHL team to seven playoff series wins, two appearances in the Cup final and one title. Ovechkin has helped his team to, ah, let me break out the calculator here ... one playoff series win.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Sidney+Crosby,
Ovechkin In A Scoring Funk
by Paul on 03/06/10 at 02:06 PM ET
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from Corey Masisak at NHL.com,
Alex Ovechkin had one of his virtuoso performances Feb. 7 when the rival Pittsburgh Penguins were in town, scoring three goals and an assist to propel his Washington Capitals to a dramatic comeback triumph.
Almost a month has passed since then and, believe it or not, that was the last time Ovechkin scored an NHL goal. The time lapsed includes the Olympic break, but Ovechkin has gone five games without scoring—his longest such streak of the season.
“Every I’ve been here Alex has had a little bit of a stretch where he just can’t find the net and then the next thing you know, once he gets one he gets 10 in four games and that’s the way he’s been,” Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said. “This is his little funk and I expect him to come out of it real soon.”
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Morning Line
by Paul on 03/02/10 at 11:51 AM ET
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“I don’t want to talk about it. It happened. I feel sorry, but it was an emotional moment for me. I don’t want to say something bad or do something bad, but this happened. Let’s forget about it and move forward.”
-Alexander Ovechkin on the camera girl incident. More from Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Team+Russia,
Ovechkin Had Enough
by Paul on 02/28/10 at 08:42 AM ET
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from Larry Brooks of the NY Post,
• Alex Ovechkin may have behaved badly away from the ice this week, but perhaps The Great 8 simply had had enough of the home country’s jingoistic approach to critiquing his game and his rivalry with Sidney Crosby. As if Ovechkin is going to get a fair shake there.
• There is much speculation within the industry that the new Tampa Bay ownership will reach out to former Minnesota and Calgary GM Doug Risebrough to take over the Lightning, but Slap Shots has been told that permission has not yet been requested from the Rangers to talk to Risebrough, who is under contract to the Blueshirts as a scout.
Regardless, the future of current GM Brian Lawton is as uncertain as what has happened and will happen to the Lawton family’s significant financial investment—believed up to $10 million—into Tampa Bay’s former OK ownership deal. Lawton’s wife, Angelina, is the club’s VP of corporate communications.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Ovechkin And Brodeur Have Points To Prove
by Paul on 02/26/10 at 10:46 PM ET
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from Phil Coffey of NHL.com,
Keep an eye on two NHL players in the coming weeks, because I have a feeling that both Alex Ovechkin and Martin Brodeur are coming out of Vancouver with a burr under their respective saddles.
Ovechkin had the 1,000-yard stare as Team Canada ended Russia’s medal hopes in a brutal 7-3 shellacking that saw the Canadians simply dismantle a Russian squad many thought would at least be competitive with Canada.
That didn’t come close to happening and Ovechkin was completely shut down by the Canadians, going minus-2 with just three shots and a very bad feeling about the experience.
continue and numerous hockey topics…
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Martin+Brodeur,
A Crack In Ovechkin’s Game
by Paul on 02/26/10 at 07:13 PM ET
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from Edward Fraser of The Hockey News,
None of us know the details regarding Alex Ovechkin shoving a person with a camera in the wake of Russia’s embarrassing 7-3 loss at the hands of the Canadians, but no matter what the circumstances, the Capitals and/or the NHL need to send a message by suspending him.
The once-congenial and ultra-media-friendly Ovechkin has shown progressive cracks in his off-ice demeanor for some time now, culminating with his Olympic availability where he essentially ignored the English media during the tournament.
continued and if you missed the video, you can watch it here.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Team+Russia,
Ovechkin Just Like A Hollywood Star
by Paul on 02/25/10 at 12:03 PM ET
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Team+Russia,
All The Crosby Against Ovechkin Talk
by Paul on 02/24/10 at 12:21 PM ET
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from Greg Inglis of NHL.com,
“Can we call this Super Wednesday?” asks Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News on the eve of this feast of four Olympic quarterfinal games that features more than 125 NHL players pursuing their gold-medal dream in one spectacular day of competition.
“This is not merely a showstopper. This is a nation stopper,” proclaims Sports Illustrated’s Michael Farber on the much-hyped Canada-Russia showdown….
“Sid vs. Ovie: The rivalry goes global,” reads the headline to Craig Custance’s preview in the Sporting News.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Sidney+Crosby, Team+Canada, Team+Russia, Winter+Olympics,
The Ovechkin Olympic Experience
by Paul on 02/23/10 at 06:51 AM ET
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Alexander Ovechkin talks about keeping a low profile, his experience in Vancouver and a few other topics.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Team+Russia,
Is The Red Army Back?
by Paul on 02/21/10 at 10:40 PM ET
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from Dan Wetzel of Yahoo,
At 24, he may be the most accessible and down-to-earth superstar in sports.
Whatever Ovechkin and his fellow NHL stars are in their professional sweaters has been forgotten. They’ve taken on the mentality of their home nation’s team – serious, direct and not to be bothered.
The Red Army is back. And it’s a beautiful thing to witness.
Reporters aren’t going to have their notebooks filled up with quotes, but since when was that the goal of the Olympics?
The Russians are most fun to compete against when they adopt a reserved yet aggressive way, dismissive of the outside world yet eager to show their might, their skill, their tenacity. Nations around the globe have been trying to solve the Russian riddle at the Olympics for decades.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Team+Russia, Winter+Olympics,
The Game Changing Play In Russia/Czech Republic Game
by Paul on 02/21/10 at 06:45 PM ET
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Team+Russia, Winter+Olympics,
More Ovechkin Needed
by Paul on 02/18/10 at 11:45 AM ET
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from Scott Burnside of ESPN,
If only the Washington Capitals’ crack PR staff had been assigned to Ovechkin and the Russian national team. We’re pretty sure there wouldn’t be any carping. But it isn’t, and repeated requests for Ovechkin from the national media have fallen pretty much on deaf ears.
Now, the Olympics are a tricky business, between rights holders and who gets to stand where and who has to talk to whom first in the mixed zones (the penned areas where the media are held like much livestock—discuss amongst yourselves).
But the Russians, or Ovechkin himself, have decided to behave in a manner that is decidedly un-Olympic, speaking almost exclusively to the Russian media (we get that) and generally ignoring the rest of us (which we don’t).
Now, we’re not suggesting Ovechkin is Socrates on skates and we’re all the poorer for not knowing how he feels about the lines at the Hudson’s Bay Company or the ticket fiasco here or the food at the athletes’ village. But it shouldn’t be this big a hassle to get in front of a player who is arguably the best in the world playing in the world’s biggest tournament … should it?
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Team+Russia,
Crosby & Ovechkin Are Popular Topics In Vancouver
by Paul on 02/17/10 at 10:27 AM ET
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from Dan Steinberg of D.C. Sports Bog,
NBC analyst Mike Milbury obviously knows that Caps fans regularly accuse him of anti-Ovechkin propaganda. From the Crapitals incident, to calling Ovechkin “a dog,” to the more recent “Hey Ovi, I’m still your daddy right now” comment about Crosby, Milbury is building up quite a resume.
Does this make him second-guess his comments about Ovechkin, keeping everything drab and vanilla, offering generic praise and moving on, staying away from controversy? It does not. During the first intermission of the Canada-Norway game Tuesday evening, NBC ran a little piece about Ovechkin, then came out of it by asking Milbury to whom he compares Ovechkin.
The question was asked in the “history of hockey” sense, or maybe the “compare him to a great athlete in another sport” sense. The gist was that NBC’s analyst should help viewers understand the nature of Ovechkin’s game. Milbury’s answer?
“Well, if I compared him to the other great player in the game it’d be Sidney Crosby,” Milbury replied.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Sidney+Crosby, Team+Canada, Team+Russia,
Different Styles For Ovechkin And Crosby
by Paul on 02/15/10 at 01:22 PM ET
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from Lucas Aykroyd at IIHF.com,
It is, of course, unfair to label 2010 the “Ovechkin versus Crosby Olympics”, because hockey is a team sport. But these are both players that have the ability, not just to make a play that changes a game, but to go ahead and impose their will on the game.
However, the captain of the Washington Capitals and his Pittsburgh Penguins counterpart achieve their goals in such different ways.
It’s hard to pin down intangible qualities that make a star what he is. But if I had to try, I’d say that Ovechkin’s success stemly mostly from passion, whereas Crosby’s mostly reflects his drive. (Their skill sets both go without saying, and they have both diversified their games to the point where the old “Ovechkin shoots, Crosby makes plays” label is no longer adequate.)
One dictionary defines passion as “a powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger”. And that’s what you see every time Ovechkin steps on the ice. He’s blowing kisses and throwing himself into the boards when he scores goals. He gets angry when his team falls behind and spurs himself to play better. A classic example occurred in Washington’s come-from-behind 5-4 OT victory over Pittsburgh on February 7, where Ovechkin led the way with a hat trick.
The same dictionary defines drive as “the trait of being highly motivated”. To that, you might add “focused” in Crosby’s case.
Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Sidney+Crosby, Team+Canada, Team+Russia,
“Nuclear Eruption From Alexander Ovechkin”
by Paul on 02/10/10 at 11:26 PM ET
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The on-ice officials huddled and decided no goal, claiming Gill was jammed into Price by Ovechkin, thereby not allowing the goalie to do his job.
On Twitter this evening I agreed with the call, how about you?
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Ovechkin Comes Out Ahead
by Paul on 02/07/10 at 04:32 PM ET
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from Ben Giles of CSNWashington,
During the first intermission of NBC’s marquee Sunday matchup of Capitals versus Penguins, announcer Mike Milbury declared that Canada’s favorite son, Sidney Crosby, had once again announced his dominance to the world.
“Listen, hey Ovie, I’m still you’re daddy,” Milbury said, imagining what Crosby was thinking.
Milbury spoke too soon, it would seem, as the Capitals rallied on Sunday to force overtime and overtake the Penguins, 5-4, extending their franchise record wins streak to 14.
Whether Crosby or Ovechkin proved the game’s better player? Let the box score decide.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Sidney+Crosby,
Let Ovechkin Fight His Own Battles
by Paul on 01/15/10 at 03:21 PM ET
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from Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated,
Matt Bradley is being hailed around the capital as a hero for cutting in on an impending knuckle-duster between Steve Downie and national treasure Alexander Ovechkin.
He shouldn’t be.
If anything, the fourth-line banger’s impetuous intervention embarrassed the team’s newly-minted captain and set him up for a potentially more dangerous confrontation down the road.
continued with more hockey notes…
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Would Ovechkin Jump To The KHL?
by Paul on 01/13/10 at 07:32 PM ET
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from Mike Brophy of Sportsnet,
Kovalchuk isn’t the only player in the sights of the KHL. A source told sportsnet.ca Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin is so upset about having to pay 18 per cent of his salary to escrow he is prepared to pondering leaving the Capitals after this season. Sources say Ovechkin expressed his displeasure with having to pay escrow during an NHLPA conference call meant to talk about the direction of the organization.
more on Kovalchuk…
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Ilya+Kovalchuk,
Matt Bradley Steps In
by Paul on 01/13/10 at 09:09 AM ET
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Did Bradley do the right thing by interrupting the Alexander Ovechkin/Steve Downie fight?
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Matt+Bradley, Steve+Downie,
Ovechkin Puts On His Host Hat
by Paul on 01/07/10 at 11:19 AM ET
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Alexander Oveckin and a few other Capitals go behind the scenes on the Caps Verizon video shoot.
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Captain Ovechkin
by Paul on 01/05/10 at 06:34 PM ET
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ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin took the ice for tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens wearing the captain’s ‘C’ on his sweater, introducing him to the Verizon Center fans as the 14th captain in club history. Vice president and general manager George McPhee and head coach Bruce Boudreau made the selection and Boudreau informed his team of the decision this morning.
Ovechkin, 24, is the first European-born captain in Capitals history and the second-youngest captain in team history (Ryan Walter was 21 when he captained the 1979-80 team). The Moscow native is the sixth Russian-born player to be an NHL captain and joins Atlanta’s Ilya Kovalchuk as the only active Russians to captain their teams (Pavel Bure, Alexander Mogilny, Alexei Yashin and Alexei Zhamnov are the previous ones). Ovechkin, who has been one of Washington’s alternate captains since his second season in the league, succeeds Chris Clark as Capitals’ captain following Clark’s trade to Columbus last week.
Alex Ovechkin … What Others Are Saying
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The Cost Of A Signature
by Paul on 12/29/09 at 05:20 PM ET
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from Rick Chandler of Out of Bounds at NBC Sports,
Yes, the Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin will be charging $150 per autograph at an appearance at a sports memorabilia store on Jan. 30, but that’s only if you want your jersey or helmet signed. For a card or a puck, it’s only $125; very reasonable I’m sure for all the young Caps fans out there.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Morning Line- Part 2
by Paul on 12/22/09 at 09:02 AM ET
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“It turns out this way. Imagine that you see a glass of water. Why not drink it? I just want to do it. I repeat – this is hockey. It you’re afraid of injuries then you shouldn’t leave your house. It’s weird. A year ago nobody asked me why I am not watching for myself, but now – on the eve of the Olympics – the question suddenly arises. I play hockey and enjoy it. If you don’t smash somebody, then you’ll be smashed.”
-Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals. More from the translated story at RussiaToday.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Ovechkin Takes On Vancouver
by Paul on 12/18/09 at 07:59 AM ET
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from Matthew Sekeres of the Globe and Mail,
A downtown department store in a major Canadian city is bound to be a madhouse during the holiday shopping season.
But it is nothing compared to a public appearance by Alexander Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals superstar and the worldwide face of hockey.
That much was proved yesterday at the Olympic boutique inside The Bay in downtown Vancouver, as roughly 1,000 people formed a circuitous queue 30 minutes before Ovechkin’s late-afternoon arrival. Autograph and picture seekers were forced to buy one of five items – the cheapest costing $89 – yet the line snaked around several displays, and ended outside the boutique, somewhere between clocks and cosmetics.
“Why not?” Ovechkin replied earlier in the day when asked why he would agree to two hours of sign and smile. “It’s good stuff for me. People are going to recognize me and shake my hand. It’s easy.”
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
AO The Villain
by Paul on 12/16/09 at 08:38 AM ET
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from Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post,
What hockey really needs is a great villain. Enter the Caveman.
“They call me Caveman because I don’t care what others think of me,” said Ovechkin, as quoted by Sovetsky Sport. “I couldn’t care less about anyone or anything.”
Ovechkin is exactly what has been missing in hockey, whose appeal has long been built on a case of Kokanee beer, head-bangin’ guitar riffs and the Gordie Howe hat trick.
You can have Sid the Kid Crosby as hockey’s savior, all you plain vanilla ice cream lovers.
Ovechkin is as subtle as a shot of vodka. He blows across the blue line faster than a bone-chilling breeze from Siberia. His passes, like the one that set up Washington’s second goal against the Avalanche, cut through a defenseman’s ego like a stiletto.
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Ron Wilson Would Probably Like A Few Players Like Ovechkin
by Paul on 12/12/09 at 08:38 AM ET
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from Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun,
Alexander Ovechkin, who leads the Caps into the Air Canada Centre tonight, has been coming under fire recently for his at-times careless play—an approach that found the talented Russian suspended for two games last week when he hit Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Tim Gleason knee-on-knee. Wilson, however, loves Ovechkin’s style.
“He plays hard and reckless,” the coach said. “He has done a few things. He slew-foots people, stuck his knee out on a bunch of people, so there is a body of evidence that indicates he does play reckless. But that is what makes him a great hockey player.
“He is fearless. I think it’s great he plays the game hard at both ends. He is physical and he is incredibly gifted offensively. I would say he is easily the most dominant player in our game.”
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Caps Owner Has A Sit-Down With Ovechkin
by Paul on 12/02/09 at 11:57 AM ET
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from Ted Leonsis of Ted’s Take,
We had a short and direct conversation.
Alex isn’t trying to hurt anyone. He has an honest respect for the game and for all players in the league. Alex is trying to “get the puck. I just want what they have and that is the puck.” It is a simple logic. He plays the game the way it was designed. He is just bigger and faster than anyone. Can you name a player in NHL history that has this mix of size, skill, power and speed? I can’t.
Alex does play fast and hard. It is why he is beloved. It is why he is the two-time and reigning MVP of the league.
I believe if he changes and becomes a player that is managed by the media or fans or anyone else, he will put himself at risk. ” To thine own self be true.” That is the right motto to live by. That is what I have advised Alex. Be authentic and be respectful. Play the game with passion. Lean in, don’t lean back. Love the game. Have fun. Win.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Ted+Leonsis,
IS It All About PR With AO?
by Paul on 12/02/09 at 08:11 AM ET
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from pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog,
In literary circles this narrative might be termed a potboiler — a tale hastily conceived and executed with commercial profits foremost in mind. Earlier this fall Ovi signed on with the global champions of sports personality marketing, IMG. It’s a firm renowned for being visionary and aggressive in its strategic branding. When word of the deal broke, I wondered: how might Ovi be re-launched under IMG’s auspices? I was pretty sure the firm wasn’t going to simply allow the dynamic winger to merely pile up goals this hockey season and issue a press release come spring saying, “Ain’t that just dandy?”
One idea that might have occurred to IMG brass would be to exploit Ovi’s on-ice aggressor activity. He doesn’t just hit, he hits hard, and often, and often ferociously, pummeling plexiglass in the process and intimidating some of the league’s largest bodies. Additionally, it might have occurred to the firm that the league’s preferred poster boy, Sidney Crosby, rarely wades into trouble waters out on the ice, and so establishing a clear antagonist to #87, the protagonist, with a Russian bad-guy motif might just catch a few outside-of-hockey eyes.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Report- Ovechkin Gets Two Games
by Paul on 12/01/09 at 04:10 PM ET
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Tarik El-Bashir via his Twitter,
Alex Ovechkin has been suspended two games, I’m told.
added 4:13pm, Official per NHL.com.
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Oveckin Day-To-Day
by Paul on 12/01/09 at 11:39 AM ET
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per the Caps Twitter-
Alex Ovechkin is day-to-day with a sore knee.
added 11:47am, from Scott Burnside of ESPN,
We have seen what happens to talented, physical players when they start to break down or try to change their styles in an effort to squeeze more life out of their bodies. Eric Lindros was a shadow of his former self in the final years of his NHL career, a perimeter player with little impact, moments that might end up costing him a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Then there’s Todd Bertuzzi, who hasn’t been the same type of player since the Steve Moore incident.
Is it possible for Ovechkin to remain true to his nature yet alter his style to avoid these kinds of incidents? Or is this simply the way it is for the great Russian star, a kind of live-by-the-sword, die-by-the-sword mantra to which Ovechkin will adhere no matter the cost?
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Strange Night In The NHL
by Paul on 11/30/09 at 10:56 PM ET
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from Ken Campbell of The Hockey News,
Although the NHL rulebook does not specifically stipulate a fine or suspension for kneeing, supplementary discipline can be applied at the discretion of the commissioner.
And you’d have to think that’s exactly what will happen, given that Georges Laraque of the Montreal Canadiens recently received a five-game suspension for his knee-on-knee hit that injured Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall. One big difference was that Gleason came back to play the rest of the game (Kronwall’s out for at least a month), while Ovechkin looked to take the worse of the hit, leaving the game and not returning.
Ovechkin also received a major penalty and game misconduct for boarding last week when he drilled Patrick Kaleta of the Buffalo Sabres head-first into the boards. Ovechkin did not receive supplementary discipline for that hit, but likely won’t be that lucky this time around.
Although NHL vice-president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell would not say whether Ovechkin will face a hearing, he did say that Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Ballard will not be suspended for hitting his own goalie, Tomas Vokoun, with a two-handed baseball swing in the Panthers 3-2 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers.
“It will be on every sports highlight show for the next week,” Campbell said. “If that’s not enough of a punishment…”
more Ovechkin and Vokoun talk…
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Tomas+Vokoun,
Ovechkin Knee-On-Knee Hit On Gleason
by Paul on 11/30/09 at 08:35 PM ET
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In case you just follow KK Hockey, David Lee of Red and Black Hockey on KK has the video and commentary on the hit tonight.
added 8:47pm, Another video of the hit…
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Tim+Gleason,
Looks Like No Action Will Be Taken On The Ovechkin Hit
by Paul on 11/26/09 at 10:29 PM ET
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via Tarik El-Bashir of Capitals Insider,
Alex Ovechkin won’t be suspended or receive an additional fine by the NHL for his hit on Buffalo’s Patrick Kaleta on Wednesday night, I’m told.
After the Caps’ 2-0 victory over the Sabres, Ovechkin said he won’t let the ejection - the second of his four plus seasons in the NHL - affect the aggressive manner in which he plays the game.
“I can’t do nothing about it,” he said. “I just play my game. I’m not going to change. It’s me.”
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Oveckin Gets A Game Misconduct
by Paul on 11/25/09 at 09:48 PM ET
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from Corey Masisak of the Washington Times,
Ovechkin was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Buffalo’s Patrick Kaleta 3:38 into the third period.
According to the league rulebook, Ovechkin was hit with the major penalty at the official’s discretion, but an injury to the head or face on a major infraction is grounds for an automatic ejection. Kaleta left the ice holding his nose, and Ovechkin tossed his glove in the air in frustration as he went to the dressing room.
This is the second game misconduct in Ovechkin’s career, and both have come against the Sabres. He was ejected from a game Dec. 2, 2006 during his second NHL season for checking then-Buffalo forward Danny Briere into the boards from behind. Ovechkin was also fined earlier this season after slew-footing Atlanta’s Rich Peverley with 30 seconds left Oct. 22 at Philips Arena.
more on the Caps win…
The video is not the best quality, but here is the Ovechkin hit…
Note: Replaced the video with a better quality one on 11/26/09 around 8:45am.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Patrick+Kaleta,
Is Ovechkin The Best Left Wing In NHL History?
by Paul on 11/20/09 at 12:09 PM ET
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Adam Proteau of The Hockey News answers some email,
Adam – Gordie Howe has, for the past couple of years, expressed much admiration for Alex Ovechkin. So, even though he is just 24, I’m ready to put Ovechkin as the first team left wing on my all-time all-star team, which would have Howe at right wing, Gretzky at center and Bobby Orr at one of the ‘D’ positions.
The great Red Army goaltender, Vladislav Tretiak, strikes me as the all-time best goalie, but I could be convinced otherwise. Who would you put at goal and at the other all-time ‘D’ position?
Ovechkin would be on my all-time team as well, as would Gretzky, Howe and Orr.
However, I think your supposition that Tretiak is the best netminder would cause many a longtime hockey observer to wave his hands in the air as if he did in fact care and demand you consider Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur or Glenn Hall in that category instead.
Personally, I’d go with Brodeur. And my other defenseman would be Nicklas Lidstrom – although I could probably be persuaded to slot Ray Bourque in there.
more Q & A…
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Washington Media Plays 20 Question With Ovechkin
by Paul on 11/03/09 at 12:55 PM ET
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And he still doesn’t break.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Ovechkin Injury Doesn’t Appear Serious
by Paul on 11/02/09 at 02:58 PM ET
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from Tarik El-Bashir of Capitals Insider,
Alex Ovechkin managed to sneak out through a back door at Ketter Capitals Iceplex this afternoon after receiving treatment on what is believed to be a left arm or shoulder injury, and thus avoided a handful of reporters who were camped outside of the Arlington practice facility.
But Slava Malamud of Moscow-based Sport-Express told me he caught up with Ovechkin on the phone. According to Malamud, Ovechkin declined to divulge the precise location or nature of his injury but said that “tests” taken came back negative and that the injury is not believed to be serious. Malamud also said that Ovechkin does not expect to play Wednesday in New Jersey.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
IMG Signs Ovechkin
by Paul on 11/02/09 at 10:10 AM ET
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from MarketWire,
“We are very pleased to welcome Alex to the global team at IMG,” said David Abrutyn, IMG’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Global Consulting. “He is clearly one of the world’s greatest athletes and one of the NHL’s brightest stars. His electrifying play and charismatic personality will make him one of the most sought after athletes for companies and brands to grow their business. We are looking forward to working with Alex and his family, the Capitals and the NHL to build the Ovechkin brand and the game of hockey around the world.”
“As one of the most exciting players the game of hockey has seen, Alex has captured the imagination of fans around the globe and he is well on his way to establishing himself as one of the world’s great sports icons,” said Brad Pelletier, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of IMG Canada. “The excitement and personality he brings to the game is not only great for hockey, but also for his personal brand, which we look forward to working with him to grow around the world.”
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Ovechkin With Upper-Body Injury
by Paul on 11/01/09 at 08:09 PM ET
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The Capitals post-game show said Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said Alexander Ovechkin has an upper-body injury.
He collided with Raffi Torres in the 2nd period, skated off the ice and did not return.
added 8:15pm, Boudreau now has added AO is day-to-day.
added 8:39pm, via Tarik El-Bashir of Capitals Insider,
Asked what happened during the scrum, where it appeared he was originally injured, Ovechkin said: “It was just a moment of the game. Nothing happened. [Jason Chimera] hit me, I hit him. It was a little battle over there but nothing happen. I can’t tell you how I got hurt. It’s day to day, but just in case I didn’t go back on the ice.”
Asked if he thought the injury was serious, Ovechkin said: “I don’t know.”
Ovechkin didn’t want to say much, but he did confirm that the injury is upper body in nature. He also took several drinks from his Gatorade bottle with his right hand, but did seem to be doing much with his left arm, though he was not wearing a sling.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Old School vs. New School
by Paul on 10/30/09 at 01:15 PM ET
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from Mike Milbury at CBC,
Please don’t wax poetic about Hull and Howe and Shore. Today’s players are bigger, stronger, faster, better conditioned, better coached and with better equipment. The players of the 50s couldn’t keep up. And there’s so many of them that you don’t need to consult the standings to name a bunch of them. Kopitar in LA. Bobby Ryan in Anaheim. Duchene and O’Reilly in Colorado. Toews and Kane in Chicago. Stamkos in Tampa. Kovalchuk in Atlanta. Gaborik in New York. Parise in New Jersey. Crosby and Malkin and Fleury in Pittsburgh. And on and on.
But it is in Washington where the new generation’s poster boy resides. Hey, Alex Semin, Nick Backstrom and Mike Green are all stars in their own right, but the lightning rod is Alex Ovechkin.
The attraction? He is the next Mr. Hockey, the newly-defined Mr. Hockey. The computerized, twittered, facebooked, instantly gratified and accessible Mr. Hockey.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Evening Line
by Paul on 10/24/09 at 09:17 PM ET
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“I love you as a guy, and as a player. You play my type of game.” … [But] you’re going to be very, very sorry one day because someone is going to cut you in half.”
-Don Cherry on Coach’s Corner tonight speaking about Alexander Ovechkin when reviewing his recent slew-foot. More from Don at CBC.
added 9:32pm, Watch Coach’s Corner from tonight.
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Ovechkin Fined For Slew-Foot On Peverley
by Paul on 10/23/09 at 05:36 PM ET
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from NHL.com,
NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations, Colin Campbell, has confirmed media reports that Capitals’ right wing Alex Ovechkin has been fined but will not be suspended for his slew foot of Atlanta’s Rich Peverley in the final minute of Washington’s 5-4 road victory on Thursday night. Ovechkin was whistled for a two-minute tripping penalty.
The fine comes one day after Anaheim’s Evgeni Artyukhin was suspended three games by the League for slew-footing defenseman Matt Niskanen of the Dallas Stars, though no penalty was called on the play. The Ducks’ right wing, who loses $34,756.11 in salary, will miss Saturday’s game against Columbus, Monday’s game against Toronto, and an Oct. 30 contest against Vancouver.
“It is unfair to draw any parallels [about the two slew-foot incidents] other than the players that [Ovechkin and Artyukhin] tripped both fell down,” Campbell told NHL.com
added 5:58pm, Video of the incident…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Rich+Peverley,
Have Crosby & Ovechkin Peaked?
by Paul on 10/11/09 at 11:08 AM ET
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from Brian Costello of The Hockey News,
As much as we think the wizardry of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin will be with us for the next 10 to 15 years, chances are their otherworldly scoring exploits are at a peak now and will trend downwards in the coming seasons.
At 22 and 24, Crosby and Ovechkin are sure to be the cream of the league for the next decade. There’s little question of that. But in terms of over-the-top scoring totals, they’re in their prime right now. Thing is, however, their “prime” is such a narrow range, if history is to be a barometer.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Sidney+Crosby,
The Best Of AO, Off The Ice
by Paul on 10/08/09 at 12:50 PM ET
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TSN style…
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin,
Gordie Has High Praise For Ovechkin
by Paul on 10/06/09 at 07:30 PM ET
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from Adam Kimelman of NHL.com,
One member of the sold-out Wachovia Center crowd watched Tuesday’s game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals with a bit of extra interest in a certain player.
Gordie Howe, one of the all-time legends of the game, had a prime spot to watch one of the League’s current greats, Alexander Ovechkin.
Howe said that while he hasn’t seen too much of Ovechkin, he’s certainly liked what he’s seen.
“If he got any better he’d be scary,” Howe told NHL.com.
Howe said Ovechkin won him over the first time they met, last season.
“There’s 18 guys sitting down and he’s the only one who jumped up to shake my hand,” Howe said. “He shows respect for the older players.”
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Gordie+Howe,
