The Puck Stops Here
What Is Wrong With Alexander Ovechkin?
by PuckStopsHere on 01/14/11 at 07:28 PM ET
Comments (2)
For the past three seasons Alexander Ovechkin has led the NHL in points per game (at least among people with a significant number of games played). It was expected that Ovechkin would be at or around the top in the scoring race again this year in points and in points per game and he is in the race. He is the 11th highest scorer so far this season with 45 points and 13th in points per game with 1.02 points per game. For almost any player in hockey that is a good season, but for a player who realistically expected to be number one this is a poorer than expected showing.
If we prorate Ovechkin’s totals this season, he will finish with 28 goals, 56 assists and 84 points. Those are good totals. Last year, he had 50 goals, 58 assists and 108 points. Thus his assist rate is essentially on track. It is his goals that have declined significantly.
It is reasonable to expect that Alexander Ovechkin’s talent level has not changed significantly from last season to this one. So all things being equal, one might expect a season similar to his 2009/10 totals (which were not significantly different from his 2008/09 and his 2007/08 totals). Thus it seems reasonable that all things are not equal.
It has been suggested by some that Ovechkin is improving his defensive game. The example held up is Steve Yzerman who went from a 155 point scorer to a better two-way player and a Selke Trophy winner. In the process, Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings began to win Stanley Cups. This explanation can only come from somebody who hasn’t watched many Washington games. There is no evidence that Ovechkin has had any defensive improvement. His penalty killing time has declined from the almost nothing it was last year to an average of about one second per game. He is playing against a lesser quality of opposition this year than he has in the past. It is reasonably clear that Bruce Boudreau is sheltering Ovechkin from some of the situations he used him last year.
The question is why is Ovechkin being sheltered? The most logical reason is injury. We know that on January 6th, he received a cortisone shot and only participated in non-contact drills in his next practise. No official statement about an injury has been given, but it is quite clear that something is wrong. Cortisone shots usually treat damage or inflammation in joints, tendons etc. Most likely there is an arm or wrist injury (or some other related part of his body) which is interfering in the release of his shot. Ovechkin has a great wrist shot which is likely the best in hockey, but we haven’t see that shot that we have seen in past years - at least not since early in the season. This injury is not getting in the way of his passing game, as his assist total is not down; it is reducing the number of goals he scores.
It seems Alexander Ovechkin has an injury which is getting in the way of his goal scoring. As a result, he has been a bit sheltered, when compared to years past. Will Ovechkin be able to recover in time for playoff time? A Washington team with Alexander Ovechkin scoring at his past rate will be very hard to stop. A Washington team with Ovechkin performing at less than his best will be easier to defeat.
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Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Washington+Capitals,
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No he did that thing with the ropes where you send waves down them by moving your arms up and down.
Posted by Bossy_Rules on 01/18/11 at 06:38 PM ET
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According to his owner, he - and the rest of his teammates - may be “unconsciously pacing” themselves.
Wasn’t there an article published before the start of the season saying that it looked like Ovechkin did nothing over the off season other than drink and go clubbing? If so, maybe that’s contributing to his mediocre (for him) offensive output. Resting on his laurels, possibly?
Posted by Flashtastick56 from Milford, CT on 01/14/11 at 09:40 PM ET