Ovechkin's Game Needs to Change to Win the Ultimate Prize

We are not going to get into another Ovechkin vs. Crosby comparison, if you want that go here, here and here. All in all the debate doesn't matter, and even the most irrational Caps fan can attest to who is coming out on top in the only column that truly matters, the win column.

It seems that a lot of the fallout from the Montreal debacle has been be laid on Semin, Green, Fleischmann, the two headed goaltending monster, and a few other role players. All deserve their share; however the captain of the Washington Capitals is ducking a lot of the blame, except from a few sources. Ovechkin certainly doesn't deserve all the blame, he had an okay series stats wise (5G, 5A) but certainly a good brunt of it.

One goal and one secondary assist in the final three closeout games (two at home) doesn't cut it when you are allegedly the greatest player in the NHL.

But again, assessing blame isn't the point of this article. It's about what one of the greatest talents in the hockey world can do to refine his game, attitude and leadership qualities in order to avoid seven game series regularly, and one day possibly hoist the greatest of all trophies; instead of merely saying this (3:10 mark) at the NHL awards every year.


Lose the "me" image, yea you look real fresh in your highlighter skate laces and tinted visor, but you wanna win in the NHL come playoff time it's not about "you".

You aren't the rogue 20 year old Russian sniper that entered the league with an attitude.

You are now captain of an NHL team, a very talented one, your attitude and everything you do leaves an imprint on your team.

Putting away the "me" attitude would be something that shows true leadership and can endear the Great 8 even more to his teammates, as well as have a trickle down effect in the locker room.

It's about the Washington Capitals not Alex Ovechkin, the "C" on your left shoulder is what makes you stand out.


Look to dump the puck to get to the cycle occasionally when coming down the wing. Every time you have a sliver of space and hit the blue line with two men back, doesn't mean you have to take a shot, it's predictable and selfish.

Yes you can score from anywhere, but just as any player in the NHL you will score more when you have higher percentage opportunities; cycling creates that. Centering your line is Niklas Backstrom, one of the hardest guys in the NHL to get off the puck, give him and your other wing a chance to get into the two man-cycle and give you some nice scoring chances in the high slot.

Cycling also wears down opponents early in a playoff series, and gives goaltenders fits. It's a better alternative to the one and done shot which is gobbled up or blocked, when flying down the wing.

Dumping the puck every once in a while will inevitably give you more space over time to use that amazing one-on-one play making ability, by shedding your one dimensionality.


Play defense more consistently. Do you float around the opponent's blue line as the Ovie detractors say-- no. Are you defensively responsible because you make one or two defensive plays a game, as the most stringent Ovie fanatic says-- no. You lie somewhere in the middle, your defense has it's deficiencies and can improve.

Defensive responsibility is a proven winner, is it fun--no, is it sexy--- no way, will it win in the playoffs-- it's proven. Just ask your countrymen Pavel Datsyuk, in fact learn from him, I know it won't be as good a time as a weekend with Andrei Markov but it will pay off in April, May and June.

If the Washington Capitals see their captain, make this commitment, everyone in that locker room has to follow suit.


Quit with the false bravado, this is something that can be applied to the entire Capitals organization and fanbase. It starts with an owner who can't keep his mouth shut and seems to have trickled down the organization to the players and the fans.

It does nothing for you as a hockey player to win the war of sound bites. It just fires up the opponent, and at this point what ground is there to stand on with your playoff track record.

Yes the fans love it, they also love it when you win. You are now the captain, you should be better than this. The cloud of shame hanging over the organization should be enough to quiet the noise coming from the Capitals locker room---for now.

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Some will say I am just trying to take away Ovechkin's flair and personality, that may be partially true. His attitude should have changed when he took over the captaincy, but for some reason Ovie gets away without any criticism for not refining his game. There isn't a player in any sport who can't work on something-- it's a small sacrifice to lift the greatest trophy on Earth.


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Wow

All season long the world was full of witnesses.
Fans witnessed.
Players witnessed.
ESPN witnessed.
The World witnessed.



And finally,

Lebron witnessed.

This is no blog to stab at Lebron James. He's a beast. He's young and already one of the top few players in the league. I have no quarrel with Lebron. Do I love him and his game, his intensity, passion and ability? No. But I don't dislike him. He's good for basketball and that's incredibly obvious.

But he's not there yet.

The simple truth is very clear to those who paid attention to this series. The better team won. Key word being 'team'. The best player on the court at all times was Lebron, but the next three best players in the series were Dwight Howard, Hedo, and Rashard Lewis. And it wasn't even close. And did anyone else notice that Mike Brown doesn't coach? He's such a puppet he should be in those Nike commercials alongside Kobe and Lebron (if they still exist). If there was ever a series to expose the fraudulence of the NBA Coach of the Year Award, this was it. Stan Van Gundy looked like Bob Knight compared to Brown. And we all saw it clear as day. That's not saying much for Stan Van, but it's really not saying much for Brown.

Cleveland had their chances. Up fifteen in the second quarter of game one, they took their King James sneakers off the throat. And it cost them. It cost them the game, and furthermore the series. Orlando would have wilted and died if they had lost by ten in game one. Instead, a team of jump shooters had the utmost confidence, the one thing you never want to give a team of jump shooters. Everything in this series was a mismatch. The best example maybe Mo Williams' empty guarantee to win the series. How pathetic, the damn thing didn't even go seven.

Back to Lebron real quick. I know there are those of you out there that ignore the media, and I applaud that. But for those of you who enjoy putting Lebron James and Michael Jordan's names in the same sentence, send me your address. I will personally make the visit just to punch you in the neck. It's not that Lebron isn't as good as Michael, I wouldn't expect him to be at this point in his career. It's that the very projection makes me sick to my stomach. In order to be considered in the same league as MJ, one must have at least 3 or 4 titles. To this point, Lebron doesn't. Kobe will most likely have four in a week or two, so his application will be looked at further. Remember this, in MJ's sixth season (granted he played two years of college ball so if you're of the age, not amount of seasons train of thought you're excused from this) he lost two playoff games and was the NBA Finals MVP against Magic's Lakers. In Lebron's sixth season he lost to the Magic (no pun intended). Just some food for thought.

So here we are.
No more chalk.
No more puppet.
No more pity for Cleveland crammed down the national audience's throats.
No more.

But you all know this.

You Witnessed it.

I learned at age 8...

How to make an inbounds pass.   I may have had 2-5 intercepted by an opposing team in my 22 years of existence.  Yet somehow, the Nuggets have managed to do it twice in the same 7 game series.  First Anthony Carter, and now Kenyon Martin.  I understand that neither players are experts with the ball in their hands, but come on now guys.  Trevor Ariza doesn't play for the Globetrotters.  At least not yet.  This is another classic case of fundamental basketball ruining an NBA team in the playoffs (look to last night's Hedo failure to stay with Lebron for further proof). As sad as it was to watch, and as angry as I was when the game was over, there is no where to point the finger but to the NBA.  Fundamentals are as overlooked as salad at a Golden Corral these days.  And everyone seems to like it just fine.