Player Discussion Alexander Ovechkin (Vol. 4)

[bacchist]

Regarding Ovechkin, I think we need to be a bit more forgiving.

This is something personal, but I can totally relate to him right now. I used to score 1 goal per game on average in my league a few years ago, but I’ve only scored 1 goal in my past 20 games.
I’m not 38 like Ovi though, I’m 27, right in the middle of my prime.

It’s like I completely forgot how to score, even though my body hasn’t changed. It’s all in my head, because of issues in other areas of my life.

Ovechkin’s production and engagement level sharply dropped after the passing of his father, the stats are there to prove it. I can’t imagine what must be going through his mind. The goal record is meaningless compared to what he had to go through this year.

I think if there’s anybody who deserves the benefit of the doubt for anything on this team, it’s Alex Ovechkin. I don’t believe for an instant that he forgot how to score or shoot a puck.

You make some good points there, but it's not exactly correct that his production dropped after his dad passed. He had 10g-11a for 21p in 19 games after he got back.

But you are totally right that something is just off, because his shooting percentage is less than half of his career average. If his shooting percentage was just in line with his average, he'd have about 6 more goals, and we'd be much more willing to overlook some of the other aspects of his game.

 

[Portable Mink]

If hes not injured then we have a seriously steep drop off like not many before him.
The intent is very much missing.
Also - to me, being defensively responsible is so foreign for him that it kinda stops his offensive juices from being instinctive. if that makes sense.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Ovie lost his brother at a young age and has a celebration for him he does after goals when he points up in the air for his lost brother. I dont think he would just stop caring about hockey. This is not kuz

 

[Midnight Judges]

It appears to be a level of give-a-crap that is missing.

If he's going to stand there on the powerplay, 4 feet from the net but completely boxed out by a defender, and he's not even angling for position, then he needs to be benched.

It's a matter of effort, and it's been piss poor.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Ovie lost his brother at a young age and has a celebration for him he does after goals when he points up in the air for his lost brother. I dont think he would just stop caring about hockey. This is not kuz

I never said he stopped caring about hockey. Re-read my post. I just said he might have bigger things troubling him and preventing him from focusing.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It appears to be a level of give-a-crap that is missing.

If he's going to stand there on the powerplay, 4 feet from the net but completely boxed out by a defender, and he's not even angling for position, then he needs to be benched.

It's a matter of effort, and it's been piss poor.

Nope…..and his lack of movement on the PP has been a thing for years.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Nope…..and his lack of movement on the PP has been a thing for years.

Yeah I've seen him stand in the circle, near the dot or the outer part - dragging a defender there with him.

But standing almost behind the net and dragging the defender nowhere is new. Standing in the circle it becomes mostly a 4 on 3 which benefits the team. Standing by the net but boxed out - the defender is still in position to defend other players. It's not remotely the same benefit.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Yeah I've seen him stand in the circle, near the dot or the outer part - dragging a defender there with him.

But standing almost behind the net and dragging the defender nowhere is new. Standing in the circle it becomes mostly a 4 on 3 which benefits the team. Standing by the net but boxed out - the defender is still in position to defend other players. It's not remotely the same benefit.

I’m not seeing that often…..certainly not enough to suggest he’s just not trying.

 

[zappa4ever]

This is the 1st season where he hasn't gone on some kind of (at least decent) run yet...

While he obv has struggled (esp the 1st 5+ games), last night was one of his better efforts all-around

I'm wondering if he finally gets a few to go in and gets like 5g in 5gms that he hits a "normal" stride and gets back to something like a .5g/gm average for a big chunk

Gotta be tough to lose almost all of his fellow Russian teammates, Backi, and Timothy Jimothy being on his last legs, the Cup Core counted on 1 hand now, signs of "the end" coming... Could you imagine if Strome wasn't scoring either? It'd be the entire offense depending on one 38 y.o.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Alex Ovechkin isn’t scoring, and Spencer Carbery is considering all his options — The Washington Post

Through 23 games this year, Ovechkin has only scored five goals. Two are empty-net tallies, and just one has come on the power play.

apple.news

 

[TheSmokingMan]

It appears to be a level of give-a-crap that is missing.

It's a matter of effort, and it's been piss poor.

Couldn't disagree more. We've seen players who mail it in on a nightly basis and Ovie ain't one of them, never has been. The effort is there, it's the results that aren't coming like they have in the past. IMO, It has created a crisis of confidence. It's amazing to me how quickly fans jump ship on the guy who has carried this franchise for the last 18 years. He's going through a rough stretch right now with his goalscoring, and yet he STILL leads the team in points. It's CLEAR that the problem with this team's scoring is way bigger than #8.

 

[RedRocking]

Alex Ovechkin isn’t scoring, and Spencer Carbery is considering all his options — The Washington Post

Through 23 games this year, Ovechkin has only scored five goals. Two are empty-net tallies, and just one has come on the power play.

apple.news

Do any of you guys think Carbs has been maybe a bit too candid at times to start his tenure?

Obviously as a fan, it’s great to get more details from the HC, he’s a good communicator, and I am totally fine with the way he’s handled Kuzy.

But bigger picture - he still speaks a bit like an AHL coach trying to teach and develop guys. As such, he’s pretty quick to yank guys and call them out in the press. While refreshing, not sure how that flies with a vet locker room.

Like when he insulted a bunch of the vets for coming in out of shape - not sure that really helps the culture behind close doors. He’s pretty vocal with his frustrations, e.g., going on and on about the terrible state of the PP. IMO a coach should learn when to pick his spots/battles, and keep some things behind closed doors. OTOH more accountability can be a good thing.

I’m not overly concerned atm, or have a problem with what he said about Ovi here - just some stuff has caught my eye, and so I’m curious to see how he reacts to the ups and downs of a full season.

 

[HTFN]

Do any of you guys think Carbs has been maybe a bit too candid at times to start his tenure?

Obviously as a fan, it’s great to get more details from the HC, he’s a good communicator, and I am totally fine with the way he’s handled Kuzy.

But bigger picture - he still speaks a bit like an AHL coach trying to teach and develop guys. As such, he’s pretty quick to yank guys and call them out in the press. While refreshing, not sure how that flies with a vet locker room.

Like when he insulted a bunch of the vets for coming in out of shape - not sure that really helps the culture behind close doors. He’s pretty vocal with his frustrations, e.g., going on and on about the terrible state of the PP. IMO a coach should learn when to pick his spots/battles, and keep some things behind closed doors. OTOH more accountability can be a good thing.

I’m not overly concerned atm, or have a problem with what he said about Ovi here - just some stuff has caught my eye, and so I’m curious to see how he reacts to the ups and downs of a full season.

I don't have an issue with it, and I don't think that he's saying anything to the press that he hasn't first said multiple times to the people in question. He's being honest and he's allowing space for the fans and media to be appropriately critical of the team by being open about what they're working on and how to measure their progress, and has been to pretty good results since the start of the year.

This team needs accountability and effort right now from guys being paid big money, it's a valid button to push

 

[kicksavedave]

Raise your hand if you would prefer Carbs said things like "we're working through some stuff in the room" ?


Anyone?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Do any of you guys think Carbs has been maybe a bit too candid at times to start his tenure?

Obviously as a fan, it’s great to get more details from the HC, he’s a good communicator, and I am totally fine with the way he’s handled Kuzy.

But bigger picture - he still speaks a bit like an AHL coach trying to teach and develop guys. As such, he’s pretty quick to yank guys and call them out in the press. While refreshing, not sure how that flies with a vet locker room.

Like when he insulted a bunch of the vets for coming in out of shape - not sure that really helps the culture behind close doors. He’s pretty vocal with his frustrations, e.g., going on and on about the terrible state of the PP. IMO a coach should learn when to pick his spots/battles, and keep some things behind closed doors. OTOH more accountability can be a good thing.

I’m not overly concerned atm, or have a problem with what he said about Ovi here - just some stuff has caught my eye, and so I’m curious to see how he reacts to the ups and downs of a full season.

Given that the last guy was from the Bill Belichick school of responding to reporters, I’ll take the more verbose guy. I prefer to be forthcoming, no BS, so Carbs is doing all right in my eyes.

I don’t recall him insulting anyone…did he get quoted calling them fat asses? Feels like that’s a fan assumption from when he said some guys were slow to get it going early on…(don’t recall the exact quote).

Based on the quotes from Kuzy, I say he’s pretty well recieved by the vets…

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

Raise your hand if you would prefer Carbs said things like "we're working through some stuff in the room" ?


Anyone?

Sometimes guys need to be called out publicly.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

That’s some next level manipulation for a HC to weaponize the press. I don’t think “calling (anyone) out” was the intent, maybe I’m wrong. They have to know it will get back to the player, the player will then get questioned….it creates an issue then…..

 

[g00n]

Meh. He's not really saying anything new about the players themselves. I'm glad he's focused on it.

Moving Ovie around on the PP and in front of the net in particular has been a speculated option for at least 10yrs. It may be time.

 

[RedRocking]

Yea, I don’t think he’s trying to manipulate the press to call guys out. I just think he’s very candid and forthcoming by nature. Which is great for us fans.

However, he’s a new HC. It’s one thing for a guy like Torts, with a successful track record, to be say exactly what’s on his mind and be blunt with the media. I guess I just wonder how this will go for a new guy like Carbs.

Anyways, I wasn’t trying be overly critical or make a big thing out of his comments. I think Carbery is doing a good job, and hope he’s creating a culture of accountability. Was just curious how others thought his style might be playing as they “work through things in the room”, lol. Let’s hope they cave in Lavi’s team today.

 

[HTFN]

Yea, I don’t think he’s trying to manipulate the press to call guys out. I just think he’s very candid and forthcoming by nature. Which is great for us fans.

However, he’s a new HC. It’s one thing for a guy like Torts, with a successful track record, to be say exactly what’s on his mind and be blunt with the media. I guess I just wonder how this will go for a new guy like Carbs.

Anyways, I wasn’t trying be overly critical or make a big thing out of his comments. I think Carbery is doing a good job, and hope he’s creating a culture of accountability. Was just curious how others thought his style might be playing as they “work through things in the room”, lol. Let’s hope they cave in Lavi’s team today.

I think it's probably playing better than worse. There's no guessing, what he's saying out there is what he's saying in the room more or less. No softshoe baby answers to the press and then coming in completely different like an abusive spouse (not a reference to anybody in particular), not seeming to play politics or anything, just telling it like it his from how he sees it and expecting everyone to be professionals about shit they already know.

That seems almost refreshing.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

He will be fine once he gets stable linemates and adjusts to Carbery’s system.

 

[Langway]

The linemates Ovechkin really needs to be productive aren't on the roster at the moment. Strome is their best bet at center. At RW? In theory it's Wilson but in practice hardly anything special there. Then on the back-end they're not getting all that much either so it's not a great environment for an aging struggling finisher. His effort should be better. He should at least get his butt to the net to create havoc. But in terms of generating some easier looks for him based on great efforts elsewhere on the ice it doesn't happen all that often.

Just realized (via the telecast) he's just the second non-Canadian to reach 1500 points. 1 of 1 dude. 60 some goals from the record does seem awful far at the moment, though, and big picture they probably do need to add an impact headliner just to help him reach that mark.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Couldn't disagree more. We've seen players who mail it in on a nightly basis and Ovie ain't one of them, never has been. The effort is there, it's the results that aren't coming like they have in the past. IMO, It has created a crisis of confidence. It's amazing to me how quickly fans jump ship on the guy who has carried this franchise for the last 18 years. He's going through a rough stretch right now with his goalscoring, and yet he STILL leads the team in points. It's CLEAR that the problem with this team's scoring is way bigger than #8.

I don't know how anyone could watch that Rangers game last night and not see Ovechkin playing very well, challenging for pucks in the corners, battling for position around the next, making nice passes, creating chances - and not see how he was a billion percent better against the Rangers than he had been for the previous few games.

 

[BallardEra]

Hopefully he gets a couple tonight. His confidence must also be at an all time low.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Hopefully Bedard’s young gun status rallies him.