The tone policing on this board to make sure we give athletes who have nothing to do with our team kudos lest other loser fans on this website think less of us is the most annoying thing about it. Yea it’s cool the record is broken, k? Now explain why the old Russian dude from a team that used PEDs and doesn’t watch his nutrition at all exited his peak during the Olympics at 25 years old.
His falloff wasn't as crazy as the stats make it appear to be. He still put up 53 assists, which was in line with what he had done in previous seasons. The main difference was that his shooting percentage dropped from 13.6% to 8.7%, which is far below his career average. What would people attribute his return to form (goalscoring wise) from 2013 onward? Was he back on the sauce? McDavid went from scoring 153 points 2 seasons ago to now being on pace for only 117 points. Does that mean he was doping as well?
There is no evidence that the NHL investigated whether there was evidence, either. It was all entirely swept under the rug.
There's no question he wasn't the same player that he was 2 seasons later, but that doesn't automatically indicate that it was because of supposed doping allegations. It completely ignores team context and natural regression. Crosby, while still a great player, wasn't the same player he was in 2014 as he was in 2011. Crosby had known injuries that kept him out for extended periods. Ovechkin's injuries were not as well-known and he played through many of them, including in 2011 when he is suspected of playing through a wrist injury. In 2012, Dale Hunter came along and played Ovechkin in a checking role with limited offensive opportunity in a defensive trap-based system. This all contributed to the perception of his great decline, which was true, but exaggerated.
Crosby in 2014 was still leading the league in scoring by 17 points and had injured his wrist in March (which never was repaired until 2 years ago) and played most of the season after December with Brian Gibbons on his wing. He still looked like Crosby. Matthews is not the same caliber of player as 2010 Ovechkin was and he's chronically nagged by wrist problems. Ovechkin in 2010 had almost McDavid speed, with his shot, and was the most physical player in the NHL. Everybody could tell, basically when the Olympics were done until this very day, that whoever Ovechkin was before Vancouver 2010 in terms of the explosive one man highlight reel was gone. I'm sure some injuries and bad coaching played parts but a wrist injury in 2011 can't explain why his game changed so radically so suddenly at the height of his powers, as he was only 26. McDavid might be beginning to slow down, but he's 28 and still looks like himself, even if it's a little less dominant on a shift by shift basis. Ovechkin turned into winger Stamkos.
Ovechkin in the 2010 playoffs and Ovechkin pre-Olympics were the same player. I think you are just trying to read into this alleged scandal as the reason for his drop in production. He was still just as explosive in the playoffs. His drop post-Olympic break could easily be explained as him not being as invested as he was following his disappointing exit, compounded by regression from an unsustainable pace. It was really in 2011 where he declined. Like I said, many things can be attributed to his decline, it's silly to just assume he was doping when other players around his age have had similar dips in production. Crosby also wasn't the same player in 2014. Sure, he led the league in scoring, but he wasn't nearly as dominant as he was in 2011. His dominance over 2nd was largely due to other contenders being hurt and missing games but I digress. I also brought up Matthews as an example of a player who declined around Ovechkin's age which you previously said was "unheard of". Whether or not they're the same caliber of player, they are both superstar players who had sudden and drastic drops in production.
Remember Jagr in Washington? It happens.
Either way, honestly, even if he did juice I don't really care. But I'm one of those who thinks Bonds should be in the hall.
Oates wasn't great either.
Then again, Ovechkin is also a chode.
Don't forget, also getting coaches that screw Geno so he can accomplish that incredible feat of 20 seasons of ppg.
Lol I vaguely remember that. It was hilarious that Daly was all yeah we did an investigation and we are good with that.Wow I totally forgot about that. Lmao.
Capitals, NHL’s handling of steroid investigation questioned
The National Hockey League and the Washington Capitals are being called into question in a Sports Illustrated article regarding a possible coverup of a narcotics in…nationalpost.com
Even there, the NHL was basically called out for lying about doing any investigation at all.
