National Post (National Edition)
Ovechkin may finally shed his goat horns
Capitals star undeserving of playoff criticism
We’re going to need a new post-season definition for Alex Ovechkin. All the old ones no longer fit anymore.
After finally slaying Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins Monday and advancing to the third round of the NHL playoffs for the first time in his career, you cannot call Ovechkin a choker or a whipping boy or the perennial face of failure. He’s not a punch line. He might lack teeth, but he certainly doesn’t lack heart.
For once, he’s not the scapegoat. Then again, he never really should have been.
Yet that’s the title Ovechkin has worn for most of his tenure in Washington. As the greatest goal-scorer of our generation, the seven-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner led the Capitals to eight divisional titles and three Presidents’ Trophy wins during a 13-year span. But as the narrative went, once the regular season ended and the stakes were raised, Ovechkin was unable to push a Stanley Cup contender over the hump.
Each and every year, he apparently disappeared. Or was that someone else?
While Ovechkin has definitely shown up during these playoffs, having scored eight goals as part of 15 points in 12 games — including three goals and seven points against the Penguins — it shouldn’t surprise anyone who has paid attention to the Capitals over the years. He’s always produced. And he’s done so at a level that would suggest he’s more clutch than he gets credit for.
In 109 playoff games, Ovechkin has 54 goals and 105 points. Only Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have scored more goals in the last 12 years. But each have played at least 49 more games than him.
There’s a reason for that. And it has nothing to do with the Sid versus Ovie debate.
Hockey is a team sport, but individual legacies are defined by team success. It’s partially why there were three current Chicago Blackhawks on the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players list, while Joe Thornton and Dale Hawerchuk were noticeably absent.
It’s also why Crosby has held a distinct advantage over Ovechkin where their hall of fame legacies are concerned.
After all, it doesn’t matter how many scoring titles or MVP awards you win in April. All that matters is the big silver trophy awarded in June. And in that department, Crosby’s Penguins have dominated, winning three Stanley Cups and owning a 3-0 playoff record against the Capitals before this year’s playoffs.
At the same time, that head-to-head dominance rarely had anything to do with the teams’ two biggest stars.
In 2009, Ovechkin had eight goals and 14 points in a second-round series against Pittsburgh; Crosby had eight goals and 13 points. In 2016, Ovechkin had seven points to Crosby’s two. A year later, Ovechkin had five points and Crosby had seven. This year, Ovechkin and Crosby each had three goals with Crosby edging him with eight points to seven.
In four playoff series against each other, Ovechkin has combined for 15 goals and 33 points, while Crosby has 13 goals and 30 points.
Where there has been separation is with their supporting casts. For years, Ovechkin had Nicklas Backstrom and not much else. Crosby, meanwhile, had Malkin, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray, as well as lesser lights such as Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary who showed up and contributed when it mattered most.
Who has helped Ovechkin do the heavy lifting? Alex Semin? Kevin Shattenkirk? How about T.J. Oshie?
This year, the tables have turned.
Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov, who scored the series-clinching goal on a breakaway in overtime, has seven goals and 14 points in 12 games. Two years ago, he had just a goal and one assist in 12 games.
Goaltender Braden Holtby had a .921 save percentage against the Penguins, which was a significant improvement from the .887 save percentage he had against them a year ago.
So while a lot of the blame over the years unfairly landed on No. 8’s shoulders, he is now probably receiving far more praise than he actually deserves. That’s fine. If the Capitals bow out to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the conference final, Ovechkin will wear the horns again.
But if Washington manages to go all the way, maybe the NHL’s most misunderstood player will get a chance to re-write his legacy. Of course, for that to happen he’ll continue to need plenty of help.