Ovechkin: Larger Than Life! Bigger Than The Team?

Without question, as a natural talent and character in the National Hockey League, Alexander Ovechkin is regarded among many hockey observers and fantasy draft team owners as the best hockey player in the world. So it came as no surprise, when Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau benched his slumping Russian superstar player during the frantic final 90 seconds of regulation time in last night's regular season match-up against the visiting Anaheim Ducks. The incident came to a head as television cameras caught Ovechkin and Boudreau in a heated argument about that situation. Boudreau said about the decision, "At the time, you don't have that much time to think. Like I said last night, I was playing a hunch". In spite of the offensive genius of Ducks standout and veteran Teemu Selanne, who notched four points during the game (2G,2A), the Capitals did manage to score five goals to win the game in sudden-death overtime, thanks in large part to the breakout play of center Nicklas Backstrom to score both game-tying and game-winning goals for the Caps. Keep in mind, of the two assists accredited with the Backstrom winger, one belongs to Ovechkin, who was back on the ice for the goal.

The Best I Could Find? Ovechkin (8) upends Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin (23) during yesterday's regular season matchup

Since his breakout performance in the 2009 NHL playoffs, the eyes and defensive schemes of the hockey world looked to Ovechkin to be the league's sparkplug and drawing card. Although the Capitals lost last Saturday's match in Vancouver against the Canucks 7-4, "Ovie" scored twice in that game and whenever he steps on the ice anticipation builds for Caps supporters, and tension for those supporting the opposing goalie o_O This year, however, tension mounts in the DC area because the fans and beatwriters expect big things from Ovechkin, coach Boudreau, and the remodelled Capitals, who rebuilt their defense by signing free-agent goalie Tomas Vokoun, and veteran defenseman Roman Hamrlik (I almost typed Igor Hamrlik o_O)

That Patented Smile: Ovechkin celebrates one of the two goals he scored against Vancouver on Saturday Night

Alexander Ovechkin did not score once at home for the Capitals, and his five goals and ten points so far are pedestrian compared to the NHL's current scoring leaders. His ice-time is down as well; no longer will Ovechkin stay on the ice with minute-long shifts and freewheeling highlight reel moves. Boudreau's Capitals are determined, disciplined, and defensive; so far the operation is a success, but the patient just went "code blue" in the eyes of the media. As a good team captain would, however, Ovechkin spoke in an effort to deflect criticism off the head coach for making the decision: "Of course I want to be in this situation on the ice...it doesn't matter who I say it [to] or what I said. It looked funny on TV. Right now it is big story, but it was just frustrating because I am a leader on the team and I want that kind of responsibility. Bruce put [Brooks Laich's] line out and they scored."

DC Area Used to Tension: Coach Boudreau (top) and Alex Ovechkin

There is no I in "TEAM", but there is an I in "WIN". Hockey teams, which put the coach's credo ahead of individual glory and highlight reel goals on ESPN's Sportscenter, are expected to win as a team: Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins of 2009, and Hall-of-Fame coach Scotty Bowman's Red Wings of the late 90s and Canadiens of the late 70s are perfect examples of the big TEAM and little ME concept. So far, Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals never played in a Conference Final, much less the Stanley Cup Final, since they drafted the superstar in 2004 as the vaunted number one pick. 2008 Coach of the Year Bruce Boudreau enters his fifth season as head coach of the Capitals looking to place first in the Southeast Division for the fifth consecutive year, and after the Tampa Bay Lightning swept his team from the playoffs in four games in last year's conference semi-final, prognosticators expect Washington to exceed all expectations and win it all in 2012 (Capitals 2nd in East, 16 points).

[Special thanks to NHL.com and staff writer Corey Masisak for quotations and insight]