Overweight Ovechkin? Not so much says team strength and conditioning coach

It’s a cliché that a picture is worth a thousand words and in Alex Ovechkin‘s case, a screen cap from a video on the Capitals website resulted in a few words that all had to do with him appearing to be overweight. With Alex relaxing in a chair in a regular t-shirt, the Internet went wild thinking that Ovechkin took to getting over losing in the second round of the playoffs to Tampa Bay with an all deep-fried diet.

As can happen sometimes, all is not as it appeared to be and while some are still grabbing the low-hanging fruit and picking on Ovechkin for being overweight, it turns out that’s not even close to being true. CSNWashington.com’s Chuck Gormley spoke with the Capitals’ strength and conditioning coach, Mark Nemish, and finds out that Ovechkin isn’t overweight at all.

“I already know he’s in shape. I can tell,” Nemish said Monday. “We’ve worked several times on the ice,  and without a doubt he’s in the best shape I’ve ever seen him.”

At 225 pounds, Ovechkin has reported to training camp nine pounds lighter than last year and said last week he dedicated his off-season to being leaner and stronger. Nemish, for one, has noticed.

“I wouldn’t say there were big philosophical changes, there was probably more of a change in timing,” Nemish said. “His commitment has been much more involved at an earlier time.

“He has more under his belt in terms of when he started to train. All I can tell you is that what he has done this summer – the more time he has put in – certainly has paid off and he’s ready to go at a much quicker rate than he’s had in the past.”

A lighter, quicker Ovechkin sounds like a scarier, more terrifying version of one of the best players in the world. With everything that Ovechkin is doing this offseason from changing when he starts training in the offseason to even showing up to participate in drills with the rookies during their camp. Seeing your team’s best player taking things very seriously and preparing for the season in this way is visibly encouraging. If it all turns into big results during the season and in the playoffs, it’ll help make Ovechkin’s legend in Washington grow to extreme proportions.

For Ovechkin and the Capitals, they’re hoping that by slimming down and getting in better shape it’ll translate into seeing Ovechkin’s goal numbers go back to the levels we’ve seen in previous years. While Ovechkin scored 32 goals last season and led the Capitals once again, it was the lowest mark of his career by 14 goals. The Caps have been spoiled by Ovechkin’s production but getting back above the 40-goal barrier would help the Caps out immensely.

We’ll have to see if the new, slimmed down Ovechkin can be the wrecking ball of offense that he’s made out to be.