Comments on: Experiment over? Ovechkin back to left wing

By: 19to77

19to77 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 07:02:24 +0000

It’s great that you stopped watching hockey in the 1980′s, but that’s not how the game is played anymore. Crosby, Stamkos, Toews, Datsyuk, St. Loius, E. Staal, Hossa, Backstrom, Kovalchuk, Thornton + Marleau, Getzlaf + Perry, Parise and Giroux all play the penalty kill. They are or were all responsible two-way forwards at their offensive peaks.

But hey, it’s nice to know there are some greybeards still out there who remember what the sport was like twenty years ago.

By: hockeyflow33

hockeyflow33 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 06:12:09 +0000

So he’s a one-dimensional scorer? Sounds like a plus to me.

It’s great that you’re new to hockey but the great goal scorers rarely play defense

By: alexb64

alexb64 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 02:21:55 +0000

Sometimes it seems people think real hockey is like video game hockey where you can just plug a forward in at any position with almost no issue at all.

By: stakex

stakex — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 01:37:27 +0000

This.

When you have a guy who scores 50 goals (his 4th 50+ game season in five years), 109 points, and is a +45… you don’t then turn around next season and say “Hey, we want you to completely change your game”. That was an awful mistake by the Caps organization, and its one Ovechkin has never fully recovered from. When it comes to a player like Ovi you just let him do his thing.

As for the whole right wing thing, that was just a terrible idea. The guy had all of one week to learn a new position. That might not sound all that hard for someone whos never played hockey, but it really is. The feel is a lot different, positioning is different, and you have a different view of the ice. It can take months to switch positions and be effective, and you can’t have your best player struggling through a position change for a couple months in a 48 game season.

By: stakex

stakex — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 01:27:49 +0000

Your proof? Oh yeah thats right, you have none….

By: ethanmacleod1685

ethanmacleod1685 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 01:11:39 +0000

Let Ovie do what he wants, you can’t tame him, but maybe it’s too late, he’s turned into a confused defensive forward who’s not very good at defence. He has been too overcoached and its screwed him up. Don’t put him on RW and don’t bench him, let him do his own thing, I guarantee you be will turn things around. And I say this purely because……… 65 goals is no fluke!

By: 19to77

19to77 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 00:51:03 +0000

Most other NHLers seem a LOT more versatile and developed in their games. I mean, he can’t backcheck. He can’t take faceoffs. He’s not a great passer. He can’t even handle the angle changes from switching wings, and almost every winger in the NHL can do that.

The term “hockey IQ” gets tossed around a lot to talk about guys who have an obviously deep and intelligent understanding of the game. Ovi seems like he has very, very little of that. He’s just a really big, fast shot-machine with a hard release and good vision. He’s a truly pure shooter and never bothered learning much of anything else. Like Kovalev.

By: sergeikremlin

sergeikremlin — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 00:35:26 +0000

It’s only been three games, and the whole team has played bad. They have their third coach in three years and they’re trying to learn Oates’ new system after a lockout and a shortened training camp. Easier assumed than accomplished.

As far as Ovey goes, there is no doubt that he is still an elite talent in this league. Last year he scored at a “goal-every-other-game” pace, and that was without his no.1 set-up man for half of the season. Now he is learning another new system, being used differently again, and just needs to find his groove. It’s just a matter of time until he is lighting the lamp and challenging for the Rocket Richard trophy.

By: joecat111

joecat111 — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 23:37:59 +0000

He is an over priced decoy. he only has one move and the league has figured it out. He started his slide once he became team captain. That role does not fit him. He is no captain.

By: husky2score

husky2score — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 23:18:43 +0000

Dude seriously? Steroids? This isn’t baseball. And how could you say that three games into the season?

By: pajabroni

pajabroni — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:59:23 +0000

His slump has nothing to do with his position. Dude was clearly taking steroids…he is a bum now. The cream of stars in the NHL has risen to the top: Malkin, Giroux, Crosby, Stamkos