yave1964 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Well it looks as if the honeymoon is over. Adam Oates began the year by informing everyone that Ovie ran to his own drummer, if anyone else scores 50 goals they can follow their own rules as well. Ovechkin responded by rediscovering his touch and is on pace to lead the league in goals. But the bloom is off the rose. Over the last month his scoring is down, his +/- is down. In fact he is now on pace to lead the league in goals scored and in plus minus which has never occurred before. Against Dallas in an embarrassing 5-0 loss the other night the immortal Dustin Jeffrey scored a goal that Ovechkin simply quit on. Simply quit. And Oates, who has had a love in with Ovechkin all season finally had enough. "Ovi quit on the play coming back," Coach Adam Oates said. Whitney "forced [the play] down the ice and just goes to show you you've got to hustle the entire time, the whole entire time." Ovie has been known as the 100 foot man, he has been disinterested in playing both ends of the ice. He is not the first scoring forward to do this nor will he be the last. Oates has been repaid for his efforts by being stabbed in the back by Ovechkin who since coming back from the Olympics has been indifferent. If they miss the playoffs by a point or two after the last month of indifferent play by the not so great eight Oates may be thanked by being shown the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 @yave1964 Sad thing is Oates isn't the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 @yave1964 Sad thing is Oates isn't the problem. He isn't the solution either. Notice in the video Grabovski is also coasting through the zone. Poor defensive play all around. I'm not giving Ovie a free pass here, but I think there are more players than Ovie that have quit on Oates. http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/?id=2013021133-625-h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackStraw Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 And Oates was calle out on NBCSN last night by both Millbury and Keith Jones. They talked about Ovechkin's +/- woes and showed that play, and then pointed out that with the Caps trailing 5-0 at the end of the game Ovechkin was still out on a 5 on 3 PP. If Oates wants to get his message across then he needs to staple Ovechkin's butt to the bench. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 @hf101@JackStraw I think we saw that Hunter and Oates (sounds like a 70's duet) have their hands tied with Ovechkin. And I'm thinking the Caps couldn't trade him even if they could take the market hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 This is news??? I guess Oates hasn't called him out before, but just about everyone else has. Wonder how that ratio has turned of people thinking Crosby is better...I think on the old board there was originally about 10% of us who'd take Crosby. My guess is over 90 now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brelic Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 I'm not giving Ovie a free pass here, but I think there are more players than Ovie that have quit on Oates. Do you think it's possible that players like Grabovski haven't quit on Oates, but are simply living up to the example set by their captain? . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 @brelic I hate playing with guys like OV (I mean guys who dog it obviously) I'd rather have someone with half his talent and twice his effort...or ten times for that matter. Washingtons playoff record speaks for what Ovechkin brings to the table when it counts. So does Russias medal count in hockey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nossagog Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 If Oates is calling out Ovechkin, then Oates time is limited.Really, Ovie isn't going anywhere. The $9.7M contract is going to keep away most teams, as they don't have the money to spend. So if the coach and the player can get along, and you can't get rid of the player, what do you see happening? This is news??? I guess Oates hasn't called him out before, but just about everyone else has. Wonder how that ratio has turned of people thinking Crosby is better...I think on the old board there was originally about 10% of us who'd take Crosby. My guess is over 90 now.FC, those of us who were not fans of Ovie(regardless if they were homers for Crosby like us Pens fans) always called out his defensive play as his biggest fault. At the time, this was brushed off by his fans because of his offensive domination, and that " He'd grow into it". But Ovie has over time showed that he only focuses on one thing, scoring goals. The gifs of him floating back as teams are scoring on the caps are so numerous its funny(the controller disconnected one is my favorite). He has not improved on almost any of the aspects of his game that we noted as short comings since he's come into the league. I'm not sure if there is a coach in existence that can save him.Anyway, as an original member of the "Crosby's better than Ovechkin" club, I'm trying to hold back the "We told you so's". . .Sorry, can't do it. WE TOLD YOU SO! Neener neener neener! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 If I had to pick the next guy to walk away from kazillions in the NHL to go back to the KHL, it's Ovechkin. And the Caps would probably do well to encourage such a move. Keeping a coach that was going to force him to play "the right way" and will criticize and sit him if he doesn't? That's a step in the right direction, regardless. By way of comparison, Pavel Bure won two Richard Trophies, scored 60 (twice), 59, 58 and 51 in a season, and has 437 career goals. More than a PPG player. And went to the playoffs five times in 12 years and made the Finals... once. He won the Richard for the second time in 00-01 with 59 goals. And was -2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 If Oates is calling out Ovechkin, then Oates time is limited.Really, Ovie isn't going anywhere. The $9.7M contract is going to keep away most teams, as they don't have the money to spend. So if the coach and the player can get along, and you can't get rid of the player, what do you see happening? FC, those of us who were not fans of Ovie(regardless if they were homers for Crosby like us Pens fans) always called out his defensive play as his biggest fault. At the time, this was brushed off by his fans because of his offensive domination, and that " He'd grow into it". But Ovie has over time showed that he only focuses on one thing, scoring goals. The gifs of him floating back as teams are scoring on the caps are so numerous its funny(the controller disconnected one is my favorite). He has not improved on almost any of the aspects of his game that we noted as short comings since he's come into the league. I'm not sure if there is a coach in existence that can save him.Anyway, as an original member of the "Crosby's better than Ovechkin" club, I'm trying to hold back the "We told you so's". . .Sorry, can't do it. WE TOLD YOU SO! Neener neener neener! I was in the "Crosby is better club" when there was about a handful of us on the old board. So stick yer neener where the sun don't shine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris922 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 @radoran I loved watching Bure. Ovechkin? Not at all. Dirty hits, lack of accountability, and general laissez faire attitude aren't for me. As for the KHL... the Caps would probably like the opportunity to grow, but the hit they would take in ticket sales would be hurtful to their bottom line. I don't know which they'd rather absorb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Ouch. @ChuckGormleyCSN 3hOvechkin on Oates saying he quit on Stars' 4th goal: 'He’s the head coach, I get the blame for it. ...I think everybody quit on the play.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Ouch. @ChuckGormleyCSN 3hOvechkin on Oates saying he quit on Stars' 4th goal: 'He’s the head coach, I get the blame for it. ...I think everybody quit on the play.' Oh, Captain, my captain... That "C" isn't on your chest because they expect you to be an average player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Oh, Captain, my captain... That "C" isn't on your chest because they expect you to be an average player. Exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Shouldn't the title of this thread read "Ovechkin called out yet again by yet another head coach"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Shouldn't the title of this thread read "Ovechkin called out yet again by yet another head coach"?Probably. The sad part is Oates went all Chuck Tanner on Ovechkin giving him special treatment and not caring who it bothered and this is how he was repaid. Better luck next time Adam. Most superstars would not have stabbed you in the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyerrod Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Nice piece from hockeywriters and very on the mark. http://thehockeywriters.com/alex-ovechkin-the-anti-captain/?utm_content=bufferb8498&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Nice piece from hockeywriters and very on the mark. http://thehockeywriters.com/alex-ovechkin-the-anti-captain/?utm_content=bufferb8498&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=bufferDefinitely points out the problem with "Your best player should always be captain" theory.Ovechkin is a great FHL player, he has yet to be a truly great NHL player... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 Oates banked everything on kissing Ovies rear and it blew up on him. Like @radoran said, he is a great fantasy player but the reality is he screwed this team up every way you can and now they are a club of I I me me players. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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