Although the NHL regular season has already begun—the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning got things underway in Europe this past weekend—the puck drops in North America on Thursday and not soon enough for fans of the Washington Capitals who begin play on Friday.
The Caps had a season for the ages last year, capturing the Southeast Division with 43 wins, 31 losses, and 8 overtime/shootout losses for 94 points and, not coincidentally, left-winger Alexander Ovechkin had an MVP season.
Along with his team’s regular season glory, Ovechkin netted 65 goals and 47 points for 112 points—tops in the league for goals and points—and was rewarded accordingly with the Hart Memorial Trophy (NHL MVP), Art Ross Trophy (most points) and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (most goals).
And if that wasn’t enough, Washington, D.C. mayor Adrian M. Fenty gave him the key to the city of Washington. A Russian given the key to Washington, D.C.? The Cold War must be definitely over.
Canadian Broadcast Corp. commentator Don Cherry thinks that Ovechkin will only maintain status quo at best.
“[Ovechkin’s] not going to get any better and I would be surprised if he does as well as he did last year,” the man nicknamed “Grapes” said during a NHL conference call last week.
“There are going to be a lot of guys waiting for him this year. He’s not going to be running around like a bull in a china shop like he did.”
Cherry isn’t the world’s biggest Russian fan but he could have a point; repeating an MVP season can be daunting.
The Caps no. 8 broke into the league in 2005–06 and put up great numbers scoring 52 goals and setting up 54 more for 106 points in 81 games—enough for Calder Trophy honors (rookie of the year).
His sophomore campaign didn’t live up though.
In his second year in the league (2006–07), Alexander Ovechkin had 46 goals and 46 assists for 92 points in 82 games which are still excellent numbers, but his +/- was an atrocious -19, meaning he was on the ice for 19 more goals against than goals for at even-strength—a 21-goal drop from his rookie campaign, where he was +2.
Looking back at past Hart Trophy winners, there isn’t a “Heisman Jinx” curse associated with the award.
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins took home the Hart Trophy in 2006–07 and although he missed time last season with an ankle injury, he managed to net 72 points (24 goals and 48 assists) in only 53 regular season games. He complemented that in the postseason with 27 points in the playoffs, leading the Pens to an Eastern Conference championship and a date in the Stanley Cup finals against Detroit.
Peter Forsberg had a similar campaign back in 2002–03 with the Colorado Avalanche winning the Hart and Art Ross trophies on the strength of a 29-goal, 77-assist, and 106-point regular season.
The following season, Forsberg was bitten hard by the injury bug, suffering an assortment of hip and groin injuries. He only played 39 games, scoring 18 goals and 37 assists for 55 points. The Avs would lose to the San Jose Sharks in the second round of the NHL playoffs.
The Washington Capitals enter the 2008–09 season as defending division champs in a fairly weak division with the likes of the Carolina Hurricanes, Atlanta Thrashers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers. A repeat isn’t out of the question.
As for Ovechkin, is Don Cherry right about him? Well, he’s young, passionate about the game, and has yet to suffer a significant injury. Sounds like repeat MVP material to me.
The Caps had a season for the ages last year, capturing the Southeast Division with 43 wins, 31 losses, and 8 overtime/shootout losses for 94 points and, not coincidentally, left-winger Alexander Ovechkin had an MVP season.
Along with his team’s regular season glory, Ovechkin netted 65 goals and 47 points for 112 points—tops in the league for goals and points—and was rewarded accordingly with the Hart Memorial Trophy (NHL MVP), Art Ross Trophy (most points) and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (most goals).
And if that wasn’t enough, Washington, D.C. mayor Adrian M. Fenty gave him the key to the city of Washington. A Russian given the key to Washington, D.C.? The Cold War must be definitely over.
An Encore
Canadian Broadcast Corp. commentator Don Cherry thinks that Ovechkin will only maintain status quo at best.
“[Ovechkin’s] not going to get any better and I would be surprised if he does as well as he did last year,” the man nicknamed “Grapes” said during a NHL conference call last week.
“There are going to be a lot of guys waiting for him this year. He’s not going to be running around like a bull in a china shop like he did.”
Cherry isn’t the world’s biggest Russian fan but he could have a point; repeating an MVP season can be daunting.
The Caps no. 8 broke into the league in 2005–06 and put up great numbers scoring 52 goals and setting up 54 more for 106 points in 81 games—enough for Calder Trophy honors (rookie of the year).
His sophomore campaign didn’t live up though.
In his second year in the league (2006–07), Alexander Ovechkin had 46 goals and 46 assists for 92 points in 82 games which are still excellent numbers, but his +/- was an atrocious -19, meaning he was on the ice for 19 more goals against than goals for at even-strength—a 21-goal drop from his rookie campaign, where he was +2.
Looking back at past Hart Trophy winners, there isn’t a “Heisman Jinx” curse associated with the award.
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins took home the Hart Trophy in 2006–07 and although he missed time last season with an ankle injury, he managed to net 72 points (24 goals and 48 assists) in only 53 regular season games. He complemented that in the postseason with 27 points in the playoffs, leading the Pens to an Eastern Conference championship and a date in the Stanley Cup finals against Detroit.
Peter Forsberg had a similar campaign back in 2002–03 with the Colorado Avalanche winning the Hart and Art Ross trophies on the strength of a 29-goal, 77-assist, and 106-point regular season.
The following season, Forsberg was bitten hard by the injury bug, suffering an assortment of hip and groin injuries. He only played 39 games, scoring 18 goals and 37 assists for 55 points. The Avs would lose to the San Jose Sharks in the second round of the NHL playoffs.
The Washington Capitals enter the 2008–09 season as defending division champs in a fairly weak division with the likes of the Carolina Hurricanes, Atlanta Thrashers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers. A repeat isn’t out of the question.
As for Ovechkin, is Don Cherry right about him? Well, he’s young, passionate about the game, and has yet to suffer a significant injury. Sounds like repeat MVP material to me.
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