Ovechkin's Chance

We can argue over whether having teams jousting for the final one or two playoff spots really generates late season NHL drama, with most post-season berths sewn up by clubs left to simply jockey for seeding.

But there's no doubt tonight's tilt in D.C. between the Capitals and Hurricanes is, essentially, a playoff-like game.

Nothing will be decided tonight, mind you, although a Caps loss would all but end their season and keep one of the NHL's marquee attractions, scoring star Alex Ovechkin, out of the playoffs again.

You can feel sorry for Ovechkin and the Caps, but understand they've had the luxury of knowing there were two ways to qualify for the playoffs, either by catching Boston or Philly for the eighth spot, or by catching the Hurricanes for the Southeast Division lead and vaulting all the way up to the third seed.

Even if the Hurricanes lose tonight, they could simply beat Tampa and Florida in their final two games and, because of one extra victory, would finish ahead of the Caps no matter what Washington does in its final two games.

From a Washington point-of-view, this is Ovechkin's chance to lay an undeniable claim to the Hart Trophy. While some, like me, have said giving the Hart to a player from a non-playoff team would make no sense, if the Russian whiz can lift the Caps into the post-season now, his claim on the Hart would be nearly impossible to refute.

That, to my mind, is what an MVP has to be; the difference. My top three choices - Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom, New Jersey's Martin Brodeur and Pittsburgh centre Evgeny Malkin - have made the difference for their playoff-bound teams this season. While some suggest Ovechkin's claim to the Hart is undeniable, imagining where the Caps would be without him, I would suggest the Wings, Devils and Penguins would also be in very different situations without Lidstrom, Brodeur and Malkin.

It's too bad Ovechkin hasn't yet had a chance to play a playoff game, but tonight's game is essentially a playoff game.

So let's see the young man shine.

Comments

[eric]

I still don't understand why Alex should be punished for his teammates quitting on Hanlon? Ovechkin had 14 goals in Hanlon's 21 games which is a 55 goal pace. 6-14-1 is what put them in this predicament. How is Malkin more valuable when he's playing with better players??? Brodeur had an argument but he's stunk down the stretch and the Rangers and Islanders own him.

[Sombrero Guy]

Seriously. I would have expected a nationally recognized sports writer to understand this, but here we go again. The Hart is awarded to the league's MVP. MVP stands for "Most Valuable Player". The Hart is NOT awarded to the league's MVPOAPT or Most Valuable Player Of A Playoff Team. Nor is it awarded to the MVPOAPTPIATHM or Most Valuable Player Of A Playoff Team Playing In A Traditional Hockey Market.
If you are able to grasp that MVP does indeed stand for Most Valuable Player, there is no way you vote for anybody but Ovechkin. Lidstrom deserves the Norris but plays on a stacked team. Malkin should be considered but he was only responsible for carrying the load (which he did well) while Crosby was hurt. Brodeuer is a valuable player. Take Marty away and the Devils are likely out of the playoffs. Take Ovechkin away and the Caps are drafting top 5 in Ottawa. Even if the Caps end up 2 points out of the postseason, there is no way you can deny Ovechkin the Hart. As long as you understand what MVP stands for.

[Ms. Chris Greenspan]

I feel like the entire idea of what an "MVP"(Most Valuable Player)is, has totally been missed in this article. We all know that without Ovechkin the CAPS would not even be in the hunt for a playoff spot, but the Hart Trophy is not awarded to the MVPPT(Most Valuable Player of a Playoff Team. Check the stats in case you missed them - 62 goals, 47 assists = 109 total points. Ovie is a +26, he has 21 PPG (power play goals), he also has the most GWG's(game winning goals)at 10. So with just some of his stats stated and there are more to go along with this, like hits and shots, steals etc.........I can't even believe that there is a discussion about who is most deserving!
The guy does it all! I just don't get it, the guy makes highlight reels every week, it's just another day in Ovechkin world! There would be nothing for the media to talk about remotely exciting in hockey, if there were no Ovechkin!!!!
He is the "Great 8" or as we know him in D.C., "Alex the Great"!

[Willy]

This is going to be a huge game. If hockey fans across the country are fortunate enough to get the feed of this game, watch it. Caps fans are going crazy right now - DC WILL be electric tonight.

[Sanj]

The Hart has usually gone to the best player in the league. And clearly the best player is Ovechkin. I don't think it should matter if the Caps make the playoffs or not.

It's not like it hasn't happened before. Didn't Mario win the Hart one year that the Penguins didn't make the playoffs??

My 3 would be:
1. Ovechkin
2. Malkin
3. Lidstrom

[Mike K]

While a case could certainly be made for Lidstrom, especially when the Wings went on to lose four straight games when he was out of the lineup, Malkin is a much tougher argument to swallow.

As we're all well aware, the Hart is intended to be awarded to the player judged to be most valuable to his team. In Malkin's case, while his numbers have doubtless been gaudy, it is a tough argument that he is the one responsible for the team's position. Until sidelined by injury, Sidney Crosby was far and away the team's point leader, the measure on which Malkin is being judged. It wasn't Malkin's numbers, but rather Ty Conklin's which signaled the team's surge back into contention.

Then you have Ovechkin. Ovechkin without question has been the most valuable player to the Washington Capitals this year. Putting aside the obvious stats like his goal and point totals, there are other stats that shine even more of a light on his contributions. 10 Game Winning Goals on a team with 40 wins. +26 on a team with a goal differential of +3. 36 PIMs despite over 200 hits. When you look at the contribution a player makes to his team, there isn't a player in the league whose numbers stand out so far for where the team is.

I understand the playoff argument, I really do. There is something to be said for the argument that if you take any player off a squad that they would still miss the playoffs, so what good do the contributions do? This is very true, but in the big picture there are a lot of other ways that the player can contribute, and Ovechkin is such an extreme case that he warrants a second look. The team has improved as a whole by miles because of Ovechkin and Boudreau, climbing from the bottom of the league to the middle of the pack. Players like Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green were helped to shine and become comfortable which will be paying off for years. Fan interest is at its highest point since the team went to the Finals in 98, and the attendance agrees.

Finally, the whole argument comes down to one of numbers. If playoffs are the consideration (and the only consideration), then that means that right now, every player on the Vancouver Canucks is more qualified to win the Hart than would be Ovechkin, because Vancouver is currently seeded 8th in their conference. The problem is, Vancouver and Washington have the same number of points in the same number of games - and Washington holds the tie-breaker.

[Sandeep Kembhavi]

The part I just don't understand here is how so many hockey writers - I don't think I can include you in this, Damien - always begin Hart Trophy musings with the proviso "if Crosby hadn't been hurt, I have no doubt that he would have recaptured the Hart".

Frankly, that's a ludicrous claim to make given the way things have played out. As good as he is, the fact that his team has performed BETTER (with a substantially higher winning percentage) with him out of the lineup than in it totally squashes any claim that he is the Most Valuable Player to his team. Clearly the Pens are good enough now and deep enough that one budding superstar can replace another, and I think their Crosby-less record this season is evidence that even if he leads the league in scoring in the next couple of years while Malkin and the likes are still around, he just doesn't make a strong Hart candidate.

[Frank Moyer]

It's so simple. MVP is the "Most Valuable Player." Who is the most valuable player right now? Don't append the word "to" to then end of MVP. Think of it like this. If all the coaches in the league had their choice of choosing one player from the league to come to their team who'd they pick? That's the league's MVP. It's _clearly_ Ovechkin. Clearly.

[Joel]

Iginla's been incredible down the stretch, propelling his team into the playoffs, and will hit 50 goals for the year. How can he be left off a top 3 list??

[Jim]

'The Hart is awarded to the league's MVP. MVP stands for "Most Valuable Player".'

Actually, that's not quite correct. The Hart is awarded to "the player judged to be the most valuable to his team," which makes it different from most straight-up MVP awards. In this respect, Damien is correct because how the team does during the season and playoffs is always taken into account during the awarding of the Hart.

[Shaun]

I would agree that Iginla is worthy of consideration but I am not so sure about Lidstrom and, if Washington falls short, what is the real difference Ovechkin made? He is incredible but what was achieved ... Kovalev deserves consideration as his efforts have pushed Montreal over the top.

[Geoff Read]

I agree that Most Valuable Player should be the Most Valuable Player, period. To that end I don't really understand the hoopla around Malkin. Yes, he's been great the second half of the season. For the first half he was a no-show. Likewise, while Lidstrom is a great player, I don't know if he has as much of an impact as some of the other guys. My own list would be:

1. Ovechkin
2. Iginla
3. Kovalev

[NHL Observer]

It's April 2nd. The Caps showed up at crunch time last night, announcing loudly that they want to play in the post season, badly. It was a team effort. While Overchkin had a goal, it was an insurance tally. He did not carry the Caps, but every player pitched in for the win. Carolina, a solid veteran team, not far removed from a Stanley Cup, were outplayed by a younger, more desperate team. In a game where the whole season was on the line, the Caps and their superstar showed they could play in a playoff-type atmosphere and rise to the occasion. The Hurricanes, at the moment of truth, came up "tiny". The march that the Capitals have been on since late November through April 1 has been remarkable. Ovechkin deserves the Hart trophy.

[Andrew Barrie]

If Ovechkin does not make the playoffs for the next 14 years, that will be his own fault for signing that rediculously long contract.

And Damien, this is hockey, not basketball. besides the man between the pipes, its a team game, not something that can or should be decided by 1 talent. Did Gretzky lead any team to the sip from the cup after Edmonton? that too much to ask of 1 single player. So my Vote is for Ovechkin for the Hart.

[Bill]

I have been a Leaf fan for 55 yrs following all of their ups and downs, but I have a question for you about another team--the Senators. What the heck has happened to that team??? With all the talent they have they should not be fighting for a playoff spot. I wonder what John Muckler is thinking!! I feel it must be a division within the room--poor team leadership from the captains.

[Nick K]

Anyone else thought of this one: what about Roenick for MVP? The guy has 14 goals in 68 games and ten of them are game-winners (which makes him tied with Ovechkin for the league-lead). On top of that, he only averages 14 minutes a night. As far as best value goes, this guy is delivering a game-winning goal every 95 minutes of ice time, which is probably better than any other regular skater in the league. Also, the 20 points San Jose has gotten from those ten goals is enough to lift them from 9th to 2nd in the West.

[Deep South Caps Fan]

I would understand your non-playoff argument if the Caps were in 14th place but they are fighting for a playoff spot. Also according to your argument even if the Caps end up tied in points for a playoff spot and lose in tie breaker -Ovechkin - no MVP - he is not worthy not even in your top 3. However if they get in his winning the MVP is "nearly impossible to refute" how can you look at your own argument and defend it. So really even if AO leads his team to victory in the last 2 games - you are basing your vote on what other teams do not Ovechkin's performance??????

[Mr Wood]

This blog topic seemed simple but really got me thinking.

Surely a player couldn't be the most valuable in the league if he doesn't take his team into the playoffs?? But then I did a bit of digging.

Last season Ovechkin, though he scored tons of points, was -19. In effect, he was a liability to his team.

This year he leads the league in scoring and is a whopping plus 27. Yet, Washington as a team is only plus 5 or 6. Surely those accomplishments and stats prove him the Most Valuable of all the valuable players thus far?

That said, the regular season is just a pre-amble to the playoffs. Malkin, Iginla and perhaps Ovechkin may have more to say on the matter over the coming weeks. So, for me , MVPs need to show something in the playoffs as well. That's when the real hockey begins.

[Marijan Kalman]

Nicklas Lidstrom is MVP of this leauge for last ten years.
From 1992 he leads all bluliners in:
Games played
Minutes played
Goals
Points
Plus-Minus
NOBODY IN HISTORY of this league played on this level for seventeen years, night after night after niht.
PLUS/MINUS 378.

Lidstrom's 66 points and 58 assists are both tops among blueliners. He's tied for the NHL lead with teammate Pavel Datsyuk at plus-41. And Lidstrom has generated those stats while tasked primarily with shutting down the most explosive players in the game. His average of nearly 27 minutes of ice per night, fourth most in the league, are the hardest minutes accrued by anyone in the game.
As it was writen by some NHL commentators:
" For a league desperately hoping for better ways to market itself, the spicy Ovechkin and his highlight reel offensive assault clearly rank as this season's best promotional material"

BUT NICLAS LIDSTROM IS THE GAME'S BEST PLAYER. MVP.MVP

[Ami Angelwings]

Imo, how I've always looked at MVP is that it's not just how good the player's individual stats are OR how good their team does, it's sort a mixture of everything. Like, if you were to start a team and you had to pick ONE player in that sports league to start your team and you have NO IDEA who else might be available afterwards, but you get first pick of ANY player, who would you choose?

I think undeniably most ppl would take ovechkin and worry about building the rest of the team after that. Maybe Brodeur too. :)

[NHL Observer]

On April 5th at 9:45pm, the Washington Capitals won the Southeast Division and clinched a playoff spot. Alexander Ovechkin got his team to the post-season. The "no playoffs, no Hart" point is now Moot. They're in and they went from 14th in the conference at Mid-season to 3rd on April 5th. Alexander Ovechkin has scored more goals this season than any left wing, in any single season, EVER. Give the young man the respect and the Hart Trophy he has earned.