Washington ’s Alexander (There’s Two Now)

 

Justin Dahan (HV)

 

Not only is he a fashion icon, with his yellow skate laces and his trademark tinted visor but he’s also a great hockey player. Of course I’m talking about Alexander Ovechkin. Who else wears yellow skate laces and a tinted visor? A visor so tinted that the NHL had to ask him not to wear it for the NHL All-Star game because they wanted the fans to be able to see his face.

Recently Ovechkin and the Capitals were shut out by the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0. After the game Ovechkin said, “I will score a goal another time”. Nobody should doubt that. Ovechkin currently has 38 goals and 42 assists for 80 points. Last year he had 106 points in 81 games. The last Capitals player to score 80 points or more in consecutive years is Hall Of Famer Mike Gartner. Pretty nice company for Ovechkin to be in, and if he continues he will most likely surpass most if not all of the Capitals records. Ovechkin is only in his second year and he is the leader of the Capitals. Earlier in the year he declined the captaincy only due to language issues.

Not only can Ovechkin put up points but he is also not afraid to throw his weight around. The combination of Ovechkin’s speed, skill, and his knack for throwing a big hit make him one of the most exciting players to watch.

On a Washington team that has had few bright spots, Alexander Ovechkin is certainly one, but not the only one. There is another, the forgotten Alexander, Alexander Semin.

Semin returned to the NHL this year after spending last year and the lockout year in Russia . Last year the Capitals fought hard to lure Semin to play for them. Only now is he back, and only now is it apparent why they wanted him back so desperately. He currently has 33 goals and 26 assists and has devolved excellent chemistry with Ovechkin on the ice.

At the deadline the Capitals traded away most of their veteran players, among them Dainius Zubrus, the third part of the Ovechkin and Semin trio. The bright side is that Ovechkin and Semin continue to perform well without Zubrus and with the deadline deals Washington was able to gain more assets through draft picks and prospects to shore up a steady future. A future that will certainly involve both Alexander’s.

 

 

Photo: Alexander Ovechkin from Washington Capitals © Stephine Chavez (HV)