Yesterday we queried "With whom would you rather start your franchise, Sid or AO?" The hockeybuzz readers have spoken and it was 66% for Ovechkin and 34% for Crosby. Read the two best arguments for both below...
For AO From Acekicker123:
When an organization chooses to build its team around a certain player, that player becomes not only the face of that team, but of the organization as a whole.
In addition to being the team's best player on the ice, he must also represent the values of the organization off the ice.
To me, the ideal candidate is none other than Alexander Ovechkin.
First of all, there is no doubting his inhuman set of hockey gifts. Alex is a human highlight reel, who forces defenders to be on their toes, and fans to be on the edge of their seats. He is on pace for a 60+ goal campaign and the second 100+ pt campaign of his young career.
Even then, perhaps the most defining characteristic that sets Alex apart from the rest, is simply his love for the game of hockey. He is always working hard to involve himself in all aspects of the game, whether it be racking up points, delivering big hits, or simply spreading his contagious enthusiasm onto his teammates. Every time he scores a goal, it seems like Alex has just scored the overtime goal in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Off the ice, Alex is a model ambassador of hockey, who demonstrates outstanding profressionalism and leadership qualities for such a young man. After many years of toiling near the depths of the NHL, and amidst scares that the team seemed headed for yet another bottom finish highlighted by the firing of the head coach, Alex pledged his allegiance Washington. Despite the possibilities of playing under brighter lights or for more dollars and incentives elsewhere, Alex decided to stick it out with the franchise that brought him to the NHL.
All in all, Alex is a individual that represents the combination of on and off ice leadership that all player should strive for. To understand just how much this game means to him, all you need to do is watch him when he sees that red light go on. It's that familiar outburst of passion and happiness that brings back the childhood memories of many hockey players: reminding them that is was their neverending desire and enjoyment of the game of hockey that had allowed them to reach it its grandest stage.
Runner up: Greatlakeswimmer
Since they came into the league the debate between who would you rather have for a franchise player between Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin has been extremely tough to call. Both display the talent and skill to control the game by themselves. They both show great heart and determination on the ice and make everyone around them better. Although they play very different styles both are on par with one another in terms of what they can bring on the ice in terms of stats. So the real debate starts between the two when you look at overall team morale, and leadership abilities. When we start looking at it from this approach it almost seems certain that Sidney Crosby is the hands down choice because he brings that North American, even Canadian approach to leadership into the locker room that many people rate so highly. Having a Canadian Captain in many peoples eyes means a better chance at the Stanley Cup the goal of each team. So Crosby should be the hands down favorite, but I just can't choose him.
There is something about Alexander Ovechkin that makes you have to love him. His love to play. The fact that he does EVERYTHING on the ice, and he loves every second of it. Every goal he scores is like he is a kid scoring his very first. I don't think there is another player like him in the NHL. His energy and his passion can be rivaled by very few. Locker room wise he does not come close to bringing the same type of leadership skills to the team as Crosby, but on the ice there is no one like him. When you see what he is doing, and you see the pure join on his face it reverberates back onto the entire team making them all remember that hockey is a game, an incredibly fun game, ant that the reason they play is because they love to play. This feeling raises the team and can spark excitement into them giving them just as much life as a locker room speech can. The only difference is that this lasts and is on display each and every period on the ice instead of in the locker room.
Although it is very difficult to choose between the two, my choice has to be Alex Ovechkin. If I was a GM or owner of an NHL club he would be my guy. He brings excitement to the game. And hockey to him is not all business on the ice, it's what it is suppose to be. Its a fun challenging game. And it is hard for the fans not to love that. And while it is against what most statistics and peoples opinions about Canadian boys being the ticket to the cup, Alex makes me believe there is a changing of the guard a little in the NHL and that you can win by going against the grain and playing for the love of the game. I would much rather see Ovechkin win the cup than Crosby also because if he gets as excited as he does when he scores a goal, it will an amazing thing to see him when he lifts the Cup.
For Crosby from Steal_your_faceoff
Sid vs A.O.
This is not a question of who is a better player - that query is for another day.
The Question is: who would you rather start your team with?
In order for me to answer this properly, I would have to look at what each brings to the table. For purposes of this argument, the strength of what each players has around them in their "real" teams is, largely, irrelevant. This is almost a fantasy hockey exercise, but with a few intangible twists.
Stats:
When talking about individual players, the yardstick by which successes and failures are measured is largely tied to the statistics that players put up during the year. Let's look at how the two stack up in terms of statistics.
Sid
In 48 games
20 goals
45 assists
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65 points
+16
37PIM
4 ppg
19ppa
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23 pp points
3 game winners
152 shots on goal
shooting % - 13.2
A.O.
In 70 games
54 goals
41 assists
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95 points
+17
28 PIM
18 ppg
12ppa
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30 pp points
9 game winners
362 shots on goal
shooting % - 14.9
In 22 fewer games, Sid scored 34 fewer goals, but had 4 more assists. However, A.O. has 30 more points in those same 21 greater games. Clear cut winner for Ovechkin? Right?
Not so fast...In terms of points per games played - the two are amazingly similar. ** (EDIT - Thanks geoff_182) Sid collects nearly 1.354 points per game (65/48=1.35) and A.O. bests him in the thousands place at 1.357 points per game (95/70= 1.35). ** They are both prolific point producers (hand me that hat now for my amazing grasp of the obvious) who rise to the challenge when the white-hot spotlight is on them. They are both similar in their +/-, but Sid compiled his +16 in many fewer games and you could argue it either way whether or not his plus/minus numbers would be comparable over 21 more games. I think there is a better than even shot that Sid's number would be better given the greater level of talent on the Pens. I had to admit I did a double take when it came to penalty minutes. I would have bet the ranch - and lost - that A.O. would have had more PIMs, especially since his game is by far the more physical of the two. That surprised me. Ok, we know that they can both score 5-on-5, what about when they are on the man advantage? Crosby has just four powerplay goals - which also surprised me. Ovechkin has 18, not that surprising. I think what it comes down to is that the Pens are more loaded and built to play man-up than are the Caps. Besides Uber-Rookie, Nicklas Backstrom, A.O. has very little help when on the man advantage and, consequently, has to do it on his own. And does. A.O. has three times the number of game winners, but Sid has a team where game winners are spread out much more evenly. Crosby's 152 shots on goal are good for third on the Pens, with Malkin leading the way with 232. Holy Schieky Alex!!!! Your 362 shots on goal are just mind numbing, hasn't that shoulder fallen off by now??????? Ovechkin lets rubber fly more than any player in the league and both he and Sid convert at about a similar level.
Wow...statistically, these guys are not only good, they are almost superhuman. Crosby had a whopping 120 points last year (36g, 84a) and Alex has 12 games remaining to try to match it - he will need 17 points in those remaining 12 games, which is obviously quite a tall order. That being said, if there is one player who could achieve such a gaudy objective, it would be this amazing 22 year old from Moscow.
Intangibles
Both young men have ridiculous skills. Both are at the pinnacle of their sport. Either would be a godsend to the rest of the teams in the league. But which of the two has the intangibles that set him apart? Both are quick, have ridiculous puckhandling, shooting and scoring abilities. Each has the mental toughness to pick their teams up and throw them on their backs and win the game singlehandedly. So what sets them apart?
This is where things get completely subjective and where the clinical light of statistics seems to lose its' brightness. This is where all of the other stuff comes into play. Sid is as slippery as an eel, has situational awareness that makes the game seem in slow motion and can make the puck do as he wishes like it was tied on a string. Alex has blazing speed, a laser shot and will punish you as happily as he would score on you.
If I had to start a team tomorrow, I would choose Crosby. Not that Ovechkin isn't an amazing player - he is all of that and more. I think the thing that sets the two apart, if only by a hair, is the ability of this centreman to make the players around him better. The question was not who is the BETTER player, but rather who would you start your team with. Crosby is the guy who can do it all, can score, pass, shoot and affect the play in a more comprehensive manner than can A.O. If only by the smallest margins, I would choose Sid.
Sid still needs his Jari Kurri, but might have found one for this year in Marian Hossa. The Pens will be fun to watch in the playoffs...they might not have enough goaltending and defense to win it, but they are sure going to try to win every game 7-4.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Thanks for reading...
SYF
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Ek's note: One of the little Eklund's is having her tonsils out today so there will be no Buzzcast today. Thanks!
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