Hello all, and welcome to the second edition of HockeyBuzz Debates!
Back in May, Aaron and I conceived this idea to keep readers interested and to really explore new ideas and new viewpoints on the NHL’s most controversial topics. The first debate focused around a 7th team being brought to Canada, and thanks to some overwhelming feedback, we've decided to bring forward a number of other hotly contested debates for your enjoyment. Without further ado, let's discuss who truly is the best player in the National Hockey League: Sidney Crosby, or Alexander Ovechkin?
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Inhale. Exhale. Taking the "other" side of this argument is a tall task indeed, but I'm always up for a challenge.
Trying to find flaws in Sidney Crosby's game is difficult - he's arguably the most complete player in the National Hockey League since Wayne Gretzky laced 'em up, and seems like a leadpipe lock for a first ballot Hall of Fame bid as long as he stays healthy. An unrivaled playmaker, Crosby has helped the National Hockey League regain it's footing on the national stage and brought a much needed Stanley Cup back to the city of Pittsburgh. Arguably more important, he brought Olympic Gold back to Canada in March, scoring the game winning goal and seemingly cementing his legacy already at the tender age of twenty-three.
However, thanks to the presence of Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby hasn't been completely able to convince fans across the country that he's the undisputed king of hockey. In fact, Ovechkin's went much further than simply instilling doubt - there's at least some argument that #8 is the game's truest talent.
First, let's talk about the biggest problem when debating the two - simple bias. Sidney Crosby is Canadian, and Alexander Ovechkin is Russian. One has and always will be painted like a hero, and the other like an anti-hero. While Crosby has clearly lived up to (and surpassed) his billing as one of the greatest Canadian hockey products of all time, he's had a distinct advantage in the marketing department. Ovechkin's had to work for much of his fanfare, and only over the past couple of years in which he's secured the Rocket Richard, Art Ross, Lester B. Pearson(now the Ted Lindsay Award) (3x), Hart Memorial Trophy (2x), and five consecutive First All-Star Teams.
Next, The seriously flawed idea that winning championships should hold any kind of serious clout in player debates. As asinine as the word "clutch" in sports, many put too much stock into a player winning it all, something that's almost entirely a team achievement. I do agree it's hard to overlook that Crosby has won the Stanley Cup and Ovechkin hasn't, but it certainly doesn't make or break an argument.
Lastly, the sampling bias of the Olympics continually used in favor of Sidney Crosby and against Alexander Ovechkin. Was Ovechkin's two-week stint with Team Russia anything to behold? Probably not. But the Russian team was a disaster from the moment the puck dropped, and it's hard to fault just AO for their struggles. Conversely, Sidney Crosby's timely goal elevated him to hero status, even though he had a rather average performance in some tight games including a number of brief disappearing acts.
With the aforementioned aside, let's try and look at the positives that Alexander Ovechkin brings to the game, elements that even outweigh those of Sidney Crosby's.
Ovechkin's the most dynamic goal scorer in the NHL, and it's pretty hard to debate that. While it's equally important to be a dynamic playmaker like Crosby, every team needs a guy who can continually find mesh, and there's no one better at it than Ovechkin. His scoring mentality is something that can't be taught, and there aren't many defensemen in the NHL that can stop Ovechkin, let alone contain him.
What makes Ovechkin such a force? Quite frankly, his strength with the puck is unparalleled. He continually takes it to the rack without any kind of interruption, and the only way to truly beat an Ovechkin-led Capitals team is a simple trade-off in which other players are allowed to score in favor of a flurry of AO goals. He's one of the best snipers in the game, and thanks to high-end speed rarely (if ever) seen with someone of his frame, he can create for himself if need be.
Another point that's overlooked is that Alex Ovechkin's rarely (if ever) taken a backseat to another player on his team, and both play with similarly talented lines. In 2009, Evgeni Malkin was on another plateau, and Sidney Crosby played second fiddle even with a strong playoff performance.
Most fans would agree that Ovechkin has a slight advantage on the offensive end in comparison to Crosby, but argue that where Crosby shines is in his team's zone. Crosby is downright felonious with the stick, and plays some of the best two-way hockey in the NHL alongside Pavel Datsyuk.
However, it's also reasonable to suggest that Alex Ovechkin is tremendously underrated as a defensive player. His physical game far outweighs the one Crosby brings, and although +/- is a fairly vague and overused stat, Ovechkin did finish off last season with a +45, playing alongside a defense and goaltending tandem that left a lot to be desired. It's not just a statistical anomaly, either - two years ago, he posted a +28, and has only finished in the negative once in his career.
Lastly, it's an incontrovertible truth that the sky is the limit for both players. However, it might be Alexander Ovechkin's point totals that make more of a move upwards than Crosby's, if only for the fact that he's finaly found a truly capable center and dynamic offensive talent in Nicklas Backstrom. The twenty-two year old Swede is both capable of providing an unlimited range of scoring opportunities for Ovechkin and is able to finish just as well.
One thing is certain - the effect both players have had on the game in North America and beyond is almost immeasurable, and the game's growth potential has skyrocketed because of their presence.
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Read the other side of the argument here!
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
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