If you haven't see the Mike Milbury deconstruction video of Ovechkin from last night you can find it below, and while Milbury is an often times controversial (albeit great for hockey) figure it is hard to argue he nailed it on this one.
Last night, sitting in the press box in Philly with the Caps coming to town, I was fully expecting the normal Philly crowd reception to #8. The first time AO touched the puck the boos did indeed rain down on the Caps Captain, but each time after that the boos became less and less...to the poiint that sometime in the third period one was hard-pressed to remember a single Ovechkin possession...
Ovechkin has achieved a great deal in his young career, but for Ovechkin to become such a non-factor that Flyers fans became so disinterested that they found no pioint even booing the guy? Well that is no small accomplishment.
Ovechkin has been defined by his passion and his youthful love of the game. Both right now are entirely absent. This fall into malaise has happened so quickly and so steadily that I am baffled to try and find another example in all of sports to match it.
Two years ago the debates still raged between AO and Sid the kid. Now I am hearing people asking the question, "Is Ovechkin even trade-able?"
The answer is of course, "Yes. There are teams who would definitely take Alex Ovechkin and his salary and give a great deal back as well." However, there is really no chance the Capitals would entertain moving the man who is the face of the franchise. Not yet at least.
But the questions aren't stopping.
Has he lost his love of the game?
Does he still see himself as an elite player?
Did all that time in Russia, the statements about him possibly staying there, mean he maybe doesn't want to play in the NHL?
I am not in those camps and I do still believe AO will rise like a Phoenix from these ashes and once again dominate as a Washington Capital...but part of me wonders how long the Caps should allow this to continue while another part of me has to admit: "Were this almost any other player I would say the player needs a change of scenery to get his game back on track...
What do you all think?
Here is Milbury calling out AO. Hopefully it wakes him up a bit...
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