Throughout the NHL's long storied history, there has always been a premiere superstar dubbed the "face" of the NHL. From Howe to Orr, then onto the prolonged reign in the '80s and '90s of the The Great One (with a little help from the Messiah and Super Mario), you can see the long-standing tradition play itself out over five decades of hockey.
And so here we are now in the 21st century. Long gone are the days of wooden sticks, Vezina Trophy Winners with a GAA hovering around 3.50, Art Ross Trophy Winners with sub-90 point seasons and helmet-less skaters displaying their long flowing locks (or mullets, depending on personal preference). The NHL's landscape has forever been a changing one. From the original six, to expansion, to the Big Bad Bruins, the Broad Street Bullies, the French Connection, to 92 goals, the trap, and the lockout, all have made immense impacts on the game we love. But still, even dating back to the days when Baby Boomers were proudly sporting their Lone Ranger lunchboxes, Hockey has always had a face.
Like it or not, love him or hate him, we are in what likely will prove to be the early stages of the Sidney Crosby Era of Hockey. As this era progresses, it is becoming more partisan by the hour. It seems as though much like politics, you've got to stand on one side of the fence or the other: you're either a devout believer in Sid the Kid, or you're a staunch supporter of Alex Ovechkin. Very few members of hockey's growing fan-base adore both, and undoubtedly fewer support neither (then again, why would said person call themselves a hockey fan in the first place?).
I'm sure by now you've read the title and anticipate a Sidney Crosby sploogefest to begin any moment now. No need to fear, that's not the point of this piece. Crosby haters have their reasons: his princess-like on-ice antics, his surprise bout against an unsuspecting Brett Mclean, or an even more surprising violent in-game rectal exam against the Atlanta Thrashers...free of charge, I might add (hey, at least he wore a glove).
The reason why these types of debacles are essentially swept under the rug and go without punishment are because of not only Crosby's nearly unblemished record but his dire importance to the NHL's attempt to market it's product. Despite the fact that Crosby may have been a bit overestimated coming out of Junior Hockey, having been dubbed the next "Great" One, there's no denying the remarkable talent he possesses. This year alone he's second in the league in scoring while for the most part playing alongside a has-been in Miroslav Satan and a never-was in Ruslan Fedotenko (excluding that scorching playoff run with the Lightning during their march to the Cup).
So what about Alexander the Great, #8, AO? The Capitals forward has an enormous amount of talent, and one could argue that he is far more capable of taking over a game than Crosby or any other player in the league. So what is it that Crosby possesses that Ovie lacks? Why is Sid the chosen statesman for the game, the star of the show, the name on the marquee while Ovechkin quietly dominates the competition in his shadows?
I offer you my top 4 reasons why Alex Ovechkin will never the be the face of the National Hockey League....
1. Vanity. Do you think it's just a coincidence that nearly every winner of American Idol just happens to have good looks to boot? Ovechkin, for all of his on-ice prowess, lacks the off ice polish that someone like Crosby possesses. He's not quite an ogre or a caveman (Mike Ricci, anyone?), but he undoubtedly has no intentions of diving into the modeling business if this whole hockey thing ever goes South.
2. From Russia With Love. Ovechkin was the focus of a recent article in Maxim Magazine, and while that publication carriers about as much credibility as Star or any of the other assorted magazines boasting headlines like "Elvis Found Living On Mars!", quotes are quotes and facts are facts. Ovechkin was very vocal about his distaste for America: It's girls, it's abundance of rules, it's utter inferiority to the way things are back home. His parents told the magazine that the Ovechkin family intends to jettison from North America back to the Motherland as soon as his playing career is over. Hasn't this country provided him with riches, fame, and the opportunity to brightly shine on the world's grandest hockey stage? Has he seen what's been going on in the KHL these days? If Russia is so fantastic, why doesn't he just bolt now? There's a line between have allegiance to your homeland and spitting in the face of the country you now call home.
3. The Language Barrier. While it's certainly something beyond the control of most human beings still transitioning from one country to another, Ovechkin's heavy Russian accent does him no favors when it comes to the marketing side of things. Reebok, Gatorade and other assorted advertisers will always make the safe bet and promote someone they feel North Americans are more comfortable relating to, like the oft-mentioned Crosby. Crosby simply comes off as the young, smooth, well-spoken All-(North) American golden boy, while in their eyes Ovechkin will always just be the grizzly, tobacco-chewing cosmonaut.
4. "I Fight for Me! For Me!!!" - Rocky IV anyone? Those were the words angrily shouted by Dolph Lundgren's character Ivan Drago as disappointed Soviet Leaders watched their prized fighter fail to knockout Rocky. I'm going to get a little personal here and simply tell you this: I for one do not enjoy the constant selfish and immature behavior Ovechkin displays. It just doesn't win me over. He could score 80 goals, carry a team all the way through the playoffs, and score the winning tally while standing on his head in a straight jacket and I still wouldn't be impressed. Why? March 3, 2008. That's why.
That's the day the great AO lost any chance of having me in his corner. On their way to destroying the Boston Bruins by a final of 10-2, Ovechkin scored at 15:32 of the first period to make it 5-0 and he wont bonkers. #8 launched his arms in the air and propelled himself off the boards as though he'd just potted the most meaningful goal in the history of the National Hockey League. Truth be told it was just another tally in a game making it's way to blowout city. He was flaunting, he was showboating, he was grabbing salt from the cupboard and pouring it on each and every member of the Black and Gold's open wounds. It got their attention so much that Marco Sturm mimicked Ovie's entirely over the top and unnecessary celebration in a later matchup.
Fast forward to Saturday night, a night where the Bruins again found themselves in our Nation's Capital. #8 laid a ferocious hip check on Dennis Wideman that could have easily injured the B's stud defenseman. And prior to that, with a scrum developing in the corner, Ovechkin, free of the referee's line of sight, grabbed Chuck Kobasew and just laid him onto the ice for no apparent reason.
He's a weasel out there, a showboating, narcissistic mongrel, displaying that devilish condescending grin from behind his tinted visor, knowing all the while he's better than you, he's better than me, and he'd just as soon be back in Russia than be imprisoned in a country so miserable, where the girls are stale and freedom and democracy are garbage.
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