Well that's just pure bias and failure to grasp the game of hockey past "CROSBY SUCKS" and "OVECHKIN SCORES A LOT!"

On a similar level, sadly, I'm preparing for a lot of people to boo Richards ("He left us!") and "SHOOOOT!"
- jmatchett383

I think a lot of Flyers fans were really taken with Ovechkin because:
1) He was the most viable young player you could argue as better than Crosby
and
2) He hit people really, really hard

Since then, though, you'd think he was Nick Zherdev the way people talk about him.

One guy that I think is underrated and under the radar because of the situation he plays in, and who else is on the team. But Barrett Jackman is an underrated player. Very solid all around top 4 defenseman.

Agreed -- sometimes, what I type comes off as a bit too strong, perhaps. He is a good player, and again, I truly would be curious to see how he'd be with a couple of the Flyers' centers.
- AllInForFlyers

You can say that again.

sometimes, what I type comes off as a bit too strong, perhaps
- AllInForFlyers

If someone is going to argue Ovechkin being overrated it's a fairly silly argument. He averages about 1.23 points per game for his career.
- PLindbergh31

If he's scoring 1.23 but allowing 1.5, is that really helping the team?

I think a lot of Flyers fans were really taken with Ovechkin because:
1) He was the most viable young player you could argue as better than Crosby
and
2) He hit people really, really hard

Since then, though, you'd think he was Nick Zherdev the way people talk about him.
- BulliesPhan87

They're totally different. Zherdev is much better with a nail gun

If he's scoring 1.23 but allowing 1.5, is that really helping the team?
- PhillySportsGuy

Every goal against "he's allowing"?

Agreed. He was overrated at one point, maybe. Ever since that slow patch he had, though, he's been questioned left and right. I might even go so far as to call him underrated.
- BulliesPhan87

Scoring goals is the single hardest thing to do in hockey and he is arguably the best at it. With league-wide scoring trending down again, and more and more teams playing Bruins/Kings hockey, guys like OV and Stamkos who can still consistently pot goals in bunches are the rarest of the rare. There's literally hundreds of players who can play defense, or kill a penalty, or do all the little things... but literally only two guys in the league who can fill the net like clockwork.

One guy that I think is underrated and under the radar because of the situation he plays in, and who else is on the team. But Barrett Jackman is an underrated player. Very solid all around top 4 defenseman.
- MJL

He's been on the Blues for 11 straight years. I guess that says something about the type of player he is.

Edit: A great name for a hockey player too

Yeah, they are a mess. 5 years picking in the top 7 in a row
- Jsaquella

They're so bad...I mean...I look at them, and I wonder how in the hell they will make the playoffs with that core of players. I don't even think they can.

They're just BAD. I can't even...they're the worst team I've seen all year -- even Buffalo, which has worse talent at this moment, is a team I feel will be better than Edmonton as early as NEXT SEASON.

I think a lot of Flyers fans were really taken with Ovechkin because:
1) He was the most viable young player you could argue as better than Crosby
and
2) He hit people really, really hard

Since then, though, you'd think he was Nick Zherdev the way people talk about him.
- BulliesPhan87

Early in their careers, they were both basically one-way young players, and Ovechkin was Ovechkin was more of the "WOW!" player as he came rushing down the boards and ran people over to score a goal. Crosby was less of a dazzler.

Then, Crosby worked on his all-around game, and was able to keep up his offensive game while working on other facets. Ovechkin, meanwhile, stopped running around like a freight train, became a one-trick pony, and never worked to solidify his game the same way.

He's not great defensively, but he's not expected to be, and never will be. He's a pure sniper, a la Pavel Bure.

Scoring goals is the single hardest thing to do in hockey and he is arguably the best at it. With league-wide scoring trending down again, and more and more teams playing Bruins/Kings hockey, guys like OV and Stamkos who can still consistently pot goals in bunches are the rarest of the rare. There's literally hundreds of players who can play defense, or kill a penalty, or do all the little things... but literally only two guys in the league who can fill the net like clockwork.
- Tomahawk

You are a wordsmith.

Every goal against "he's allowing"?
- PLindbergh31

Yes. He plays 1 on 5, so every goal against is his fault.

I think a lot of Flyers fans were really taken with Ovechkin because:
1) He was the most viable young player you could argue as better than Crosby
and
2) He hit people really, really hard

Since then, though, you'd think he was Nick Zherdev the way people talk about him.
- BulliesPhan87

Say what you want about Ovechkin. But in the playoffs in Seasons past, and if the Flyers meet the Caps again in the playoffs. I'm crapping my pants when he has the puck on his stick in the offensive zone.

You can say that again.
- jmatchett383

Ha! I'm firm in my convictions!

Say what you want about Ovechkin. But in the playoffs in Seasons past, and if the Flyers meet the Caps again in the playoffs. I'm crapping my pants when he has the puck on his stick in the offensive zone.
- MJL

Mental image saved.

Scoring goals is the single hardest thing to do in hockey and he is arguably the best at it. With league-wide scoring trending down again, and more and more teams playing Bruins/Kings hockey, guys like OV and Stamkos who can still consistently pot goals in bunches are the rarest of the rare. There's literally hundreds of players who can play defense, or kill a penalty, or do all the little things... but literally only two guys in the league who can fill the net like clockwork.
- Tomahawk

Well, as we all know, all you need to do to become an elite PKer is to skate hard. Also, it's a proven fact that you never have to sacrifice goal scoring and point production if you decide to become a more well-rounded player who helps your team in all facets of the game.

Yes. He plays 1 on 5, so every goal against is his fault.
- PhillySportsGuy

When he retires he will be the worst 700+ goal scorer in NHL history.

Scoring goals is the single hardest thing to do in hockey and he is arguably the best at it. With league-wide scoring trending down again, and more and more teams playing Bruins/Kings hockey, guys like OV and Stamkos who can still consistently pot goals in bunches are the rarest of the rare. There's literally hundreds of players who can play defense, or kill a penalty, or do all the little things... but literally only two guys in the league who can fill the net like clockwork.
- Tomahawk

I think the rarest are the players who produce points, but don't kill their team defensively.

A player doesn't get to -31 without being bad defensively. Use every advanced stat you want, but no amount of bad luck or bad line mates or bad match ups should result in "one of the best players in the game" being that bad of a +/- player.

When he retires he will be the worst 700+ goal scorer in NHL history.
- PLindbergh31

Yup

Yes. He plays 1 on 6, so every goal against is his fault.
- PhillySportsGuy

He's the goalfensemancentwing.

Say what you want about Ovechkin. But in the playoffs in Seasons past, and if the Flyers meet the Caps again in the playoffs. I'm crapping my pants when he has the puck on his stick in the offensive zone.
- MJL

When he's on the ice, you know something exciting is going to happen. You just don't know who is going to be excited.

He's the goalfensemancentwing.
- jmatchett383

Exactly. It even sounds like russian

In better news....

Me and Laughton are tied for goals in the NHL.

Scoring goals is the single hardest thing to do in hockey and he is arguably the best at it. With league-wide scoring trending down again, and more and more teams playing Bruins/Kings hockey, guys like OV and Stamkos who can still consistently pot goals in bunches are the rarest of the rare. There's literally hundreds of players who can play defense, or kill a penalty, or do all the little things... but literally only two guys in the league who can fill the net like clockwork.
- Tomahawk

Bingo.

Say what you want about Ovechkin. But in the playoffs in Seasons past, and if the Flyers meet the Caps again in the playoffs. I'm crapping my pants when he has the puck on his stick in the offensive zone.
- MJL

Also bingo.

They're totally different. Zherdev is much better with a nail gun
- PhillySportsGuy

I would assume Ovechkin is better with women and cars, though.