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Are Crosby and Ovechkin the NHL's Bird and Magic?

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http://www.thehockeynews.com/en/newsroom/news.asp?idNews=20148

The Hockey News asked 30 NHLers, "What rookie do you think is having the biggest impact?”

Of the 30 players polled, 25 players (83 per cent) said Alexander Ovechkin, while two (7 per cent) said each of Sidney Crosby and Marek Svatos. One player said Henrik Lundqvist.

“Crosby is a great player, but I'd have to say Ovechkin,” said Rangers star Jaromir Jagr. “He doesn't have the same kind of support (as Crosby) and he does something great on almost every shift.”

Like Jagr, Calgary's Kristian Huselius has been impressed with Ovechkin.

“He has almost twice as many points as the next guy on his team,” Huselius said. “He scores big goals, too. Everybody knows they have to stop him, but he keeps getting those goals.”

Crosby, who at 18 is two years younger than Ovechkin, got San Jose forward Scott Thornton's vote.

“I heard they had 8,000 people to a game in Chicago for a game against Philadelphia, one of the best teams in the league,” Thornton said. (Announced attendance was 12,000). “Then when Pittsburgh came in for the next game, the place was packed. I'd say that's having a big impact.”

Here are the results from each team. Players were not allowed to name someone on their team and some respondents asked to remain anonymous.

ANAHEIM - Alex Ovechkin
- Ilya Bryzgalov

ATLANTA - Alex Ovechkin
- Jim Slater

BOSTON - Alex Ovechkin
”There are a lot of good rookies. Obviously, we've seen Crosby a few more times than Ovechkin, but Ovechkin is very impressive. They both are. Phaneuf is a nice player, too. I like Ovechkin though just because he's so big and strong.'' - Travis Green

BUFFALO - Alex Ovechkin
- Martin Biron

CALGARY - Alex Ovechkin
“If you look at his team, he has almost twice the points as the next guy. He scores big goals, too. Everybody knows they have to stop him but he still keeps getting those goals. He's impressive for a first-year player.” - Kristian Huselius

CAROLINA - Alex Ovechkin
- Eric Staal

CHICAGO - Alex Ovechkin
"Put him with anybody else and he's got 45 or 50 goals by now. Where he's at it's pretty much just him. Personally, I think he's the best of all of them (the rookies)." - Mark Bell

COLORADO - Alex Ovechkin
”He's their top guy, by far.” - Anonymous

COLUMBUS - Alex Ovechkin
- Anonymous

DALLAS - Alex Ovechkin
”They guy is a scoring machine.'' - Steve Ott

DETROIT - Alex Ovechkin
” He's probably the most exciting rookie to watch.'' - Brendan Shanahan

EDMONTON - Alex Ovechkin
”Alex Ovechkin is something else.” - Michael Peca

FLORIDA - Alex Ovechkin
- Anonymous

LOS ANGELES - Alex Ovechkin
- Anonymous

MINNESOTA - Marek Svatos
- Brian Rolston

MONTREAL - Alex Ovechkin
“It's his all-around play and work ethic. It's tough to play on a team that's not the best, but there's still pressure to produce.” - Saku Koivu

NASHVILLE - Alex Ovechkin
- Anonymous

NEW JERSEY - Alex Ovechkin
"He's complete. He's a player you have to worry about on the ice. If you stop him, you probably win the game." - Jay Pandolfo

NY ISLANDERS - Alex Ovechkin
- Garth Snow

NY RANGERS - Alex Ovechkin
"Crosby is a great player, but I'd have to say Ovechkin, who is also a great player but doesn't have the same kind of support, and who does something great on almost every shift." - Jaromir Jagr

OTTAWA - Marek Svatos
"You notice him out there. He does the little things right and he's really consistent." - Chris Neil

PHILADELPHIA - Sidney Crosby
”The guy came in with a ton of pressure and all these expectations and I feel that he has delivered. He is the whole athletic package. He is a great on-ice and off-ice product and is great for marketing and endorsing the NHL. He is probably not only one of the most impact rookies, but I think one of the most high-profile players in the whole league this season.” - Mike Knuble

PHOENIX - Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin
”I think you have to go with Ovechkin, he's done some amazing things on the ice.” - Mike Leclerc

PITTSBURGH - Alex Ovechkin
- Andre Roy

ST. LOUIS - Alex Ovechkin
“Sidney Crosby is having the biggest impact in the league, but Ovechkin is having the biggest impact for his team.” - Dennis Wideman

SAN JOSE - Sidney Crosby
"I heard they had 8,000 in Chicago for a game against Philadelphia, one of the best teams in the league, then when Pittsburgh came in the next game the place was packed. I'd say that's having a big impact." - Scott Thornton

TAMPA BAY - Alex Ovechkin
- Pavel Kubina

TORONTO - Alex Ovechkin
- Jeff O'Neill.

VANCOUVER - Alex Ovechkin
”Just look how he's scoring on that team." - Ed Jovanovski

WASHINGTON - Henrik Lundqvist
- Anonymous
Click to expand...
 
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I'm a casual fan who has followed the playoffs a lot closer than i usually do this year. I've said a few times along the way that the commissioner of the NHL is inept for not marketing the shit out of ovechkin and crosby. These guys are awesome, and they don't really like each other. What else do you need? The whole country could have gotten into that series if anyone knew who these guys were. The games were amazing as well! Horrible marketing...
 
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If you think Crosby and Ovechkin are good (and make no mistake, they are very good) you shoulda seen Gretzky and Lemieux

T1.gretzky.lemieux.jpg
nhl_g_gretzkylemieux_195.jpg


Gretzky scored 1.92 pts per game over the course of his career.... only one man is within .6 points of him over their careers, and that man is Lemieux (1.88)
 
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fourteenandoh;1467085; said:
I'm a casual fan who has followed the playoffs a lot closer than i usually do this year. I've said a few times along the way that the commissioner of the NHL is inept for not marketing the [censored] out of ovechkin and crosby. These guys are awesome, and they don't really like each other. What else do you need? The whole country could have gotten into that series if anyone knew who these guys were. The games were amazing as well! Horrible marketing...
Click to expand...
rangers? isles? devils? other?

one of the differences i think in hockey is even the best players ie ovie/malkin/crosby etc only play about 1/3 of the game. (low 20 mins). the horses of the game play less than half. hard to market one player if he plays ever third minute, no? i think the marketing thing goes back to a few fundamentals. hockey is foreign to must fans, why the rules arent difficult the average male doesnt wanna be like, "oh i dont know the rules" rather they head straight to the excuse hockey is boring, suptid etc. plus personally from my point of view hockey is one the most team games, the best players are important but no other sport that i know of does every teammate (sans maybe the backup netminder) play, most of these playoff teams rule 3 lins, 3 pairings and more than sprinkle the fourth line. in basketball lebron james and jawad williams well only one impacts the game, williams played in what 10 games all year? not so in hockey were the skaters typically skate at worst 8 or 9 mins (were as best playes will play low 20s).
 
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Buckeyeskickbuttocks;1467127; said:
If you think Crosby and Ovechkin are good (and make no mistake, they are very good) you shoulda seen Gretzky and Lemieux

Gretzky scored 1.92 pts per game over the course of his career.... only one man is within .6 points of him over their careers, and that man is Lemieux (1.88)
Click to expand...

It's a shame they never met in a Stanley Cup final. The Pens won Cups in 91 and 92, then had the best record in the league in 93. Unfortunately, David Volek and the Islanders shocked the Pens in 7 games. Gretzky's Kings made the finals that year, losing to Montreal (who beat the Islanders). :ohwell:
 
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Personally, I think Draper and Zetterberg have come off looking like sore losers from this. Crosby is a 21 year kid who cant even grow a proper beard yet. He got caught up in the moment. Big deal. Move on. No harm was meant.

If Crosby wins his 4th cup, like Draper, I'm sure he'll be more mindful of proper Stanley Cup etiquette. In the meantime, Draper and Zetterberg should learn something from how Lidstrom chose to handle the situation. "Sidney was probably caught up in the emotions and everything," Lidstrom said, adding that Crosby would learn from the situation.
 
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