Really detailed and interesting blog post about Ovi's decline in performance

take the C away. it will be a wake up call to him and he never deserved it in the first place. Give it to a real all around team player.

Looks like he got the game winner tonight. Maybe the criticism has finally been translated into Russian for him.

(talking playoffs, not reg season) “Ovechkin is not there. In the defensive zone, he is above the puck all the time,” the 'anon' coach added. Personally, this is one thing I have DEFINITELY noticed also. He looks lost in defensive situations and almost seems to be 'floating'/'dogging it' around more than grinding during 5v5 when the puck is in our zone. Is this intentional? Is it to give him that 'big breakout' jump? Or is he terribly uncomfortable on D and has never been a decent two way player? On the Defensive Plus/Minus charts Wideman is the worst at (-5) and Schultzy at (-4), How much of this is due to Ovie being on the ice with them? BUT..big but, I look at two forwards, Semin & Johansson both at (-4) and they do not share much 5v5 time with Ovechkin, they do however share with Wideman/Schultz. Does Ovie have some 'secret' injury? Is he a penalty target after so many years of rough play? Does the 'C' on his chest mess with his ability to be himself? Or was it his lack of work ethic in the offseason, again pointing to an unannounced injury??

Game winner, shove it.