Hockey fans around the league to Ovechkin skating with rookies

It was 4 days ago when WP blog Capitals Insider reported this:

So how exactly did Alex Ovechkin end up on the ice with two dozen prospects at KCI this morning? He came to Coach Bruce Boudreau at 8:30 a.m. and asked if it would be okay, that's how. "What does that say about the character of the guy?" Boudreau said. "I thought it would be quite a thrill for some of these young kids to get a pass from Alex." ..."My shot right now, actually, it's not good right now," Ovechkin joked.

The reaction to Ovechkin skating with rookies is coming not only from Bruce Boudreau and Caps fans, but also from places like Flyers blog and Toronto Maple Leafs forum. A very authentic and geniune response from fans around the league...

From chat.mapleleafs.com:

Barilkos Ghost: That's a fantastic story. Washington, give this guy the "C"!!

joewalters: Coolest player to lace them up ever. It's as simple as that. He really loves the game.

logan: how can you not root for washington with him on the team?

Sakic 91: Great story. I give it one more year, until Ovie's given the "C".

Howbluecanyouget: Good character guy to go along with the endless stream of talent he has.

ModGod: yup...Sid may be the "face of the league"...but Ovie is the "Facebook" of the league. Everyone wants to be poked by him....lol....no pun intended!!!

inc: Newton had another law he didnt share with the world til now. Its physically impossible to not like Ovi.

ajrs2000: I like what he said about his shot not being good right now....... I wonder what his thoughts are regarding a good shot.

blair14: He measures based on how many goaltenders he can murder per shot. Right now, he can only kill one or two per shot.

StickofWellwood: ovechkin is the new world of hockey player

jareklajkosz: This guy is the definition of class. Anyone who hates him, for whatever reason, needs to re-evaluate their opinion. >.>

ModGod: I don't think he defines "class" per se. Having said that, he's certainly not classless. I think he could be more a definition of character though. You'd kill to have a guy with that type of infectious enthusiasm on your squad!! He's there to produce, have fun doing it and doing it with passion. He's what hockey is about. He's is the embodiment of the Leafs slogan...The Passion That Unites Us All.

Flyers blogger "Flyers Rookies Got Shelled 7-0":

A few hundred Caps fans (a surprising number of them in jerseys) packed the Kettler Center, along with the likes of Mike Green, Alex Ovechkin, and Alexander Semin, to watch the game.

Have you ever speculated about all the cool stuff you would do on the ice, or field, or stage for that matter if you were skilled enough to be out there? Like "if that was me I'd sign every single autograph, no matter if I had to stand there for 4 hours doing it." Of course you have. Well, apparently Alex Ovechkin is living that dream.

OV took the ice with the Caps rookies during the week just to get to know some of them and hand out some pointers. That's pretty cool of him. A lot of these kids were just taking down their Pavel Bure posters 3 years ago and now Alex Ovechkin, the most exciting player in the game, is patting them on the ass telling them they have a "cool backhander."