Ovechkin talks to media after team's photo

Ovechkin and Boudreau speak to media (March 31, 2010)


2010 team photo (March 31, 2010)

By Lindsay Applebaum, March 31, 2010, Capitals Insider:

Alex Ovechkin isn't practicing today at Verizon Center, swapping out his red Caps sweater for some very ripped jeans and a sweatshirt after the Caps took their team photo. John Carlson, Eric Belanger, Alexander Semin, Tom Poti and Coach Bruce Boudreau took the day off as well. So yes, you could call today's practice optional.

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Iffy goals and playoffs outlook

Tarik El-Bashir, Capitals Insider, March 30, 2010:

"Well, I don't like five goals against," Boudreau said. "This has happened twice in a row and we've got to get better. There were four pretty iffy goals out there tonight."

*Alex Ovechkin took five shots on net and had eight blocked. He also skated 28:28 with an average shift of 1:21, and set a career high for assists with his 55th.

*Finally, the reunited line of Ovechkin-Backstrom-Semin certainly was fun to watch while it lasted. Boudreau broke the trio up late as the game tightened up.

"I just wanted to get a change," Boudreau said of putting the trio back together. "I thought it would liven them up a bit. I thought we had moderate success. I changed them in the last eight minutes because of risk vs. reward."

If Caps will pass the first round (they barely did it last year in game 7 when Fedorov scored) then they probably will be ok for a deep run. But with the plays like that it's a reminder of what happened last year.

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On Bryzgalov: What happened 3 years ago?

2007: Bryzgalov was on waivers and Capitals were the first in the list to pick him up, but George McPhee passed on him.

2008: (Capitals Insider) In a surprising move, the Caps have signed free agent goaltender Jose Theodore to a two-year contract. The team had been discussing a three-year contract extension with Cristobal Huet, but the sides couldn't close the deal this afternoon.

Okay, first of all, I am not saying that GMGM was totaly wrong on not picking up Bryzgalov for whatever reason he had. The goalies are of special species, you never know what's going to happen to them. Even the greatest, like Patrick Roy, had the games when they could let 8 goals in. I'd say Marty Brodeur is the luckiest because he played all his life for a defense first trap team, a.k.a. NJ Devils. The history has shown though that George McPhee had missed big on Bryz.

This year Bryzgalov competes with Alex Ovechkin for MVP. Imagine if he could be with Caps last year. Could he win a duel vs. Fleury? The answer is "Yes he could", and Alex Ovechkin and the Caps could have their names on the Stanley Cup instead of Pens.

Oh well, GMGM had a miss, but its like in that saying "Even the sun has its dark spots".

dccheapseats.com, November 18, 2007:

Okay, so let’s talk about this whole Ilya Bryzgalov thing, because a lot of people are claiming we should have picked him up.

I am not one of those people.

Bryzgalov is a very good goalie. I’m not going to argue that fact, nor will I argue with the fact that he’s 27 and probably in the prime of his career. To get a goaltender of his caliber without having to give up anything is very rare and it is, for some teams, a golden opportunity.

However…he is not the answer to our problems. He’s good but not great – he’s not the second coming of Patrick Roy or Marty Brodeur. Anaheim didn’t have enough faith in him to carry their playoff hopes last year and when Giguere was out with an injury to start this season, Bryzgalov was not exactly stellar in relief. They have a much better defense out there, too, in case you’ve forgotten.

I, like the Capitals organization, am not willing to give up on Brent Johnson just yet. I was stunned to see how quickly the battle cry turned to “get rid of Johnson!” after Friday night’s loss, so willing are we right now to point the finger at something concrete like a bad goalie that we forget logic and common sense. No, it wasn’t his best game. I could tell you that, the commentators could tell you that…Johnny himself would likely tell you that. One bad game, though, and we dump him? Why?


Comment by DMG — November 19, 2007:

I still maintain the Caps should have picked up Bryz. because I think they stand a better chance to win. Plus it’s not like Johnson is a prospect – he’s 30.

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Sportsnet.ca: How healthy Michal Neuvirth is?

Sportsnet.ca feed during 1st intermission:

If I were George McPhee or Bruce Boudreau, I'd be checking now how healthy Michal Neuvirth is because both Caps goalies can't stop the puck....

Numbers-shnumbers, who cares about Jose numbers if Caps will lose to Pens in the second round?

How quickly things can turn from great to ugly...

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Ovechkin in Men's Fitness article

by Collin Orcutt, Men's Fitness:

The Washington Capitals star on how he uses fitness to dominate the ice throughout the season:

How key is your fitness level to staying healthy through a full NHL season relatively injury free?
It's very important. You have to be in outstanding shape. I do work out in the summer time, but during the season I try to work out a little bit with my strength coach, coach Nemish. He works with me all the time, he knows my body fat, he knows my body. I'm in good shape.



What are your workouts like? What do you focus on during your training?
First off, I focus on my fitness, on my conditioning. I like running all the time. When I run, I feel much better. I work out in the gym too with my personal coach back in Russia. Nothing serious, just strength and getting in great shape. During the season, I lose some weight because I play a lot of minutes a night so my weight is going down. That's why I have a perfect body.

What kind of exercises?
I do a lot of squats, I do a lot of bench pressing. But legs are very important for me. It's more important than arms and shoulders.

How do you approach workouts? Do you enjoy them? Think of them as work?
I ask my trainer all the time, 'okay, what do we have to do today?' He tells me something, I'll say 'yeah we'll do it' or 'no lets do something different.' I can feel my body perfectly, so I know what I have to work today and tomorrow.

How has your training made you better on the ice?
Without training, I'm nothing. If I'm not training, I'm done. Any athlete, they have to train and they have to practice to win games. For sure. One hundred percent. You have to be training.

You play a pretty physical style—could you play that way without working so hard in and out of season?
Not really. You have to get ready all the time. It's a pretty tough league and everybody wants to hit you, so it's better if you're in good shape. If you're in good shape, you'll do better. On our team, we have lots of guys who are in great shape and we feel pretty good.

How many miles are you running a day in the summer with your trainer?
Probably 3-4 kilometers. It's not a lot, it's just for conditioning. He's a very astute guy. He knows what I have to do. He knows my body well. He knows what I need on each day. One day we have running. One day we have a little bicycle. Mostly it's stuff for my conditioning. For running, it's short periods: 1 km fast and strong, 1 km not as fast, 1 slow. After that, we take my pulse and measure what my shape is.

How long is your off-season?
Probably a month and a half. Before the season comes and the training comes, I start working before a month and a half, and I think it's working. I'm still in good shape.

Do you recover quickly from workouts?
Yes. I know exactly what I need. I know exactly how many times I have to go to the gym. My coach from Russia tells me what I need to do all the time. It's one of the most important things. My coach says what I have to do and I do it. Sometimes people are told they should do this and this and then they don't do it. I do it all the time.

What do think is your biggest asset when you're on the ice?
My power. And sometimes I have luck—I don't know why.

What's the most important thing when it comes to training for an athlete?
Just work out. Don't be lazy. If you take a day off, you're going to be fat and you're going to look terrible.

4/6/2009: Mark Nemish is a name you most likely do not recognize, but he plays important role on the Caps.

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Ovechkin breaks the game notes

Via Nate Ewell:

Message: Ovi's so good he broke the game notes (H Sedin probably has as well)

By Randy Sportak, March 29, 2010:

WASHINGTON — For an idea on just how dangerous Alex Ovechkin can be, consider the job the Calgary Flames did against the Washington Capitals star.

Ovechkin finished Sunday afternoon’s 5-3 Flames win with a goal and an assist to reach the 100-point mark for the fourth time in his five NHL seasons.

But the Flames worked hard enough not only to beat the Capitals but also keep the Gr8 One from being the difference-maker.

It means all those ‘little things’ players talk about ad nauseam. It’s about things such as blocking shots, closing ground quickly to prevent those golden scoring chances and being aggressive — both with the puck and physically.

The Flames did a good job in all those areas against Ovechkin. (Sure shows how great a player he is when Ovechkin still nets a goal and an assist.)

“He had a decent chance early — I think the first shift,” Regehr said. “He doesn’t need very much time or space to get the shot off, and the guys tried to find him as soon as possible. We really tried to tighten up on him. Unfortunately, he did get the goal on the powerplay, but I think the guys did a good job.”

The stats line for Ovechkin was seven shots on goal, four hits, one takeaway and three shot blocks.

However, the Flames also blocked six of his efforts and forced him into four give-aways. Ovechkin fired four shots which missed the net, but that can be a case of either misfiring or players being in the shooting lane.

“Our defencemen were able to do a lot against him, but to do it, you need forwards to backcheck, so he doesn’t have time,” goalie Miikka Kiprusoff said. “He likes to come across the middle with that show, and every time, it’s a scoring chance. We were able to keep him to the outside most of the time.”

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Ovechkin, Perreault, Green, Knuble on the loss to Calgary

washcaps: POST VIDEO: Ovi, Perreault, Green, Knuble on the loss to Calgary - http://bit.ly/9MdKbq

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Ovechkin tops the list of most hated in Pittsburgh

Rob Rossi reports from Arlington, VA (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 28, 2010) "No Penguin opponent inspires as much hate as Ovechkin":

The bad guy

In Pittsburgh, Ovechkin is an opposing NHL player who inspires a level of hate previously reserved for Philadelphia's Bobby Clarke and Edmonton's Wayne Gretzky.

"There was a certain amount of jealousy with those guys, and with Ovechkin the fans here just don't like him," longtime Penguins broadcaster Paul Steigerwald said. "I'd say with all three guys, it's their greatness combined with a sort of perceived arrogance."

Five years into his career, Ovechkin is chasing a fourth 50-goal season, third consecutive MVP trophy and second scoring title in three years. Since winning top rookie honors, he has established himself as the most decorated individual athlete in the NHL, NFL, NBA or MLB.

Crosby's landlord is the player whose Ovechkin's career has most paralleled because the league-leading Capitals have built a burgeoning Stanley Cup contender around him, and Washington is abuzz with hockey hysteria.

"The similarity is that Alex has captured the interest of the casual fan, not just the sports fan or hockey fan," Capitals president Dick Patrick said Wednesday before his franchise's record 42nd consecutive regular-season home sellout.

"We've had some great players and great teams, Rod Langway's comes to mind; but we've never seen anything like Alex. He is building his own fan base, and my hope is that like the Penguins did we can solidify that base as Capitals fans to make Washington an established hockey city."



A near miss

Pittsburgh could have been Ovechkin's hockey home.

"Everybody knew going into that year that he was the best player available," former Penguins general manager Craig Patrick said of Ovechkin and the 2003-04 season, which the Penguins finished with the lowest point total.

The Penguins lost a draft lottery to Washington, falling into the second slot, where they drafted Malkin.

"Even though (Malkin's) stock had risen and some of our scouts thought he might end up being better — maybe we fooled ourselves into thinking that a little bit — Washington made it very clear after it won the (entry-draft) lottery that Ovechkin was going to be a Capital," Patrick said.

Added former head scout Greg Malone: "Ovechkin was a legitimate franchise player, the real deal for that job."

One year later, the Penguins won a lottery and the right to draft Crosby, and veteran Capitals winger Mike Knuble believes the hockey gods nailed the matching of the superstar players' personality with respective markets.

"Alex has a particular look, it's very unique, and his personality is that he's going to be himself no matter what people say," Knuble said. "It would be interesting how that might play in some places, but from what I can see in my first year in Washington, that package is what has drawn people in this market to Alex — and to hockey."



Like Mario

The formula for turning Washington into an established hockey town is not complicated, Ovechkin said.

"Hopefully we can with the Stanley Cup," he said. "When people see that, they will be with us forever."

Ovechkin will return to Pittsburgh for perhaps his final game at Mellon Arena on April 6. Crosby is his generational rival, but Ovechkin said he knows "Pittsburgh is Mario's town."

"But I don't feel pressure in Washington to make it like that for me," he said. "Why do you have to feel pressure? Some people feel it. Not me.

"I feel pretty good about everything that's happening in Washington. That's no secret."



MEET THE PREZ

Ovechkin was the lone D.C.-area professional athlete invited by President Barack Obama to Obama's first State Dinner in November 2009. He was also requested as a special guest by several media outlets for the White House Correspondent Association dinner in May 2009. NHL duties prevented him from attending both dinners.

Before the Olympics, "Meet the Press" host David Gregory asked Vice President Joe Biden who his children should root for in the men's hockey tournament at the Vancouver Olympics. Gregory's sons had planned to root for Team Russia because they are Ovechkin fans.

"He's the right guy for the market in so many ways," Capitals general manager George McPhee said.

"He's got such a charisma, and it carries over off the ice. We knew he was going to be an exceptional player, but we had no idea he'd have this kind of impact. Hockey players aren't asked to go to the (WHCA) dinner. They just have never been that visible in this town before Alex. I'm not sure that I ever expected it to be at this level."

Read more...

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NHLers vote for Ovechkin as the best player again

From TSN.CA, March 28, 2010:

Who's the best player in the National Hockey League? The dirtiest? The most overrated? Which team will win the Cup this year?

These questions - normally reserved for rabid debate among hockey pundits and fans of the game - were posed to the players themselves by ESPN the Magazine, which recently conducted an anonymous poll of 50 NHLers.

The results were likely more candid than if players had been asked the same questions "on the record", and while some answers can certainly be filed under the category of "less than shocking", others are somewhat surprising and revelatory.

Here are some of the results:

64% of players said that Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin was the best player in the sport; the Pens' Sidney Crosby was second but it wasn't a particularly close race, with the Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native receiving 24% of the vote.



A list of some selected results from the poll:

BEST PLAYER
Alex Ovechkin 64%
Sidney Crosby 24%
Evgeni Malkin, Henrik Zetterberg 4%
Pavel Datsyuk, Joe Thornton 2%

MOST OVERRATED
Roberto Luongo 6%
Vincent Lecavalier, Dion Phaneuf, Jay Bouwmeester, Sean Avery 4%

BEST FRANCHISE
Detroit 60%
Pittsburgh 14%
Montreal 12%
New Jersey 8%
NY Rangers, Chicago 4%

WORST FRANCHISE
Phoenix 28%
Atlanta 18%
Islanders 14%
Edmonton 12%
Florida 10%

WHO WILL WIN THE STANLEY CUP?
Chicago 32%
Pittsburgh, San Jose 16%
Washington 14%
Detroit, New Jersey 8%

And some other highlights:

Toughest fighter: Derek Boogaard
Dirtiest player: Chris Pronger
Smartest Coach: Mike Babcock, Red Wings 22%
Last coach they would want to play for: John Tortorella, Rangers 18%

Grade Gary Bettman should get as commish: 30% said "C"

Read more...

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Damien Cox' new book on Ovechkin

Our field reporter Emily:
The Ovechkin Project: From Olympic Glory to the Stanley Cup, a Russian Hockey Genius' Modest Bid for World Domination

Author(s): Damien Cox; Gare Joyce

Product Description
Alexander Ovechkin possesses something more than talent for the game of hockey. He is a nonpareil. He stands utterly apart on the ice-and off. The culture of hockey favors the soft-spoken and the modest-bland is better than bold. And the culture of the game is founded on the collective rather than the individual-no one is bigger than the team or the game. Ovechkin, however, is an iconoclast who has never come across a convention that he believes should limit him nor held an opinion that he hasn't seen fit to announce.

In The Ovechkin Project, two of North America's best-known hockey writers, Gare Joyce and Damien Cox, tackle the tale of the world's most mercurial hockey talent today. Ovechkin has, since the day he entered the NHL, taken the league and the hockey world by storm, brought a new era of commercial success to the U.S. capital and generated a remarkable rivalry with Canada's golden boy, Sidney Crosby. He is the most compelling figure in the game, and Joyce and Cox will show how Oveckhin came to be the star he is today, one of the few hockey players in history to truly transcend the sport.

Together, Joyce and Cox probe Ovechkin's impact on the sport and offer a behind-the-scenes look at the NHL's most prolific goal-scorer:

• His elite sports pedigree, growing up in the Russian minor and junior systems and representing Russia in the World Juniors.
• Why he negotiates his own contracts, and how he did the deal for his 13-year, $124 million extension in 2008
• What it was like to score what some say is the greatest goal ever
• What it's like to be such a young leader, taking his hockey team from worst to first in their division in just three short years.

Publisher: Wiley

Binding: Hardcover

ISBN: 047067914X

Number of Pages: 320

Book Popularity Rank: 95,647

Release Date: September 21st, 2010

List Price: $26.95

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Gary Bettman: Ovechkin was not doing anything malicious

By David Haugh, March 27, 2010: chicagotribune.com "Commissioner addresses state of NHL":

Did the fact that Ovechkin is a superstar affect the length of his suspension?

No. Your history as a player and the number of times you've been involved in an incident may, but no. The Ovechkin play, he was suspended for being careless and reckless, not for doing anything malicious. The fact is, when you look at lots of hockey plays, that was a hockey play. I don't think he was going out of his way to try and hurt Brian.

What do you do if Ovechkin wants to play in his native Russia even if the NHL says no?

I have enormous respect for Alex and all the players who love to represent their countries but there's no reason to get in that debate or discussion because we haven't made a decision.

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Ovechkin: Of course you want to win the individualist trophies

By Michelle Scalise, March 26, 2010, CSNwashington.com "The Rocket Richard Trophy Race Is On":

A third player joins the party for the neck-to-neck race for the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy. With a pair of goals against the Boston Bruins on Thursday, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steve Stamkos suddenly finds himself up against a pair of Hart Trophy winners.

Stamkos scored his 44th and 45th goals of the year, tying Alex Ovechkin and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby for the NHL goal scoring lead.

"It would be nice" to win the scoring title, Stamkos told the AP. "But if I win it and help this team win at the same time, that's (better). I just want to try and produce offense. That's my job, that's my role. I want to help this team win and see what happens at the end of the year."

Alex Ovechkin likes the competition and hopes the best man wins.

"I put pressure on myself, it's kind of pressure, because you want to win the individualist trophies, especially when you have a chance," Ovechkin said about the race. "They deserve it, Crosby deserves it, the Rocket Richard Trophy, and Stamkos deserves it and who is going to win is the guy who deserves it most."

Related:

Alex Ovechkin Needs a Slump Buster

Alex Ovechkin is in the midst of the worst goal-scoring slump of his NHL career.

It's certainly not time to panic given the circumstances surrounding this dry spell. And there's no reason to believe that Alex Ovechkin's game won't return to the level to which we've all grown accustomed when it matters. But it sure would be nice for the world to be reminded of who its greatest goal-scorer is, especially when it wakes up today to a three-way tie atop the League's leaderboard. And while individual accolades don't mean much to this team or the players on it any longer, the goals that do mean something will be awfully tough to achieve without their best players being their best players. For Alex Ovechkin, hopefully a March that came in like a sheep lamb will leave with the roar of a lion.

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Ovechkin speaks with the media after morning skate

Ovechkin, Belanger and Coach Boudreau speak with the media about facing th Calgary Flames (washcaps)

TarikElBashir: Here's a picture of Bruce Boudreau that some fan just mailed to him.

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Is Fischer going to get 2 game suspension?

Well, that's a good litmus test on NHL and Colin Campbell. Let's see how hypocritical NHL will react to an identical 'little push'. All the bets are that nothing will happen.


That's what Colin Campbell will say: "But Mike Fisher didn't break Kaleta's clavicle! It's ok to push people into the boards if they won't break anything"

From the previous post:

Campbell knew Ovie was behind him, in fact took a second look just before the hit. He in no way prepared himself to be hit (or even shoved?), which seems to be commonplace these days in the NHL. There was a time in hockey when D-men would 'lunge' towards incoming hits with their shoulder, mitigating much of the impact.

Are we really going to remove all responsibility from players who have the puck in terms of awareness? Can you hit anyone anymore?
Reader's comment from The Spin

I think with Kaleta it looked more like a dive to get Mike Fisher out of the game. Just like with Campbell and Ovechkin there's a quick look back at Mike Fisher and then perfect dive into the boards. No lunging back at Mike Fisher. Mike Fisher pushed him directly from behind, Ovi did it sideways. You can see Kaleta going head first and then making an acrobatic move and going to the boards shoulder first.


NHL Archive: "Mike Fisher is ejected, Kaleta appeared to be fine until he saw the penalty call and appears to have embellished, something he is known for. From a game between the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres on Friday, March 26th, 2010 at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York."




Now NHL has opened a whole new can of worms, see more diving that will lead to more game misconducts. If they extend it the playoffs the players will intentionally dive to take the opposing team player out of the game.

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Fehr: Ovi says, 'It's the stick, it's the stick'

Red Line Ep. 6 Crusin - Eric Fehr


Eric Fehr:

Ovechkin wasn't a big fan of my stick, so I figured if Ovechkin scores that many it's worth a try. I tried Ovechkin's stick and in the first game on the first shift I scored.

So now when I score and go to the bench Ovi says, "It's the stick, it's the stick" :-)

I bet there are a lot of Ovechkin fans in Manitoba because of Eric.

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How to Wash Crosby's Face Video

Paul Kukla asks: "Someone Want To Count The Crosschecks?"

Ok, Paul, I counted three and one more after it was over.

The refs missed all of them since the cross-checks were coming from NHL's poster boy. And what's up with picking on a smaller Zetterberg? Why not to try Todd Bertuzzi? Last year it was Malkin (6'3") who tried to beat up Henrik and he couldn't! Go, Zatta!

But pay attention before Wednesday, this is how Crosby scores the goals nowadays. Have to say, obviously the guy is smart, he figured he has no chance to score like Ovechkin because his wrister and slapshot are non-existent. So he goes to the net and starts shoving the puck, cross-checking people, that's the only place where he can score to keep up with Ovi. The only way to stop him is to play him physical, cross-check him like he does to others and when the ref is not looking (easy to say), hit him hard and often and he will disappear.

Here's an observation from the last game by Mats Wennerholm, Feb. 8, 2009, Aftonbladet:

I think that the game was decided at the end of the second period yesterday, when Washington actually went in to play physically against Crosby. I don't know how many hits he received in a single sequence. After that he almost disappeared from the game.

Update:

By Ansar Khan, mlive.com, March 22, 2010:

Crosby cross-checked and slashed Zetterberg several times in front of the Red Wings net, triggering a melee. First, Bertuzzi stepped in and gave Crosby a face wash, and then Howard got involved.

"He does that stuff all the time. Somehow he gets away with it," Howard said. "Z doesn’t take any of that. He went right back at him, and I stepped in there, too."

Said Zetterberg: "I saw Jimmy coming in with his glove and Crosby wasn’t there anymore."

by Red Rover, DC Landing Strip, "This Is Why People Think Crosby is a Turd":

I have to admit, sometimes I don't get the blind hatred for Sidney Crosby. He is a great hockey player and a respected leader of his teams. Recently he's even proven to be clutch. Let's just admit it, mmkay? So when people whine "Crysby" this and "whiny little bitch" that, I often shrug my shoulders and go "meh." Maybe it's just the hockey fan in me. But then a moment like tonight's comes along, and I am reminded why people think Sidney Crosby is a turd.

Now, the replay cuts in before we can see what incited #87, so the video is sort of lacking context. But short of Zetterberg slicing Crosby's first-born son to pieces - an impossibility considering that Crosby still lives with uncle Mario - context cannot explain the extent of this childish behavior. All that can explain it is "turdness."

The game is over. Zetterberg's back is turned. Accept defeat and move along. Don't cross-check a guy from behind to start a pointless fight. Ovechkin gets all the grief these days for being "dirty" and "reckless," but he'd never react to a loss like such a sore loser. You'd also never see Ovechkin sack-whacking his way into a fight he wasn't involved in...



...nor would you see Ovechkin jump and sucker punch a guy before a face-off (start at 0:36 mark):



I mean really. What a joke. So thank you, Mr. Crosby, for reminding me why I'm supposed to hate you. It'll make Ovechkin's inevitable triumph over you that much sweeter. I'm not even afraid of the jinx anymore. Ovechkin eats jinxes for breakfast and craps out victory.

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The man who wore No. 8 (in response to Dan Steinberg)

Dan Steinberg, DC Sports Бог, March 22, 2010:

There's a fuller translation of the interview at Alex Ovetjkin, with many more details about his mother's life, including why she chose the number 8:

When I first started with juniors in Dynamo, they began to put me with the older group. I almost did not play with my age. I immensely liked one basketball player, Vladimir Zinman. He played under eight. I was in love with him as an athlete! How awesome he played! He was a luxury playmaker. I still haven't seen anyone equal to him.

He was older than me by two years. I went to all the championship games in Moscow where Zinman played. And when I started playing I asked for the number eight. Since then the eight has always been with me, starting with juniors and ending with the Olympic team.

So D.C.'s current Great 8 fixation is because of Vladimir Zinman, of all people; a man who's basketball career is un-Googleable.

After I read Dan's post I got curious. First of all I realized that I didn't pay attention to Google translation. The last name (Цинман) should've been translated as Tsinman. Datsyuk has the same letter in his last name: Дацук. Here's what I've found:

By Benjamin Chernukhin, Central Jewish Resource, Sept. 13, 2009, www.sem40.ru/sport/23234/:

Jews play basketball
One can hardly dispute the assertion that the team Moscow Dynamo set the record for the absorption of Jewish players. In 1948 when this team won the Soviet Union championship M. Kogan was in their roster. I didn't see that player, I was too young. But in the second half of the fifties the same Moscow Dynamo team was called the team of Studenetsky-Torban, on behalf of two of its leading players.

So in the early sixties V.Torban and M.Studenetsky leave the team. But as the saying goes, "A holy place is never empty." Just a few years passed and Moscow Dynamo has two new players: Vladimir Tsinman and Nikolai Gilgner. V. Zinman was playing the guard position (height: 6'1" 185 cm). He began to play for the team very early, as 18-year old (born in early 1948), but his athletic career was very short: from 1966 to 1972. I don't know why V. Zinman concluded his playing career so soon , possibly injury was the cause. Also in 1972 he graduates from Moscow Road [Construction] Institute, but didn't become an expert on cars and roads, he started working as a professional basketball coach. At first he worked with teams of the lower leagues, and in 1985 became a senior coach of his alumni team Moscow Dynamo which he coached in 1985-86, in 1992-94 and in 1997-98. In addition V. Zinman coached the teams of the top Russian basketball league such as Avtodor (Saratov), Lokomotiv (Rostov), women's team CSKA (Moscow). In 1987-91 he coached youth and junior teams of the Soviet Union and Russia. Since 1999 V. Zinman coached team Russia under the head coach Stanislav Eremin, and even for some time was acting as the head coach. He has the title of Honored coach of Russia.

Vladimir Tsinman. Photo courtesy gazeta.ru

FIBA Europe, March 2, 2004:

The old Soviet Union were heavyweights in international basketball so the absence of the Russian men at the Athens Olympics has left the draw with a distinctly different look.

Sergei Elevich wasn't able to guide the national team to a top-three finish at the European Championships and, as a result, world basketball won't see the amazing Andrei Kirilenko in action four years after he shone at the Sydney Games.

Currently in charge of BC Khimki, Elevich believes he is the man who should take the national team reins again and has applied for the position along with five others.

Former Russian international players with coaching experience at club level have applied, including Sergei Babkov.

Others to apply are Sergei Bazarevich (former Dinamo Moscow head coach), Valeri Tikhonenko (former CSKA Moscow head coach), Vladimir Tsinman (Stanislav Eremin's assistant in the National Team of Russia 1999-2002) and Eugeni Pashutin (current coach of CSKA-2 Moscow).

The Executive Committee of the Basketball Federation of Russia is expected to make its decision later this month.

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NHL Washington Capitals 10 Greatest Games Collector’s Edition

CELEBRATE THE NATION’S “CAPITALS” WITH THE RELEASE OF NHL WASHINGTON CAPITALS 10 GREATEST GAMES COLLECTOR’S EDITION

ON DVD MARCH 23, 2010


Warner Home Video Showcases the Washington Capitals Hockey Club in a 10-Disc Collector’s Set DVD Featuring the Greatest Games, Moments and Players in Franchise History!

BURBANK, CA – (January 26, 2010) – The rich history and passionate fans of the Washington Capitals have aligned the club with the nation’s capital. Since their inaugural NHL season in 1975, the foundation of the Capitals has been forged by a succession of legends throughout the years including Dale Hunter, Olaf Kolzig, Peter Bondra, Mike Gartner and present league MVP Alex Ovechkin. Now for the first time, Warner Home Video (WHV) and the National Hockey League (NHL) are teaming up to honor the Capitals with the release of NHL Washington Capitals 10 Greatest Games Collector’s Edition DVD on March 23, 2010. Loaded with memorable games, this 10-disc collector’s set is the perfect addition to the Washington D.C. sports fan’s DVD library. The NHL Washington Capitals 10 Greatest Games Collector’s Edition DVD will skate into D.C. stores for $49.98 SRP.

Whether it was overcoming their rival Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference Final, beating the Buffalo Sabres to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final in 1998 or witnessing Alex Ovechkin’s four-goal performance after suffering a broken nose, the Capitals have experienced many incredible victories and legendary performances throughout its rich history. Capitals fans will get to relive many of these unforgettable moments in the NHL Washington Capitals 10 Greatest Games Collector’s Edition DVD. This 10-disc set will allow fans to witness the original broadcast games in their entirety for the first time on DVD!

“The Capitals franchise is filled with remarkable history and many memorable moments and WHV is honored to release a DVD that will celebrate its greatest games,” said Don Polite, WHV Executive Director, Partner Brands Marketing. “D.C. hockey fans of all ages will get to relive the 10 greatest games in team history in their original broadcast forms and experience the excitement the organization has brought to the city in its 35-year history.”

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Ovechkin talks after morning skate, March 22, 2010

Caps Captain speaks to media after hard Monday morning practice

Here's transcription from DC Sports Bog:

Alex Ovechkin met the D.C. media for the first time since his second career suspension on Monday afternoon, and I figured it was worth asking him whether he's paid attention to the massive media buzz over his style of play.

"No, I just, I know what guys can say: Maybe it was a good hit, maybe it was a bad hit." Ovechkin said. "Everybody has his own mind. And if you're gonna listen to everybody, you're gonna be just crazy. You can kill yourself. And so I think it happens, and it's pretty sad [Brian Campbell] get hurt, but it's life, it's hockey."

NBC Washington's Dan Hellie than asked for the best piece of advice he's heard on this matter: "Don't stop playing how you play," Ovechkin said.
He was also asked whether Bruce Boudreau has talked to him yet about how he plays in the wake of the Campbell incident.

"You know, he just told me it's a game, and everybody told me it's a game, and I know it's a game," Ovechkin said. "Anything can happen. You can see the game against Calgary, puck goes to the net and [Daymond Langkow] was hurt, so you never know what's gonna happen. Maybe puck, maybe stick, maybe skate, maybe a hit. You never know who's gonna do it. You just have to keep playing, and how like I say all the time, nobody wants to get hurt, nobody wants to make an injury to somebody, but that happens."

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Washington Capitals Star-Spangled Sing-Off

CALLING ALL SINGERS AND CAPITALS FANS TO COMPETE IN SING-OFF AT ESPN ZONE

Winner will sing the national anthem at an upcoming Caps game

WHAT:

ESPN Zone and the Washington Capitals will host their annual Star-Spangled Sing-Off at 8:30 p.m. on Monday, March 22. Singers of all ages are invited to compete for the chance to sing the national anthem at a Capitals game.

In the opening round of the competition, contestants will sing 30 seconds of any song other than the “Star-Spangled Banner.” A panel of judges will narrow the field to five finalists, who will advance to the second round and each sing the national anthem in its entirety. The judges and fans at the event will cast their votes and choose a winner to sing the national anthem at the Verizon Center on Friday, April 9.

Singers can reserve their spots in the competition by emailing their contact information to nationalanthem@espnzone.com. Or, to sign up on Twitter, DM contact info to @ESPNZoneDC.

WHEN:

Monday, March 22, 2010
8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

WHERE:

ESPN Zone
555 12 St. NW
Washington, DC 20004

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Don Cherry on Ovechkin

Give the credit where it's due, or something like that. :-)



Well, I am really reluctant to put Don Cherry's comments here because he and Mad Mike are like the weather on Everest, you never know what's gonna be next, but I appreciate him not forgetting Ovi's taking helmet off. That's it, I am agreeing with Don Cherry! :-)


And I am happy GMGM let Matt Cooke go... It's now Pens problem...

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Ovechkin scores 45th

Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin scores a first period goal past Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Antero Niittymaki in an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 20, 2010, in Tampa, Fla.

Fleischmann and Semin also scored, Backis got an assist.

After morning skate Ovi said, "Hockey is a physical game. I don't want to go and play differently. For me it's just a suspension. I don't want to change nothing."

But... Coach Boudreau noticed that "Ovi looked tentative early, kind of "I don't want to get in trouble, but he got more comfortable and had a couple of good hits in the third".

On a few shifts Ovi looked tired. That's understandable because he didn't play two games and it takes a bit to get back in gaming shape.


washcaps: POST VIDEO: Ovechkin, Theodore and Steckel on the win in Tampa

Ovi blamed the building, he said it was too hot.

Doesn't matter, hopefully Ovi will unleash the fury on Wednesday. :-)


Ovechkin's stats:

1 goal, +1, total ice time 22:52, even 15:51, PP 06:40, 7 shots on goal, 3 attempts blocked, 3 missed, 1 hit





A year ago Ovi had his 50th goal scored vs Tampa



"Sticks of Fire" goal celebration (March 19, 2009)

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