Ovechkin 67th in the league in ice time among forwards
We started it here (see: Will more ice time fix Alex Ovechkin's career slump?) and now Larry Brooks (h/t to Mike Prada) reports a shocking fact:
The one [stat] that leaps off the page as most pertinent and most inexplicable is the 18:43 of ice time per game that as of Friday ranked — get this — 67th in the league among forwards who have played at least 10 games.
Ovechkin's last name means the "little lamb" in Russian, people with gentle temper were called like this. And Ovi is gentle for the most part, but one thing he won't ever forget is when someone limits his ice-time. Trust me, I've been following Ovi with the national team and in the NHL for years now.
More from Larry:
Unless Ovechkin simply is not in good enough condition at the age of 26 to play approximately the 23:03 a match he averaged over the course of the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons during which he was the NHL’s most electrifying athlete, then limiting his ice time so people such as Cody Eakin or Joel Ward can get a few extra spins is strategy from another planet that is doomed to fail.
...if I were aligned with any of the NHL’s other 29 teams, well, I absolutely would want Ovechkin to have the puck as little as possible, so I would be thanking the Caps very much for attempting to hammer the charismatic, multi-dimensional peg into a vanilla, one-size-fits-all hole.
Another stat from Mike Vogel, "Diminished ice, diminished returns":
Until this season, Ovechkin had never been lower than 11th among all NHL forwards in average ice time; he was 11th in his sophomore season of 2006-07 and never lower than eighth in the league in any other season.
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6 comments:
I think all this talk about Ovi and his ice time is more damaging than beneficial.
Comments like the one below from his friend, especially if he said similar things directly to him, aren't helpful either:
"His performance is related to the fact that his ice time was cut. I believe that forwards of his [stature] should be given as much ice time as they want." That was a quote from Nikulin that TJ posted.
These attitudes do Ovi no favors. First, his performace suffered long before his ice time was reduced and second stars do not and should not have the freedom to play as much as they want regardless of performance.
Ovi used to log more minutes because the Caps lines had less balance. Now the team has greater depth on all lines and minutes are being parcelled out more evenly. The amount of ice time isn't all about Ovi.
Secondly, what ever you are given use it productively. Bruce is starting to reward those players or lines that are producing or at least not harming the team with sloppy play with extra shifts. Use it or lose it.
You want more time, then prove you are worthy of it by doing the liitle things right (or better) especially if points are elusive.
In sports, stardom is earned. Ice time is earned. When mediorcre play starts becoming normal, then stardom dims and playing time is reduced. No one is above that.
Instead of worrying about ice time or listening to people that say he's being slighted (He's not, yet.) Ovi needs to make the best out of what he's given. Playing well during his downturn in scoring should be beneficial to his mental health because he can look back at games and say, "I didn't score, but I backchecked, forechecked, battled against the boards, etc. as best I could and that helped my team. I am proud of the game I played."
He's still playing 1st line minutes. People and his friends are making it sound like he was demoted to the 4th line along with Knuble.
Layoff it, people! You're not helping him.
Another thing about managing minutes, the need to keep the ice time of the top lines to reasonable levels was talked about long before this year. It goes back to the idea of less ice time during the season means more in the tank if the Caps ever make a long playoff run.
It's too early for hurt feelings over ice time.
If he wants more ice time, he needs to start playing better when he's on the ice. At least that's the mindset he should have.
You guys don't get the point. Right now he is in a slump, that's why he needs more time, not because he should earn it. And by your logic even if he'd earn it, he should not get it because now we have a B-A-L-A-N-C-E-D team.
Ovi is special, that's why he is paid so much, and that's why he deserves a hand when he needs it.
I confess, I have mixed feelings about the Ovie ice time issue. From a purely selfish point of view, of course I want him on the ice more. He's the player I most want to see. He's the reason I trekked to DC and went to games and practices to see. IMO the seats at Verizon Center are filled because of Ovie.
On the other hand, I don't like the idea of a player, even one like Ovie, getting special treatment even if he is a special player. Setting one player above and apart from his teammates is not good for morale and can be disastrous. I recall during the Caps-Habs playoff series in 2010, Ovie said he was bringing his personal trainer from Russia. Coach Boudrea said, "Whatever Alex wants..." At the time I thought to myself, this isn't right, is this just one instance or does it reflect that Ovie has his way no matter what? I had a very bad feeling about that expressed attitude, and to this day, I resist the idea that some players should get special treatment.
BTW, regarding ice time: Crosby's TOI tonight was 15:54. With 2 goals and 2 assists, I'd say he made very good use of his ice time, thank you very much.
Giving him more ice time in hopes it will spark him will just put him on the ice for more lackluster play. It would take time away from those who are playing well and winning the games. That hurts the team. If he's going to be fed more time then it should be after he's had a strong shift or on the PP. But with the PP he should not be out too long or he won't be fresh enough to chase down the puck if it leaves the zone. Too long a shift leads to mistakes. (we saw that plenty in previous seasons.)
Put him in positions to succeed (he looked like a big threat near the net during the PP last night), help him adjust where adjustments are needed. Create gameplans that incorporate what to do as a team when Ovi is smothered at the blueline by three opposing players.
His average shift length this year is 18:53 and he is averaging 20 shifts. There isn't much fluctuation game to game from the beginning of the season. By this season's pattern, it doesn't look like he's being deprived of shifts and minutes. I hope he realizes that otherwise it will continue to mess with his head.
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