Since 2004, No. 1 overall pick Alexander Ovechkin has been the face of the Washington Capitals, and over that time he's begun the route to staking his claim as the greatest goal scorer in NHL history. He brought the team a Stanley Cup and has been a star for them ever since, but as he grows older, it appears he may be less and less committed to the team, rather than individual accolades.
In a recent interview, Ovechkin made some very worrying comments about his level of commitment, stating outright just how much he hates practice, especially during training camp;
Every year, younger players come into the league just as hungry, but for players like Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Jamie Benn, Brad Marchand and many other veterans, it becomes harder and harder every year to keep that same hunger. These comments certainly don't show an Ovechkin that's ready to pack it in and call it a career, as he has three years remaining on his current deal, but for a Capitals team that may want one final shot at the Stanley Cup, it's a worrying sign.
With his chase for Wayne Gretzky's record growing nearer by the day, it's clear that Ovechkin will continue playing for the Washington Capitals, but if he starts slow again, the worry may grow within this fan base.
Source: House of Hockey
Alex Ovechkin shares shocking comments worrying fans about his NHL future
POLL | ||
JUIN 2 | 179 ANSWERS Alex Ovechkin makes worrying comments on level of commitment to Washington Should the Washington Capitals be worried about Alex Ovechkin's commitment to the team? | ||
Yes | 83 | 46.4 % |
No | 96 | 53.6 % |
LIST OF POLLS |
G | A | PTS | ||
Sean Monahan | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
Zachary Werenski | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
Jesper Bratt | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Jack Hughes | - | 3 | 3 | |
Nikita Kucherov | - | 3 | 3 | |
Kent Johnson | 2 | - | 2 | |
Mitchell Chaffee | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Anthony Cirelli | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Conor Geekie | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Brandon Hagel | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Stefan Noesen | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Dmitry Voronkov | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Ivan Barbashev | - | 2 | 2 | |
Kirill Marchenko | - | 2 | 2 | |
Cam Atkinson | 1 | - | 1 | |
Jonatan Berggren | 1 | - | 1 | |
Yegor Chinakhov | 1 | - | 1 | |
Pavel Dorofeyev | 1 | - | 1 | |
Leon Draisaitl | 1 | - | 1 | |
Pierre-Luc Dubois | 1 | - | 1 | |
Complete stats |
STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 19 | 16 | 3 | - | 32 | |
Hurricanes | 18 | 14 | 4 | - | 28 | |
Capitals | 18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 27 | |
Wild | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 27 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Devils | 21 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 17 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 25 | |
Panthers | 19 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 25 | |
Stars | 18 | 12 | 6 | - | 24 | |
Golden Knights | 19 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 24 | |
Conference | Cumulative |