In Ahead Of The Play - A Washington Capitals NHL blog

Alex Ovechkin

'07-08 Stats                      Age (on October 1): 22                  Contract: UFA after '21

Alex Ovechkin 2007-08 Stats

'07-08 Season ReportAlex Ovechkin | Photo Courtesy of CP Images

M-V-P

What more can you say about what this guy has done for this team, this city, and this sport in just a few months? You could have held a sumo wrestlers convention in the stands during a game against a division opponent, and still see more blue than people at Caps games before he signed his deal.

But Alex likes it here and he signed for an astronomical amount of money, and (so far) he's worth every single penny. When many players would come out listless after their newfound wealth, Ovechkin was crazed.

After inking on the dotted line, AO scored 16 goals and 10 assists in his next 13 games. Prorated to an 82 game schedule, that's 101 goals, 61 assists for 162 points. That goal total would beat Wayne Gretzky's "untouchable" mark by a cool 9.

This just shows the type of player he is. Nothing gets to his head, he epitimozises a selfless teammate, and is motivated by raw, unadulterated enthusiasm -- the likes of which the sporting world rarely ever sees.

Now on to Ovechkin's achievements of 2007-08:

  • MOST GOALS in NHL: 65
    Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner
  • MOST POINTS in NHL: 112
    Art Ross Trophy Winner
  • Hart Trophy Candidate for Most Valuable Player
  • Lester B. Pearson Award Candidate for Most Outstanding Player as voted by the NHLPA
  • Shattered a 26 year old Capitals franchise record for most goals (65 vs. 60 by Denis Maruk)
  • Scored a new NHL high in goals by a left wing, a record that stood for 15 years (65 vs. 63 by Luc Robitaille)
  • Led the NHL in PP Goals (22), GW Goals (11), and Shots (446) and had the 2nd most takeways among non-centers.
  • Had more hits (220) than the rest of the NHL's top five goal scorers had combined

This is the kind of all-around mega superstar Ovechkin has become. And as we all know, winning is everything to this guy and he had his first damn good look recently. The whole world is left to expect from this guy. An absolute privilege.

Intangibles

Language barrier is gone. Innocence of a young 20-something unable to sit at a bar halfway across the planet from his home. Also gone. Everything a winner must have. It's here to stay. And if there is ever a player to finally, FINALLY, bring the Caps Lord Stanley's Holy Grail, it's Alex Ovechkin.

Future Fit

Every Capitals record. Perhaps a pose or two holding Lord Stanley's Cup. A big 8 hanging from the roof, and a constant cast of supporting characters over the next baker's dozen years of Capitals hockey.

Every trade, every signing, every draft pick, every call up, every move this team make is based AROUND Ovechkin. And unlike Jaromir Jagr, whose brains hit the floor under the barber's chair along with that mullet before coming to Washington, Ovechkin cares. He wants to win and he will.