Hacks & Wonks

Ever since they arrived post-lockout, I've told friends that I have felt fortunate that we were just in the early stages of what had the potential to be a fifteen-year long rivalry between Sidney Crosby and Alexandre Ovechkin.  Considering that Ovechkin took the Calder (That is the Rookie of the Year award, Mom), Crosby the first Hart of the pair (season MVP), only to watch Ovechkin earn his first Hart the year after.  Now Crosby has taken his team to the Stanley Cup Finals before Ovechkin has, however Alexandre the Great got the Capitals into playoffs last year with a much lesser cast of supporting players.  If given the choice of only one player, most "smart" hockey people say they choose Crosby to build their team around considering his all-around talents.  Others see the infectious job that is the Ovechkin game and think he's the guy other players want to follow into the breach.

It really is setting up to be an all-time epic feud.  I've got Sidney Crosby on my keeper hockey draft team, however I side with Ovechkin and consider him my favorite player in the league now that Joe Sakic has finally reached his golden years.

But the only thing that could put this into real feud terms would be some actual dislike and competition between the two men.  That could really kick the rivalry up a notch and make the NHL truly interesting.

So, ah, from the bottom of my heart, thanks boys:

It's official: The two biggest names in the NHL don't care for each other. Ovechkin is tired of Crosby's constant jawing, and Crosby has no love for Ovechkin's theatrics. The emotions were there for all to see Sunday as Ovechkin scored his league-leading 43rd goal and the Washington Capitals thumped the Penguins 5-2.

"What I can say about him?" Ovechkin said. "He is a good player, but he talks too much."

And what does Crosby make of Ovechkin's showmanship?

"Like it or lump it, that's what he does," Crosby said. "Some people like it, some people don't. Personally, I don't like it."

Posted by The Hack on Monday, February 23 at Monday, February 23, 2009 | Permalink