My Grandfather was a pro scout for the Blackhawks way back when. We watched thousands of hockey games together. He’s seen the best of the best play. And he told me in 2006 that Ovi would smash Gretzky’s goal scoring record. I laughed lol He always said Ovi was the most dominant force he’d ever seen on the ice. Choice words coming from a man who’s seen the best.
Ovechkin raising that cup for the 1st time in 2018 was one of the most emotional moments in hockey history. Not sure many people deserved it more than this guy
The way he celebrated in the days/weeks/months after finally winning it puts no doubt in my mind how much he wanted it. All the doubters that thought he wanted Olympic Gold more than Lord Stanley have been shut up. 2018 was a Winter Olympic year and OV choose to stay and play in the NHL that Winter instead of going to play for Russia's Olympic team with the NHL not participating. He even had the Caps owner's blessing to play in the Olympics and he choose to go for the Stanley Cup instead.
brokenhill.tumblr.com/post/174710850758/ovechkin-2018 Ovechkin 2018 I’ve never seen a child more wild with joy Than Ovechkin at thirteen His ancestors’ mouths blown out, radiant with disbelief and relief that there is still life that something somewhere in the black hole of the universe still works was meant for him was truly mercury Wings built for speed on the heels of him disbelieving that his father cared, came home, after all, after those dark nights with silver cup, still drunk with something that made sense of the wooden marrow of the bone where blood is made in endless practice rinks circles and cuts and the black vacuity of hurt and speed of hurt and thrill of hurt Till finally, lifted, the lights of angels, forget for a moment their manufacture of worms and turn their spotlights back on the silvered names poured out upon the ice drop by drop and fist by fist.
It’s actually insane how privileged we are to have been able to watch both him and Crosby (even tho most of us hate him with a passion) play in the same era. They are both top 10 players of all time, and soon they will both be gone. Sad when you think about it really.
And now we have Mcdavid aswell. That guys a freak at hockey. In my honest opinion, McDavid will go down as the best to play hockey ever, but the numbers won't show, because of era differences.
J Cowan More accomplishes in terms of team awards, yes. Ovi is more accomplished when it comes to overall awards tho. They are both insane players, just appreciate it while you can.
Adam A Yes he has the talent to be one of the all time greats as well. I don’t think anyone else right now is tho. And that was my point. Being able to se two of the arguably top 10 players of all time play at the same time while in their prime. It has been truly special.
@@Wrath15___ Crosby is a whiny little weasel......is he supremely talented? of course, but he used to whine so much. If you were to compare three of the top players today, I would say it goes: Conner McDavid, Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby. Crosby also had the benefit of having Malkin, arguably a first ballot hall of famer himself on the same team. Ovechkin built the Caps brand, Crosby worked under Mario Lemeuix, whom built the Penguins brand. No other player in Caps history has meant more for his franchise than Ovechkin.....that in and of itself speaks volumes as to, arguably, how much better than Crosby, Ovechkin is.
@@Johntb100 aeroplane captain is Dictator too.what happened here in Europe,when we have no borders,just global liberalism.just Eu size sabotage.Putin is the man.
Love him or hate him, it's admirable to see him stay strong in DC and stick it out only to be rewarded with the cup. He didn't ask for trades. He fought through the pain and came out on top.
I mean the caps were never bad... demanding trade cause you fail to rise to the occasion annually against the penguins in the playoffs even when you had arguably better teams is a bitch move. He stayed cause he knew his team could beat crosby, and it was only a matter of time before they finally broke thru.
@@onebuffalo5402 I’m not sure about that. As a NY Islanders fan, I can’t stand either one. As the purest Hockey fan; He’s one of my favourite players. I respect both of them, but I love Ovechkin’s physicality. If Washington had the Goaltending like Pittsburg. I’m not sure 🤔 how it would have gone. I do know this: if the Cap’s had Thomas, Flurry, Murray? I’m of the opinion they win at least one more Cup, if not 2? I am looking forward to watching (yes I do believe he will) Ovie beat that Demigod Wayne Gretzky as the all-time goals scored!
eddie bear Crosby is Messi because he’s physically smaller, more humble, and a bit more technically proficient. Ovechkin is Ronaldo because he’s a goal scoring machine who is also a big body, and has a feisty personality to match. Both are legends, and like how Messi and Ronaldo would have dominated in old soccer, Sid and Ovi would easily tear up old hockey. In my opinion, both pairs are easily the best players each sport has ever seen.
@@blap5630 But Messi and Ronaldo did dominate in modern soccer. They were indisputable best during the last decade, and a lot of people consider them to be the best of all time. Can't say the latter about Ovi/Crosby, but everything else I can agree with.
ViS ovechkin and Crosby were widely considered to be the best players for almost a decade. Sure the time frames are a bit smaller, but they still dominated the league
@@blap5630 I know, what I meant is what makes Messi and Ronaldo different is that they are breaking records that were set decades ago in modern soccer era. They are more like what Gretzky was in his time, to me atleast.
The Capitals cup run was probably the best time of my life. I had just graduated college, and my twin brother and I went to the first two games where we lost to Columbus in OT. After then I was at every viewing party inside and outside of the arena, partied in the streets, and got to be inside cap 1 for the viewing party when he won the cup. I’ll never forget that!
I will literally tell my future grandkids about the years I spent watching the greatest goal scorer in NHL history get me into hockey, watch him get close and keep trying, until the greatest hockey chip celly ever. Ovi will always be the gr8est to me, and the 2018 Stanley Cup run has cemented him into an indisputable legend. #CAPS2020
@KoivuTheHab He literally scored in all different ways when we won the cup. Tap ins, falling in front of the next, one timer, wrist shot, backhand. Get back on your meds man, or get glasses, either way sort your shit out.
KoivuTheHab how is he a one trick pony when he is literally a feared PWF, if not the most feared? The guy hits like a dump truck, goes into every board battle, passes the puck really well, and has only gotten better every year on the defensive end. The fact he is the greatest goal scorer of all time doesn’t make him a one-trick pony.
KoivuTheHab you lose every argument as soon as you say anything irrelevant to the topic at hand. Ovechkin is not a one-trick pony and hasn’t been for a while. Get over it.
I nearly cry every time i see a moment from the 2018 run. I cant put into words those emotions because you have to feel what we went through all those years
Forget just hockey for a moment Ovie is one of the most respectable superstars of any sport all-time. Even rival teams fans love him he's beloved and respected league wide he's truly one of the GOATs
And I felt like some hockey media tried to create scandals over dumb stuff like his hot stick celebration. Why can't we enjoy great hockey talent while he's still playing?
@@moskillz76 it was a lose-lose situation for Ovechkin. He celebrates - “he’s actin like an idiot” if he doesn’t - he’s just another emotionless, robotic Russian
Back at ya. The Caps winning the Cup was a dream come true for us. I've waited for 33 years for it. I want that for Leafs fans. You guys have waited far too long for the Cup again. Hoping that the current Leafs are on the verge of a break through.
Not a Caps fan at all. Been a Kings fan my whole life... That being said, I was super stoked to see Ovechkin and the Caps get that cup. Great job guys!
Even as a rangers fan when he lifted the cup I was happy as hell because I watched how heartbroken he was everytime they were being annihilated by New York
Most exiting player Ive ever seen in 35 years watching hockey. Hope he plays many more years if he stays dominant like he still is. We might get the chance to see Waynes goals record broken. Thanks Ovi for giving us hockey fans exiting hockey all these years
Ovi would've already been the greatest goal scorer in NHL history when his career is over, but without the cup he won last season he would always have his detractors. I'm glad an all-time great like Ovechkin finally got a Stanley Cup he dreamed of his entire life and silenced the critics who thought he wasn't truly committed to winning.
@Nate Mauratt the shots thing is a moot point. Also Gretzky played in a much higher scoring era. Not saying he isn't the Great One, but the gap isn't as cavernous as it appears.
the stanley cup run they had in 2018 still brings me tears to this date, time flies so fast what a run that was, the whole playoff roster in 2018 came in really strong, i coudn't even believe it the next morning falling asleep to the final game that the caps won it, good times it was
Sully 111 you’re an idiot who can’t comprehend. A non goal scorer “Gretzky” and a pure goal scorer in Ovechkin. And Gretzky is better goal scorer than Ovechkin, and anybody else. Not even close. And he’s not known as a goal scorer, he was a set up guy
Being from St Louis I was never into hockey. It wasn't until the Blues won it last season that it actually got me into the sport. Watching that Boston series and watching games 6 and 7 was probably the most anxiety and adrenaline I've ever experienced.
To see him celebrate with the fans like that most players wouldn’t do that these days . Just shows how much he really does care about the fans and the team
I'm not a capitals fan but he's really good and seems like a nice guy overall. He's worth what he gets paid and he earned that cup and his eventual entry into the Hall of Fame. Lots of respect for him.
I may be a little late getting on the Great 8 train (only started really following the Caps about 2 years ago, but i caught up on the history) but im glad i got on it. Really needed that championship with all the crap the Redskins put me thru.
Literally the only reason I watch an hockey highlights. Gave up on hockey after too many strike seasons, and came back to watch a team and player far away from where I live, in a different country.
Top 10 greatest ? Make it top 5 for me. As a Canes fan, I always made the trip to Raleigh to see the Caps play. Even when we sucked, he was always worth the price of admission. Was thrilled for him to win The Cup. Until last year :) Good luck this season Caps fans. #McGinn
I'm so happy that he started to really play for his team in their Cup year. Said it a 100 times before that season:"If Ovechkin starts to play both ways of the ice, they'll win for sure" And sure enough, they did. A well deserved cup.
It's funny how they say Ovi silenced his critics when he won.... he might have, but not because they were wrong, moreso, he finally learned what they had been talking about all along. Ovechkin didn't kn ow what it took to win for years.... he figured it out. Thats how he silenced critics, but at that point, they were no longer critics anyhow, they were fans.
I am a hardcore Pens fan but I was happy to see Ovi win the cup. I don't think anyone deserved it more. Tough, passionate, and so skillfull. Barring health issues I feel he will eventually catch and pass the Great One.
I hope you all remember grinder,great face off,forechecking guy from that Stanley cup team, Jay Beagle, now with Vancouver, used to watch him play college at Alaska Anchorage.
Gretzky played in the wide open, shoot the lights out era of Hockey and Ovi plays in a much tighter era so it's not a fair comparison. And Gretzky did not lose 124 career games to lock outs either. Either way , its been a privilege to witness both of them do their thing.
