Alexander Ovechkin used to promote the Hair Cuttery as his preferred destination to get his mop trimmed. The sponsorship deal must have lapsed because Ovie recently admitted that he gets his hair cut elsewhere. No, the man who’s topped the NHL in goals doesn’t go to an expensive salon. Instead, he gets free haircuts from Mama Ovechkin.
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The Rangers fell 4-2 last night at Madison Square Garden. Marian Gaborik netted two goals but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Capitals. Alexander Ovechkin scored once and is now tied with Gaborik for the NHL lead with 15 goals.
Henrik Lundqvist made 22 saves but gave up a breakaway goal to Matt Bradley that ended up being the game-winner. John Tortorella said that rookie defenseman Matt Gilroy was at fault on the play. Bradley also decided to fight Aaron Voros in the first period (video below). The duel left him bloodied above one of his eyes. Voros and Bradley also got into a fight last February.
After the game, John Tortorella admitted that his team isn’t “getting any secondary scoring.” That shouldn’t really surprise the head coach since it’s something we highlighted two weeks ago. Henrik Lundqvist must be frustrated too. The Rangers star goalie swung his stick down and broke it after the final whistle sounded.
Alexander Ovechkin is set to take over the world with the help of IMG Worldwide. The NHL’s best player recently signed a pact with the global entertainment agency and there’s no doubt that the Ovechkin brand will grow.
IMG execs say that Ovie “transcends” the game of hockey citing the frequency with which he appears on SportsCenter or YouTube. It’s clear that he can become an ambassador for the sport but the guys at IMG aren’t exactly looking to help the NHL as a whole. Here’s what IMG honcho David Abrutyn had to say about the move:
“This is really about Alex as an individual that has the ability to transcend his sport and be successful in the commercial arena. We’re committed to Alex, and not much beyond that at this point.”
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Ovechkin is wildly popular in Russia and has become a major star in the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area. But can he become a star on the level on LeBron James, Adrian Peterson, or Derek Jeter? It certainly won’t be easy with the lack of coverage of the NHL. However, Ovechkin the most exciting player in the sport with a career trajectory that should place him among the greats.
It’s also important to note that IMG decided to make Ovechkin their project rather than Sidney Crosby. Could it be because Ovechkin has more international appeal? Perhaps. Though I’d argue it has just as more to do with Crosby’s lack of personality (and likability?). IMG’s Arbutyn made a point to highlight Ovechkin’s “personality and general demeanor” as two assets that have helped him break through.
This isn’t really a criticism of Crosby. He was thrust into the role of NHL poster boy by commissioner Gary Bettman and the foolish NHL brass. Instead, Bettman deserves to take heat for his poor attempt to coronate Crosby. The NHL’s problem has always been a lack of visibility for its major stars. Unfortunately for Bettman, IMG just told him that he’d put all of his eggs in the wrong basket.
Tags: alexander ovechkin, david arbutyn, hockey, img worldwide, NHL, washington capitals
Gordie Howe is one of the most bad ass men to play sports. He once fractured his skull in the playoffs then won the scoring title the following year. Reminder: they didn’t wear helmets back then. Additionally, the “Gordie Howe hat trick” is named after him and is comprised of a goal, an assist, and a fight. In an interview with NHL.com, Howe talked up Alexander Ovechkin and also had this tidbit about opponents that tried to hit him while shooting:
“I had some old fellas teach me the follow-through, and the follow-through means anybody coming from the front wasn’t going to hurt me. They’d eat the paint off the blade. Wasn’t dirty, it was protection. They’d duck or veer off.”
With a ‘tude like that, who wouldn’t want to impress Mr. Hockey? Howe was in the crowd for the Capitals-Flyers game last night and had kind words about Ovechkin. Howe praiseed Ovie’s game saying that “if he got any better he’d be scary.” The Hall of Famer also complimented Ovechkin’s combination of strength and mobility. After three games, Ovechkin has five goals while his personal best is 65 and the single-season record is 92.
Tags: alexander ovechkin, gordie howe, hockey, NHL, washington capitals
Donald Brashear has a new team but is up to his same old antics. Last night, the new Ranger enforcer faced his old team, the Washington Capitals, and showed he didn’t really miss them. Brashear had drawn the ire of Rangers fans when he hurt Blair Betts in last year’s playoffs, but has quickly proven he’s a part of the team. He did this by squaring off with Capitals tough man Brandon Sudgen on two separate occasions. Neither fighter landed any real blows in the first tussle. The second encounter was a little more exciting. Sudgen and Brashear dance a bit and then get tangled up in the beginning. But once Brashear gets rid of his pesky jersey, he’s able to deal some damage to Sudgen. I’m still not a huge Brashear fan, but he’s doing a good job to win me over. Both videos are after the jump. READ THE FULL POST »
Two entities teetering on the brink of irrelevance have decided to join forces. The Real World will be shot in Washington D.C. and the group will be interning with the Washington Capitals. A cast member named Ty Ruff was spotted at the recent Capitals “media day fantasy camp.” I’m going to go out on a CRAZY limb and say that they’re doing fan relations stuff. I can pretty much guarantee that this scenario will happen: roommate X gets wasted and shows up to work too late to help give out Papa Johns coupons. Who’s excited?
Via Washington Post:
Tags: hockey, mtv, NHL, reality television, television, the real world, ty ruff, washington capitalsFact: Today was Caps Media Fantasy Camp. There were print people and radio people and yes, TV people. NBC’s Lindsay Czarniak and Dan Hellie were there, with a cameraman. Fox 5’s Dave Feldman was there, with a cameraman. WUSA’s Sara Walsh was there with a cameraman, too.
But one gent–whom none of the media vets recognized–came out later than everyone else, and with a five-person entourage, including one guy holding a boom mic. I mean, when you have more people behind you than Dave Feldman, you know you’re important. When asked where he was from, this guy said “Baltimore,” which wasn’t what we meant. When asked who they were with, one of the important people said they were “shooting a documentary.” They told others that it was a hockey documentary.
Fact: This fellow, named Ty, said he’s interning with the Caps and is doing a sort of documentary, but declined to provide more specifics. (Read more about Ty here.)
Wikipedia says that Mike Green is an elite defenseman on the Washington Capitals and that during the 2008 playoffs “Green’s signature ‘faux hawk’ hairstyle received increased publicity as his profile in the NHL was raised.” Well, he has a website that is as cool as his faux hawk. The header features an air brushed script logo next to Green wearing gold-accented sunglasses, a black wife-beater, and a gold chain that has #52 on it. Cool tats, dude!
Via A View From the Cheap Seats:
Foreign rapping is hilarious. I guess it all kind of reminds me of Snow – Informer with low quality production and lyrics. I came across this video yesterday of a Russian rap group’s tribute to Alexander Ovechkin. Bruno would likely classify this video as “nicht nicht” but at least they put in the effort. Also, is the other part of the hook “slappin’ my bitch”? If you’re interested in the rap group, they’re called El Paso Afera or something like that. So yeah… Ovy is on fire.
A party was held in Russia for Alexander Ovechkin over the weekend at The Paradise club. I’m pretty sure it was a two-night party because you can see people wearing different clothes in some pictures. A few things I noticed in the pictures:
The gathering was a celebration of Ovechkin’s second consecutive Hart Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player. The club was reportedly adorned with red flags that said “Ovy8: Alexander the Great”. At one point during the night, Ovechkin took over the decks in the DJ booth. Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Semin. The rest of the pictures are after the jump.
Via ALEX OVETJKIN:
Tags: alexander ovechkin, alexander semin, hockey, NHL, russia, sergei fedorov, the paradise, washington capitalsMost hockey players have a mean streak that they leave on the ice. The others are largely unstable. Included in this group of goons are former University of North Dakota defenseman Joe Finley and current forward Matt Frattin. Finley was a first round pick in the 2005 NHL draft and recently attended the Washington Capitals’ development camp. Hilariously, he was interviewed and commented about the maturity attending North Dakota gave him. That was until this Tuesday when the dudes decided to get wasted and throw items including a kitchen table and lawnmower into the street. They told the cops that they “routinely destroy each other’s property” when questioned. Unfortunately for Frattin, he was also suspended by UND and had his scholarship reduced. Bummer. The rest of details are below:
Joe Finley (L) is a destructive individual
Via Star Tribune:
Tags: fighting sioux, joe finley, matt frattin, north dakota, washington capitalsA former hockey star for the University of North Dakota and Edina High School has been arrested, along with a current UND hockey player, on suspicion of throwing so many objects from a residential garage that traffic had to be halted on the Grand Forks street.
Defenseman Joe Finley, 22, and forward Matt Frattin, 21, were arrested by campus police at about 3 a.m. Tuesday at Finley’s home and accused of disorderly conduct. Finley also is accused of giving police false information. Frattin, of Edmonton, also is accused of fleeing police. All allegations are misdemeanors.
“Alcohol was involved,” UND Police Capt. Wayne Onger said this morning.
As for why the two littered the street with a lawnmower, kitchen table, glassware and other items of their own, Onger said, “They provided an answer that they routinely destroy each other’s property.”
Onger said the objects blocked Columbia Road, a main thoroughfare, requiring a street crew to clean up the debris before traffic could flow again.
Both were booked at the Grand Forks County jail and then released on cash bond (Finley, $300; Frattin, $600) shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday.
