Hockey Night in Canada analyst Don Cherry’s latest target is Washington Capitals’ superstar Alexander Ovechkin.
After Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the season, the dynamic Russian winger celebrated by placing his stick on the ice and hesitated to pick it up, acting as if the stick was on fire. Ovechkin is no stranger to celebrating goals, as he usually pumps his fists, leaps into the boards and embraces his teammates.
Cherry feels Ovechkin’s celebration was over the top and has no place in the game. Ovechkin is the most talented and exciting player to come along since Wayne Gretzky. Yes, there have been a slew of other superstars who have torn up the ice through the years, but none have Ovechkin’s unrivaled passion and pure ability, including Sidney Crosby.
The NHL marketing department is in full force, shoving Crosby down our throats, neglecting its true brightest star in Ovechkin. Cherry defends Crosby’s diving, yet continues to target Ovechkin’s passionate goal celebrations.
Cherry, a longtime pro-Canadian advocate, should hold nothing against the Russian Ovechkin. Ovechkin does not play like a typical European; his game is more North American, a style Cherry prefers.’
So, Canadian bias aside, what gives? This is just another example of the ‘hockey purists’ trying to keep the game tame. At times, the league is seen as too vanilla and sometimes some chocolate or strawberry is needed.
While Crosby is the recipient of the referees’ calls going his way, Ovechkin is leading his club by putting up points, scoring big goals and delivering big hits. Ovechkin could be the league’s Lebron James. Instead, he is relegated to second fiddle behind the NHL’s love affair with only Crosby.
The star power and potential for Ovechkin’s popularity to transcend the game of hockey is something the NHL sorely lacks. Ovechkin, not Crosby, is the guy to take the league to the next level.
