Kovalev: hero or zero?
Which bucket do you put Kovalev in? In Montréal, he was know as "l'artiste" - the artist for his puck handling on the ice. This is also the guy with a single, solitary goal after 12 games with the Senators. It's therefore no wonder that critics are already making AK-27 the scapegoat so far for the Sens' 60% win average. He is the man who scored 84 points in 2007-08 when the Canadiens finished first in the East. He is also the man who only score 47 points when the Habs finished 10th the previous year.
It may seem that as Kovalev turns, so does the team. That may have been partially true in Montréal where he was a genuine star, not so in Ottawa, where Alfie, Fish, Spezza, Neil, Philips and Volchenkov have the hearts of the fans.. A lot also mention Kovalev's inconsistency - who wouldn't after the two scoring examples above?
I believe Kovalev rises up to challenges. In Montreal, he was the Artist, loved by fans, his seeming ups and downs largely forgiven for what the artistry, his name chanted from 20,000 pairs of lungs. In the spotlight, Kovie shines. Look at his performance against Montreal: he had something to prove, a message to send. And it was sent in glorious fashion. But then what? In Ottawa, Kovie has to find a place, start over, carve a new niche for himself. No matter what your reputation, you have to prove yourself. Again. This not only makes for tentativeness, but also I think a little bit of antipathy: hasn't he proven himself enough?
I point to the play of the Alfie-Fisher-Kovie line and the points scored by that line. They have a total 32 points, by far the highest scoring line for the Sens. It's no surprise that the line has so many points. AK-27's presence counts for a lot. He is a play organizer, he sets up offensive zones. That he hasn;t wound up on the scoresheet as often is that they only count two assists. Backtrack the play a little more, and you'll likely find Kovalev carrying the puck in, passing back to the D to set up the play, dragging a couple of opponents in his orbit thus freeing a teammate. He is constantly the target of opposing blueliners and has taken some hard hits for his team.
In the end it is the team that scores the most goals that wins, not the player who scores the most. I'm sure we'd all love to have an Ovechkin on board. But that's not Kovalev's style. Wait for the challenges to happen, and see the response.
It may seem that as Kovalev turns, so does the team. That may have been partially true in Montréal where he was a genuine star, not so in Ottawa, where Alfie, Fish, Spezza, Neil, Philips and Volchenkov have the hearts of the fans.. A lot also mention Kovalev's inconsistency - who wouldn't after the two scoring examples above?
I believe Kovalev rises up to challenges. In Montreal, he was the Artist, loved by fans, his seeming ups and downs largely forgiven for what the artistry, his name chanted from 20,000 pairs of lungs. In the spotlight, Kovie shines. Look at his performance against Montreal: he had something to prove, a message to send. And it was sent in glorious fashion. But then what? In Ottawa, Kovie has to find a place, start over, carve a new niche for himself. No matter what your reputation, you have to prove yourself. Again. This not only makes for tentativeness, but also I think a little bit of antipathy: hasn't he proven himself enough?
I point to the play of the Alfie-Fisher-Kovie line and the points scored by that line. They have a total 32 points, by far the highest scoring line for the Sens. It's no surprise that the line has so many points. AK-27's presence counts for a lot. He is a play organizer, he sets up offensive zones. That he hasn;t wound up on the scoresheet as often is that they only count two assists. Backtrack the play a little more, and you'll likely find Kovalev carrying the puck in, passing back to the D to set up the play, dragging a couple of opponents in his orbit thus freeing a teammate. He is constantly the target of opposing blueliners and has taken some hard hits for his team.
In the end it is the team that scores the most goals that wins, not the player who scores the most. I'm sure we'd all love to have an Ovechkin on board. But that's not Kovalev's style. Wait for the challenges to happen, and see the response.
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