Alex Ovechkin: Left Wing or Right Wing
By Dennis Amo
Apr 1, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals right wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates onto the ice prior to the second period against the Dallas Stars at Verizon Center. The Stars won 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Alex Ovechkin came into the league as a left winger with a lot of talent. Last year that was changed by former head coach Adam Oates, not the talent part but the winger part. Oates moved Alex to the right wing from the left.
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Barry Trotz is promoting a defense first philosophy but, along with Brian MacLellan, is also looking at moving Ovechkin back to his original position of left wing.
"So, is Alex Ovechkin a right-winger or a left-winger? “He’s a right-winger in the defensive zone who can cross-over to the left side offensively,” said Capitals GM Brian MacLellan. “I’ll start him on the right, but we know he can play left,” said coach Barry Trotz. “For sake of simplicity, let’s start that way.”– Pro Hockey Talk"
Where would Ovechkin, have the most productivity? Where ever he is happy. Trotz needs to work on the defensive aspect with Ovechkin first and then decide as to where he is going to play.
If Ovechkin is moved back to the left wing, does Brooks Laich move to the right wing or does Joel Ward move up to the first line with Laich moving down to the second. Either way someone from the left side would have to make the switch as well. Who does it inconvenience less? If Ovi is scoring goals, and the Caps are winning, I don’t think that it will be an issue with anyone on the ice.