Capitals: Why There Should Be an NHL Version of “The Last Dance” Starring Alexander Ovechkin

Why Ovi?

Since he entered the league in the 2005-2006 season, Alexander Ovechkin has been one of, if not the most popular player in the NHL. He attracted hockey fans by being a dynamic sniper with a personality.

He is a player who is unforgivably emotional on the ice, as evident by his early goal celebrations and thundering body checks. Everything about the way Ovechkin plays screams passion for the game of hockey.

This is very similar to Michael Jordan. Jordan is and always has been about winning. Watching some of Ovechkin’s highlights, it is hard to argue he is not all about the same thing.

However, there have been critics who have said that Ovechkin was a selfish hockey player whose only concern was about individual stats. He did not have what it took to lead a team all the way. These arguments plagued Ovi for years, only withering away 13 years after his career had begun and Lord Stanley was above his head.

There was a very similar argument made about Michael Jordan early in his career before he and the Bulls became one of the greatest dynasties in the history of professional sports. They said that MJ could win the scoring titles, but he couldn’t lead a team all the way. Ovechkin, much like MJ with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, could not rise to the ranks of Gretzky, Howe or even Crosby unless he won the Stanley Cup.

That would be a central theme to the docuseries, and the main reason for choosing Ovi as the star would make the series more enticing than if they selected another player. It is exciting to watch one of the greatest players of all time finally obtain what they had been chasing for so long; The one thing holding them back from being considered one of the greats.

Hearing Ovi, and other players who have played with/against Ovechkin throughout his career, discuss what it was like for him to have to play through these criticisms and what it took to prove them all wrong.