Alex Ovechkin is still Alex Ovechkin

Professional athletes, especially hockey players, go through different phases in their careers. Some players start slow and pick up steam latter on while others enter with a bang and slowly fizzle out. For Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin the latter seemed to be true.

Ovechkin burst onto the NHL scene in 2005 scoring 52 goals and putting up 106 points in his rookie season. In the next four season he would score no less than 46 goals in each season and put up career numbers in 2007 when he scored 65 goals and notched 112 points. Alex Ovechkin was on top of the proverbial hockey world, winning trophies for individual accolades left, right and center. But one thing was missing, playoff success.

Despite being one of the most exciting and electrifying players in the NHL, Ovechkin still faced never ender scrutiny about his game. Many said he was a one-dimensional player who couldn't play defence and was selfish.

Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau decided he would transform Alex Ovechkin into that dynamic two-way player in order to better the Capitals as a whole. This new philosophy saw Ovechkin's scoring production plummet and he scored less than 40 goals for the first time in his NHL career.

Fast forward to the beginning of 2013 Alex Ovechkin still hadn't re-found his game, scoring just two goals in the teams first 10 games. Immediately discussions began that Ovechkin was no longer an elite player and had fallen from grace. The negativity surrounding the Russian sniper was absurd everyone was ready to write off the 27 year-old former superstar.

But to steal a line from the Russian himself; "You forgot to flush him down the toilet." Whoever's job it was to flush that toilet needs to be fired because Alex Ovechkin is back. He now has 23 goals in his teams last 29 games including a stretch that has seen him score 16 goals and add 7 assists in the last 14 games.

With two goals in Sunday nights win Ovechkin is tied with Steven Stamkos for the lead in the scoring race with 25 goals. It appears Alex Ovechkin is back, but it begs the question did he really go anywhere in the first place?

Every athlete goes through slumps at some point in their game. Some slumps are caused by health issues like Sidney Crosby has been dealing with, others are caused by maturity and a need to grow up like Patrick Kane. Even when Ovechkin was going through his "slump" he still put up 30+ goals. Sure it may not have been the 50+ goals we've become accustomed to but most teams would love players to score 30 goals during a slump.

One thing you have to remember is that when you have a player as skilled and gifted as Alex Ovechkin that skill doesn't just vanish! Ovechkin didn't just wake up one morning and turn into a "normal" player, he's always had the skill he showed early in his career and is showing now. He just didn't know how to use that skill without getting in trouble.

Alex Ovechkin is an exciting player who brings fans to games and scores highlight reel goals, but that often doesn't translate well to a team game. Coaches Bruce Boudreau and Dale Hunter both tried to change Ovechkin's game and force him to play defence. He was forced to play outside his comfort zone and was told by coaches that they'd rather win games 1-0 than 7-5. He was trashed in front of the media by his coaches and teammates- no matter where he turned everyone wanted to change him or criticize his game.

Now that Adam Oates is behind the Capitals bench, Alex Ovechkin seems to have found a coach he can trust. Yes Oates moved him from  the left side to the right side but the message was still the same- score goals. Oates is the first coach for the Capitals that has earned the respect and trust of Ovechkin.

“It’s respect. He never met me before. I totally respect who he is and what he’s accomplished and when you suggest something like that it has to be a meeting of the minds, with private conversations and he had to trust me." ~ Adam Oates

Alex Ovechkin feels comfortable know that his coach has faith in him and isn't going to try and change his game or throw him under the bus. That trust between player and coach is so key in the NHL today.

"This year is much different. It’s trust. I don’t have that last year. When you have those kind of feelings you want to go out there and play for your coach and do your best out there.” ~ Alex Ovechkin

Things are clicking for the great 8 and as a result Alex Ovechkin is starting to turn heads again. He's finding success on the power play again scoring 14 goals on the man advantage through 39 games, he's re-found the chemistry with Nicklas Backstrom and most importantly he trusts his coach.

Alex Ovechkin has evolved as a player through all the changes over the last 3-4 seasons. He's become more defencive, passes the puck more and is willing to go to the dirty areas. But what really stands out is the fact that Alex Ovechkin was on the ice with his team up one goal in the final minute of the game.

Early in that career that would never happen, they'd staple him to bench in close games. Now that there's trust, understanding and communication between Alex Ovechkin and Adam Oates, Ovechkin can be counted on to do the little things.

Is Alex Ovechkin's resurgance enough to earn him consideration for the MVP award? Alex Ovechkin is back and bette than before, he's still an elite NHL player who is going to prove all his critics wrong. The Washington Capitals are only as good as their star player and captain, now that he's ready to play they're making a run for the playoffs.

2012 HHOF Inductees

Apart from winning the Stanley Cup one of the great honours for a hockey player is to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame after they retire from the great game. Forever having you name etched into the Hall of Fame for generations of people to see, being known as a legend and a hero to young hockey fans. For 4 players their dreams came true on Tuesday: Mats Sundin, Joe Sakic, Adam Oates and Pavel Bure were all elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Mats Sundin
Let's start with a guy I actually got to see play. Growing up in Toronto everything is about the Leafs so when I began watching hockey I fell in love with Sundin. I loved the way he played the game and to me as a little kid he was a fantastic captain, and a true captain. Perhaps an ever rarer feat is getting voted into the Hall as a first timer, Sundin was voted into the Hall in his first eligible year. He retired after the 2008-2009 season and becomes the first player to end his career as a Canuck and be inducted into the Hall. While Sundin failed to raise Lord Stanley he was a legendary Toronto Maple Leafs. He played 13 seasons with the buds and was the captain from 1997-2008. He still holds franchise records in goals (420), assists by a forward (567) and total points (987). Despite failing to win a Stanley Cup, Sundin was the face of the Leafs franchise and a beloved captain.

"I think you have to be part of the Toronto Maple Leafs to understand the importance of the team for the city of Toronto," Sundin said. "It took a little while to learn that and also to understand the pressure to be a Toronto Maple Leafs player and coach and management, to live with that. The whole city lives and breathes the Toronto Maple Leafs. The longer you're there, you appreciate it more and you understand it's bigger than just trying to be a player. It was certainly the best time of my life.

While his NHL career was not overly successful (not Stanley Cup) he made up for it with his International play. He played 14 tournaments for team Sweden and won a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Sundin was also the first European player to be drafted first overall in 1989 by Quebec and was the first Swedish player to record 1000 points.

He played 18 seasons in the NHL and tallied 564 goals, 785 assists and 1,349 points in 1,346 games. Sundin also had the pleasure of seeing his jersey #13 raised to the rafters of the ACC and honoured by the Toronto Maple Leafs. It will be a long while before the Leafs have another captain like Sundin. Sundin may go down as one of the best players to play that never won a Stanley Cup.

Joe Sakic

Perhaps one of the greatest players to ever lace up the skates. Sakic won just about every major awards a hockey player can, including 2 Stanley Cups (1996, 2001), the Hart Trophy, the Conn Smythe trophy, the Lady Byng trophy and an Olympic Gold medal in 2002. He played all 20 NHL seasons with the Quebec Nordics/Colorado Avalanche franchise and still holds the franchise records for: goals (625), Assists (1,016) and points (1,641).

Like Sundin, Sakic was also a first year eligible nominee, but was considered a shoo-in by many. In addition to his two Stanley Cup wins, Sakic won the World Junior Championships, the World Championships, the World Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal.

In his 20 seasons with the Avalanche organization Sakic captained the team for 16 seasons and his the 2nd longest serving captain in NHL history. Sakic had an amazing and historic run in the NHL, and is very worthy of his election into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Adam Oates
Being elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame is a huge honour for any player, so you have to think Oates was having  a pretty good day when he got the call from the Hall. But if you can imagine his day got even better as he was also named the head coach of the Washington Capitals. Not a bad day eh?

"Obviously it's a fantastic day," Oates said. "I don't know if that has ever happened before.  I gotta go out and play lotto."

Oates has never won a Stanley Cup, he came close mere months ago as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils but will now have the opportunity to do so with Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

Oates had a 19 year NHL career which saw him split time between the Red Wings, Bruins, Capitals, Flyers, Ducks and Oilers. He was known for his passing skills and credits his parents for teaching him to be an unselfish athlete so he was able to develop the willingness to pass. Oates finished his career 6th all time in the NHL with 1,079 assists in addition to his assists he added 341 goals for 1,420 points.

One of the things NHL scouts look for in a prospect is size, in Oates draft year he wasn't very big and was passed on in the NHL. Instead he went to the NCAA were he won a NCAA division 1 championship in 1985.

"I was kind of a late-bloomer," Oates said. "When the scouts look at the draft, they look at the big kids. I was a small kid, a late-bloomer that slipped through the cracks. It allowed me to go to college, and then came that second wave of guys that got signed. I got to play 19 years in this League, and I'm very fortunate."

Pavel Bure

After defecting with his family Bure joined the Vancouver Canucks and won the Calder trophy in 1992. He was limited to just 12 NHL seasons due to knee injuries but Bure made the most of his time in the NHL. Scoring 60 goals twice and scoring (59 and 58) in two other seasons in his 702 NHL games. He averaged 36.7 goals per season and was able to record 779 points.

One man who played a part in three of the inductees careers Pat Quinn was quite proud:

"It's just incredible, really," Quinn said. "Having been around Pavel and Mats, and then also Joe on the Canadian teams, it's been such a privilege for me as a coach and hockey person. I watched them perform at such high levels all the time. I watched Pavel grow as a 20-year-old and become one of the brightest starts in the game. Mats was truly one of the great captains. With Joe, he was just spectacular in 2002. He was such a privilege to be around. He was a key leader for us. We wouldn't have a gold medal but for his accomplishments. "I am proud today. It's a good day for me as well."

Congratulations to Mats Sundin, Joe Sakic, Adam Oates and Pavel Bure. These four men now have their names permanently engraved in history at the Hockey Hall of Fame. I look forward to seeing these legendary players in the Hall next time I'm there.