Once Alex Ovechkin was suspended by the NHL on Monday the speculation immediately began: Would Ovechkin want to participate in All-Star weekend in Ottawa coming up on Thursday at all given the endless questions he’s sure to face during media availability in the Canadian capital?
At least according to TSN, the answer is likely no. An NHL spokesman said on Monday that Ovechkin is allowed to participate in the event. But he could not answer if Ovechkin would actually choose to participate in the events in Ottawa, including Saturday’s skills competition, or the All-Star game itself. We’ll likely get an answer on that Tuesday after practice. Ovechkin wasn’t made available to reporters after the three-game suspension was handed down Monday evening for a hit on Penguins forward Zbynek Michalek the day before.
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“The word out of Washington tonight is that at this point Alexander Ovechkin does not want to go to the All-Star weekend as a suspended player,” TSN reporter Bob McKenzie said on that network’s Insider Trading segment. “No firm decision’s been made on anything, but all accounts would lead us to believe that there’s going to be some decisions in Washington [Tuesday] with the Capitals, with Ovechkin about this issue. And I would bet right now that Alexander Ovechkin is going to want to withdraw from the NHL All-Star Game.”
Having spoken to Ovechkin about All-Star weekend, he has said all the right things after he was selected. He was happy to go to Canada, excited for the events, but had likely retired from the skills competition. There was a bit of a “been there, done that” vibe, though – one enforced by Ovechkin’s admission that he had to cancel vacation plans when he learned he had been selected. Kind of odd for a player who has been a fixture at All-Star weekend since he came into the league in 2005-06. Also a bit telling that even he realizes he’s off the form that got him to all those games in the first place.
Not that you’d blame Ovechkin for wanting some time off. There are lots of players who see the event as repetitive and it is rife with media and sponsor obligations. Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom tried to skip out on the All-Star game in Montreal in 2010 and was suspended for one game for his troubles along with teammate Pavel Datsyuk. And Lidstrom and Anaheim forward Teemu Selanne both asked out of the game this weekend and were given the go ahead. The NHL has clearly had a change-of-heart since then. But those are two aging players who have done their part over the years. Ovechkin is in his prime and presumably someone the league still wants to make available to fans and sponsors.
“But maybe you diffuse the controversy by not making a big deal out of it,” TSN reporter Darren Dreger said. “The National Hockey League would very much love to have Alexander Ovechkin over the weekend in the nation’s capital. Now, this is a softer and perhaps more gentler version of the NHL….[Lidstrom and Datsyuk] wanted to rest. They were bumped. They had some bruises. They were suspended one game each. Who’s losing here if Ovechkin doesn’t go is the fans. And the National Hockey League is keenly aware of that.”
I’m in the camp that says Ovechkin should suck it up and go. Would he rather hang out on a beach somewhere than spend four days in Ottawa getting pestered by questions? No question. Does he owe the fans anything? Probably not. The folks in Ottawa get to see him twice a year anyway. And I’m sure he’s angry about the suspension. But deal with those questions on the first media go-around Thursday or Friday and just no comment after that and try to enjoy the weekend. With Sidney Crosby out, among other stars, it’s left to guys like Ovechkin to carry the torch. Consider it part of the job description.
Follow me on Twitter @bmcnally14
