If Bruce Boudreau had it his way, Alex Ovechkin would have settled down long ago.
The Minnesota Wild head coach and former boss in Washington delivered a strong one-liner when asked about the difference he's seen in the Capitals star, who got married last summer - and exceeded the 1,000-point threshold Wednesday night.
Boudreau on if Ovechkin is a different player today: "Well, he's more mature. I had him when he was single." 😂
With Boudreau sending him over the boards, Ovechkin scored 197 goals and an NHL-best 410 points in 313 games, or 1.31 points per outing compared to 1.04 under his other coaches.
The Winnipeg Jets were pummeled 7-4 by the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night in an effort that was more dismal for the Jets than it was masterful on the part of the Canadiens.
What stuck out, once again, for the Jets was their porous goaltending. Connor Hellebuyck was given the hook after allowing three goals on seven shots in the first period, but Michael Hutchinson didn't fare any better in relief, conceding four goals on 23 shots the rest of the way.
It's the same old song and dance for a Jets team struggling to find consistency between the pipes. Sure, they've largely given the reins to Hellebuyck this season, but the club is no better for that decision as both have produced unremarkable numbers.
Goalie
Games Played
GAA (League Rank)
SV% (League Rank)
Hellebuyck
33
2.73 (31st)
.910 (T-31)
Hutchinson
17
3.30 (49th)
.890 (48th)
League rank based on goalies with at least 10 games played.
The most obvious solution would be to try making a deal with a club currently boasting two strong goaltenders - and many candidates fit that bill.
Of course, the impending expansion draft is likely to see at least one of the names above selected by the Golden Knights or moved due to the fear of that very scenario playing out.
According to Cap Friendly, the Jets currently have the fourth-most cap space in the league: approximately $12 million dollars to play with, meaning they can certainly afford any of the men above.
However, with trades becoming as rare as Bigfoot, the Jets might be forced to do the one thing they hoped they'd never have to - recall Ondrej Pavelec.
Yes, the 29-year-old's play has been suspect in the past - but so too is the play of the club's current duo, and desperate times call for desperate measures.
Pavelec was banished to the American Hockey League this season and has played 17 games there for the Manitoba Moose, going 7-7-2 with a 2.88 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
The numbers are hardly any better than those of Hellebuyck or Hutchinson, but the team needs a change and Pavelec - despite his flaws - has proven in the past that he can provide solid goaltending.
In order to make that move, one of Hellebuyck or Hutchinson would have to be sent down. Hellebuyck is waiver-exempt, so there are no worries there, while Hutchinson would have to clear waivers - but given his numbers, it's safe to say that's unlikely.
There are no easy, quick-fix solutions, but the Jets have now given up a league-high 132 goals, with the fourth-worst goals against per game at 3.00. The time to act is now.
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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Thursday, Jan. 12 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockeyand apply to 5v5 situations):
Dynamic Duos
LW Taylor Hall (60K) & C Travis Zajac (39K), Devils (at Oilers): The Oilers have stacked their top line with both C Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, allowing Zajac and Hall to attack a second line allowing 9.08 scoring chances per 60 minutes. The two second lines are near equals in Corsi For percentage, with Hall's line expected to score 2.46 goals per 60.
LW Henrik Zetterberg (50K) & RW Anthony Mantha (32K), Red Wings (at Stars): While still technically a winger, Zetterberg has been centering RWs Gustav Nyquist and Mantha for some time, with the unit having played over 210 minutes together at 5v5. The main draw is Mantha, who has seven goals and 10 points in his past nine games. The Stars have the fourth-highest xGA60 in the league.
C Rickard Rakell (40K) & RW Corey Perry (64K), Ducks (at Avalanche): The Avalanche finish just 46.96 percent of its shifts in the offensive zone. While Anaheim is at only 48.15 percent, it's still a marked improvement. Colorado's 46.45 Corsi For percentage ranks fourth last in the league.
Goalie Breakdown
TARGET - Devan Dubnyk (99K), Wild (vs. Canadiens): The Canadiens were 7-4 victors on the road in Winnipeg Wednesday night. Backup G Al Montoya allowed four goals on just 27 shots. Montreal will turn back to starter Carey Price for Thursday's matchup, but Dubnyk is in position to continue his success against a tired opponent.
BARGAIN - Carey Price (76K), Canadiens (at Wild): Price was shelled for four goals against the Washington Capitals Monday and had the night off in the first half of the back-to-back. He never deserves to have a salary this low, and he could face more shots with his teammates likely to be tired. His upside is near the highest level.
FADE - Mike Condon (116K), Senators (vs. Penguins): Contrarily to Price, Condon's salary should never be this high, even against a team coming off a loss in the second half of a back-to-back.
CONTRARIAN - Petr Mrazek (84K), Red Wings (at Stars): The Stars remain without LW Jamie Benn, depleting their top two lines which have been responsible for nearly all of their scoring this season. Cs Jason Spezza and Tyler Seguin need to be feared when playing together on the first line, but Mrazek will have an excellent chance for the win if he can fare better than Kari Lehtonen or Antti Niemi.
Bargain Plays
LW Marcus Foligno (25K), Sabres (at Lightning): Foligno has scored in three consecutive games, totaling eight shots on goal along the way. This level of success is clearly unsustainable, but he is benefiting from playing on the Sabres' top line with C Jack Eichel and RW Brian Gionta. He also totaled seven hits and five blocked shots in those three games, providing a fall-back floor.
C Frank Vatrano (25K), Bruins (at Predators): Vatrano is skating on the left side of the Bruins' second line with C David Krejci and RW David Backes. He played 14:56 in his first game in the role and picked up a goal and an assist on three shots, while also being credited with two hits and a blocked shot. His floor is above his salary.
D Jared Spurgeon (25K), Wild (vs. Canadiens): Spurgeon has averaged 25:06 of ice time over his past eight games, playing no less than 22:43 in a single game. His salary isn't indicative of this type of usage while skating beside D Ryan Suter on the Wild's top pairing. His upside comes in his four goals and six points in those eight games.
Top Fades
C Ryan Johansen (68K), Predators (vs. Bruins): Johansen is point-less in three game, and he hasn't scored since Dec. 20. He has recorded three shots on goal in two of his past three games, but he has been providing next to nothing in hits or blocked shots. He isn't worth the salary with Bruins C Patrice Bergeron likely to take away his upside.
LW Zach Parise (61K), Wild (vs. Canadiens): The Canadiens rested starting G Carey Price in the first half of their back-to-back in order to preserve him for Thursday's matchup. The Wild are still favored at home, but Parise is unlikely to provide the multiple points he needs at this salary.
D John Klingberg (50K), Stars (vs. Red Wings): Klingberg has gone without a point in two games since back-to-back multi-point games. He still isn't shooting with enough consistency to warrant his top-tier salary, and he had just three hits and four blocked shots in his past four games.
Contrarian Options
C Matt Duchene (58K), Avalanche (vs. Ducks): Duchene should be able to avoid the Ducks' top line which is currently being centered by C Ryan Kesler with C Ryan Getzlaf still out of the lineup. Duchene has gone point-less in four consecutive games, but he still plays between 18 and 20 minutes every night.
D Erik Karlsson (54K), Senators (vs. Penguins): Karlsson has just one assist in his past six games and has had multiple shots on goal in just one of the six contests. His ice time and usage remain at their normal rates, and he will be facing a tired Penguins team. Don't shy away from the still-high salary.
RW Jiri Hudler (27K), Stars (vs. Red Wings): There should be plenty of scoring between the Stars and Red Wings, with both teams having been victimized by horrible goaltending for large portions of the season. Daily fantasy owners like the Stars' top duo of Seguin and Spezza, but Hudler offers a cheap alternative while skating as the third member of the trio.
The greatest scorer of this generation has provided a multitude of extraordinary moments on his path to 1,000 points.
Here are five that best illustrate Alex Ovechkin's greatness:
The Goal
Let's not bury the lede.
In his 44th game in the NHL, and while charting a path to a 52-goal, Calder Trophy-winning rookie season, Ovechkin scored an outrageous, extraordinary, stupid, unthinkable, impossible goal versus the Phoenix Coyotes.
It was something unlike we've ever seen before, or will see again. And it was the moment many realized Ovechkin would thrill us like no one else has.
Another 'Wow' moment
Ovechkin is much more than a stationary trigger man. The goal that might best showcase his complete attacking portfolio was this stunning marker against the Montreal Canadiens in 2009.
The creativity with the bank, the power on the edge, the insatiable desire to score. Unreal.
The Duel
In the second round in 2009, Ovechkin and longtime rival Sidney Crosby each scored a hat trick, making for one of the most memorable Stanley Cup playoff games in the post-lockout era. But if we're being honest, "The Duel" was a touch one-sided.
Ovechkin erased Crosby's first with a gorgeous finish in transition, then scored two breathtaking goals (one from his common post above the circle on the power play, and the other on a one-on-one rush) in the third period to put the Capitals up two.
The scenes in Washington were spectacular.
Trucking Jagr
We weren't being completely truthful when mentioning earlier that we saw the entirety of Ovechkin's offensive talent on one play. There's another, more devastating manner in which he can create.
Case in point:
1K
Always a showman. With all eyes on him on a nationally televised game versus the Penguins with a chance to collect his 1,000th career point, Ovechkin rather predictably delivered 35 seconds after the puck dropped.
Also worth noting:
What may best define Ovechkin's hockey legacy (but doesn't make for the best highlight) is his commitment to his country.
From suffering a shoulder injury in the world junior final in 2005, to falling short in three Olympic bids, Ovechkin's greatest heartbreaks have been suffered while wearing a Russian uniform. But his passion to win a best-on-best title for his country burns as it always has, and he's championed the movement to play in the upcoming Olympics regardless of whether the NHL decides to go.
Captain Alex Ovechkin wasted no time reaching 1,000 points this week. The effort was capped off by a two-goal effort against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but it was his strong play since the holiday break that made Wednesday's achievement possible.
Holtby has allowed just three goals against in four games since being pulled against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 3. He posted his first set of back-to-back shutouts following the loss and has put up an outstanding .974 save percentage in that span.
With seven straight wins under their belt, it seems another Presidents' Trophy is certainly not out of the question for the Capitals.
▼Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are saying all the right things, but those sentiments have had little impact on their success of late.
The club currently sits four points out of a playoff spot, nestled sixth in the Atlantic Division, and Jon Cooper knows it's time for his team to rally. This weekend he went on record saying now is the time for the Lightning to climb back into the playoff picture.
There's no better opportunity to do so than with the Maple Leafs - who sit a win above them in the standings - on their bye week. However, following those comments, Tampa Bay dropped its fourth straight game, a 6-2 shelling by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The club will get back to it Thursday when it plays the first game of a back-to-back against the Buffalo Sabres.
It won't be an easy road back up the standings, with games against the Blue Jackets, the Blackhawks, and all three California clubs over the next two weeks.
▲ Brent Burns
Forget the Norris Trophy - Brent Burns has his eyes on the Art Ross.
Thanks to a quartet of multi-point games over the last week, the San Jose Sharks defenseman - let that sink in for a moment - is now just four points behind Connor McDavid for the NHL scoring lead and one point from matching Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane for second spot.
This season, only McDavid and Crosby have more multi-point games than Burns - who's posted 13.
Burns' torrid pace of late has given him a solid cushion in the defenseman scoring race, leading in both goals and points by a margin of seven in each category.
If he keeps it up, he might just squeeze his name into Hart Trophy consideration as well.
However, beyond 2016's top two draft picks putting together historic seasons, there have been multiple rookies exceeding expectations and make their marks in the pros. Here are a few of them:
Matthew Tkachuk
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree with this one.
Drafted sixth overall by the Calgary Flames last June, Tkachuk exudes the tenacious, "in-your-face" style his dad, Keith, employed as a 20-year-pro.
Like his father, he's got some offense in him, too. Tkachuk's 27 points are tied with Mikael Backlund and Johnny Gaudreau for the Flames' lead, and rank fourth on the rookie scoring list.
The 19-year-old leads rookies with 74 penalty minutes, and has been credited with 40 hits. He's filling the exact role Calgary was missing, transitioning seamlessly from a truly dominant season with the OHL's London Knights last year.
Mitch Marner
While Matthews has drawn most of the spotlight in Toronto, the Maple Leafs' first-round pick from 2015 is making quite a name for himself.
Marner's 32 points trail only Laine and Matthews in the rookie race, and his 22 assists lead the pack.
We've all known since his OHL days how ridiculously gifted he is offensively, but Marner has earned constant praise from head coach Mike Babcock for his willingness to work every shift - so much so that Babcock keeps his young superstars separated, because, like Matthews, Marner has already earned the responsibility of carrying his line.
Marner has etched his mark in the league already with his skill and energy. It's funny to think just four months ago, many were wondering if he's too small for the NHL.
Ivan Provorov
The Philadelphia Flyers struck gold with their first-round selection in 2015.
After an extra year dominating the junior ranks in 2015-16, Provorov made the jump to the NHL this season and has looked every bit the part of a budding No. 1 defenseman.
Provorov ranks second among all rookies in shifts per game (28.2) and third in ice-time (21:17). Not to mention, he's chipped in 18 points for a Flyers franchise that has long struggled to employ a reliable two-way threat on the blue line.
The 19-year-old's smooth, cerebral approach to the game has earned him a workhorse role for the Flyers, and don't expect that to change anytime soon.
Jack Capuano isn't singling anyone out, but he's not discriminating when it comes to laying blame, either.
The New York Islanders head coach directed his frustration at the team's offseason additions, veterans, and young players alike, after a 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers at home in the Barclays Center on Wednesday night.
"We signed some guys for reasons, we want to give those guys an opportunity," Capuano said postgame, according to the New York Post's Brett Cyrgalis.
"There are some other guys, too - you can say the veteran guys, but there are a few of the young guys - you watch the game tonight, they were non-factors," he said.
"What you need to do right now, in the time that you're in this game right now, you have to come to the rink and you have to be a difference-maker. If you don't have that mindset to be a difference-maker, knowing it's a crucial time with games in hand, to play like you played tonight, then you're in the wrong profession as an athlete."
One of the Islanders' offseason signings, Jason Chimera, was on the ice for less than 10 minutes on Wednesday night, and Andrew Ladd, a more significant addition, played under 15 minutes himself.
Capuano revealed he'll be making some changes when the Islanders play the Panthers again in Florida on Friday night.
"There are guys that will be out of the lineup next game, no doubt about that," he said. "It's the accountability of the coaching staff to do what they have to do."
The Islanders have sunk to the basement of the Eastern Conference with only 15 wins in 39 games.
