Sidney Crosby & Alex Ovechkin are Fading Into the Sunset
It’s a sad truth that extends well beyond professional sports. People get older, and they can’t continue to do what they used to.
Sometimes, recognizing the change is what hurts the most.
That’s because the decline doesn’t happen immediately. There are a few minor changes that we brush off as anomalies, but we are still catching glimpses of the greatness that once was. But eventually, abnormalities start to out-pace feats, and then it’s just a matter of time before it all comes crashing down.
Sid the Kid & The Great Eight
For the past two decades, hockey fans have been treated to two of the best the NHL has ever showcased. Thanks in part to the 2004-05 lockout, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby came into the league simultaneously. Both were selected first overall in their respective drafts. The Washington Capitals drafted Ovi in 2004, while the Pittsburgh Penguins were gifted Sid the Kid the following year.
Since then, both players have become synonymous with their respective franchises, taking turns as the face of the NHL. Although it took Ovechkin a few more years, they both conquered the league, claiming virtually every piece of hardware that could be handed out.
Starting to Slide
No one is taking those glory years away, but they also aren’t returning.
As teams, the Pens and Caps are starting to slide. The teams’ performances are analogous to what we’re seeing from Sid and The Great Eight, as age is beginning to slow down the league’s former best players.
It was an inevitable demise after 20 years of dominance, but the teams and fans should start to brace themselves for what comes next.
Individual Metrics
Crosby and Ovechkin aren’t producing the way they once were.
The Penguins captain has seen a decrease in his underlying metrics this year. Crosby’s goals-for percentage is the lowest since the injury-plagued 2019-20 campaign and the third-lowest of his career. That benchmark is being impacted by worse relative metrics, as Crosby’s scoring and high-danger chance ratings are among the worst they’ve ever been.
Like Ovechkin bearing down on an opposing player with the puck, this year has hit the Caps forward much harder. The three-time MVP has yet to record a goal at five-on-five this season, posting the worst shooting percentage of his career. Moreover, it seems increasingly unlikely that Ovechkin will snap out of his funk, considering his sub-optimal analytics. The 38-year-old has the worst high-danger chance rating of his career (42.2%) despite an abundance of starts in the attacking zone (73.7%).
Limited Team Success
Pittsburgh and Washington are paying for their stars’ diminished production. The Pens sit dead last in the Metropolitan division, winning just three of their first eight games. That’s only one spot worse than the Capitals, ranking seventh in the division on the strength of an overtime loss.
Still less than a month into the season, there’s plenty of runway for the Penguins and Capitals to turn things around. But if not this season, it’s just a matter of time before the bottom falls out.
Bearing No Fruit
Don’t get things crossed; both teams have played a role in their eventual collapses. Neither franchise has implemented succession planning, and both have made questionable decisions via trades and expansion drafts. Consequently, there is a scarce amount of resources on the horizon as the Pens and Caps begin to look toward future years.
Adieu
It’s not time to bid farewell just yet, but the time is quickly approaching.
Until then, continue to embrace the glimpses. The decline of Crosby and Ovechkin is another sad reminder that greatness is fleeting.
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