Two-time Stanley Cup winner with the New Jersey Devils Patrick Elias declared that the Russian Alexander Ovechkin loses speed, so its efficiency has decreased. Elias also noted that the striker will have to change his role in the team.
On Thursday, Ovechkin scored the decisive goal in overtime in the away match against Columbus (3:2). The Russian forward had not scored in 14 previous NHL games.
— Age is not just a number, it definitely affects a hockey player. The league is changing. I myself ended my career at 40.
Ovechkin is now 38 years old. He is used to scoring one goal after another, but he hasn’t started the season perfectly, while he has the opportunity to break Gretzky’s record for most goals scored. He is losing speed, he will have to adapt his game, so his whole team must change. They will no longer play him as a top player, but will try to find a slightly different role for him. It’s a difficult decision, especially for a new coach who has been working there since the first year,” Elias quotes Hokej.cz.
Ovechkin, 38, is the second-highest scorer in league history with 828 goals. According to this indicator, he is second only to Canadian Wayne Gretzky, who has 894 goals.
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
