Does Ovechkin play World Championships? Russia without Ovechkin

EDITORIAL ANSWER: Alexander Ovechkin and his Washington Capitals club dropped out of the Stanley Cup on the night of May 10-11, losing in the decisive match of the series to Pittsburgh.

Thus, three Washington players at once - defender Dmitry Orlov and forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alexander Ovechkin were free for an invitation from the national team, where two vacancies were left especially for them in the application

The coaches of the Russian national team immediately contacted the Russian hockey players of "Washington" - all three agreed to urgently fly to Cologne and help the national team. However, Ovechkin warned that he was unlikely to be able to play in the first game of the playoffs, because he was injured in matches with Pittsburgh, and he could only play the last two games of the Stanley Cup series with the help of painkillers.

The national team headquarters decided that Ovechkin, in his current state, would not be able to help the national team, and it was better for him to focus on recovery. Orlov and Kuznetsov have been called up to the national team and should join the team on May 12th.

QUESTION: What kind of injury prevented Ovechkin?

EDITORIAL ANSWER: According to the first reports from Washington, Alexander suffered a groin injury in the previous match against Pittsburgh. In the last two matches, the club's doctors were able to use injections to ensure that he was able to go on the ice, but in the last match, Alexander still could not play at full strength. As a result, he finished the game with a utility indicator of minus 2, Washington lost 0:2, and .

QUESTION: How heavy is this loss for the national team?

EDITORIAL ANSWER: Since 2004, Ovechkin has taken part in the World Ice Hockey Championships 12 times as part of the Russian national team. Three times - in 2008, 2012 and 2014 - he won gold medals.

QUESTION: Who will replace Ovechkin in the national team?

EDITORIAL ANSWER: Most likely, instead of him, Kirill Kaprizov will be announced for the World Championship.

Due to health issues. But his partners in the Capitals - and - will soon join the national team. "SE" explains why the coaching staff made the right decision.

Mikhail ZISLIS

Don't wait for Ovechkin. His “Washington” once again flew out of the Stanley Cup, but for the first time in his career, Alexander will not come to the World Championship. The official reason is an injury from which the hockey player had to spend his last matches against Pittsburgh on injections. But even if Alexander the Great were completely healthy, his call to Cologne would be a mockery of himself and common sense. What happened tonight in the US capital was one of the main tragedies in the career of the Russian super-forward.

In years past, when the Capitals were eliminated from the playoffs despite Ovechkin's best efforts, one could recall the old adage "there's always a next time." Now the Russian has missed, if not the last chance to win something at the level, then the penultimate one for sure. You would not wish to be in Ovechkin's place now even for a mortal enemy. A new attempt to take a swing at the Stanley Cup is merged into the sand. And who knows if this "last time" will be? In the offseason, the current "Washington" objective reasons- a salary cap, new contracts and an expansion draft in favor - can turn into a completely different, much lower level team.

Age seems to play a role as well. Fluttering like before on the ice and crushing everything that moves, not forgetting to score packs of goals, it’s getting harder for Alexander. You can't argue against physiology. You don't have to be a sage to understand what's going on in Ovechkin's heart. The words on duty in this situation about devastation and disappointment do not convey even a tenth of what he feels now. Will he help the team in this position? Indeed, in addition to good physical shape and desire, emotions are needed. From them, after a dramatic defeat, scorched earth was left.

Wednesday. Washington. “Washington” – “Pittsburgh” – 0:2. Emotions of Alexander OVECHKIN. Photo AFP

Ovechkin always broke into the national team at the first call and in any condition, for example, with a crack in his leg, as was the case in 2013. - his coach, and he will not look for similar reasons for refusal. The coaching staff of the national team made the best choice in this situation - they showed sympathy and did not finish off Ovechkin. I am sure that now such a decision will be accepted by the public with one hundred percent understanding.

If Ovi were in Cologne, all attention would be on the Washington striker, from the media to the fans. You can try to hastily try to return the player to the comfort zone even in such conditions. But is it worth it? Last year served as an excellent example that a good idea is not always implemented in practice. Ovechkin tried hard, but there was little use for him in Moscow.

And the national team coaches would have to reformat the team from top to bottom. And this is at a time when almost everything in her is perfect. As a result, Ovechkin himself and the national team would have suffered. The head coach of “Washington”, answering questions from reporters after the seventh game, asked to leave his leader alone. This specialist is well aware of what is happening at the moment with his most star player.

Surely now it’s not easy for Ovechkin’s young partners in the club - and. But they are still young, they have to sign new contracts in the summer, and the future for them still seems quite cloudless. Restoring emotions should be much easier for them. In addition, unlike Ovechkin, they did not make mistakes in the playoffs, which can be called fatal. Moreover, Orlov and Kuznetsov were among the top four or five Washington players in the Stanley Cup.

And, no matter how seditious it may sound, both are now more needed for the national team than Ovechkin. The defense and the central axis still raise questions, so their invitation is justified from a sporting point of view. Whereas with the left edges - Ovechkin's position - everything is in order in the national team, even taking into account the injury.

I have no doubt that if Kuznetsov and Orlov do not experience health problems, then they will go to Germany on the very first plane. As for Ovechkin, I recall the case with the famous American sniper. At one time, he also scored a bunch of goals, but he won his first Stanley Cup only at the age of 34. Alexander has two full seasons left to reach this mark. Maybe we will see another "last time" performed by Ovechkin?

On the evening of May 11, it became known that Alexander Ovechkin, forward of the Russian national hockey team and the Washington Capitals NHL club, would not help the national team at the World Championships taking place these days in Germany and France.

“Forward Alexander Ovechkin will not be able to help the national team at the World Cup due to a lower body injury. The headquarters of the national team contacted three Russian players of the Washington Capitals, and they all agreed. However, striker Alexander Ovechkin, in a conversation with coaches, said that he always came to the national team at the first call and is ready to do it now, but does not want to let the team down, as he finished the playoffs on painkillers, ”the message on the official website of the Ice Hockey Federation says. Russia.

The news, of course, provoked a strong reaction in the hockey community. Russian fans really hoped for the arrival of one of the leaders of the national team for the world championship.

“Ovechkin is, of course, a loss, a player of this level! Today I gave an interview to German TV, everyone is waiting for him, a world-class star, but the injury does not allow, the person played on painkillers.

Ovechkin will always fit into any team, a world-class player, coaches would find a use.

God grant that Kuznetsov and Orlov are healthy, all three and only two months are needed, they are very suitable for us, ”Championat.com quotes FHR President Vladislav Tretyak.

Earlier, Ovechkin, along with Washington, completed his performance in the Stanley Cup, losing in the quarterfinal playoff series to Pittsburgh. To determine the winner of the pair, the teams needed to play seven matches out of seven possible. The Russian was the only one who completed the last meeting of the confrontation with -2.

“We didn't use our chances. But we tried. We tried very hard. We made a couple of mistakes, and it cost us to reach the conference finals, ”the official NHL website quotes Ovechkin.

Angry at the unsatisfactory result, Capitals head coach Barry Trotz declined to answer questions about the team's captain after the game.

“Why, in my opinion, Ovechkin has never shot in the playoffs in his career? Now I am emotional and do not want to answer this question.

We win and lose as a team - perhaps this is the best answer that I can give right now. I don’t want to answer questions about Ovechkin, ”the official NHL website quotes him as saying.

Of course, such a load could not but affect the health of the hockey player. Some experts have already expressed the opinion that the coaching staff of the national team should give the striker a rest and not call him to the World Cup.

In addition, the current composition of the national team at the moment is doing an excellent job with its tasks at the World Cup, winning one after another. In this situation, it seems pointless to give an even greater load to an already elderly athlete.

“My opinion is that after being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, he is not in the best psychological condition.

Moreover, our team already has a squad, and Ovechkin is not needed. ”

- Alexander Martynyuk, Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, said in an interview with Gazeta.Ru.

There is also a popular point of view that in Cologne and Paris, younger hockey players should be allowed to prove themselves, whose performance at the World Championships would help them gain the necessary experience before the upcoming 2018 Olympics.

“Personally, I would give a chance to the guys who stay in Russia and go to the Olympics. They will get a very good and important experience in Cologne, ”Sovetsky Sport reports the words of the former head coach of the Russian national hockey team Vyacheslav Bykov.

However, it should be noted that a player of Ovechkin's caliber would certainly strengthen the national team with his presence. In addition to the highest level of playing skills, Alexander has always been distinguished by a professional attitude to business.

“I think that the arrival of our hockey players from Washington will be a huge plus for the Russian team.

Ovechkin always gives 200 percent - when Alexander is in the national team, he does not serve his number.

I know him.

Ovechkin is a patriot, he always comes to the national team with great desire and plays for it at the maximum, ”said Evgeny Artyukhin, forward of the Novosibirsk Sibir, a participant in the 2011 Ice Hockey World Championship, in an interview with Gazeta.Ru.

We, hockey fans, can only come to terms with reality: the national team will have to play in Germany and France without their leader.

You can get acquainted with other news, materials and statistics of the World Hockey Championship - 2017, as well as in the groups of the sports department in social networks

Several stars of our hockey have been collected at once -,. However, the most famous and promoted Russian player - - apparently, will miss the world championship for the first time since 2009. According to the “SE”, most likely, the coaching staff of the national team will not call the attacker even if his team leaves the Stanley Cup.

Pavel KLIMOVITSKY

12 world championships, three golds, two silvers and three bronzes. 73 matches, 33 goals and 61 points. Alexander Ovechkin always came to the national team: healthy and sick, when he did not get into the playoffs and when he was eliminated during the Stanley Cup. He came to the entire tournament, during its course, and even for one or two matches, never wondering why?

The only case since 2003 when Ovechkin was not in the championship happened eight years ago in Bern - Alexander simply did not make it to the national team after the failure of Washington. Just imagine: one missed tournament in 14 seasons! Russian stars of the 90s never dreamed of such a thing.

And he promised that he would go to the Olympics. When everyone, even the biggest players, turned their tails between their legs, stating how sad it was that Pyeongchang-2018 would be held without Enkhaelites, Alexander spoke and said the very words that others were afraid to say. As if hinting: Ovechkin is the Russian team. The Russian team is Ovechkin.

But the leadership of the main team, apparently, decided to do without Ovechkin at this championship. The decision is at first glance strange and perhaps even absurd. Considering all of the above, given the media size of Alexander, almost overlapping the popularity of all the other players of the national team combined.

However, if you think about it, you can find positive aspects. Imagine the state of Ovechkin after conditional relegation of the Capitals. This is not a cheerful one, who has a long-term NHL career ahead of him and many more chances to win the coveted Cup. Who in the national team, despite two gold medals at the World Championships, has so far achieved little on an individual basis - and he will not, and cannot have, problems with motivation.

Ovechkin will be overwhelmed a priori: by the heavy weight of a new fiasco, by his inexpressive game both in the regular season and in the playoffs. And for many sports fans who do not follow hockey so closely, it may come as a revelation that Ovechkin often did not stand out at the world championships.

In 2007 - 3 (1 + 2) points in 8 matches (although he, already being a star, then played in the fourth link).

In 2011 - 0 (!) points in 5 matches.

In 2016 at the home World Cup - 2 (1 + 1) points in 6 matches.

And in all three cases, Ovechkin came to the national team during the tournament - emotionally and physically emasculated. Do you want a repeat of the situation?

And it's not just fatigue. “SE” has repeatedly written about this, but it will not be superfluous to repeat: Ovechkin may not find a role in this team.

It must be clearly understood - yes, Alexander is one of the greatest hockey players of our time, but right now, at the time of May 5, 2017, he does not have powerful game advantages over competitors for a place on the left flank of the attack -, and - that would overlap their better emotional state and teamwork with partners. Alas, Ovechkin today is not a hockey Ronaldo. He will be replaced.

So is it worth it for Znarok to break the team over his knee and arrange for himself and others headache because of the possible arrival of a superstar? In addition, we do not know the opinion of Ovechkin himself. It is likely that Alexander is also ready to take a break. After all, he had already become world champion three times. And in February next year, the Olympics will be held in Pyeongchang. And if Ovechkin still gets on it, then absolutely it will be the tournament of his life.

And we should not bury Alexander and his "Washington" ahead of time. We will see him again in the national team sweater, and more than once. Let him still make an incredible comeback with his team in series c (Capitals loses series 1-3). And may Ovechkin take the Stanley Cup and fulfill his dream, which will allow him to finally enter the host of the greatest forwards in the history of world hockey.

OVECHKIN ALWAYS COME TO THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Since 2004, Alexander Ovechkin has taken part in 12 world championships, missing only the golden tournament for Russia in Switzerland. And even then because of the very early time of the championship, which ended on May 10 - earlier than all the series of the second round of the Stanley Cup. (Kirill BURDAKOV)

Ovechkin at the World Championships

	Location					Place of Russia
	Germany
	Slovakia
	Finland/Sweden
	Sweden/Finland
	Belarus
Total	12 tournaments					8 medals

The match between the national teams of Russia and Denmark is from this opera. The beginning of the meeting, and the entire first period as a whole, turned out to be quite calm. The Russians, as expected, played the first number, and the Danes defended, and they did it successfully. Had a good moment Dadonova, but his shot from close range Sørensen beat off with a trap.

The second dvadtsatiminutka began with a lethal situation at the Danish gates. Andronov shot at Telegina, who had only to correctly adapt to the puck and deliver an accurate shot, but Ivan failed to do either one or the other. Wards Oleg Znarka pressed, and, in the end, their efforts were crowned with success. At the 35th minute Kiselevich received a pass from Panarina, threw from an average distance and opened the scoring. And here the Russians broke through. Literally fifteen seconds after the first goal, Plotnikov, being all alone at the gates of Sorensen, received a pass, outplayed the goalkeeper and sent the puck into the net. And a minute later, Gusev took advantage of the rebound from the goalkeeper and drove the projectile under the crossbar.

In the third period, nothing has changed significantly. The Russian team won with a score of 3:0 and topped the table of group A.

Znarok: he called Ovechkin to the national team even with an injury

The head coach of the Russian national team Oleg Znarok spoke about the victory over the Danes and explained why Alexander Ovechkin would not come to the 2017 World Cup.

Ovechkin will not come to the World Cup, Kuznetsov and Orlov will strengthen the national team

The captain of the Washington Capitals will not play in the 2017 World Hockey Championship for the Russian team. This was reported to the "Championship" in the press service of the national team.

Team Alexandra Ovechkina, Evgenia Kuznetsova And Dmitry Orlov The Washington Capitals lost 2-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins at home in the Eastern Conference semifinal series decider and lost 3-4 in the series.

Ovechkin will not be able to help the national team at the World Cup due to a lower body injury. The headquarters of the national team contacted three Russian players of "Washington", and they all agreed. However, Ovechkin, in an interview with coaches, said that he always came to the national team at the first call and is ready to do it now, but does not want to let the team down, as he finished the playoffs on painkillers.

Two other Russians from Washington, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov, will soon join the national team.

“It’s a pity for Sasha, but Kuznetsov and Orlov are a serious reinforcement for the national team”

Kucherov feels sorry for Ovechkin, Tretiak hopes for the health of Orlov and Kuznetsov, Panarin is happy for Vasilevsky, and Dadonov has not forgotten English.

norwegian gambit

The match between the teams of the Czech Republic and Norway turned out to be much more stubborn. Both teams failed to open an account in 60 minutes of regular time. As expected, the Czechs were much closer to this, throwing their opponents three times, but a real wall grew in their goal in the face of Lars Haugena. The former goalkeeper of Dynamo Minsk rescued his partners in the most incredible situations, and for a long time the Czech forwards did not understand how to break through the goalkeeper who had caught courage.

The first and only one who succeeded was the striker of Magnitogorsk Metallurg Jan Kovar. At the beginning of overtime, the Czechs fled to the counterattack 2 to 1. Yerzhabek led Pastrnak to a rendezvous with Haugen. The Boston forward failed to beat the goalkeeper, but managed to pick up the puck and give it to the oncoming Kovarzh. From the first time, he also failed to break through the goalkeeper, but Jan played on the rebound, and the puck literally crawled into the Norwegian gate. Thus, the Czech Republic won and came third in their group.

The French almost created a sensation again

In the main match of the day in the Paris group, the hosts of the tournament - the French team - hosted the Canadian team. And here are the wards Dave Henderson, who have already presented one sensation in the championship, having defeated the Finns, almost surprised the hockey community for the second time. The account, quite expectedly, was opened by the founders of hockey - did it Ryan O'Reilly. That's just further events began to develop not at all according to their plan. In the middle of the starting game segment Olivier Dame Malka leveled the position, and in the debut of the second period Damien Fleury and completely brought the Fifth Republic team forward. The French have successfully played too much.

The former goalkeeper of Dynamo Minsk rescued his partners in the most incredible situations, and for a long time the Czech forwards did not understand how to break through the goalkeeper who had caught courage.

The sensational score held almost until the second break, while Claude Giroud from transmission Chris Lee did not compare. At the beginning of the third period Mark-Eduard Vlasich, who recently arrived at the location of the Canadian team, upset for the third time Floriana Hardy. With this score, the game ended. Canada topped group B, but the French are only two points away from fourth place, which means that they still compete for the playoffs.

The implementation of the majority let Latvia down in the match with the Swedes

The national team of Latvia has managed to render worthy resistance to Swedes. Landeskog in the 10th minute he opened the scoring, and for a long time he kept in this form. Moreover, the Latvians had enough chances to equalize it. Team Bob Hartley twice had the advantage of 5 to 3, but could not realize it. At the beginning of the third period, the Swedish national team played in the minority for almost ten minutes, but Latvia had obvious problems with the extra play. Punished them Lindholm, who successfully played on finishing moves and put an end to the match. 2:0 - Sweden beat Latvia and thanks to this victory they moved up to the playoff zone, finishing fourth in group A.

Wards of Dave Henderson, who have already presented one sensation in the championship, defeating the Finns, hardly surprised the hockey community for the second time.

Henrik Lundqvist will strengthen the Swedish national team

New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will take part in the 2017 Ice Hockey World Championship. This was reported on the official website of the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation.

The Rangers were eliminated from the Stanley Cup after being defeated by the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Swedes, after three matches of the world championship, have four points in their assets and occupy fifth place in group A.

Lundqvist last competed at the World Championships in 2008. He is the 2006 Olympic champion and 2014 Olympic silver medalist.

The Ice Hockey World Championship starts this week. We present our rating of goalkeeper lines for the national teams participating in the 2017 World Cup.

Draisaitl will play for the German national team, McDavid will not come to the World Cup

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl will play for Germany at the 2017 Ice Hockey World Championship. It is reported by Yahoo Sports.

The German striker played 82 matches in the regular season, in which he scored 77 (29 + 48) points, becoming the eighth scorer in the league. In 13 playoff games, he scored 16 (6 + 10) points and reached the semifinals of the Western Conference with his team, where he lost to the Anaheim Ducks in seven games.

Another leader of "Edmonton" Connor McDavid will not help Team Canada on .

Also, New York Rangers quarterback Brady Shay and striker Kevin Hayes play for the USA team.