Hockey Mom Talks Ovechkin And Karlzner

Saleena is a huge Caps fan and a hockey mom.  During this upcoming season she will be dishing out punishments and rewards to different players in the NHL.

I for one am glad that NHL hockey will be back.  I may be in the minority, but I’d take the non-stop action of a hockey game over the grand total of about 8-minutes of action in what seems like the 11-hours of TV coverage of a football game any day.

Lucky for Caps fans, that’s not where our beloved boys in red have been spending their time.  That being said, the lockout wasn’t the best thing that could happen to all Caps players.  So let's find out who got ice cream, and who I sent to the penalty box without dessert:

ICE CREAM:  The Great 8

As much as I wish I had a fresh approach to the player who may have benefited most from the lockout, my vote has to go to Alex Ovechkin.  I firmly believe that a domesticated Ovi will be a more productive Ovi.

Spending time in his friendly Russian territory has reignited the spark that has been dwindling the past couple of seasons.   Only around 200 NHL players went to Europe, and while I seriously doubt those who stayed behind spent their days eating Ben & Jerry’s and playing Just Dance 4, those who stayed active in a league of the caliber of the KHL will unquestionably have conditioning and momentum on their side.

Ovechkin’s 19 goals and 21 assists in 31 games won’t reignite the “Ovechtrick” campaign (thank God), but certainly point to the fact that he’s played good hockey while hockey wasn’t being played here.

GROUNDED WITHOUT DESSERT:  Karlzner

I can only assume that those who have been playing have an edge over those who haven’t, period.   The sporadic accounts I read of Carlson’s skate sessions at Kettler sounded more like the stick ‘n’ shoot sessions my son goes to when he wants to mess around with his friends.   I’m placing the Wonder Twins in the “may not have done all of the summer reading” lockout camp.