To the dismay of Don Cherry and Canada: Alexander Ovechkin is the face of the NHL

The great 8 spins around Hamlik, dashing to the goal Ovechkin falls down, shoots and scores! Alexander Ovechkin pumps his chest and leaps into the boards as teammates join him. The crowd is roaring at Verizon Center. Ovechkin’s tenacious play and exuberant celebrations have made him a star across the National Hockey League but not everyone agrees with his swagger and I am befuddled by this stubbornness.

Recently Don Cherry, on his show Coaches Corner, chastised Alexander Ovechkin for celebrating like a “goofy soccer player.” Cherry then goes onto say that he is trying to teach the children to play hockey the “Canadian way” with respect, dignity, and especially no showmanship. This thought is just as outdated as Don Cherry himself, who began his NHL coaching career with the Boston Bruins then switched to commentating in 1980 and his eccentric outfits and brash commentary have been a staple in Canadian hockey ever since.

 In no way does Alex Ovechkin show up anybody by doing his signature jump into the boards at Verizon Center. The fact is Ovechkin’s celebratory nature and ferocity for which he plays the game has opened up the National Hockey League to a whole new market.

            Perhaps the “Canadian way” does not work. According to ESPN, the Washington Capitals’ average attendance has risen from 13,905 to 18,072 people since Ovechkin’s rookie season. In the exact same time frame, Canada’s hero Sidney Crosby has only contributed to 1,000 more people in the seats since his rookie season, plus you must take into account they now have superstar Evgeni Malkin.

            Cherry’s comments followed a game between Crosby and Ovechkin, during the game, Ovechkin was hit from behind by Crosby while returning to the bench. A war of words ensued and each critique the others playing style after the game. The NHL has been touting Sidney Crosby has the new face of the NHL since his junior hockey days. Yes, he speaks English, he is from North America, and he is a good looking guy but we already had Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky elevated hockey to where it was four years ago and now it is time to use a new strategy, excitement and passion. Ovechkin’s style is something completely new to his position, often times you see players like Mario Lemieux score goals and that’s it. Ovechkin scores and hits as well, he is continuously going and plays his heart no matter what the situation. People respect his style of play. Even more so then his style, many have fallen in love with Ovechkin’s charisma. Only in the last year has the NHL embraced Alex Ovechkin’s charisma’s which was showcased in the 2009 All-Star game where he stole the spotlight with his fun costume and artful goal scoring. Ovechkin’s rise to fame has proven to the NHL that fans appreciate what they see on the ice more so than a person’s ability to speak a language.

            The best way to prove Ovechkin is the new face of the NHL is to prove he is the best player in the game. Michael Jordan was the best at his sport; Tiger dominates his sport, and so does Alexander Ovechkin. In his rookie season, Alex finished third in points with 106. Last season Ovechkin broke a 17 year old record by scoring 65 goals in just one season. This season Ovechkin leads by 8 goals over second place. The statistics do not lie, they are not bias toward Canadians, and statistics do not base goals on who is better looking.

            It is time for Canada, Don Cherry and his ridiculous outfits, which can be seen as showing up other host, to let hockey become a worldwide sport. You do not hear the United States complaining about baseball’s increasing Asian and Latin American influence into the game. You do not hear the National Basketball Association complain about the influx of European talent, in fact the NBA embraces the worldwide audience and it has helped them to become perhaps the second most popular sport in the world. Remember what Cherry said when criticizing Ovechkin? He said that he needed to teach kids the “Canadian way” so “we don’t start acting like those goofy soccer players…” Those goofy soccer players are part of the world’s most popular sport. People across the world, with the exception of Canada, love flare, excitement, charisma, passion and most importantly a love of their fans. The key to Ovechkin’s celebration is to vault into the boards and celebrate with his fans. The fans decide who the face of a sport becomes, luckily Don Cherry does not.