Point/Counterpoint: Is Alex Ovechkin A Dirty Player?

The Copper & Blue takes a detailed look at the three most common reasons for spinal cord injuries in Canadian amateur hockey and the implications on the hits that have become so controversial in the NHL today. Amateur leagues have done their best to get rid of these types of plays and have significantly reduced spinal injuries because of it. Now it’s the NHL’s turn.

The debate has raged on all season long: is Alex Ovechkin a dirty player?

Ignited again by his most recent hit on Brian Campbell, SB Nation writers have provided the arguments for both sides of the story. Before voting in the poll below, read Derek Zona’s case for classifying Ovechkin as a dirty player. Then, read Travis Hughes’ case for Ovechkin as a reckless, but not necessarily dirty, player.

There are a lot of people out there who think Alex Ovechkin is a dirty player, but there’s one thing to note about players who are considered ‘dirty.’ It implies that there’s malicious intent. What Steve Downie did to Sidney Crosby over the weekend was a dirty play. The questionable hits Ovechkin has laid down over the course of his career are reckless, but not dirty.

Reckless play is not dirty play. Reckless play happens when players who play on the edge tip toe across that edge. Ovechkin is a high-flying, dynamic, entertaining, gifted hockey player. That’s what makes him such an appeal to everybody from the average sports fan to the diehard hockey fan. He plays on the edge, and sometimes, he goes over that edge, creating situations that can be dangerous for opposing players or even himself.

Read the counter-argument to this piece by clicking here. Once you read both, view the evidence in video form and vote in our poll by clicking here.

NHL fans and the hockey media need to accept that one of the biggest superstars in the game is a dirty player. Yes, he’s gregarious and yes, he plays hard, and yes, he might just be “reckless” as many have suggested, but in the end, Alex Ovechkin is a dirty player. His history of knee-on-knee hits alone is Bryan Marchment-like and his collection of boarding penalties are something out of Matt Cooke’s book.

That he’s a dirty player does not mean he’s not a superstar, and it shouldn’t preclude the typical media and fan worship that comes with superstar status. After all, the NHL has a history of dirty superstars from Gordie Howe to Mark Messier and many in between - and the league has had the ugly face of hockey front-and-center for years as the game’s luminaries have been involved in ugly incidents for as long as the NHL has existed.

The great Rocket Richard is always associated with the Richard Riot, but well before that he was a violent player prone to fits of rage that usually ended in an injury to his opponents. He was a supremely talented player that was chased, shadowed, harassed, hit, held and slashed, but that didn’t excuse the fact that he had no quarter for the opponent and often showed it by using his stick to carve their face like a sunday roast. He drew blood nearly as often as he tickled the twine.

Monday’s report has been confirmed: Chicago’s Brian Campbell has a broken collar bone and rib as a result of the hit from behind he received from Alexander Ovechkin on Sunday. Ovechkin was suspended two games for the illegal hit, which drove Campbell into the boards.

Campbell’s regular season is over, but he could be back sometime in mid-May to join the Blackhawks in the playoffs, assuming they’re still in contention.

A statement was released by the Washington Capitals on Tuesday with an apology from Alexander Ovechkin for Sunday’s check on Brian Campbell, which resulted in a two-game suspension. Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau and a number of NHL players also shared their opinions on the hit and suspension.

Ovechkin’s apology can be seen below:

The National Hockey League, namely disciplinarian Colin Campbell, has suspended Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin two games for his hit on Brian Campbell (no relation), according to Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post. Ovechkin will miss a game against Florida on on Tuesday evening and one against Carolina on Thursday evening.

He’ll lose $234,645.60 of salary. Yikes.

Watch Chicago blog Second City Hockey for updates and confirmations.

After the Capitals/Blackhawks game, Alex Ovechkin and Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau shared their comments on the hit.

Here’s Ovechkin:

After getting hit by Alex Ovechkin in the first period of Sunday’s game, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell will miss at least three games, coach Joel Quenneville told ESPNChicago.com.

The Hawks are off until Wednesday, where they will head to Anaheim to kick off a three game road trip. Campbell will not travel with the team. Long term, it’s unsure how long he’ll be out of the lineup.

It’s not really shocking news that fans of the Chicago Blackhawks and fans of the Washington Capitals have differing opinions about Alex Ovechkin’s hit on Brian Campbell.

Here’s what J.P. at Japers’ Rink, SBN’s Caps site, had to say about the hit today.

For more on this game and the aftermath of Ovechkin’s hit on Campbell, visit our Capitals blog, Japers’ Rink, or our Hawks blog, Second City Hockey.

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Nicklas Backstrom scored twice, including the winning goal at 3:10 of overtime, as the Washington Capitals rallied to beat the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3, at United Center.

Backstrom, Brooks Laich and Eric Fehr scored 2:16 apart in the third period to erase a 3-0 deficit. Jose Theodore made 20 saves for the Capitals, who have already secured their third consecutive Southeast Division title and lead the NHL with 101 points.

Washington mustered the comeback without captain Alex Ovechkin. He missed the majority of the contest after receiving a major and a game misconduct for shoving Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell, who crashed violently into the end boards from behind at the 12:16 mark of the first period. Campbell’s right shoulder appeared to aborsb most of the collision. He did not return to the game.

Jonathan Toews had a pair of goals for Chicago, which was coming off a tough 3-2 loss in Philadelphia on Saturday. The Blackhawks surrendered two goals in the final 2:04 against the Flyers, including Chris Pronger’s game-winner with 2.1 seconds left.

Antti Niemi stopped 26 shots to take the loss.

From James O’Brien of ProHockeyTalk, we have this visual evidence that proves Alex Ovechkin’s hit on Brian Campbell came from behind.

Rule 44 in the NHL Rulebook addresses hitting from behind. Ovechkin was given a major penalty and a game misconduct for the hit, which seems to be perfectly in line with what the rules call for.

Ovechkin went immediately to the penalty box without even a signal from the referee, but he would eventually be handed a five minute major for boarding and a game misconduct.

Here’s video of the incident: