Bruce Boudreau on Alex Ovechkin: “Big stink about a non-story”

Controversy and apparent drama can certainly help make a day fly by and in Washington this morning, we certainly had our fair share of things to talk about. If you missed it this morning, there were some curious eyebrows turned up thanks to Caps coach Bruce Boudreau’s post-game chat with reporters in which Caps captain Alexander Ovechkin was overheard laughing it up when talking with Russian countryman and opponent from that night Ilya Kovalchuk. Boudreau seemed perturbed by the whole thing leading to speculation that there could be an issue with Ovechkin.

When hearing a player, and a team captain, laughing it up after a game which his team lost badly 5-0, some folks got upset with seeing Ovechkin seemingly not bothered by his team’s lack of success. With the Caps in the middle of a three-game losing streak, some fans are a bit sensitive over things. With the uproar circling all over the place today, Bruce Boudreau addressed the situation to let us know that everyone got a bit excited over nothing. Katie Carrera of The Washington Post shares the straight talk from Boudreau.

“We make big things about nothing,” Boudreau said. “We want to make big things about nothing. After every game in every arena you will see in the new hockey that people will be talking to their countrymen and it happens everywhere.

“When we win at the Verizon, I don’t see anybody reporting when they come over and have guys waiting at the door to talk to any of our guys. Just because I looked over, now all of a sudden we make a big stink about a non-story.”

As we said this morning, it seemed to be a bit much to read into things as far as this goes but if people are going to be talking about it, we’re in on the discussion as well. Fans getting worked up about things more than the players do can generally be commonplace but doubting how serious Ovechkin takes things is presumptuous at best. As for what Ovechkin thinks, Carrera heard from him too and he’s more focused on what he can do to help the Caps win.

“Sometimes you feel good, you just have to work harder, when things are going wrong,” Ovechkin said this morning when asked about his game lately. “I think about it all the time, what I have to do better and what’s not working. I’ve talked to Bruce about it too. It will be okay. Things happen. I make mistakes but they will be better.”

Why so serious, everyone? Bumps in the road happen and the Caps have been dealing with goaltending and defensive injuries all season long now. It’s a long season and somehow the Caps are doing just fine atop the Southeast Division. Things will turn around, Ovechkin will pile on goals and the Caps will continue to be very good. Yukking it up after the game with your friends isn’t really something to get excited about. Players are human after all.