So…just a coincidence Alex Ovechkin pulled out of the All-Star Game the same day the Capitals – from the owner to the general manager to the player himself – grumbled about the three-game suspension the league handed Ovechkin yesterday for launching himself into Zbynek Michalek?
First the owner, Ted Leonsis, on his personal blog: “I do not agree in any way with the suspension of Alex Ovechkin for 3 games. I support Alex Ovechkin. He is our bedrock player – our Captain; and he and his family know that we are always here to support him.”
Then the GM, George McPhee, to reporters: “I was surprised and disappointed. I didn’t anticipate he’d be suspended for three games. We presented our case to the league yesterday and I thought we did real well, but didn’t get the result we wanted.”
Finally, Ovechkin: “My game is play physical, my game is play hard and I don’t think it was bad hit, dirty hit. Yeah I jumped but he don’t get hurt. I don’t get two minutes. I don’t think it was three-game suspension.”
Yeah, probably just a coincidence. Not sticking it to the league whatsoever.